Didsbury: The best of Burton Road

Having made a name – and a following – for itself, Burton Road’s chic chocolatiers has expanded into larger premises up the street (as well as gaining a branch in town), incorporating a sit-down-and-sup tearoom alongside the takeaway coffee and cake counter.

Indique is formed from the words Unique and Indian. That’s a bit optimistic as many Indian restaurants have swapped their chicken tikka masala and their lamb rogan josh for bhel puri and gobi Manchurian. However, Indique do a good job. Their menu is a tempting one with some unusual dishes and food is tasty and very well presented. How many curry houses have a cloche?

With colourful decor, eclectic knick-knacks, plenty of potted plants and a bit of a Seventies vibe, Mary & Archie does laidback well – and it also does a mean Bloody Mary and some super-hot, super-cheap jalapeno quesadillas. We wouldn’t know anything about hangovers, but this might be the place to pick if you’re in West Didsbury with one.

Proove Pizza has proven itself to be a success which is fortunate because there’s no shortage of eateries slinging out Neapolitan pizzas from their disco ball of a wood-fired oven. It’s up there, flinging around its fior di latte and spreading its San Marzano tomatoes with the best of the authentic slow-proved pizza pack and even if it’s not numero uno, it’s definitely a contender.

The interior is cool and sleek if a little lacking in character but the personality is all in the pizza. The bases are made with 00-grade Caputo flour and proved for 20 hours before being transformed into pure pizza pleasure.

Open since 2015, this independent café-bar on Burton Road in the heart of West Didsbury has a cheeky Irish slant and offers “a good pint, mouthwatering food, live music and mighty craic” in rustic environs with lots of stripped wood, faux leather banquettes and bookshelf wallpaper.

Founded in 1986 The Great Kathmandu is another Didsbury institution that the locals rave about. Not only the locals though, as it has been showered with awards too, including some from national newspapers, and it’s not unusual to spot Corrie stars tucking in to their authentic Nepalese cuisine.

Volta is owned by Luke ‘Unabomber’ Cowdrey and Justin Crawford – the DJ-restauranteur duo behind Chorlton’s Electrik bar, the Electrik Chair club night, and Refuge by Volta in Manchester city centre’s Kimpton Clocktower Hotel. 

If you fancy a taste of one of the oldest and healthiest cuisines in the world, head to the family-owned Zena Restaurant – it’s worth the trip to West Didsbury, with authentic home-style Levantine sharing dishes and a warm welcome perfect for leisurely dining.