Rochdale, British, Traditional Restaurant Guide

Founded in 1868, this landmark Manchester “institution” serves traditional dishes including steak ’n’ kidney pudding, corned-beef hash and a 12oz Barnsley chop. L.S. Lowry had lunch here most days – he was an art school pal of long-time proprietor Bert Knowles.

2024 Review: Chef-patron Eric Paxman trained under Marco Pierre White in London and Bill Granger in Australia, and has cooked for luminaries including Arnold Schwarzenegger, who vowed ‘I’ll be back’ – a sentiment shared by numerous guests at the venture he opened in his hometown 14 years ago. “Lunch and early-bird evening specials are an exceptional bargain”.