El Gato Negro: The best tapas in Manchester, on three floors of King Street
"The best tapas restaurant in Manchester. Three floors, a roof terrace, and seasonal Spanish food as good as anything in Barcelona."
At a glance
- Address
- 52 King Street, M2 4LY
- Neighbourhood
- Deansgate
- Website
- elgatonegrotapas.com
- Best for
- Date nightGroupsSpecial occasionsFoodies
The good
- +Three floors of distinct spaces with their own character
- +Retractable-roof terrace is one of the best al fresco spots in the city
- +Seasonal menu that genuinely changes
- +Knowledgeable staff guide you through the wine list
- +Iberico ham is worth the trip alone
The caveats
- −Books up well ahead, especially the roof terrace
- −Can get loud on weekends
- −Tapas pricing means it's easy to spend more than you planned
On this page(3)
El Gato Negro is the rare restaurant that lives up to the hype. It opened on King Street in 2016 and immediately raised the bar (literally) for what tapas in Manchester could be.
The Room
El Gato Negro occupies a beautiful Georgian townhouse on King Street in central Manchester, spread across three floors and topped with a retractable-roof terrace. Each floor has its own personality. The ground floor is a buzzy bar and casual tapas space with high tables and a long counter. The first floor is the main dining room, more polished and slightly more grown-up. The roof terrace is the headline: a wood-and-glass space with a roof that opens in good weather to turn the room into one of the best al fresco spots in the city.
The clientele is a proper mix: city centre office workers at lunch, couples on date nights, groups celebrating birthdays, and the occasional tourist who has read about the place in a guidebook. The energy is warm and consistently busy.
The Food
Owner-chef Simon Shaw built El Gato Negro on a simple promise: properly Spanish food, properly seasonal ingredients, properly executed. The menu reads like a love letter to Spain's regional cuisines, with tapas, larger sharing plates, and a small selection of mains. Order family-style and pace yourself.
A recent visit included an Iberico ham course that is essential (fat-streaked, melting, served at room temperature with a glass of fino sherry); patatas bravas done properly (crisp outside, fluffy inside, with a real spicy tomato sauce and a garlic aioli); chargrilled octopus with smoked paprika and a salsa verde; slow-cooked lamb with artichokes; and a Spanish cheesecake for dessert that has become a signature. The seasonal specials change frequently and are nearly always worth ordering. Shaw also runs Canto in Ancoats, a Mediterranean small plates spot in the same family, and you can taste the same disciplined kitchen across both restaurants.
The wine list is brilliant: a deep selection of Spanish producers across regions, plus a thoughtful selection from elsewhere. The sherry list is one of the best in the country, and worth exploring if you've never given sherry a serious go.
The Practicalities
El Gato Negro is one of Manchester's most popular restaurants and books up well in advance, particularly the roof terrace in summer. Plan ahead. Tuesday to Thursday lunch and early evening sittings are easier than weekend dinners. The location is on King Street in central Manchester, a few minutes from St Ann's Square and an easy walk from St Peter's Square Metrolink. Service is card only. Allow 90 minutes to two hours. Sit on the roof if you can.