Looking for something different, something quirky, something a bit off-piste? We’ve got you. From ‘sequences’ (not ‘courses’, that’s too establishment) of plankton pomada to crisped fermented turnip and Kentucky fried potato… if you’re looking for rump n chips you ain’t gonna find it here… unless you want it desiccated and served in a submarine.
Here’s a few of our favourite boundary-pushing restaurants from across the North West and a bit into Yorkshire. Prepare to be amazed… and baffled.
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OughtibridgeMore detailsJöro
Offering Nordic and Japanese-inspired small plates in a restaurant with rooms, Jöro has secured accolades galore, including most recently, a Michelin star. Headed by chef Luke French, it started life in a shipping container in central Sheffield before moving to its new location in Oughtibridge Mill on the edge of the Peak District in 2025.
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Stockport Town CentreMore detailsWhere the Light Gets In
With no menu and esoteric wines, Where the Light Gets In doesn’t adhere to the typical fine-dining formula. But it’s been a success for Stockport, thanks to chef-patron Sam Buckley’s belief in doing things his own way.
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LeedsMore detailsVice & Virtue
At Vice & Virtue, cocktails are a savvy delight, the tasting menus are a sprightly revelation – and it would be a sin not to appreciate both.
