Wood

The eponymous restaurant of Simon Wood, MasterChef winner and local lad from Oldham, is an accomplished affair. Food is cooked by both Wood and head chef, Mike Jennings, formerly of Grenache in Worsley. The décor – muted natural tones in a glass-clad new build – places the focus of any meal on the fine, Italianesque (yet often locally sourced) food and wine on offer.

Bold yet balanced dishes could include seared mackerel with goats curd and beetroot, or venison with parsnip, blackberry and ginger. An English posset-packed ‘citrus tutti-frutti’ (Wood’s MasterChef masterpiece) is a must, as is anything chocolate; the almost bitter delice is a great example.

Some wines are predictable but the likes of Californian Viognier or dry Portuguese Rose are a worthy match for the food. Cocktails such as the Wood Old Fashioned with house-smoked bitters are good. One of Manchester’s leading destinations for modern British food.

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