What Makes a Luxury Restaurant in Manchester?

Getting dressed up, having a couple of cocktails, and hitting the town. Sometimes you want to pull all the stops out, whether it’s an occasion worth remembering or you simply want to treat someone special.

No night of luxury would be complete without a splendid dining experience in an opulent setting, being waited on with first-class food and drinks. It’s not hard to find a luxury restaurant in Manchester, but what are you looking for?

If you want to book a luxury dining experience that gives you complete peace of mind, where you and your guests will be taken care of, it has to be with Vermilion. Our beautiful venue is home to a lavish restaurant that creates eclectic and innovative dishes based on fusion-Asian themes.

Sample original off-beat culinary creations spanning Thai, Indian, Japanese, Korean and Chinese cuisine, as well as English, French and Japanese twists. Complete your dining experience with a theatrical cocktail made by our expert mixologists.

View our complete menu and get in touch with us to book a dining experience. We also host weddings, corporate events, and virtually any party you have in mind.

If you’re after a dining experience like none other, Mana is the hidden gem you’re searching for. In this restaurant, your meal is taken to almost unbeatable heights of sophistication.

Wow your date, friends, or family with one of the coolest Manchester restaurants by taking them to Mana and letting the expert chefs take you on a journey through an avant-garde, innovative, and abstract dining experience.

Mana’s self-proclaimed approach to cooking involves “the best produce from the British isles is prepared from its original form every day, enhanced with preservation methods, enabled by seasons past. As an island nation, we embody our land, especially our waters, producing a menu that encompasses our natural resources.”

Nothing says luxury like an exquisite prime cut of steak, well-aged and paired with a locally-sourced or seasonal side and fine wine. You can find just this at Hawksmoor, one of the best upmarket steakhouses in Manchester.

Hawksmoor started as a restaurant in London and opened a restaurant in Manchester after massive popularity in the South. Simple dishes, well-made with the best produce available, in an intimate setting, make Hawksmoor a high-end option and an excellent romantic destination for a date.

Authentic, and understated, but filled with class, Wood Manchester is Simon Wood’s flagship restaurant. At Wood, guests can enjoy classics with a twist from the À la carte menu, tasting menus, and chef’s recommendations from the open kitchen. It’s the dining experience that makes this restaurant truly luxurious, though.

On arrival at Wood, guests are welcomed into the lounge to enjoy pre-dinner drinks and snacks by one of the skilled chefs or even Simon himself. Then you will be shown to your table in the restaurant, where the expert team of servers will supply you with top-notch food and drink menus and help guide you through recommendations. Such an experience makes Wood one of the best nights out in Manchester for luxury.

Stylish aesthetics and fashionable interiors are essential when identifying luxury spots for a meal in the city. If these are the elements you’re most excited about, our recommendation is Australasia.

Undeniably a stylish and upmarket restaurant in the heart of the city, Australasia describe itself “A place of relaxed elegance and laid-back luxe, where a good time is guaranteed. Bathed in the natural tones of the Pacific coastline, which sets a tranquil scene that’s adaptable to any occasion.”

Situated in Spinning fields, 20 Stories sits on the Manchester skyline, giving you a VIP seat to watch the city below. The restaurant, cocktail bar, and terrace offer you some truly Instagrammable moments, bathed in luxury.

20 Stories’ luxury is also on the radar of VIPs and celebs visiting Manchester, with numerous big names turning out for its 2018 launch.

Those looking for extravagance, indulgence, and luxury in Manchester are spoilt for choice. The city boasts some of the finest dining experiences in the country, available nowhere else. If you’re on the hunt for a luxury experience and want expert guidance planning your night, talk to the team at Vermilion, we can make your brunch, lunch, or dinner one that your guests will be talking about for years to come.

Luxury dining experts at Vermilion know exactly what separates a good experience from an unforgettable one. We host luxury parties at our central Manchester venue all the time, from weddings to birthdays. Here’s what we recommend looking for in a luxury restaurant.

What are the core differences between casual and luxury dining at a glance?

To make it easy to find the best restaurants in Manchester for casual dining, we’ve rounded up five key features to look out for.

1. Menu

Casual restaurants may offer you a menu with seemingly hundreds of options and although sometimes you’re in the mood for a more casual dinner with lots to choose from, this is indicative of a lower-quality menu where frozen or pre-made options allow restauranteurs to offer a wider range without worrying about stock spoiling.

A luxury restaurant will have a highly curated menu indicative of its theme or its in-house chef’s skills. Food origins, seasonality, pairings, and cooking techniques will all be considered to produce a minimal but spectacular menu.

2. Ambience

The feeling of a restaurant can sometimes be all you need to distinguish it as a luxury affair. Luxury restaurants usually follow contemporary, classic, or exotic themes, while casual restaurants may be regionally, culturally, or otherwise themed.

Look out for instrumental music like soft jazz or piano, high-quality materials like finished wood, marble, rich fabrics, and classy colour schemes.

3. Dress Code

There are five dress codes you need to be aware of when preparing for dinner: formal, casual, business-casual, and casual-elegant. While a casual dress code is suitable for casual restaurants, they will also accept guests dressed more formally too (even if you look a little out of place).

When it comes to luxury dining, business casual, casual-elegant, and formal attire are the dress codes expected. Don’t risk getting turned away at the door for too casual an attire. Research ahead to find out what your chosen restaurant’s dress code is.

4. Service

Being waited on is all part of the fine dining experience, and a luxury restaurant will pull out all the stops for you. Table service is the only expectation, and service staff will be highly attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, be able to provide genuine recommendations, and treat you as royalty for the night.

In contrast, casual dining will also offer table service, but buffet-style and self-serve options may also be available.

5. Price

Last but not least, it’s well-known that luxury restaurants come with a higher price tag than other more casual alternatives. If you’re planning to visit a luxury venue, expect a moderate to high-cost bill at the night's end.