Manchester’s new NOMA quarter is an eclectic urban mashup: glass towers nudge up to Edwardian baroque buildings and Amazon’s office is just a stone’s throw from the legendary music venue New Century. Thrumming with creativity, the neighbourhood has the quiet confidence of a community on the cusp of making it big – so it’s fitting that Tom Barnes, former head chef at Simon Rogan’s three-Michelin-star restaurant L’Enclume, has made it the home of his debut restaurant Skof.
‘I wanted somewhere that was inviting and warm; cosy in the evening but fun and vibrant at lunchtime,’ says Barnes of his new space, a Grade II-listed former drapery warehouse boasting high ceilings, exposed brick and steel beams. ‘I fell in love with this place as soon as I walked in.’
Since it opened in June, Skof, which specialises in contemporary and seasonal British fine dining, has been the hottest table in town. Days after its launch, it won the ‘One to Watch’ award at the National Restaurant Awards and rumours of Michelin stars are swirling – notable, given there is currently only one restaurant in Manchester with a star (Mana, below). Barnes is a former Roux scholar and 2020 Great British Menu finalist who spent 12 years in his native Cumbria working for Rogan. He’s hoping to forge his own path to the top with the 36-cover venue, whose 12 and 15-course evening tasting menus evolve constantly. There’s an emphasis on sustainable, local sourcing, with produce procured from Our Farm, Rogan’s project in Cartmel Valley, and Cinderwood Market Garden in nearby Cheshire.
Since it opened in June, Skof has been the hottest table in town
‘The main thing is always flavour,’ says Barnes of his culinary philosophy. ‘Some of our dishes are deceptively simple.’ He cites the roasted Sladesdown duck, a seemingly minimalist serving of duck breast that has in fact undergone an extensive process of blanching, marinating, dry ageing and roasting, as an example. His favourite dish is the large bowl of tiramisu he spoons out tableside at the end of every guest’s meal in a touching tribute to his late father, who would request the dessert when he was ill.
The gesture encapsulates Skof’s down-to-earth approach to service: pretension has no place in Barnes’ vision of fine dining. ‘There’s no stuffiness to it whatsoever,’ he stresses. ‘We want to offer great food and great service in a fun and relaxed environment, where people feel like they can have a bit of a laugh.’
The drinks selection is intentionally transparent and approachable. ‘We’ve got beers on the menu and I want people to feel comfortable enough to have a beer at the start of the meal, if that’s what they want,’ says Barnes. Skof has teamed up with local brewery Track for its own citrus-toned lager, Sidney, and the wine list features personal recommendations from members of staff. There are two pairing options as well as a mixed programme that intersperses wines with sour beers and fermented juices (‘for me, a full wine pairing is too much,’ says the chef). Finally, a fully non-alcoholic pairing allows the restaurant’s extensive collection of meticulously crafted homemade juices to take centre stage, with combinations such as celeriac and lemon thyme proving a hit.
Manchester’s exhilarating culinary scene has gained striking momentum recently, driven by a spate of bold, high-profile openings
Manchester’s exhilarating culinary scene has gained striking momentum recently, driven by a spate of bold, high-profile openings. Barnes is excited to be doing his bit to cater to the laidback demeanour of the locals. ‘I really wanted to create a place where people from Manchester would want to come,’ he says. He spends his days off eating his way around his new city, noting: ‘The food scene is brilliant – I’m so happy to be a part of it.’ But why not London? ‘I’ve always loved Manchester. I like the people, I like how fun and friendly and relaxed everyone is. I think I always would have ended up here.’
Five more restaurants pushing boundaries in Manchester
Mana
Mana was credited for leading Manchester out of the gastronomic wilderness in 2019, when chef-patron Simon Martin’s precise and creative tasting menus ended the city’s decades-long Michelin dry spell with a star that it has retained since. Applying Asian culinary techniques to British produce, Martin extols the virtues of the UK’s native seafood, serving crab with a sauce of Adobo paste and acidulated white asparagus or dry-aged turbot adorned with concentrated cucumber juice and Rausu (a region of Japan) kelp. Carlingford oysters are also a staple and have been presented in various guises over the years – a recent iteration saw them dressed with buttermilk boba (tapioca).
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Peter Street Kitchen
Japanese finesse meets Mexican verve at Peter Street Kitchen, where the boldly international epicurean offering includes curated omakase tasting menus and private hibachi firepit dining sessions. From its position inside Manchester’s heritage Free Trade Hall, this opulent restaurant has transformed the city’s high-end fusion landscape, with signature plates such as Yellowfin tuna sashimi ribbons and crispy Baja fish tacos seamlessly blending the flavours and textures of both cuisines. The drinks philosophy is equally dynamic, encompassing a cellar stocked with fine wines and barrels of sake, as well an inventive cocktail list focused on zingy concoctions such as yuzu and mandarin Margaritas and palomino Highballs.
The Spärrows
A steel door cut into a brick wall under a railway arch leads to one of Manchester’s most popular contemporary dining rooms. The Spärrows specialises in fresh homemade spätzle – egg pasta noodles that originated in Germany – but the menu also sweeps through some of Europe’s finest comfort food dishes, including everything from Polish pierogi stuffed with sauerkraut and mushroom to Italian pappardelle laced with a silky Emmentaler cheese and braised onion sauce. The wine list focuses on indigenous grape varieties from Central Europe, while an optional sake flight looks further afield, and an extensive collection of whiskeys and schnapps adds variety.
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Tender
Tender moved into the elegant dining room at the historic Stock Exchange Hotel in June and wasted no time establishing itself as a destination venue for refined, indulgent evenings. Chef Niall Keating, who previously won two Michelin stars for The Dining Room at Whatley Manor Hotel, has designed what he calls an ‘upscale and comfortable brasserie dining experience’, with menus running the gamut from charming small plates like Cornish lobster roll with toasted buttermilk loaf and jalapeño pickle, to hearty spit-roast chicken. A special Sunday lunch menu features a ‘feast’ option that sees roast beef, spit-roast chicken, braised beef and chicken leg served with trimmings for the table.
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Higher Ground
Launched by three friends who met in New York in 2016, British bistro Higher Ground deals in serious cooking paired with relaxed service. ‘We aim to champion seasonal vegetables predominantly sourced from our farm Cinderwood Market Garden, whole-carcass butchery using organically reared animals, hand-rolled pasta made from British grain and high-quality, sustainably caught fish and seafood from the coasts around the UK,’ says co-founder Richard Cossins. This year, the team is focusing on Dexter beef from Jane’s Farm in Cheshire, taking the animal whole and using every part. The resulting beef ragu is one of the menu’s standout items.
