The 24 best restaurants in Manchester

Until Mana’s 2019 award, Manchester’s lack of a Michelin star was always a hot topic and the arrival of Simon Rogan at the French was intended to change all that. Sadly, that didn't happen and Rogan departed some time ago – leaving The French in the very capable hands of head chef Adam Reid. Reid has since made the Grade II-listed dining room his own, shaking off any stuffy fine dining preconceptions and serving his own inspired take on modern British cuisine.

There are few things more wonderful in life than a good neighbourhood bistro and Hispi is top of the pack in Manchester. Hidden away in the suburb of Didsbury, this is the kind of place you wish you had on your doorstep. Reliable, confident, classic cooking makes this relaxed spot many people’s go-to for special occasions. Be warned: the custard tart will make you want to dance around the room with glee.

With dark, wood-panelled rooms and frosted windows, Hawksmoor Manchester was the first branch of the upscale steakhouse to make its delicious mark outside of London. Like its southern brethren, it’s a place to blur day with night over cocktails and the country’s finest grass-fed meat. The staff are always a delight, too – we love a warm welcome followed by discreet yet attentive service.

Indian street food and craft beer: it doesn’t get much better than that. Bundobust started out in Leeds and chose Manchester for its second outpost – how lucky are we? Inside, it’s casual and hip with a smattering of retro Bollywood; long communal dining tables groan under the weight of dishes which fuse northern produce with Gujarati street food. The menu is vegetarian, but we reckon even the most hard-headed meat-eater wouldn’t have beef with eating here.

Among the buzz of Chinatown lies a single Japanese restaurant, Yuzu. It’s refined and simple, both in terms of décor and food, and the lunch deal is a proper steal. It was once one of Manchester’s best-kept secrets, before a glowing review from food critic Jay Rayner changed all that. Reservations are now harder to come by, but they’re so very worth the wait.

Not so much a restaurant as a market trader in the acclaimed food hall Mackie Mayor, Honest Crust still deserves a place on this list for knocking out the city’s best pizza. The Neapolitan-style base is light, chewy and dotted with charred bubbles like leopard’s spots. Toppings are always top quality – think things like San Marzano tomatoes and locally made fennel sausage. Ours is the classic margherita: scoff it while you marvel at the 1858 Grade II-listed building surrounding you.

Erst’s big sister, Trove is the Levenshulme arm of this uber-stylish duo. The South Manchester joint started as a dinky bakery and café in 2011, and has since blossomed into a thriving restaurant and bar (open late from Thursday to Saturday). It’s a short train journey from the city centre, but well worth the trip for the top-notch cakes and bakes, homemade flatbreads with tender roast lamb shoulder, or roasted curried cauliflower with turmeric vegan yoghurt.

It might sound like an urban legend, but if you climb the dodgy-looking steps in the corner of one Manchester kebab shop, you’ll find Habesha, a hidden Ethiopian restaurant frequented by those in the know. Grab your mates and order a big injera flatbread to share, topped with a selection of punchy stews (doro wat is our favourite) and veg. Pair with an Ethiopian beer, and finish on a potent in-house roasted coffee.

Amid the flurry of new restaurants in Manchester, old favourites sometimes don’t get as much press as they should; 63 Degrees is one of the most under-appreciated. Based in the buzzy Northern Quarter, find a little slice of Paris in the shape of this family-run restaurant. The Moreaus left the glamour of their home city to bring a taste of the French capital to Manchester, and we forever thank them for it.

Descend the steps of this low-key basement in Chinatown to discover gigantic bowls of hearty pho, topped with your choice of raw beef, perfectly cooked prawns or tofu and mushrooms. Team with refreshing summer rolls or sticky BBQ pork skewers to share. This Vietnamese café is decidedly no-frills, but that doesn’t matter when you’ve got a full belly for next to nothing.

There’s a well-trodden path to Lily’s from the nearby IKEA, a handy parting gift for hungry shoppers who’ve finally escaped the Scandi maze. But even if you don’t need another Billy bookcase, this humble little Indian restaurant merits its own trip thanks to affordable prices, accomplished flavour combinations and an epic menu of more than 100 dishes.

Manchester loves a curry café, and Chorlton’s Chapati Café is one of the best in the South. Enter the canteen-style joint and pick your faves: chickpeas stewed in spicy tomatoes, tender chicken karahi with green chillis and peppers, or hearty tarka dhal, to name a few. Curries come in a thali tray with freshly made chapati, while beers include craft heroes like Beavertown. Our top tip? Load up on the moreish homemade tamarind sauce.

In the city centre and need a quick, affordable curry fix? Café Marhaba is a charming backstreet canteen where you can get a big ol’ plate of rice ’n’ three (rice topped with three curries of your choice) for just £6. Pair with a pillowy naan and a starter of samosas for a low-cost feast in this Manchester relic.

This & That has been serving rice ’n’ three to hungry Mancs since 1984 and it’s still going strong. The family-run restaurant was revamped a while back – a controversial move that made it fit in with the trendy cafés surrounding it – but their back-alley diner is still just as popular. Expect no-frills dining and big portions, and look out for the special Sunday nihari.