Tom Barnes’ guide to Manchester

“A Szechuan restaurant in the middle of Manchester’s Chinatown. I go for the cumin fried lamb and the garlic chilli ribs, so delicious, my absolute favourite place and I recommend it to everyone who will listen.”

“A really lovely bistro run by really lovely people. The team have worked in some incredible restaurants and settled in Manchester where they’ve also got a wine bar, Flawd, and a market garden, Cinderwood – we get some of our veg from them for Skof.”

“My friend Niall (Keating) opened Tender at the Stock Exchange Hotel recently and he’s doing a really good Sunday roast. We’ve been back a couple of times already – love it.”

“Nico is an Italian guy, from Rome, who has this incredible deli/restaurant/coffee shop near where I live in Prestwich, North Manchester. They make gnocchi with beef shin ragu – delicious.”

“Nell’s is a Manchester meets NY pizza place where they do these 22-inch thin, crisp pizzas. The dough is great and they do the most brilliant dips. I get the Magic Number with ricotta salata and salsa verde, and then dip in extra vodka sauce.” [Various locations] 

“My girlfriend Carla and I go to Pollen at the weekend for their special. It’s a cruffin (croissant baked like a muffin) which they do in seasonal flavors so you never know what’s coming up. We have a brew and wander about the marina or the garden depending on which one we go to.” [Various locations]

“I adore their chilli chicken. I order it with a cheese naan and could easily eat the whole thing twice.”