Erst

“Yet more small plates in Ancoats?” we hear you cry. Well yes, but trust us, Erst is worth your attention. This is a place for serious foodies so don’t come looking for mac n cheese balls. Plenty of other places can satisfy that filthy craving for you.

The menu at Erst changes frequently depending on what’s good and in season and the plates are inventive and often surprising – challenging even: lamb heart with beetroot, labneh and mint, anyone?

What will draw you in and keep you returning is the palpable passion for high-quality ingredients that speak for themselves. The team here has its roots in celebrated bakery Trove next door so expect their excellent sourdough to make an appearance along with the same obsessive attention to detail.

Decor is stark, puritanical almost, with pale wood and Scandinavian minimalism. The wine offering is far from a side note, with a regularly rotating list of ‘natural and more conventional wines chosen for their quality and character’.