Local Gems in Manchester
Published 30 November 2024

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.

Tucked away just off Piccadilly, with the buzz of the city above, this branch of the casual Indian street-food mini chain sports spacious banquette seating, vintage Bollywood posters and a ceiling skylight to brighten the room. On the menu is an array of Gujarati-inspired vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes ranging from okra fries and bhel puris to paneer tikka and spinach kofta, served singly or in combos for the whole table by speedy, friendly staff. Drink Bundobust's own beer (brewed at their bespoke site on Oxford Street) or dip into the line-up of craft ales, wines and cocktails.

Since the start, Honest Crust's leopard-spotted sourdough pizzas have been the mainstay of Altrincham Market's refectory, reaching the places that their (honourable, and often excellent) kitchen-hatch neighbours simply can't. Toppings such as Berkswell cheese and the fennel sausage from Trealy Farm are great quality, while specials including forthright wild garlic bread or asparagus with burrata and prosciutto have a seasonal bent. They also do great salads, including panzanella and a generously saucy Caesar. Popularity can mean longish waits. In warmer weather, they'll light a second oven in the covered market next door, and they're also at the group's Mackie Mayor (Manchester) and Picturedrome (Macclesfield) sites.

A neighbourhood favourite on the route of one of south Manchester's most characterful passeggiatas, Indique continues to generate enthusiastic feedback. The kitchen's hand with flavour extends across its Indian street food, grills and signature curries, with classic vegetable dishes especially well-judged. Striking presentation and the odd visual flourish may be contemporary, but they contribute to a sense of old-fashioned care.

Since the aroma of fresh croissants first wafted from the ovens of the original bakery in Ancoats, Pollen has established something of a cult status in Manchester for its quality viennoiserie and sourdough loaves. A second, larger outpost at the Kampus development in the Piccadilly area is a serene, putty-hued space looking onto a lush courtyard garden where you can linger over a lunch of BBQ mushrooms on toast with celeriac and salsa verde or Jerusalem artichoke soup with herb butter. The counter also advertises a handsome selection of sweet treats: our surprisingly delicate matcha cheesecake was a sure sign of the pastry team's skills.

Pulp's wooden hut, like a miniature modernist ski chalet, is located in the newly designated NOMA neighbourhood between Manchesater's Victoria Station and Shudehill; it's a micro-oasis of greenery and good coffee. There’s even a board listing all the birdlife that’s spotted in the area. The rotating roster of roasters gives added interest to your daily brew but, be warned, it’s outdoor seating only. There are usually home-baked muffins and excellent croissants too. 

If you were unable to get a decent piece of fish in a restaurant attached to a top-quality fishmongers then it would be a poor show but, thankfully, the Easy Fish Company take its job seriously. Apart from gigantic portions of super-fresh fried cod and thick chips, you might find stylishly presented pan-fried John Dory with saffron potatoes, samphire and shellfish bisque or sesame-crusted tuna accompanied by miso- and soy-glazed vegetables, crispy noodles and Malaysian curry sauce. Shellfish sharing platters (including lobster, mussels and tiger prawns) are deliciously formidable. 

Trendy and woke are epithets sometimes slung at this popular Manchester suburb that has graduated from student central to young family middle-class enclave. Amid the buzzing bars and eating places, the Jane Eyre fits in just fine. A sibling of the original in Ancoats, it’s a bar with ‘plates’ – casual and friendly. The wine list is noteworthy, the cocktails innovative, and the staff super-helpful. The food, however, can be patchy, but if you’re happy with a plate of freshly fried tempura prawns with smoked chilli jam and a glass of fruity Cab Sauv, then come and join in the community vibe.

A loyal local crowd ensures regular full houses at this upbeat suburban seafood eatery, which comes complete with an overspill heated terrace out front. The day’s catch is given a full-on global workout as the kitchen doles out a regularly changing repertoire of capable, well-timed dishes ranging from chargrilled octopus with baba ganoush and batata harra (Lebanese spicy potatoes) to classic lemon sole meunière or a Goan curry of pan-roasted stone bass. Decent sides, accompaniments, dips and affordably priced wines complete the picture. There’s an offshoot on Stanley Square, Sale.

'Good service and a really enjoyable space' distinguish TNQ in a changing neighbourhood. Our correspondent also loves its genuinely seasonal menus, which deliver real variety year-on-year (think bistro-style dishes such as slow-roasted pork belly with crackling and black pudding wontons). And the kitchen doesn't skimp on the attention to detail required to produce proper chips. When you walk into this easy-going corner spot 'you just know everything will be fine'. 

Gozleme are golden Turkish flatbreads stuffed with a variety of fillings – a popular street-food snack that's made to order at this little stall in Bury Market. The art of rolling and stuffing is deceptively simple but the two Turkish ladies in charge of the cooking are fast and skilled. Gently spiced minced lamb or chicken mixed with spinach, mushroom, potato and feta is the standout filling, but other Turkish staples such as shawarma, lahmacun, borek and baklava are also good. Apple tea in all its powdered, sugary glory brings a whiff of the Bosphorus to the famous traditional Lancashire market.