Hawksmoor Manchester

The Manchester outpost of the hugely successful British steakhouse Hawksmoor is located in a former Victorian Courthouse in the heart of the city. The interior is true to the building using lots of reclaimed features from the era - parquet flooring (from another courthouse in fact), wood panelling, classic leather banquettes and glazed bricks from a public lavatory in Liverpool – which they promise have been well cleaned! Food and drinks are consistently excellent, sourcing ethically reared cattle from small British farm along with sustainable seafood from around the British coast. There are plenty of options for veggies too and an impressive list of sides.

Hawksmoor have a well-deserved reputation for their wine lists. The user-friendly main list has around 100 references, then there’s the Rarities section of special reds all the way up to 1996 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild for £1,750. Bottles are from all over the world with the USA and France particularly well represented, and there’s unsurprisingly a focus on styles and varieties that pair well with meat. There’s something to suit everyone however whether you’re after an affordable and easy-going crowd pleaser, a classic region or something more interesting from a small producer. Their famous and quite brilliant £5 corkage on Mondays is unmissable.