As you lot already know, I've been living in Manchester for some time now. There's many alluring charms to this city, however in my opinion, one of Manchester's finest features, is its boundless array of dining possibilities! I'm often asked for recommendations for bars and restaurants to visit whilst in the city, so I thought I'd put together a post all about my favourite places to visit in town! It may help those of you who may be planning a trip into the city sometime soon...
I'm sure I haven't even scratched the surface of how much this city has to offer in terms of cafes and bars - but that's one of the great things about Manchester, there's always something new opening. I've never once been stuck for somewhere to go for coffee, there's probably too much choice here! Of course you have your habitual Starbucks, Cafe Nero and Pret planted on practically every street, however if you yearn for something more hipster-esq; the Norther Quarter and Ancoats are certainly the areas you need to visit...
One of my favourite ways to spend my free time, is to visit new cafes / bars / restaurants and sample Manchester's food scene - or should I say specifically - its brunch scene. I have certainly built up a wealth of brunchin' experience during my time living here. I spend most of my weekend eating out. My favourite part of any day has to be breakfast, and my favourite dish to order has to be french toast. As you scroll down, it will become evident that I am obsessed with french toast - I'd even go as far as to say I have turned into a french-toast connoisseur.
Above: Hot chocolate at Foundation Coffee, pan seared halloumi on sourdough and french toast and berries (my favourite dishes from Ezra And Gil).
Ezra And Gil.
Okay so number one has to be Ezra And Gil. Ezra is my local cafe, and by far my favourite breakfast spot in Manchester. If you're visitng - make sure you stop off here. I love everything about this place; its atmosphere, its decor, the amazing food and of course - its coffee. I think I must visit this place at least once a week (thank god for my loyalty card). It's a great place to work - not too loud, yet not too quiet to feel as though you can't type. I love this place so much so, I even have their tote bag! It's a bold claim, but in my opinion, Ezra does the best mocha in town. It always has a vast selection of freshly baked pastries / cakes and has a delicious food menu. If you've visiting on a weekend, try and get in before 10.30am otherwise you'll have to wait a little for a table!
Above: French toast at Federal, Hot chocolate and cruffin at Albert Schloss.
Evelyn's Cafe & Bar.
Another cafe/bar I love to visit in the Northern Quarter is Evelyn's. I only visited this place for the first time this year - and I honestly don't know why it took me so long to try it out! With its fresh greenery suspended from the ceiling and exposed brick statement walls; it really is an Insta-dream! I really recommend trying their chickpea burger and fries! (Pictured below).
Foundation Coffee House.
Foundation Coffee is a great place to knuckle down and get work done. As Foundation is one of the larger cafes around town, I find I can work here for hours, as there's less pressure for tables! I always feel so guilty when setting up my workspace in a busy cafe, as I know there can be table shortages. Thankfully I never have this dilemma in Foundation, especially during weekdays. Its great NQ location and white minimal aesthetic makes it the coolest place to meet when catching up with friends.
Above: A view over Manchester from 20 Stories, 3 x buffalo mozzarella pizza at Rudy's Pizza, chickpea burger and shakshuka at Evelyn's Cafe & Bar, 2 aesthetically pleasing coffee's from Takk.
20 Stories.
20 Stories is one of the few rooftop bars in Manchester. It's located in the Spinningfields area, which is known to be the more swankier end of town. I love calling into 20 Stories on an evening to catch the sunset. You get the most amazing views over the city! There's always a great mix of people up at the bar - both young and old. It's well worth a visit.
Rudy's Pizza.
Rudy's does the best pizza in town. It's a bold statement, but oh my goodness, the pizza is so good! The only down side about this place, is that its walk in only. Meaning if you visit on a weekend, or midweek evening - you're probably going to have to wait for a table. Can you believe I once waited for an hour and a half?! No reservations is slightly annoying, however the great part of this is that you're able to leave a contact number, grab drinks in another bar, and they'll text you once your table is ready! They have two restaurants in Manchester, one on Peter Street and the other is situated in Ancoats. The warm ambient candle lit atmosphere, makes it the perfect place for date night!
Other places to check out:
- PLY
- Rozafa
- San Carlo
- Yard&Coop
- Mackie Mayor
- Bøck Bière Café
- Seven Bro7hers Brewery
Let me know your favourite breakfast/brunch/lunch/dinner venues in Manchester - I'd love to discover some new favourites! Keep up with my latest food&drink discoveries over on my Instagram page under the 'Manchester' highlight reel here.
S x
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