If you haven’t heard of Sexy Fish before, you may remember Jess Glynne infamously moaning to Twitter about their swanky dress code back in 2020 – which meant her designer tracksuit, no matter what label was emblazoned on it, didn’t cut the mustard. And rightly so. But now the brand new Sexy Fish location in Manchester’s Spinningfields has officially opened.
Sexy Fish is a pretty *fancy* place, with a restaurant in London’s prestigious Mayfair district that’s exclusively reserved for the elite of the city, as well as opening a spot in Miami last year. It’s so *fancy*, in fact, that it’s led by Michelin-awarded chef Bjoern Weissgerber, who earned his first star at the ripe age of 27.
And now, the celeb-loved restaurant is opening its first venture outside of the capital on October 12, taking over the former Armani unit facing out towards Deansgate. It is just as elegant and aquatic as the original Sexy Fish venue, especially as the Caprice group’s current arsenal of restaurants also includes The Ivy Spinningfields.
The interiors at Sexy Fish
Like its London and Miami venues, you’re blown away by the interiors as you enter Sexy Fish Manchester. Known for its out-there, artistic and aquatic décor diners can expect the exact same opulence here in Manchester.
As you enter, you’re met by a bronze mermaid sculpture and led to your table by waiters in sea-inspired uniform – think suit jackets adorned with starfish, seahorses, shells and metallics representative of the ocean floor. All designs from the interiors to the staff’s wardrobe encompasses what Sexy Fish is all about.
Striking interior features at Sexy Fish in Spinningfields include spectacular artworks from international artist, Damien Hirst, including three giant sculptures incorporating creatures from under the sea, specially created for the space. Additional interior elements include a collection of iconic ‘Fish Lamps’ from world-famous designer and architect Frank Gehry, a beautiful Verde Esmerelda stone floor, and a series of bespoke glass columns created by master Venetian glassmakers on the island of Murano (which even change colour).
Sexy Fish Manchester also features a one-of-a-kind destination bar of glowing pink onyx and glass, set against a backdrop of a cascading waterfall. The restaurant includes a stunning private dining room, The Tropical Reef Room, with a picturesque aquarium filled with a magical cacophony of exotic fish.
As for the bathrooms, these are something else. Magical ocean motifs continue into the ladies’ restrooms and can be described as ‘Little Mermaid meets Barbie’. Pink all over but complete with a hand carved pink onyx vanity alongside mosaic murals depicting mermaids and underwater scenes, as well as vintage 1940’s ‘Coquille’ shell wall lights and golden taps in the shape of starfish.
The food at Sexy Fish
Sexy Fish is open for lunch and dinner, offering delectable a la carte options, Omakase tasting menus, and late-night dining options. Each dish, curated by Bjoern Weissgerber, is inspired by “the seas of Asia”, with half of the food menu dedicated to sushi, maki, and sashimi.
We got to sample the premium Omakase testing menu which saw dishes arrive in threes. The meal began with a succulent kombu smoked and cured tuna belly, oysters with smoked chilli fresh as a sea breeze alongside crispy lobster tempura. The lobster was accompanied by a smoked Marie Rose sauce that cut through the light tempura batter.
Then, we were served a sweet and crispy duck with fresh, juicy watermelon that was light and refreshing, offering a sweet and salty combination that paired perfectly. The yellowtail sashimi served with avocado and a mandarin ponzu dipping sauce was a favourite of mine – the fish tasted incredibly fresh and the zestiness of the mandarin really packed a punch.
The wagyu gyoza with foie gras and truffle were luxurious parcels of deliciousness, which will have you and your fellow diners battling it out for the last dumpling. Well, at least on our table, this was the case. For a small dish, Weissgerber’s team have managed to successfully fill the gyozas with heaps of flavour as you can taste succulent, buttery wagyu with rich and earthy undertones.
Other dish highlights included the sweet, caramelised black cod with spicy miso that just cut away like soft butter, and tender king crab in a rich sauce served with bone marrow which was a unique take on your more traditional ‘surf and turf’. A showstopping dish was the kimchi-smoked Japanese wagyu that melted in your mouth, and was paired beautifully with a light-bodied Pinot Noir.
To finish, we tucked into ‘Sexy Ever After’ an assorted dessert platter which offered all the theatrics and definitely a sweet finish to the meal. The decadent platter consisted of fluffy, sugar and cinnamon-coated doughnuts with chocolate sauce and exotic curd, a sea shell tart with yuzu, lemon and yoghurt, a chocolate pot with banana, coffee and caramel and a vanilla cheesecake with strawberry and golden lime sorbet.
The elegance and show-stopping presentation of these desserts are certainly not to be sniffed at – take note and make room for dessert as Sexy Fish doesn’t do things in halves. Some might say simple but a lot of love and attention has gone into Sexy Fish’s desserts to create such wow-factor, including their cheesecake as it was unbelievably smooth and light, which had us asking Weissgerber how you to achieve this for ourselves at home. The chef wouldn’t give up his secrets so you’re going to have to take our word for it and try for yourself to understand the hype.
The drinks at Sexy Fish
The restaurant houses the second largest Champagne collection in the country (after Sexy Fish London) with 75 different references, a selection of the world’s top vintages from leading estates, and a sake wine selection. Guests can enjoy creations from the innovative Trinity Menu, a collection of award-winning cocktails from London and Miami.
Plus you can also sip on four unique Manchester serves including the luxurious Banana & Cacao, featuring Haku vodka, banana and cacao, and Watermelon & Basil, with Grey Goose Vodka, watermelon, basil, Campari, and Tio Pepe. We began our dining experience with the Watermelon & Basil which was quite a refreshing way to start, plus for a fruit-based cocktail it wasn’t too sweet thanks to the bitterness of the Campari.
The dishes we sampled were paired with a range of wines and sakes on recommendation of Sexy Fish’s knowledgeable staff. Drinks included ‘Heart of Oak’, a fragrant Japanese sake with notes of pear and melon, which went down smoothly and paired well with the wagyu gyoza, crispy duck and yellowtail sashimi dishes.
A first for me was to have a sparkling wine paired with dessert but Sexy Fish absolutely nailed this. We enjoyed Nyetimber’s Cuvee Chérie, produced in England, which was not overly sweet allowing the desserts to shine (literally and metaphorically).
As well as remarkable interiors, an incredible wine list and breathtaking dishes, Sexy Fish Manchester will offer exclusive late-night entertainment with world class international performers alongside a late-night menu, available on Thursdays (from October 26), Fridays and Saturdays (from October 13). Reservations are now open and you can book here or by calling 0161 526 2939.
Sexy Fish is open from October 12 at 2 Spinningfields Square, Manchester, M3 3AP.