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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Spinningfields
20 Stories
Manchester’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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Chorlton
Amma’s Canteen
Passionate 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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Ramsbottom
Baratxuri
Basque enclave Baratxuri is the second Ramsbottom-based bar and restaurant from Joe and Fiona Botham.
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Book Now West Yorkshire
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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Book Now Merseyside
Lunya
World-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 Centre
Masons
Nestled 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 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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Salford
The River Restaurant
The 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 Altrincham
Sugo Pasta Kitchen Altrincham
Another 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.