So we may as well eat, drink and be merry. In the mood for a festive feast ahead of the big day? From your classic Christmas dinner offerings of turkey, pigs in blankets and all the trimmings served in wraps and on platters to alternative but equally tasty options you’ll want to loosen your belt for, Manchester has some great spots that won’t leave you hungry. Check out our guide to the best places to enjoy a Christmas dinner menu or two and festive grub right here in Manchester.
1. Society
You’ll find plenty of festive food to enjoy at Manchester food hall, Society, as the traders will be offering unique seasonal twists on their menu as a Christmas dinner alternative. Providing a unique take on traditional Christmas cuisine, Slap and Pickle is offering a whopping All I Want for Christmas Burger, with two 40-day dry-aged grass-fed Swaledale beef patties, smoked bacon, beef fat-fried Christmas pudding, and all the trimmings served on a toasted brioche bun with naked fries. Also featured on the menu are crispy Loaded Roast Potatoes, toasty All the Trimmings Fries and Pigs in Blankets.
Chaat Cart will be serving up Chicken Chettinand, Beetroot and Onion Bhaji Baubles and Chole with festive spices, with Manzoku offering a delightful Lobster, Prawn and Crispy Prosciutto Bao and Bao Prawn Toast. Plus, Noi Quattro has an indulgent Montanara pizza on the menu, made with mozzarella fior di latte, san marzano tomato sauce, gorgonzola, walnuts, dry-cured smoked ham, porcini mushrooms and extra virgin olive oil, and Yoki Social Table is offering a feast fit for Christmas with a selection of Bibimbap dishes.
đź“ŤSociety, 100 Barbirolli Square, Manchester, M2 3BD.
2. Porky Pig
Porky Pig has returned to the annual Christmas markets, bringing back their beloved Yorkshire pudding wraps for everyone to enjoy, including a vegetarian option so the veggies can join in on the fun. A Manchester institution, it consists of a Christmas roast dinner inside a massive Yorkie pud, guests can chow down on a meat of their choice with all the trimmings, alongside a generous drizzle of gravy to finish it off.
đź“ŤPorky Pig can be found at the Manchester Christmas Markets.
3. Northern Soul
Northern Soul’s delicious Crimbo Dinner grilled cheese is back for the winter, featuring turkey, cranberry, stuffing cheese and a lashing of gravy. While Northern Soul is usually an annual staple at the Manchester Christmas Markets, this year, fans of the iconic grilled cheese toastie will find them at their Tib Street venue.
đź“ŤNorthern Soul, Unit G20, 21, 44 Tib St, M4 1LA.
4. The Reach at Piccadilly
Manchester’s new hotel, The Reach at Piccadilly, invites guests to enjoy their locally sourced, seasonal menu at restaurant Lock 84 that boasts a calming , canal-side setting. Lock 84’s set menu is just ÂŁ30 per person and includes a glass of wine or bottled beer – or why not opt for a Christmas Cosmo or Spiced Apple Fizz? Guests choose a dish from each section, with small plates such as chicken liver pate and pigs in blankets with honey mustard, large plates such as roast turkey with sage and apricot stuffing, or vegan-friendly roast portobello mushroom. The dessert list is a hard one to choose from, with classic Christmas pudding with Salford rum crème anglaise, traditional trifle, or decadent chocolate & peppermint slice with salted caramel ice cream.
đź“ŤThe Reach at Piccadilly, 7 Ducie St, Manchester, M1 2JB.
5. Six by Nico
In a brand first, Six by Nico Manchester has launched its first ever Christmas Day inspired six-course tasting menu with the Festive Sunday Roast running from November 24 to January 5. Guests can look forward to a six-course journey of classic roast dinner dishes, reimagined with festive flavours, to evoke all the heartwarming tastes and feels of Christmas. Course one is Pigs in Blankets, pork pressé, Sauerkraut, burnt onion & grain mustard, course two is Smoked Salmon, cured & smoked salmon, Granny Smith apple, fennel & dill. No Christmas dinner is complete without sprouts, enter course three, Brussel Sprouts presented as barbecue hispi cabbage, aged ewe’s cheese, pickled mushroom & black garlic emulsion.
Course four is Three Bird Roast, duck, chicken & turkey ballotine, liver parfait, honey glazed carrot & Madeira jus. Diners can opt to add on the Ultimate Yorkshire Pudding featuring pork and sage stuffing and sauce charcuterie for a supplement cost of £6. Course five is Baked Brie De Meaux, homemade mince pie and Peckhams pear, finishing with course six – Chocolate Profiteroles, Tahitian vanilla Choux au Craquelin, chocolate Cremeux, buttermilk sorbet & Dulce De Leche.
đź“ŤSix by Nico, 60 Spring Gardens, M2 2BQ | 2 John Dalton St, M3 2BY.
6. Freight Island
Transforming into an epic ‘Winter Island‘ for the festive period, Freight Island is currently packed with festive grub and delicious Christmassy drinks, with hearty pies, epic hot chocolates, brats and delicious Christmas-themed desserts to try out, too. It truly is a playground for grown-ups this Christmas, complete with tons of live entertainment to enjoy.
đź“ŤFreight Island, 11 Baring St, M1 2PZ.
7. The Refuge
Serving up a festive feast from Monday-Saturday throughout December, The Refuge in Manchester is the perfect place for festive feasting. Choose from turkey ballotine wrapped in bacon, sage and onion stuffing, honey and mustard-glazed pigs in blankets, creamed Brussels sprouts with pancetta and 48-hour beef gravy; or the delicious veggie option of curried parsnip and squash Wellington, roasted squash, bilbiana and vegan gravy. Sides consist of sea salt and thyme roast potatoes, very Manc Vimto red cabbage, cumin-glazed carrots and crushed parsnips … no one is leaving Refuge hungry this Christmas!
đź“ŤThe Refuge, Oxford St, M60 7HA.
8. The Botanist
It wouldn’t be winter at The Botanist without their famous hanging kebabs and there’s a new festive addition to the line-up on its Christmas Set Menu, from £26.95 per person; orange and cranberry glazed turkey, ham, stuffing balls and pigs-in-blankets on a skewer, with traditional sides of roast potatoes, parsnips, sprouts and glazed carrots, complete with lashings of rich gravy to pour over. We all know Christmas is about sweet treats and The Botanist’s festive take on its trademark sharing cookie dough is the ultimate indulgence. Those with a sweet tooth can delight in a giant chocolate orange tiffin cookie dough served with coconut ice cream snowmen, honeycomb pieces, mini mince pies and Cointreau chocolate orange sauce (and two spoons to devour it with!)
đź“ŤThe Botanist, Orange Building, MediaCityUK, Salford, M50 2HE.
9. The Ivy
This festive season, The Ivy is launching a magical sparkling afternoon tea filled with traditional treats, elevated in time for Christmas, and also available with English Sparkling Wine, Nyetimber, for an additional £10 to make it even more luxurious. The Festive Afternoon Tea features an array of delicious finger sandwiches including The Ivy 1917 Cure smoked salmon finger sandwich and Brioche rolls with chicken and truffle mayonnaise, warm fruited scones and an array of festive sweet treats, perfect for getting guests into the seasonal spirit. The sweet selection features a wonderfully wintery Coconut and Chocolate Snowball, a creamy Orange and Cranberry Éclair and a Pistachio, Almond and Cherry Battenberg. Of course, no festive afternoon tea would be complete without a mince pie and The Ivy’s Almond Mince Pie is the perfect way to round off the meal.
đź“ŤThe Ivy, The Pavilion, Byrom St, M3 3HG.
10. The Black Friar
As one of Manchester and Salford’s top gastro pubs, guests can also expect a festive feast at The Black Friar. The Winter Tavern within the pub’s garden will offer a Christmas menu including seasonal offerings like Lobster & Prawn Scotch Egg, Goat’s Cheese & Mushroom Terrine, Turkey Ballotine, and their signature Black Friar Steak & Ale Pie. Expect decadent desserts such as the Baileys & Salted Caramel Yule Log and Caramelised Gingerbread Cake, diners are in for a true festive feast. For a more relaxed celebration, the Festive CanapĂ© Menu (ÂŁ35 per head) offers treats like Spiced Steak Tartare Shells, Truffle Arancini, King Prawn Bruschetta, and Mini Truffle Cheddar Pies, with sweets like Dark Chocolate Tart and classic Mince Pies available as extras.
đź“ŤThe Black Friar, 41-43 Blackfriars Rd, Salford, M3 7DB.