The 20 best things I ate in Manchester in 2024

What a year it's been

In January 2024, I pledged to eat at restaurants in all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester that year. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t quite succeed. But isn’t that how it always goes with New Year’s resolutions? You get all cocky about the huge things you will do with the fresh year ahead, all the positive changes you are going to make. It starts promisingly, then suddenly you are half way through the year, August-December speeds past in the blink of an eye and you screech careening into a new year feeling like you ballsed the whole thing up. But it’s ok, you can repeat the pattern once more (and on and on…).

I did ok though. I managed to eat and drink in the boroughs of Wigan, Rochdale, Bury, Stockport, Trafford, Salford, Bolton and, of course, Manchester. But I neglected Tameside and Oldham. So those two boroughs are first on my list for the new year.

The year 2024 was good to me. Some highlights:

• My business Manchester Wine Tours went from strength to strength

• I released an album with my band The Empty Page and played some huge gigs and festivals

• I was named one of the Women Of 2024 by Code Hospitality

• Manchester Wine Tours was nominated for an MFDF award (if you haven’t voted yet, please do)

• I became the new wine columnist for Altrincham Today

• I continued to write for Time Out

• I smashed through my ambitious target of 500 subscribers to this blog

And of course I ate a lot. Here are the best things I ate in 2024. Can’t wait to get stuck into 2025!

Chilli butter (and milk loaf)

One of the most wonderful press trips of the year was to the stunning Farlam Hall near Carlisle. It houses a dream restaurant from the mega talented Hrishikesh Desai. The whole tasting menu honestly blew my mind but this chilli butter was a sensation. Read more about it in my August Best Dishes.

BBQ lobster

This was my favourite dish from the mile-long tasting menu at one of Manchester’s restaurant openings of the year. Read all about it in my May Best Dishes

Tea, toast and a crumpet

My friend Louise and I loved this nostalgic breakfast set at a Stockport gem. Read all about it in my December Best Dishes

Sixth rib-eye steak

I didn’t actually eat this in Manchester but the place where I ate it opened its Manchester branch this year and it really does do a cracking steak. Read all about it in my June Best Dishes.

Cime di rapa with stracciatella, chilli and bottarga

Loads of my favourite things on one plate in a brand new restaurant that I have already been to three times. Read all about it in my November Best Dishes.

Langoustine, monkfish and mussel bouillabaisse with rouille

This was the dish of the day from dinner with my dad at a charity supper club from a tip top pop up. Read about it in my October Best Dishes

Pork chop, sage, anchovy, grilled peach, prawn head emulsion

Just when I thought I was over pork chops, this reinvention made them exciting again. Read all about it in my December Best Dishes

Hamachi and tuna carpaccio

I didn’t write as many features on single restaurants as I hoped to this year, but I made sure to do one on this lovely place when this dish won my heart in March.

Hogget loin with celeriac puree, pickled maitake mushroom and red wine jus

I completely changed my opinion about this restaurant over several excellent dishes, and this is the one I keep talking about. Read about it in my November Best Dishes

Isle of Wight tomato

I took a train ride to a Lancashire icon for lunch and it was a simple tomato dish that was the pick of the bunch. Read all about it in my August Best Dishes

Classic chicken burger

I ate a fair few burgers in 2024 but if you catch me staring into space biting my lip in a cafe mid-morning, I’m probably thinking about this one. Read about it in my November Best Dishes

Taiwanese marinated pork

Hong Kong food featured a fair bit this year. Not enough. One of my resolutions is to explore more of it in Manchester. This dish in a humble little place in Broughton was one of the best things I ate in 2024 though. Read about it in August’s Best Dishes.

Holy Grain sourdough and cheese custard

Cheese custard. Do I need to say anything else? Read all about it in my March Best Dishes

Maqloba

This Salford food hall has a ridiculously impressive range of local kitchens. Finally somewhere actually good to eat if you’re visiting the Lowry/MediaCity. One of the best things I ate there this year was this traditional Palestinian rice dish. My kind of food. Read all about it in my March Best Dishes.

Croissant loaf

Yes, a whole loaf of bread made from croissant dough. Read all about it in my December Best Dishes

Ruby red Devon aged for 80 days, barbecued celeriac, mustard and shallot

In one of the most prestigious restaurants in the North, I was over the moon to try this much-lauded dish of raw beef in coal oil and it didn’t disappoint. Read about it in my November Best Dishes

Tuna hash browns, fermented chilli

One of Manchester’s most celebrated chefs made a big move in 2024, and he has transformed the menu at a place I wasn’t madly bothered about before. Everything we ate was great but this was my fave. Read about it in my October Best Dishes

Lorighittas in a slow-cooked tomato sauce

I went on a solo mission to check this place out in a week when I had no business eating out again. I’m so glad I did. This was insanely good. Read all about it in my December Best Dishes

Lamb kheema flatbread

One of my favourite week’s of 2024 involved a visit from my big brother who lives in NZ. We stuffed our faces all over the show but this post-walk lunch was one of the best. Another meal where everything was great but this flatbread topped with lamb and labneh was a real belter. Read all about it in my July Best Dishes

Mixed cheese and charcuterie platter

Pour one out for Petit Paris. A catastrophic loss to Manchester in 2024. Its cheese and charcuterie platters were next level. I’m beside myself that it’s gone. Read all about this one in my July Best Dishes.

Thank you SO much for reading my newsletters this year. I put a lot of love into this and it means the world that anyone at all wants to read it. I’m hoping to keep stepping things up in 2025 so watch this space.

If you’re enjoying my work, please share it. If you can afford a yearly paid subscription for less than the price of a round at Co Op Live, I’d very much appreciate your support. If you’d rather not, that’s ok, but please chuck a couple of quid the way of Eat Well MCR instead. ❤️