From early-evening aperitivo to inspired mixology, a lot of the best eating and drinking in Manchester has an Italian accent
Many of Manchester’s best Italian restaurants, bars and delis are family businesses with generations of heritage. Others are run by people who simply share the passion and attention to fine flavours of the best Italian food and drink producers. The dry, clean character of crisp and lightly sparkling Peroni Nastro Azzurro is especially suited to the bold dishes and ingredients of southern Italy, like rich cured meats and cheeses. With its delicate note of hops and subtle fruitiness, it can be savoured on its own, too. Ideal for when you’re eating, in or out, in Italian style.
Cicchetti are light snacks, designed to be shared and traditionally served in the bars of Venice. But then you already knew that, right? Because small plates are big news. San Carlo Cicchetti, part of Manchester’s San Carlo restaurant collection, offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the small plates concept shines through, with a focus on quality ingredients, many of which are flown in from Sicily.
‘Per tutti’ means ‘for all’, and at this family-run restaurant in Deansgate there really is a welcoming atmosphere for anyone who’s hungry or thirsty. The meat, veggie and seafood sharing boards are perfect for a date with mates, as are the small plates. If you have a raging appetite though, don’t worry, the big plates score high too. Try the crab spaghetti, ravioli of lobster, prawns, peas and chilli, or something from the grill. There’s a prosecco bar too, and 5pm to 7pm is set aside as Per Tutti’s Aperitivo Time.
Footballer Rio Ferdinand’s high-class gaff delivers on style and entertainment (with live music and DJs) but that doesn’t detract from the perfect Italian flair in the restaurant and the bar. From the zingy bruschetta selection to pastas and Italian-style grilled meats, the menu is modern and bursting with flavour, while reflecting great skill in the classic dishes. In the bar the aperitivi include a dazzling Italian spritz punch, a carefully chosen Italian wine list and a Peroni selection, including Peroni Nastro Azzurro Piccola.
With a reputation for high-quality seasonal produce, from meat to seafood and Italian cheeses, Piccolino has a simple aim: that what you’re eating should taste truly great. Dishes are prepared in an open kitchen and there’s a real buzz about the place. As well as the Clarence Street branch in the middle of town, there’s a slightly more laidback outpost on Lapwing Lane, West Didsbury.
It’s not just the sky-high setting on the twenty-third floor of Beetham Tower which stuns, or the cocktail bar’s truly stylish decor, but the classy serves that really steal the show. Fresh ingredients bring an inspiring list of cocktails to life – lychees, lavender and homemade raspberry syrup all feature. Come for an elegant afternoon tea, a champagne celebration or just to sip your Peroni Nastro Azzurro as the sun goes down. There is no better Manchester view at aperitivo time.
Salvi’s Mozzarella Bar at the Corn Exchange is crammed with goodies to stock your kitchen, all imported weekly from Italy – taralli caserecci, bresaola, soppressata, prosciutto and fine cheeses, including their legendary mozzarella. Alternatively, swing by Salvi’s Cucina on John Dalton Street and grab a lunch of handmade pasta or, if you can bear to share, go for the boards (the Salvi’s Tagliere, with three cheeses and three salamis, is superb).
At this West Didsbury deli there’s such a passion for food that it’s impossible not to come out armed with some of that enthusiasm yourself (and armfuls of fine ingredients to rustle up your own northern take on Italian home entertaining). With their selections of cheese, charcuterie and meats, olives, antipasti and artisan breads, your snacking will never be limited to a boring packet of crisps ever again.
Don Giovanni on Oxford Street is perfectly situated as a place to begin a night on the town. Book a booth and catch up with friends over antipasti (polpette, polpo and cozze piccante, for example). There’s an excellent array of Italian wines by the glass and Peroni Nastro Azzurro on draught, or try one of the many Italian liqueurs if you drop in at the other end of your evening out. Heading here for a light lunchtime fix? Go for the pizzette.
Sometimes all you want is pizza – and when you do, make sure it’s a really good one. Slice Pizza & Bread Bar in the Northern Quarter serves up stunning takeaway pizza ‘al taglio’ (by the slice), piled with fresh ingredients melting deliciously before you as you struggle to make your choice. Slice’s founder wanted to master his craft before he started feeding Mancs, so he travelled to Rome to train with pizzaiolo Emiliano Baldini. Now that’s what we call giving good Italian food the respect it deserves.
Created on the very spot where Uncle Albert used to have his shed (that’s the uncle of the owner of Dukes 92 next door, of course), this modern restaurant is airy yet cosy. Its menu mixes British and Italian styles and bustles in winter, offering relaxed alfresco canalside dining in the warmer months.
