What to Look Out for in a Romantic Restaurant in Manchester

Whether you’re after the perfect spot for a first date or you need a surprise location for an anniversary dinner, Manchester isn’t short of romantic restaurants. There are some truly amazing restaurants in Manchester to woo someone special and impress them with your tastes; it’s just a case of finding them.

In this article, we’ve broken down some of the most sought-after features for a perfect date and recommended the best restaurants in Manchester to satisfy these needs.

More and more competition in the restaurant world has forced food and drink creators to develop more innovative concepts, and fusion cuisine is highly popular on the list of restaurant innovations. Taking the features of two different cultural cuisines and intertwining them is truly an art and can result in some incredible, original dishes.

Our recommendation: Vermilion

Vermilion is and a spectacular party venue. The venue’s fusion cuisine restaurant brings together Indian, Thai, Korean, Chinese, French and English cuisine in a menu that’ll make it almost impossible to decide. Browse our menu for inspiration before you even get started.

Vermilion has something for everyone with six separate unique spaces for events like weddings plus a restaurant and cocktail bar. Contact the venue to make a booking.

The glamour of a celebrity-run Manchester restaurant is a surefire way to impress a foodie date. Having the stamp of approval from a celebrity chef gives you peace of mind that you’ll be eating something spectacular. Manchester is the home of Coronation Street, it’s no surprise that a couple of restaurants are owned by stars of the show (Rupert Hill and Jennie McAlpine, anyone?) The city is also no stranger to footballer-owned restaurants too. Here’s a handful of names.

• Tast Catala, with joint investors Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, chairman Ferran Soriano, and director of football Txiki Begiristain.

• Tapeo and Wine, owned by Manchester United’s Juan Mata.

• Rosso, owned by Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand.

Our recommendation: Rosso

Rio Ferdinand’s Italian restaurant, Rosso, is the ideal spot if you want the celebrity fine dining experience. Situated in a Grade II listed building, Rosso’s marble, gold, and pastel interior exude extravagance. Not only will you be dining in a celeb-owned establishment, but Rosso has been home to many star sightings, too, so on the right night, you may well bump into Floyd Mayweather Jr or Ryan Thomas.

If you’re looking to spoil someone, then luxury dining in Manchester is the first thing you might think of. So what should you be looking for in a luxury dining experience? Here are some things to keep an eye out for.

• Michelin Stars: probably one of the most well-known signifiers of luxury quality: being awarded coveted stars by the Michelin Guide denotes superior quality and culinary excellence.

• Seasonal menus: when it comes to true luxury food, a menu should be crafted for the time of year using seasonal food at its prime to deliver an exclusive experience.

• A stylish restaurant interior should exude luxury in its fine details. Look for fine materials like treated wood, marble, gold finishes, tapestry, velvet, and stone.

Our recommendation: Adam Reid at The French

When it comes to luxury, we’re heading to The Midland Hotel, the apex of lavish indulgence piping an unbeatable sense of class into the heart of Manchester since 1903. Adam Reid at The French is the epitome of understated luxury. Intimate lighting, soft, traditional decor with minimal contemporary and modern British cuisine handcrafted by some of the most skilled chefs in Manchester.

If you’re after a more unusual date whilst maintaining the dinner and drinks setting, there are many unconventional venues on the menu to spice up the night. Finding a unique interior will give your date a memorable night, even if you’re a seasoned couple and feel like you’ve exhausted the traditional, fashionable restaurants in Manchester.

When looking for an amazing and cool restaurant design, there are always hidden gems dotted about the city, with new ones turning up all the time. We recommend checking Spinningfields, Deansgate, and The Corn Exchange for flashy innovative new venues.

Our recommendation: Tattu

If there’s any restaurant centrepiece you’ll immediately want to put on Instagram, it’s the twinkling, ever-blooming cherry tree in the heart of Tattu. A contemporary spin on a menu of Chinese classics is made even more delicious with sumptuous, artistic cocktails; one of the newest being its signature Cherry Blossom Negroni complete with a miniature cheery tree perched on top of your ice cube.

One might consider steak the ideal dish for date night. If this is you, you’re spoilt for choice in Manchester, which is home to multiple steakhouses. A good steakhouse usually has a limited menu presenting you with options of different cuts, sides, and sauces. Pairing a good wine with your steak elevates the whole experience, so a solid wine menu is a must too.

Our recommendation: Hawksmoor

Where can you get the best steak in Manchester? It has to be Hawksmoor. In a classy, intimate setting furnished with soft leather, dark wood, and low lighting, Hawksmoor offers a selection of prime cuts of matured beef. Need advice on what to pair your steak with? Not a problem. All the staff at Hawksmoor are more than knowledgeable to point you and your date in the right direction.

Not all romantic dinner dates have to be in cosy, quiet, candlelit settings. Sometimes you and your date might be after a more adventurous, energetic night out in manchester. If this is you, you might be searching for dinner and dancing.

A few restaurants in manchester offer space for dancing where live bands will set up in the evening and draw people from their tables onto the dance floor. Spots like Revolucion de Cuba, Albert Schloss, and Lola Lo can turn from sit-down drinks and dining to dancing in the space of a couple of hours.

Our recommendation: The Blues Kitchen

For dinner and dance vibes classy and fun enough to take your date, we recommend The Blues Kitchen with its blues, funk, and soul themes. Enjoy Southern States comfort food like Texas BBQ, burgers, and wings, along with stunning cocktails and then schmoozy onto the dance floor spread across both floors and party until 2 am.

A classic Manhattan? Zingy Margarita? A Negroni Spagliato? Or maybe something you’ve never heard of before. There’s something exciting about cocktails that makes the night just that little bit more special and exciting. Starting your dinner off with a cocktail in the bar before making your way to your table or wrapping up your meal with an after-dinner aperitif adds a spark of luxe to your date.

Our recommendation: Three Little Words

Hidden away in the brick arches just off Deansgate, Three Little Words is a cocktail-spinning force to be reckoned with. Three Little Words was voted "Best Bar Team of The Year" by Top 50 Cocktail Bars and is the home of The Spirit of Manchester Distillery. Gin isn’t the only thing on the menu, though; guests can choose from a huge cocktail selection and pair their drinks with an exquisite food menu, including Sunday roasts.

Your date will be swooning if you take them to any one of these unforgettable venues. Running one of the most popular venues for dinner, drinks, and parties in Manchester, we know a thing or two about where to find the best restaurants, bars, and cafes. Keep an eye on our blog for more tips, tricks, and recommendations.