Levenshulme Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: “You would not realise you are in Moss Side” at the Whitworth’s “beautiful” and “family-friendly” glass-walled conservatory, overlooking Whitworth Park. Its location (above all) and victuals make it an “excellent place for lunch”, with the “three daily changing salads particularly recommended”.

“A very different but great experience” – Sam Buckley’s hipster hotspot has won fame at these atmospheric brick-walled premises in a former coffee warehouse with huge windows, which opened in 2016. It’s “a super space for a romantic dinner”, especially if your date is of a foodie disposition; the “gorgeous food” from a tasting menu at £110 per person puts a major emphasis on sustainability and local sourcing and there are “delicious wine pairings, introducing you to novel wines”, all served by “lovely staff”.

“Fantastic food” has been a consistent refrain of guests at Patrick Hannity’s West Didsbury brasserie for more than 35 years – many of whom return again and again – “we only go on my birthday (due to distance) but it’s the meal I most look forward to each year”. The modern British cooking with European touches is always up-to-date on seasonality, and in 2008 Patrick became one of the first restaurateurs to invest in his own smallholding to provide ingredients for the kitchen. “The fixed-price menu (weekday lunch and early evening) is fairly short on options but reliably high on quality” – and at £16 per person for two courses or £20 for three represents tremendous value.

2023 Review: This vast street-food and entertainment concept accommodating up 1,000 visitors in an old freight depot by Piccadilly station is simply “another world” – “a mind-blowing-sized venue and organisation” where “the food is not really the main attraction” – although there is plenty of sufficient quality to earn high ratings, from 15 different restaurants and bars in an “eclectic mix” that ranges from Voodoo Rays pizza, Brad Carter’s One Stop Döner Bar and asador grills from Baratxuri to tacos from Madre.

2022 Review: A curry house like no other, with the all-vegan dishes named after Smiths' songs; superfan Max Paley founded it as a delivery service from a kitchen inside the Retro music venue (address listed; sit-in dining planned for post-lockdown). Dishes include Girlfriend In A Korma and How Saag Is Now?.

2022 Review: Justin Crawford & Luke Cowdrey (aka the ill-titled ‘Unabombers`‘, who also run Electrik and Volta) are behind this “rather glam space” in an old Victorian office block. Serving small plates – inspired by their “global DJing trips” – fans say it’s “a mighty fine place to dine”; others that it’s “just OK”.

The “very basic setting” shouldn’t put you off a visit to this cheap ’n’ cheerful Ethiopian pitstop, above a kebab shop on Canal Street. As is typical for the cuisine, many dishes are served on an injera (a large circular bread) – “there are excellent veggie options on the short menu with reasonably priced beer”.

2022 Review: “Delicious, super-spicy” Sichuanese cooking sets the taste buds on fire at this “friendly” Chinatown operation, with offshoots near the university in Oxford Road, in Leeds and York. Top Tip: “the hot poached chicken is fantastic”.

This “excellent Japanese restaurant” – now 10 years old – offers “unpretentious homely Japanese cooking and a great sake menu”. All the favourites are here, from noodles and tempura to kara-age chicken and gyoza, with the exception of sushi – but you can replicate its flavours by ordering assorted sashimi over the bowl of sushi-seasoned rice.

“This excellent small restaurant is not to be missed” – “a gem hidden in plain sight on Great Ancoats Street”. “The menu changes frequently and is driven by seasonal locally sourced produce and the passions of Kevin and Rachel Choudhary”. “It’s a relaxing space, an oasis full of potted plants and herbs, where conversation is easy, portions are generous, and dishes combine traditional ideas and concepts with innovative contemporary additions”.

Warren Yeung (cousin to Harry of the big Yang Sing) runs this long-serving staple (on the site of the original Yang Sing) which is still a treasured linchpin of Chinatown for some Mancunians and is still consistently well-rated for its Cantonese cuisine and dim sum. This year’s worst comment? “service is patchy at busy times”.

“Definitely one of the stars of the buzzing Ancoats scene… in fact, the Manchester scene overall” – “a minimalistic interior sets the scene for simple but brilliantly executed dishes designed for sharing” at this low-key zeitgeisty hit: the most commented-on destination in the city in our annual diners’ poll this year. “The highly professional kitchen team are at the top of their game providing fare which is as clever as it is straightforward” (e.g. “the best bread and potato dishes I’ve ever had!”). Aided by its “very helpful” approach to service: “it’s the kind of place you wish was in your neighbourhood. Small plates and a natural (but not too funky) list of wines make it as good a place as any you will find to spend a couple of hours when in Manchester”.