Our most memorable meals of 2024 – from £6 noodles to TikTok bagels

What a year it’s been for Manchester’s food scene. We’ve had a veritable feast in terms of restaurant openings, with some blockbuster arrivals, and heavy hitters making a welcome return too.

We’ve been lucky enough to sample some of the dishes from these new spots, as well as revisit some of our favourite haunts. Sometimes we’ve travelled a little further too, because needs must when it comes to tracking down a good roast.

We’ve also discovered hidden gems like the wooden hut in Wythenshawe Precinct serving up some of the best noodles in Greater Manchester, stumbled upon the lunch spot with incredible chicken chipotle bagels, experienced a ‘ridiculous’ sugar rush at the Shrek Cafe and tried out all of the restaurants and bars inside Manchester Airport. Even though it’s been varied, we can all agree it’s been a privilege to try out so many restaurants and, in many cases, meet the amazing people behind them.

Whilst we can’t go back through all of them – though you can on our dedicated food page here – we’ve decided to go back into the restaurant review archives and spotlight some of our favourites for you to enjoy again. Here’s hoping over the Twixmas period it provides you with a bit of inspiration for where to dine out in the New Year too.

‘I found one of the best Sunday roasts in a posh footballer and millionaire village’

During a visit to the quaint village famous for its Premier League footballer residents and multi-million pound mansions, Lifestyle Editor Dianne Bourne paid a visit to Prestbury’s Bacchus, an old-school style of restaurant, with classic dishes, white table cloths and good old-fashioned service with a smile.

With a prime position looking out onto the village church, Dianne tried out a four-course set menu for £33.50 – and she wasn’t disappointed. As she wrote at the time: “ For me this was one of the best Sunday roasts I’ve eaten for an age.

“The beef, I mean just look at it, served pink but with crispy edges, was the sublime meaty accompaniment to a range of simple, well-cooked fresh carrots and greens. Underneath was hiding a vast blob of cauli cheese too, while the roasties were the perfect blend of crisp outer and fluffy inner.

Wooden hut where people queue for £6 noodles is closest you can get to Thailand without travelling

In Wythenshawe’s Civic Centre – the heart of Manchester’s largest district – jutting out in front of Iceland supermarket and The Works, sits a long grey wooden shack. The owners of this establishment have never been busier.

Owned and run by Rabbie Promnat and her partner Mike, the aptly named Rabbie’s Noodle Hut does exactly what it says on the tin – or in this case, its shack. Walk through the precinct and you’ll quickly pick up on an array of Thai aromas wafting through the air – from the tangy perfume of tamarind and pungent fish sauce to the heady and floral fragrance of star anise.

Rabbie, originally from Thailand, moved to the UK – via Holland – more than twenty years ago, went to University here and became a quantity surveyor. However, when she was made redundant during the pandemic, she quickly found herself reconnecting with her roots and opening her own dining concept using recipes she picked up during childhood.

What’s On Editor Jenna headed down to meet Rabbie and Mike and was struck by one dish in particular. “The noodle soup is an instant antidote to the winter blues, a simple base of stock, water, cloves and sugar cane is carefully built upon with additions like mouli, a type of white radish that’s adds a sweet and tangy aftertaste, while star anise and cinnamon balance it out,” she wrote.

‘There’s something special about the restaurant in Rochdale town hall – and I’m not just talking about the food’

There is a mythical bird called the Martlet which is supposed to symbolise continuous effort. But the Martlet now also has roots much closer to home as it is the namesake for a recently opened restaurant in Rochdale – which aims to represent a new era for not only the borough, but the historic building it is situated in.

Tucked away within a quaint corner of the Grade I-listed Town Hall, The Martlet Kitchen arrives following the completion of an extensive four-year refurbishment of the hall. Led by executive chef Darren Parkinson, who has earned multiple AA rosettes during his time at venues like Shibden Mill and The Fleece, the venue continues the stunning tradition of the historic building with banquette seating.

What’s On Writer Adam went to try it out a couple of months ago and described the experience as as ‘hearty, comforting and very northern’. And while the food was beautiful, Adam found the surroundings to be particularly noteworthy.

“There’s something truly magical about being sat within such a vibrant and elegant building rich in history that just truly sets the tone,” he said. “Many other venues have tried to encapsulate that atmosphere and spirit, and whilst they may come close to achieving it, there’s nothing quite like the real thing.”

‘I went to the UK’s top seaside destination for less than a fiver and had the best day out’

There’s nothing quite like a day out to the seaside to dust off the cobwebs, and that’s exactly what Tourism Writer Liv had in mind when she took booked a coach ticket to Blackpool earlier this year. As well as a fry-up in one of Blackpool’s top-rated cafes, a stop-off at an old cinema turned into an Aladdin’s cave of antiques, and wander through a chocolate box village, she ditched the fish and chips for a burger.

A stone’s throw away from Central Pier on Dale Street is Higgitt’s Las Vegas Arcade and £1 Burger Bar, where you can pick up a burger from – you guessed it – 100 English pennies. The £1 buys you a patty with onions, sandwiched in a soft bun and a sauce of your choosing. For 50p extra you can get a slice of cheese.

As Liv wrote at the time: “Obviously this is not a gourmet experience, but it’s cheap, cheerful and fills a hole. It’s also four quid less than a burger would cost you on the pier, something not to be sniffed at.”

Scrolling through TikTok, I found a chicken chipotle bagel that’s almost perfect

Stuck between Mancunian Way and the A6, and despite its name, Cakebread Street seems like an unusual place to find a bagel shop. The state of the road out front leaves a lot to be desired.

But for a couple of months now this has been the home of First Street Bagels – one of the few dedicated bagel shops in Manchester. It has been steadily making a name for itself in the city as a place that offers something a little bit different.

Reporter Rami headed down earlier this summer after seeing it appear on TikTok and tried out the Peri chicken thigh, Chipotle bagel, Reuben beef bagel, and smoked salmon cream and chives, £6.50.

In his review, he raved about one thing in particular. “My personal favourite was the Rueben beef,” he confessed. “By far the standout for me thanks to its delicious salty, soft, and warm shredded beef that had been brined for seven days before being slow cooked to perfection.”

We tried every restaurant and bar at Manchester Airport’s three terminals and what we found might surprise you

Extra charges on hand luggage, never-ending security lines, and paying over the odds for an anaemic-looking baguette consumed under flickering fluorescent lights. Surely these have to be some of the worst aspects of travelling through an airport?

But earlier this summer, with the school holidays fast approaching, What’s On Editor Jenna and Tourism Writer Liv took spent a very long day navigating all three terminals at Manchester Airport, trying out the food and drink offered airside.

As it the case with any culinary adventure, there were some highs and there were some lows, but in the name of public service, we tried everything from club sandwiches and nachos, tor fry-ups and greasy burgers, plus pizzas, cheese boards and pork pies along the way. Too much for this round-up, but if you fancy a read, or bookmarking for your next trip to Manchester Airport, you can find it here.

‘I tried the A6 restaurant that’s beaten big names to be named one of our best’

Back in July, south Manchester’s Italian restaurants, Cibus, was singled-out and named the Best Local Restaurant in North West England in this year’s prestigious The Good Food Guide.

Run by Giorgio Fontana and Marco Bracchitta, the restaurant started life just a couple of units down the road with a pop-up at Fred’s Ale House and at Levenshulme Market. Turning to a pizza delivery business during the lockdown and surpassing demand, the duo saw potential for their own spot – and they’ve been there since 2021.

What’s On Writer Adam paid a visit not long after and found the place packed out, each table taken and full of people chatting away, audibly enjoying their food and clinking glasses of wine. Always a good sign. You can read his full review here.

Historic Greater Manchester pub reopens after six-figure makeover, but it’s the £1.99 sausage side that’s worth shouting about

In January, Parents & Family Editor Emma headed down to Bolton favourite The Blundell Arms, which reopened following a refurbishment, both inside and out. Previously known as the Moorgate Inn, the Grade II listed pub has origins from the 17th century and the plan was to create a more ‘vibrant setting’, while keeping the traditional features that customers know and love.

Her family’s turkey roasts, at £14.79, were delightful with thick, tender slices of meat hiding under huge fluffy Yorkshires and each one with its own mini jug of gravy to pour over. But it was the side dish that stole the show for them.

As Emma wrote at the time: “Had we known the size of the solitary pig in blanket that comes with the dish we probably wouldn’t have ordered any extra, but here we were with two cast iron skillets on our table, both containing two ginormous sausages in bacon. Yet at £1.99, we weren’t exactly breaking the bank, likewise with the other Sunday Side, a £2.49 cauliflower cheese, which proved a welcome addition to the broccoli, peas and carrots.” You can read the full review here.

‘I tried the award-winning fish and chip shop in Stockport and one item was something else’

It’s Thursday lunchtime and Woodley precinct is buzzing. The sun has snuck its way into the main square, and customers sit outside the cafes basking in its warmth.

The benches dotted around the quad are occupied too, with people making the most of their lunch hour and the autumnal weather. Looking out onto this as it unfolds is Taylors, the much-loved fish and chip shop that’s recently found itself up for a major award.

In October, the Stockport chippy was shortlisted among the 40 best fish and chip shops in the UK. And it could go on to be crowned the very best in the land. Partial to a chippy, What’s On Editor headed down to give it a try.

“For me, the fish is perfectly sized with just the right amount of batter encasing it,” she wrote at the time. “Pulling it apart with my fork the unmistakable smell of freshly fried fish hits instantly. To taste, it’s light, delicate and cooked just right.”

You can read the full review here.