Mall plates: the best restaurants in the Trafford Centre

Archie’s Trafford Centre is another of the eye-popping pink burger and shake sites from the wildly popular Manchester mini-empire. The burgers are good but it’s the sweet side that has gathered most of the acclaim, from celeb endorsements to, more depressingly, long queues.

When it comes to The Orient at the Trafford Centre, it’s more like the Gobi Desert as far as a decent meal is concerned. Just because you’ve shopped till you’ve dropped, it doesn’t mean your culinary standards have dropped too. That’s where Bill’s comes in.

The family business is now, like the other dining options available at the Trafford Centre, a sizeable chain but in Bill’s at least, you’ll still find a warm welcome and a crowd-pleasing selection of dishes that sometimes manage to deliver rather punchy flavours. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Chaiiwala Trafford Centre is perfect for snacks, lunches, light meals and even breakfast. The food comes together in a joyful mix of East meets West.

Coast to Coast is a casual American restaurant at the Trafford Centre. If you’re looking for something that feels more like a proper dining out option than the proliferation of fast food restaurants and those which are just one step up from that, then it’s a good choice.

Franco Manca is one of the London big boys of the sourdough pizza revolution. Franco Manca Trafford Centre continues its tradition of tradition. That is, a legendary Neapolitan sourdough starter, traditional hands-on cooking methods, slow-proved dough made fresh every day, and ingredients from smaller suppliers who are connected to their land.

Chocoholics and those with a sweet tooth will feel right at home at Haute Dolci, a dessert cafe situated in the heart of The Great Hall at the Trafford Centre.

Hello Oriental Trafford Centre is an exciting new opening for anyone looking to escape the corporate blandness of the retail behemoth. The popular restaurant already has a successful Pan-Asian food hall just off Oxford Road and is due to open its second outpost in October.

HOP Vietnamese Trafford Centre is part of a small chain of quick, cheap South East Asian restaurants where fast food meets flavour. Unlike your typical McMeal, HOP Vietnamese feels wholesome and nourishing. The packaging may be take away rather than fine china, but what it lacks in presentation, the food makes up for in taste.

Popular for cheap eats, Slim Chickens Trafford Centre is one of the mall’s better options with everything cooked to order and 13 different sauces for a DIY dunking sesh.

One of the better eating options in the sprawling domed food court hell that is The Orient is Tampopo Trafford Centre. Situated on the upper level, it gives you a prime viewing spot over the crowds below, or you can escape inside for some relative peace and quiet. Relative, mind. This is the Trafford Centre – there’s no such thing as a relaxing lunch here.

Thaikhun Trafford Centre joins the Spinningfields OG in what is now a double figure chain of Thai street food venues founded by Sukhothai province-born Kim Kaewkraikhot (also behind the Chaophraya empire).

Wagamama Trafford Centre is justly popular for its Japanese staples. In fact, Wagamama is popular all over the UK. Almost everyone has their go-to order. Are you a chicken hot pot person or a shirodashi pork belly ramen slurper?

Wingstop Trafford Centre is your choice if chicken is your thing. There are wings (as the name suggests) as well as boneless chicken pieces, crisp tenders, burgers and vast platters. Churros are the one dessert option.