Sundays are great. Concluding the past seven days with motherly comfort, wiping the stains of the week from your cheek and nursing you back to life before sending you back out into the world come Monday morning.
And arguably the comforting pinnacle of this maternal treatment is the roast dinner, the meal that gave meaning to the humble Sunday afternoon.
Here's a list of Manchester's tastiest.
Electrik
Leafy suburb Chorlton is a mecca for those in need of some Sunday soothing, with plenty of charming hangouts for brunches, bloody marys and, of course, that all important roast dinner. Over at independent café-bar Electrik you can treat yourself to 35 day-aged prime British beef, roast poussin, roast pork or a vegetable and feta tart. The real crux, though, is the sharing board option for either two or four people, whereby you’re given a selection of each of the meats. Smaller appetites also needn’t be intimated, thanks to their hot roast baps, which are meaty sarnies that come with a pot of gravy for dipping and a couple of roast potatoes.
Gorilla
The stripped back interior of this Whitworth Street boozer makes it perfect for sinking into a booth with a Sunday lunch, partnered with a spicy red snapper that takes advantage of their gin specialism. Here you’re offered a choice of crispy Cheshire pork, chicken breast, topside of beef or a vegetarian alternative, and these are joined by good, golden roast potatoes, seasonal veg and a Yorkshire pudding the size of your face. You’ll also get similar satisfaction over at Gorilla’s Northern Quarter sister, Trof, where tasty roasts and the same laid back aesthetic complete the chilled-out Sunday package.
Mr Cooper’s House
You'd be forgiven for assuming Sunday grazing at Mr Cooper's could be a pricey hit, but roast dinners at Simon Rogan's second restaurant in The Midland Hotel actually come in at a more than reasonable £13 – miraculously 50p less than you’ll pay at Gorilla. Here the luxury of wide choice is culled at the profit of quality, with just one option of Cumbrian beef served with dripping potatoes, parsnips, savoy cabbage, heritage carrots and a Yorkshire pud. For £15 you can upgrade to two courses, or pay £19 for three. Most importantly, don't forget to also capitalise on that brilliant bar, where spirits are first-rate, cocktails embrace fresh, botanical flavours and everything comes expertly mixed for boozy end-of-week indulgence.
The Parlour
A veteran in Manchester’s roast dinner scene, The Parlour has received high levels of both local and national acclaim for its Sunday lunches. These are all served up with honey roast parsnips, carrot and swede mash, herb buttered kale, peas and a Yorkshire pudding, with choices of topside of beef, pork loin or a nut roast to seal the deal. The only downside is that The Parlour’s reputation brings with it a near guarantee of selling out, meaning you'll have to be quick before the award-winning roast menu meets its mid-afternoon demise.
Mr Thomas’s Chop House
At Mr Thomas's you’ll be just as excited by the starters are you are by the main event, with traditional fare like scallops and pigs head scampi, pressed pork belly and black pudding and piccalilli setting you up with hearty beginnings. For mains, choices include beef, lamb, gammon, a triple whammy of all three or other dishes like pie and corned beef hash. If you’re after a little more finesse with your Sunday dinner, opt instead for the Albert Square Chop House, Thomas’ newer, slightly swankier younger brother, where wining and dining matures into something a little finer without becoming intimating – and where you should definitely save room for the raspberry soufflé.
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