Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost for you!
Looking for places offering the best tasting menus in Manchester? We are here to help!
The food scene in Manchester is pretty exceptional. We have such an incredible diversity when it comes to food. No matter what type of cuisine you want to try, you will find it in Manchester!
And if you are feeling a bit fancy today and would like to try a restaurant with a tasting menu in Manchester, that’s also possible.
From the only Michelin starred restaurant to hidden gems, we tell you everything you need to know about the best Manchester tasting menus available.
Mana
The Michelin star Mana on Blossom Street in Ancoats has one of the best tasting menus in Manchester, making it perfect for a special occasion or a fancy date night.
Chef and co-owner Simon Martin focuses on using the best produce from the British Isles in his diverse and delicious menu.
Because of their focus on local produce, the tasting menu changes seasonally to utilise the best products.
The menu consists of around 13 dishes all of which are elegantly plated and certainly profess an element of science in them.
Though the menu is always changing there are often some eyebrow-raising dishes.
Mana has been known to serve “Fried Reindeer Moss” and “Autumn Bark”.
Apparently, Chef Simon Martin has been known to write the dish titles after a couple of beers!
From eel to sourdough and scallops to English wasabi you will be in for a culinary awakening at Mana.
Whilst the Mana tasting experience is at the higher price range it’s not just a meal it’s an experience!
La Bandera
If you are searching for tasting menu restaurants in Manchester but want some excellent Spanish food then head to La Bandera.
You will find this Spanish tapas restaurant on Ridgefield just off Deansgate.
La Bandera strives to use the finest and freshest local ingredients as well as Iberian products to make their traditional Spanish dishes.
The tasting menu at La Bandera features seven dishes from starters to desserts with the option of adding a wine flight as well.
The menu starts off with an array of seafood from squid croquettes to king prawns.
For the main course (though there are a few) there’s chicken in a Canarian sauce, fresh cod and flat iron steak.
For dessert try their mouth-watering oven-baked banana cheesecake.
If you are new to Spanish cuisine then La Bandera’s tasting menu is an excellent option.
It allows you to explore the fresh flavours of Spanish cooking in a vibrantly yellow furnished restaurant that makes even the dullest Manchester’s days feel like Spain.
63 Degrees
For a Manchester tasting menu with Parisian influences head to 63 Degrees on High Street in the Northern Quarter.
More commonly known as one of the best party places in the city, Northern Quarter isn’t instantly synonymous with high quality French cuisine.
But despite its slightly odd location, 63 Degrees is ready to bring “a taste of Paris” to the streets of Manchester.
As well as their à la carte and set lunch menu 63 Degrees also offer a Tuesday Tasting menu. The menu has five courses and is available every Tuesday from 5:30pm.
From the French menu (don’t worry there is English translation) to the starters and dessert everything feels authentically Parisian.
A courgette gazpacho to start followed by a French classic, foie gras.
There’s pan fried salmon and chicken as the two small main plates. The tasting menu concludes with an elegant chocolate peach sphere.
MUSU
MUSU is all about Japanese food and it’s also one of the newest hip restaurants on the Manchester food scene.
To experience this multi-sensory dining experience, you will want to head to Bridge Street in Spinningfields.
This high-end Japanese restaurant will transport you to Asia, with everything from the décor to the food feeling authentic but in no way gimmicky.
They offer not one but two of the best tasting menus in Manchester.
There’s the Kaiseki Tasting Menu which is a seasonal menu of seven or 11 courses that is curated by Chef Patron Mike Shaw.
Alternatively, there’s the Omakase Sushi Tasting Menu.
For this sushi menu you’ll be served the chef’s choice of sushi whilst sitting at the chef’s table and served by your own personal sushi chef.
For their Kaiseki menu you can expect to try things like sashimi, tempura, gyoza, nigiri, yakitori and Japanese Wagyu beef.
Whether you are a lover of Japanese cuisine or want to try something completely out of your ordinary, MUSU is a must try.
Adam Reid at The French
Adam Reid at The French is housed in the 4-star luxury Midland Hotel on Peter Street.
The French offers a fine dining experience that is somehow not stuffy and pretentious but one that showcases all the best of British cuisine.
The tasting menu has been set out by Manchester’s very own Adam Reid, one of the winners of TV’s Great British Menu.
Starting out as head chef in 2013 he took over as Chef-Patron in 2016 and has been awarded 4 AA rosettes.
The menu does change seasonally and with the produce available but a sample menu gives you a good idea of what to expect.
Starting off with fresh bread, fish pie, sausage rolls and cracker sandwiches you might think this sounds more like a picnic, but of course there’s a lot more thought that goes into it than that.
From Scottish scallops to a Cornish catch of the day, seafood lovers will be in for a treat at The French.
The restaurant’s famed “Tipsy cake” is a decadent way to round off the tasting menu.
Lucky Cat (Gordon Ramsay)
For Manchester taster menus try Gordon Ramsay’s Lucky Cat.
Perhaps one of the most famous chefs in the world, Gordon Ramsay talks a lot of talk but does his Lucky Cat tasting menu live up to the hype?
Starting off in Mayfair, London, Lucky Cat can now be found on Manchester’s historic King Street.
It’s all about Asian inspired small plates at this restaurant.
As well as an à la carte menu and regular lunch menu there’s also a regular private dining tasting menu. Y
ou and your table can choose from two tasting menus with all the plates being to share.
Some of the tantalising Asian dishes include monkfish tempura, sashimi, beef tataki, wagyu sirloin, bonito fried duck bao, prawn tempura and smoked BBQ aubergine to name a few.
From the food to the attentive staff who are always willing to suggest the best wines, it’s definitely an experience for any foodie to try.
Gaucho
Another of the best tasting menus in Manchester is at Gaucho. You will find this high-end Argentine restaurant on St Mary’s Street.
It might be that you are new to Argentinian cooking but you can certainly expect some incredibly juicy meat dishes that are packed with flavours.
The restaurant takes inspiration from the streets of Buenos Aires.
From prime grass-fed beef, to chorizo and Cuadril churrasco (a type of rump steak) you will certainly be in for a meaty feast.
However, that’s not to say that the vegetarian dishes and sides are not also packed with flavour and are delicious.
Along with great food you can always be assured that Gaucho follows Argentinian hospitality.
The wait staff are knowledgeable about the best wine pairings and are always happy to go the extra mile.
Where the Light Gets In
The intriguingly named Where the Light Gets In can be found at 7 Rostron Brow in Stockport.
When arriving at the first-floor restaurant in a former coffee warehouse it’s easy to see where the name comes from.
Visit during the day or the evening in summer and feel the sun beaming through the large windows.
It’s a beautiful space that also happens to serve one of the best tasting menus in Manchester.
This restaurant is certainly all about storytelling.
They detail the lives and stories of the farmers and fishermen they work with so you feel a connection with the food you are eating.
If you want to try their tasting menu you will need to book well in advance.
As they follow the seasonal food fluctuations their menu changes regularly.
From oysters to sushi style mackerel and one of the best leaks you will ever have, plates are small but packed with flavour.
WOOD
WOOD is Simon Wood’s flagship restaurant.
The 2015 MasterChef winner has created an excellent menu that features seasonal produce with an element of playfulness.
You will find WOOD on Jack Rosenthal Street just five minutes’ walk from Oxford Road station.
You can always expect to receive unique and perfectly presented plates at WOOD.
Their 10 course tasting menu changes with the season but some of the meat dishes include applewood smoked ox, crab crumpets, and Cornish lamb.
Vegetarian dishes include the black bean aubergine and brown butter peach parsnip.
Expect to have your sweet toothed cravings satisfied with a strawberry and white chocolate dessert as well as the classic combination of mango and passion fruit.
A wine sommelier will make sure you are taken care of in the meal pairing department and everything from the staff to the taste and presentation are top tier.
Sapporo
Sapporo is named after the capital of the mountainous Japanese island of Hokkaido, but you will find this restaurant on Liverpool Road just two minutes’ walk from the Science and Industry Museum.
If you are longing for Japanese food, Sapporo offers some of the best tasting menus in Manchester. Opting for the tasting menu allows you to really experience what Sapporo is all about.
They have five menus ranging in price. Their most expensive Emperor menu allows you to try barbeque ribs, nigiri sushi, sea bass, king prawns and more.
Their meat and seafood dishes are served with egg fried rice, stir fried veggies and Sapporo potatoes. Their Geisha menu is where you will find vegetable spring rolls and vegetable gyoza.
Japanese food is always picture perfect and there’s no exception at Sapporo.
This is an excellent restaurant to get acquainted with Japanese food or taste some of your favourite dishes.
Six By Nico
Six By Nico has restaurants across the UK, including London, Leeds, Edinburgh and Manchester.
Their Manchester location can be found at Spring Gardens just three minutes’ walk from the Manchester Art Gallery.
The tasting menu at Six By Nico changes every six weeks!
This is great if you fall in love with the place on your first visit and want to try something new.
The menu is constantly evolving and is inspired by a destination, concept or theme.
Their Once Upon a Time menu allows you to experience nostalgia whilst eating delicious food.
This menu features chicken and duck leg ragu, a smoked ham Hough sandwich and the pork roulade, with each course being named after a classic kid’s story.
The meal is rounded off by the “Brucey! Brucey!” a Matilda inspired chocolate dessert.
Cottonopolis
Head to Newton Street for a taste of Asia at Cottonopolis. Manchester taster menus are on offer at Cottonopolis but there is also a full-service bar.
Their ‘Taste Of Cotton’ menu allows you to enjoy a selection of the chef’s top picks.
Sometimes picking from a scrumptious menu can be a difficult decision, especially if there are dishes you aren’t so familiar with.
This tasting menu is an excellent way to get acquainted with Cottonopolis’ dishes for the next time you visit.
The menu is served every Sunday from 4pm. As well as meat options there are also vegan and pescatarian menus too!
Their seven-course menu includes robata grilled meats, sushi, the trendy bao buns, yummy snap peas, snacks and desserts.
Please note that this is also a popular spot for bottomless brunches.
Peter Street Kitchen
The Peter Street Kitchen is located inside The Edwardian hotel in the Free Trade Hall on Peter Street.
This high-end restaurant serves an eclectic range of Mexican and Japanese sharing plates.
It’s a bit of an odd combination but one that many people are definitely there for. Where else can you enjoy two such polar opposite cuisines under the same room?
Peter Street Kitchen’s Omakase tasting menu reflects the talents of the chef. Omakase means “from the heart” and the tasting menu is created on the day.
The tasting menu features six courses from starters to dessert.
Some of the dishes on offer at Peter Street include yellowtail sashimi, beef tataki, Japanese A4 wagyu beef, crispy peppered calamari and more.
You can order the regular tasting menu or a vegetarian version.
20 Stories
20 Stories offers dining with a view! You will find this restaurant on the 19th floor of the No. 1 Spinningfields building on Hardman Street.
This is a super sophisticated restaurant to dine at. Whether you are going for a birthday meal or an anniversary celebration, 20 Stories offers that splash of luxury you deserve.
20 Stories offers a five-course vegan tasting menu as well as one that features meat.
So often with tasting menus vegans and vegetarians are left out but not here.
Both tasting menus are available from Monday to Thursday from 5:30pm to 8pm.
The menu is laid out in chapters which follows the story theme of the restaurant.
The vegan menu features artichoke barigoule, sake marinated aubergine, lemon sorbet and peach tarte tatin. For meat eaters there are additions of sea trout and sake marinated lamb.
Now that you know everything about the best tasting menus Manchester has to offer, it’s time to go and enjoy your food.
You may also be interested in:
