Armenian Taverna

For more than five decades, this redoubtable Armenian restaurant was holed up in a basement beneath Manchester’s Albert Square, but it recently moved upstairs and into the light. Occupying a bright, modern ground-floor space dominated by an enormous chandelier, it continues to serve a broad mix of dishes, from borscht, pickled herrings and baba ganoush to Georgian khinkali (aka ‘soup dumplings’). However, it's worth homing in on the authentic Armenian specialities: try the Yerevan take on khachapuri (hot-from-the-oven flatbread lavished with cheese and stuffed with air-dried beef) or the downright delicious chargrilled khorovadz (lamb kebabs). The chef lovingly bakes his own unleavened lavash, and Armenian wine is a highlight too.  ...