Our mums – as well as mother figures or other beloved women in our lives – do so much for us that it almost seems remiss that there’s only one day a year dedicated to them. Taking your mum out for a special Mother’s Day lunch or dinner is a lovely treat for you both and an easy way to share some quality time together while enjoying some great food and drinks into the bargain.
Of course, mums are all different. She might want to pay a visit to the newly made-over Royal Albert Dock in Liverpool where a lunch of outstanding tapas at Lunya can fuel an afternoon of meandering around museums and galleries. Maybe she’d like to head to the Lancashire hills for a breath of fresh air and a dose of full of luxury at Northcote – with rooms to stay over if you really want to splash out. Or for something a bit different, she might prefer the homely Amma’s Canteen in South Manchester for a feast of Indian dishes inspired by the owners’ mums’ own cookbooks.
Here are twelve places in the north that we love, and hopefully your mum will too.
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Spinningfields20 Stories
More detailsManchester’s highest – and possibly finest – restaurant, bar and terrace. D&D London’s flagship Manchester restaurant, 20 Stories was the opening of 2018. Floor to ceiling windows (and a huge, outdoor terrace, the same size as the entire restaurant floor), afford breathtaking views of the city and surrounding countryside, while the menu offers modern British, seasonal dishes.
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ChorltonAmma’s Canteen
More detailsPassionate Keralan-Indian-Brit fusion. A great place to eat can make the back end of nowhere worth visiting – and (largely) Keralan restaurant Amma’s Canteen, on the outskirts of Chorlton, feels like a destination.
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RamsbottomBaratxuri
More detailsBasque enclave Baratxuri is the second Ramsbottom-based bar and restaurant from Joe and Fiona Botham.
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Book Now West YorkshireHome
More detailsHome 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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Book Now MerseysideLunya
More detailsWorld-class Catalan deli and restaurant Lunya is a wonderful place to hang out, with tapas and full-bodied meals on offer. Just don’t expect predictable options in a venue known for signature dishes like Catalan Scouse (morcilla and chorizo stew), or croquetas with oxtail and horseradish mousse.
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Manchester City CentreMasons
More detailsNestled in the Grade II Listed former Freemasons Hall, Masons Restaurant and Bar serves retro fine-dining fare in princely surrounds.
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Book Now LancashireNorthcote
More detailsNorthcote 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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SalfordThe River Restaurant
More detailsThe River Restaurant at The Lowry Hotel is Manchester’s classic fine dining restaurant. Huge names that have run the kitchen include Marco Pierre White, while diners have included Jose Mourinho and Kylie.
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Book Now AltrinchamSugo Pasta Kitchen Altrincham
More detailsAnother Altrincham success story, the Puglian-inspired Sugo Pasta Kitchen opened on Shaw Road – right by the transformative Market House – in 2015. Their simple and uncompromisingly authentic Southern Italian dishes soon won them fans, as good ole word-of-mouth momentum brought diners piling in from across the region. Accolades and glowing reviews soon followed, as did further restaurants.
