When we see a restaurant with a Michelin Star, delicious food paired with an exceptional dining experience is pretty much guaranteed. The Michelin Guide Awards Ceremony took place at The Midland Hotel tonight (February 5), announcing the best of what the world of gastronomy has to offer around the UK and Ireland. While Manchester did not earn any new stars, its only Michelin Star restaurant Mana has officially kept its title for another year.
Mana is located on Ancoats’ Blossom Street, having opened its doors in 2018 and received its first star just one year after opening. What is more, the restaurant won the star every year since then, being Manchester’s first Michelin Star restaurant in 40 years. What!
However, the Michelin Guide boasts plenty of worthy restaurants, even if they have not earned a star yet. This year, Manchester restaurant Higher Ground received a Bib Gourmand recognition ahead of the ceremony. Only two restaurants in the city have been honoured with a Bib Gourmand, so we’re overjoyed to have a second addition to the list.
When in Mana, guests can expect an exceptional culinary voyage made with locally sourced ingredients and is classed as “creative British” cuisine. The restaurant prides itself in its fermentation practices, making miso, garum, lacto-ferments, kombucha, and vinegar in-house. To dine at Mana and experience what the Michelin Star restaurant has to offer, guests can expect to part with either £175 for dinner or £95 for a condensed menu.
Speaking of Mana the Michelin Guide states: “The personality and experience of chef-owner Simon Martin shine brightly at this stylish, modern restaurant, where every one of the well-spaced tables has a view of the kitchen. British produce leads the way, including plenty of seafood because, as Simon puts it, “we live on an island”.
“There are many Asian techniques on display and the cooking marries complex flavours with a pure, natural approach, in dishes such as a superb roasted hogget with white miso sabayon.”
Although Manchester received no new stars, it’s worth mentioning that two North West restaurants (although over an hour’s drive from Manchester) have achieved a Michelin star this year – Cedar Tree by Hrishikesh Desai in Brampton and Lake Road Kitchen in Ambleside – representing the region. In addition, all North West Michelin-starred restaurants retained their stars this year.