Back in June we were lucky enough to enjoy three days exploring Manchester (which you can read about here), however we enjoyed so much good food and drink, I decided to do a separate post covering the places we visited and what we tried. Obviously this isn’t a food blog, so the reviews won’t be in great detail but I’ll let you know if I recommend it or not.
Dutch Courage, Sale – Bajan Potion
Starting our first evening in the North-west with a meal with friends, we had headed out to Sale on the Metrolink. With a bit of time before our dinner reservation, we decided to have a drink first and headed to Dutch Courage, a bar close to the Town Hall with a decent choice of both beer and cocktails. I opted for the Bajan Potion, the only cocktail with a rum base, and I certainly enjoyed it, although I forgot to note down what else was in it. The outside seating was a ok place to sit for an hour with friends, although this bit of Sale is undergoing some redevelopment.
Petisco, Sale – Portuguese Tapas
This small tapas restaurant in Stanley Square, Sale has only recently opened and our visit was the opportunity for our friends to try it out for the first time following great reviews. Those reviews were certainly not wrong, with every dish we tried perfectly cooked and absolutely excellent. With us trying the majority of the dishes on the menu I can’t list them all, however I’d certainly recommend going for the Pork Bell & Pig Cheek (possibly the best I’ve ever had) and the Pan Fried Peppers. Dishes cost between £5 and £12 with 5-6 recommended to share between 2 people.
Ezra & Gill, Northern Quarter, Manchester
Some badly read opening times led to us abandoning our first choice and ending up in Ezra & Gill, however we thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast at this cross between a coffee shop & restaurant. The atmosphere was great for a laid back breakfast made with top quality ingredients. I went for the Classic ‘E&G’ Breakfast, their take on the Full English, and along with a range of classic breakfast/brunch dishes, there were also some with twists such as ‘Nduja Scrambled Eggs and Smashed Pumpkin on Toast.
Fumo Bar & Grill, Chinatown, Manchester
Clinging to the edge of Manchester’s Chinatown, but definitely not serving Chinese cuisine, Fumo Bar & Grill is an Italian restaurant that’s a bit more upmarket than we’d usually go for, but the food was certainly worth it. I opted for the Spaghetti Vongole (Clams) which tasted amazing with just the right amount of sauce. For desert I went for the traditional Panacotte and lets just say that the Panacotte served here was of another level.
Escape to Freight Island, Piccadilly, Manchester
This was possibly my favourite food destination of the trip, equal parts due to the choice, the atmosphere and the deliciousness of the food. Escape to Freight Island is a cultural hub with lots of open air and indoor seating, with a walk-up bar and numerous different restaurants that can be ordered from via a QR code on the tables. We managed to try dishes from three of the 10 restaurants and everything was amazing:
Mayfield County Smokehouse – Three traditionally smoked meats are available: Beef Brisket; Lamb Shoulder; or Pork Belly, or you can choose to have a tray that’s a mix of the three. Opting for the latter I can safely say all three were amazing and left me wishing I could have more. There is also an excellent Beef Steak Poutine which we also tried and made us reminisce of the times that Air Canada did a Pop-Up Poutinerie in London.
Batard – A bakehouse offering Sweet American Pies and Ice Cream, the pies on offer frequently change, with us opting for the Malted Milk Brulee Pie. This was as equally delicious as it was unhealthy, and it was a good job we only had one slice between the two of us!
Madre – A Taco house that we went to for a second desert, and all I have to say is Churros as good as in Spain!
Dishoom, Deansgate, Manchester
A chain of restaurants serving traditional Irani/India cuisine, Dishoom provides a breakfast choice with a twist. Their signature Naan rolls are freshly baked and filled with cream cheese, tomato-chilli jam, coriander and a choice of bacon, sausage or egg, or all three and are a very filling start to the day. There’s also the choice of a Big Bombay, Dishoom’s version of the Full English that comes with spicy Masala Beans along with freshly cooked, slightly sweet, buns.
Burgerism, Salford
Recognising the name as one of the other restaurants at Escape to Freight Island, I had to try some of the food from Burgerism when I saw them on Deliveroo. With the food coming from their main takeaway in Salford, I was slightly concerned how warm the food would be by the time it got to me, however I needn’t have worried as it arrived piping hot. The burger and fries were excellent and not too greasy, whilst also providing the satisfaction of an unhealthy burger and fried. I also went for some chicken wings which ended up being a bit too spicy for my taste but were tasty nonetheless.
Moose Coffee, Piccadilly, Manchester
Born “from a love for the great American breakfast culture”, Moose Coffee has one of the best choices of breakfast waffles I’ve seen anywhere on my travels, along with some choices that are waffleless. I opted for the ‘Lone Star Moose’, a waffleless option, that comes with steak, sausages, eggs, and potato hash and this was the perfect breakfast to prepare for the three-hour drive home. I also tried their Maple Syrup Latte which had an interesting taste and whilst nice, I probably wouldn’t have again. I would however revisit Moose Coffee and try some more of their excellent breakfasts!
Flights & Times 