Manchester House: Tower-top Modern British in Spinningfields
"Modern British cooking from one of the city's most-respected kitchens, in a tower-top setting with city views. Worth the splurge for special occasions."
At a glance
- Address
- Tower 12, 18-22 Bridge Street, M3 3BZ
- Neighbourhood
- Spinningfields
- Best for
- Special occasionsBusiness lunchDate nightViews
The good
- +Stunning city views from the upper floors
- +Tasting menus done properly, with seasonal British ingredients
- +Wine list is one of the most thoughtful in the city
- +The room and the service are pitched perfectly for a special meal
- +Bar on the floor below is one of the best pre-dinner drink spots in Spinningfields
The caveats
- −Expensive (a "celebrate something" restaurant)
- −Tasting menu format isn't for everyone
- −The corporate Spinningfields location can feel sterile
On this page(3)
Manchester House sits high in a glass tower in Spinningfields, which sounds like a recipe for a forgettable hotel restaurant and instead delivers some of the most considered cooking in the city.
The Room
Manchester House occupies the upper floors of Tower 12 in Spinningfields, with floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap around three sides of the dining room and deliver some of the best views in the city. On a clear evening, you can see across central Manchester to the hills beyond Stockport, with the Beetham Tower in the foreground and the Arndale shopping centre directly below. The room itself is more restrained than you might expect from a tower-top restaurant: pale walls, soft lighting, well-spaced tables, and a deliberate decision to let the view do the talking.
The bar one floor below (Manchester House's lounge bar, sometimes called The Lounge) is an essential part of the experience. Get there early for a drink and watch the city lights come on before dinner. The mood is quietly confident, slightly corporate at lunch, more romantic at dinner.
The Food
The kitchen has been through several head chefs over the years but the standard has remained consistently high. The current format is a tasting menu (six or eight courses) that changes with the season, plus a shorter à la carte for diners who want more flexibility.
A recent menu included a delicate amuse of cured salmon with horseradish snow; a roast Cornish scallop with cauliflower and brown butter; a course of slow-cooked lamb belly with morels and wild garlic that was the standout of the meal; a perfectly cooked sea bass with bisque and samphire; and a dessert of dark chocolate with malt and hazelnut that was rich without being heavy. The bread course is excellent. The petits fours at the end are properly considered.
The wine list is one of the most thoughtful in the city, with strong representation from Burgundy and the Rhône, a serious German Riesling section, and a brilliant by-the-glass programme that lets you pair without committing to a full bottle. The sommelier team are knowledgeable and approachable.
The Practicalities
Bookings essential. The lunch menu is significantly better value than dinner and a brilliant way to experience the kitchen if you can get away from the office. Dress code is smart but not stiff. Card only. Service is polished and pitched perfectly for the room. The location is a few minutes from Spinningfields' centre, easy walking distance from St Peter's Square and Deansgate. Get there 30 minutes before your booking for a drink in the bar one floor below. The view is worth the trip on its own.