Where to go for afternoon tea in Manchester

Dakota Grill Manchester is the work of former Malmaison owner, Ken McCollough and it is as dark-hued and handsome as the successful boutique hotel chain. It’s an inviting place with flickering candlelight, very retro-sexy – sure to be the setting for many a first date.

The focus at Dakota is on steaks which are very good – all grass-fed, 28 day-aged, hand-cut Aberdeenshire beef cooked over hot coals.

Grand Pacific is the work of Living Ventures and it easily outshines its sibling venues in terms of pure glamour. Not in a big chandeliers, glass and chrome Spinningfields way, but with a decadent blend of colonial Raffles-style grandeur and some of the best of the city’s Victorian architecture.

Malmaison Manchester Piccadilly Bar & Grill isn’t just for overnight guests, its reputation for cocktails, quality beef and a buzzing atmosphere mean it’s respected as a restaurant in its own right.

San Carlo is Manchester’s most famous and, some say, best Italian restaurant. Run by the Distefano family, it’s said to have one of the largest turnovers in the UK. It’s also the place to be papped and you’ll sometimes see a bank of photographers outside to prove the point.

Located in the Northern Quarter, this friendly neighbourhood bistro and bar is the place to avanti if it’s a taste of traditional Sicily you fancy – from authentic street food snacks through to big plates of pasta to desserts and holiday memory gelato, eat in or take away.

Sora Manchester is a rooftop bar and restaurant serving up sushi, Pan Asian small plates and views across the city’s impressive Victorian neo-Gothic architecture.

Independent coffee shop and bar The Art of Tea offers more than just good quality loose leaf tea. It’s situated adjacent to a lovingly curated, second-hand bookshop, and it’s easy to lose a few hours there between the pages of a Penguin Classic or hooked up to their wifi.

With its neutral hues and natural foliage, stripped-back bricks and leather booths, The Alan is a tranquil space in which to enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner – the open-plan kitchen serves all day from first thing till late evening – or indeed coffee and cocktails in the bar.

All dark wood and polished brass, leather seating and stained glass, this former banking hall is cavernous yet intimate all at the same time – and the perfect decadent backdrop to afternoon tea, Champagne and lobster, or one of the freshly carved succulent Sunday roasts.

Cloud 23 is one of Manchester’s highest dining and drinking experiences. Located 23 stories up in the Hilton Manchester Deansgate at Beetham Tower, it offers exceptional views of the whole of the city and beyond. 

This chic chocolatiers-cum-cocktail parlour follows in the footsteps of award-winning entrepreneur Sarah Gallacher’s West Didsbury ventures, encouraging more sitting and supping in the form of brunch, lunch and the “famous” chocolate afternoon teas.

Voco Manchester originally opened as Hotel Brooklyn on Manchester’s Portland Street in 2020 as one of the world’s first fully accessible hotels.

Not just somewhere to take the weight off after peering at all the Lowrys and Valettes, The Gallery Cafe at Manchester Art Gallery is a go-to in itself, not least for the homemade sweet treats and the pleasant space outdoors as well as in.

Three-course dining in the middle of the local park – lucky are the residents of Cheadle that they have The Galloping Major and John Lewis on their doorsteps. 

King Street Townhouse is a 4-star luxury hotel in the heart of Manchester City Centre. It’s well known for its spa facilities – including a very special infinity pool with views of the city from the top floor of the building.

If sipping on champagne whilst surrounded by books sounds like your thing, then The Library Champagne Bar at The Edwardian in Manchester will be right up your street. 

After a multi-million pound refurbishment, Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly is one of the city’s major hotels and certainly looks the part for stylish stays.

Just a few minutes walk from Manchester Piccadilly train station, making it a great base for both business travellers and tourists.

Set inside Manchester’s iconic Midland Hotel, Mount Street Dining Room & Bar is a chic space with an all day menu that offers a modern take on British classics using top-notch, locally sourced, fresh seasonal ingredients.

Based in the bijou space next to Pop Boutique, this independent female owned and run café is small in size, but big in personality. You can eat in or take away, or check out the online shop with UK-wide delivery, so you can get handmade cake and afternoon teas wherever you are.

If this isn’t an excuse to pop on your best frock (or bib’n’tucker), we don’t know what is. An award-winning Alice In Wonderland-themed dining experience is just asking for a bit of dress-up, especially when there’s finger food and afternoon tea for the taking.

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.

Located on Manchester’s Princess Street, Roomzzz Manchester City is perfect for visitors looking for culture in Manchester. Chinatown is just next door – full of some of the city’s best Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai restaurants.

As the first San Carlo Cicchetti, the Manchester restaurant had a lot to prove on opening in 2011. Over a decade and several awards later, it’s still going strong.

Much like Betty’s in Harrogate, a trip to Slattery in Whitefield can be a day out in its own right. This bakery and cake shop has been in business in North Manchester for over fifty years – and now houses a cafe, cookery school, and wedding cake showroom – as well as the shop itself.