Do you sometimes struggle to pick a few dishes from a menu? It's arguably one of the hardest decisions to make when dining out. Don't worry though, we have the solution. A step up from set menus that feature two to three courses, tasting menus usually boast four or more courses - sometimes offering up to 18 dishes in one sitting - and are often made up of the chef's favourites, while also being seasonal ingredient-driven or even themed.
From Michelin star restaurants to fine dining eateries and neighbourhood
favourites, here's where to eat the best tasting menus
Manchester has to offer.
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Restaurants With The Best Tasting Menus In Manchester
Peter Street Kitchen
- Location: Free Trade Hall, Peter Street M2 5GP
- Best for: Japanese-Mexican fusion tasting menus and a stunning setting
The award-winning restaurant Peter Street Kitchen serves the most delicious Japanese and Mexican cuisine. Book in to experience their omakase 6-course tasting menu in Manchester, which featured two tiers: an £80 per person version, and a £120 per person signature menu featuring the venue's best of the best dishes like yellowtail tartare and Japanese Wagyu with Sakiyo miso and chilli truffle teriyaki.
It's certainly worth the hype and comes with the romantic setting of the iconic Free Trade Hall, with its high ceilings, columns and arched windows across a space decorated in calming neutrals.
Six beautiful Insta-worthy courses for you to enjoy.
Restaurant Örme
- Location: 218 Church Road, Urmston M41 9DX
- Best for: neighbourhood vibes and value for money
Restaurant Örme is a bright and airy British restaurant found on Church Road in Urmston. Unassuming from the outside but with stripped-back, Scandi-influenced interiors inside and an indie playlist on in the background, it's a laid-back and accessible choice for getting your mitts on a fantastic tasting menu.
There's no a la carte here, only the tasting menus and a Sunday roast, so the team dedicate all their efforts to making them just right. The 8-course signature tasting menu will set you back £75 each, while the six courses of the core tasting menu cost £55 per person - a bargain for the quality of dishes served. A vegetarian version of each is also offered, which is somewhat of a rarity for tasting menus. Attentive service and a well-crafted wine list, alongside excellent drinks pairings, means that Restaurant Örme really ticks all the boxes. Lauren Cole
Tuck into seasonal British treats at Restaurant Örme.
Skof
- Location: Hanover Building, 3 Federation Street M4 4BF
- Best for: a Michelin star tasting menu from one of the North's finest chefs
The first solo venture from chef Tom Barnes, Skof is an unmissable choice on this list. Barnes was head chef at Simon Rogan's three Michelin starred L'Enclume and is now having great success with his own restaurant, serving meticulously crafted British dishes that sing to his Northern roots, but with Scandinavian flair from his time at Geranium in Copenhagen and some Japanese influences too. The restaurant has been awarded Manchester's second ever Michelin star, so you know the tasting menu is exceptional.
Skof is located within the Grade II-listed Hanover Building in Manchester's ever-growing NOMA district, fronting bare-brick walls and minimalist interiors. There are two tasting menus (12 courses for £120 and 16 for £165). Look forward to devouring the likes of dexter beef bavette, Orkney scallops and confit Sladesdown duck served with fig leaf - although it's the lightly set miso, mushroom and truffle custard that's the winner in our eyes. We also applaud the team's efforts on the drinks list and pairings, which - at Tom's insistence - are varied across wine, cocktails, non-alcoholic options and the restaurant's very own beer in collaboration with local brewery, Track. Lauren Cole
It'll be hard to resist skoffing down the food at Tom Barnes' gaff.
Adam Reid At The French
- Location: The Midland Hotel, Peter Street M60 2DS
- Best for: tasting menus at a four AA Rosette restaurant from a Great British Menu winner
Ever wanted to be wined and dined by a celeb? Here's your chance. Book in to try the tasting menu at The French for £145 per person, created by the restaurant's chef-patron Adam Reid - AKA the winner of the Great British Menu and four AA Rosettes.
In true Northern style, you'll begin the meal with bread, butter and broth before tucking into fish pie and cracker sandwiches. There's even tipsy cake for dessert.
This tasting menu is worth the price, trust us.
Mana
- Location: 42 Blossom Street, Ancoats M4 6BF
- Best for: Michelin star tasting menus
Why not visit Mana, Manchester's only Michelin Star restaurant owned by renowned chef Simon Martin, formerly of Copenhagen's three Michelin-starred venue, Noma. With a capacity of just 30 people, you can expect an intimate dining experience where between nine and 14 plates will be served in quick succession.
Indulge in everything from the finest seafood dishes to deliciously tender meats for just £175 per person for the complete menu, or £95 each if you want the shorter list of key dishes from the 'extracts' version. Everything is made from fresh British produce that highlights the best culinary experience the UK has to offer.
Enjoy all these small plates at this stunning spot in Manchester.
Where The Light Gets In
- Location: 7 Rostron Brow, Stockport SK1 1JY
- Best for: tasting menus at a Michelin green star restaurant
Working directly with farmers and fishermen to curate the perfect British dishes, Where the Light Gets In is one to put on your foodie bucket list. Located in Stockport in Greater Manchester, you can enjoy surprise dishes from their ever-evolving tasting menu for £125 per person (or £110 at lunch, which is available on Saturdays only).
Their sustainable efforts, such as growing natural ingredients on their farm, has led to them being awarded a Michelin Green Star.
This sustainable hotspot in Manchester is the perfect place to indulge in hearty British dishes.
63 Degrees
- Location: 104 High Street, Northern Quarter M4 1HQ
- Best for: French tasting menus
No need to trek to Paris when you've got 63 degrees on your doorstep. This is the ultimate French fine dining spot. Not only do they boast mouth-watering Parisian cocktails and champagnes of every variety (of course), but they also offer a five-course tasting menu for just £48 per person.
From 5.30pm every Tuesday, you can enjoy everything from stuffed salmon to the perfect crème brûlée. The whole experience is très magnifique.
A cheap tasting menu in Manchester? This place is just the ticket on the more affordable front.
Six by Nico
- Locations: 2 John Dalton Street M3 2BY; 60 Spring Gardens M2 2BQ
- Best for: affordable tasting menus with fun themes to keep you coming back time and again
Get ready for something spectacular. Six by Nico never disappoints when it comes to their ever-changing, six-course tasting menus - with a new one every six weeks. They've had a menu based on Tokyo with delicious chicken karaage, tempura and miso sea bass ramen, entire themes dedicated to Sunday roasts and fish and chips, and even a funfair-inspired spread.
Better yet, these one-of-a-kind experiences start at just £44 per person - meaning it's one of the most affordable ways to try out tasting menus, if you're still a bit sceptical.
Head to Six by Nico for the funkiest tasting menus.
KAJI
- Location: 64 Bridge Street M3 3BN
- Best for: Japanese tasting menus served from an open kitchen
Sitting on the former site of contemporary Japanese restaurant, MUSU, is KAJI - a new and improved version from the same restaurant group, featuring electrifying Tokyo vibes across predominantly black and red interiors. Replacing the MUSU's Land of the Rising Sun tasting menu is KAJI's signature tasting menus from chef patron, Steven Smith.
Choose between nine (£120 per person) and 11 courses (£140 per person), spanning the likes of shrimp dumplings in bone and miso broth, Orkney scallops with sea urchin butter, a luxury sushi selection and tender rack of lamb. We'd highly recommend choosing chef's counter seating for an immersive feel too, as you'll be perched right in front of the open kitchen to bask in the ambience of masters at work. Lauren Cole
Looking for the best tasting menus in Manchester city centre? KAJI definitely has one.
La Bandera
- Location: 2 Ridgefield, M2 6EQ
- Best for: authentic Spanish tapas
La Bandera’s tasting menu (£59 per person) is a vibrant journey through authentic Spanish flavours, starting with pan-fried scallops paired with Iberian chorizo on a creamy mash. From there, indulge in king prawns served three ways: al ajillo with garlic, chili, and olive oil; volcán with Canarian spices and coriander; and gabardina, beer battered for a crispy twist.
The main course offers a bold arroz negro de pulpo, a Northern-style rice with Galician octopus cooked in its ink, followed by puntas de solomillo con queso azul, a creamy blue cheese sauce with diced fillet steak. Finish with a rich tarta de tres chocolates and a refreshing aorbete de frutos del bosque, forest fruits sorbet paired with cava for a light, fruity finish. Each dish is perfectly complemented by carefully selected wines (£30 per person), too.
Wines include Ugalde Rosado from Rioja and Condado de Oriza from Ribera del Duero.
Explore more of the best restaurants in Manchester.
