Looking for something a bit fancy? White tablecloths, complicated plates and tasting menus your thing? Perhaps a little natter with the sommelier about the virtues of Burgundian Chardonnay? Maybe you just want to put a shirt/frock on and show off a little. No matter what the reason, below we’ve listed the 20 best fine dining restaurants in the North West.
The sea buckthorn is fantastic this year, don’t you think?
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Book Now Cumbria
L’Enclume
L’Enclume is Simon Rogan’s three Michelin-starred restaurant located in the Lake District village of Cartmel, which is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading dining destinations. The restaurant is situated in a former 13th-century blacksmith’s workshop.
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Aughton
Moor Hall
Mark Birchall, ex-head chef at L’Enclume, is chef-patron of Moor Hall, an outstanding, two Michelin star, five AA Rosette restaurant with rooms.
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Manchester City Centre
Adam Reid at The French
Culinary rock and roll from Simon Rogan’s protege, Adam Reid. Enjoy fine-dining in Grade II Listed Victorian surrounds – with a side order of Mancunian attitude.
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West Yorkshire
The Box Tree
While there’s been a restaurant on this site for more than 50 years, owner-proprietor team Simon and Rena Gueller keep things firmly up to date at Ilkley’s picture-perfect The Box Tree. Expect a contemporary take on classical French cooking at a restaurant which has seen famous chefs like Marco Pierre White behind the pass.
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Stockport
Where 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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Burnley
The White Swan at Fence
Some folk in the village still refer to The White Swan at Fence as The Mucky Duck and you can still order a pint of Timothy Taylor’s at its very pubby bar. But over recent years The Swan has established itself as a destination fine-dining spot thanks to young chef Tom Parker from up the road in Burnley.
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Book Now Leeds
Home
Home in Leeds is the brainchild of MasterChef finalist Liz Cottam, and business partner Mark Owens, formerly head chef at Ilkley’s The Box Tree (also in our Top 100).
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Cumbria
The Forest Side
Michelin-starred restaurant and hotel The Forest Side, owned by Lakes hotelier Andrew Wildsmith, is built on the foundations of the cooking of former L’Enclume forager, Kevin Tickle.
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Georgian Quarter
Roski
Roski is a wild child of a restaurant from MasterChef: The Professionals winner Anton Piotrowski.
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Cumbria
Lake Road Kitchen
A wild-maned toddler of a restaurant, bound for great things, Lake Road Kitchen is an exciting place to eat. Now the holder of Michelin Star, it’s the baby of former Samling chef James Cross and is one of the leading lights in the Lakes foraging trend.
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Lancashire
Northcote
Northcote is where chef-patron Nigel Haworth earned his stripes as an instigator of contemporary British fine dining. Today, Michelin star chef and one of BBC2’s Great British Menu winners, Lisa Goodwin-Allen, heads up the kitchen.
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Book Now South Yorkshire
Jöro
Offering Nordic-inspired fine dining inside a shipping container, Jöro has secured accolades galore, including a clutch of AA Rosettes and Michelin Bib Gourmand.
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Book Now North Yorkshire
Arras
Husband and wife team, Adam and Lovaine Humphrey have moved their modern British (ish) restaurant Arras from Sydney, Australia to York, England – and the North has reaped the benefits.
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Book Now North Yorkshire
The Burlington at the Devonshire Arms
The Burlington at the Devonshire Arms excels in delivering fine dining and extraordinary wine in the hills. This extremely plush restaurant is an established proving ground for new British chefs. Two Michelin star guru Michael Wignall was in residence before he moved to The Angel at Hetton. While current resident Peter Howarth was head chef at The Samling, and before that at the Michelin-starred Gidleigh Park and The Latymer.
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Georgian Quarter
The Art School
The Art School delivers upmarket, regionally-inspired cooking from local legend, Paul Askew. Opening in late 2014, this fancy contemporary British restaurant is a place for that special occasion.