48 HOURS IN MANCHESTER – ft. The Best Restaurants (2026)
Manchester’s food scene is having a moment. It just keeps getting better.
From next-level tasting menus and legendary Persian restaurants to old-school pubs, natural wine bars and some of the best doughnuts in the country, we spent 48 hours eating our way across the city to find the spots actually worth your time.
00:00 Skof
05:39 Darbar Restaurant
09:00 The Peveril of the Peak
10:33 Side Street
13:11 Schofield’s Bar
14:43 The Sparrows
18:12 Siop Shop
21:19 Higher Ground
25:30 Bar Shrimp
Big thanks to Marwan Mounti for helping us put this video together and guiding us around.
Thank you so much for watching – we love seeing your comments!
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42 Comments
Can you come and do nottingham? X
Top vid guys. Where’s Jesse’s necklace/chain from? Looks great!
Lovely video. Given all the hype Tartuffe got for the chicken when it opened I thought there was something wrong with me thinking mine was as dry as – hope they listen to your suggestion.
Really glad you got to Darbar.
When he said never had an empty seat as the whole restaurant was empty behind him
So many posh southerners in manchester
Who also thought it was Marcelo? 😂 0:13
Best way to start my Sunday morning. Thanks Topjaw team.
as a Pole I'm very happy to see our food recommended
Brand of the brown coat, please?
Jessie: Love your chaotic bi energy always! Never change.
Why have you gone this way? So disrespectful
Booked in for SKOF June 5th, can’t wait!
Koffee Pot is also great for breakfast, and just around the corner is a fantastic coffee shop/bookstore/lounge/bar called Social Refuge that is one of my absolute favorite places in the city.
LETS GOOOO!
You’re way more hyped when in London
Lived near Manchester for 40 years. They spent more time in Cheetham Hill in a day then I have ever 😂
Missed Erst
No Cafe Continental? 😢
The Chef at Higher Ground has character! Hope to see more of here in future
A2M
No erst is criminal! But rest of the list is great. Tried most just have a couple I’ll try that you guys recommended!
Worth it a second trip. To many good places out of the list 🙂
How on earth did you put all the effort and planning into this and then somehow not know of or visit Cardinal Rule. That is a cardinal sin guys
Manchester's eating scene is best for casual dining and ethnic cuisine that is both authentic and reasonably priced…you can get great pizza, curry, dim sum, pho and burgers that stand up to anywhere else.
Where it falls down compared to larger cities like London is high end dining…Skof and Mana are the only Michelin star restaurants in Manchester…and they are nothing special compared to other Michelin restaurants in London.
The same applies to top end sushi, steaks or patisserie places…Manchester has good examples of all these things…but it falls just short of the highest levels.
Great seafood is also a big omission in Manchester…just try and find a restaurant that serves quality lobster…😂
Perversion of the Peak was never JW Lees (that is the rain bar across the road) but Wilson’s Brewery formerly of Newton Heath.
We. Love. Doug.
Never got that nose hair
The whole video is a failure now
The Pev is not a JW Lees pub.
6:53 Manchester has certainly not been very multicultural for CENTURIES. Maybe arguably since the early 2000’s when Blair decided to open the floodgates.
ooh Darbar used to be Bawadi – old family favourite Lebanese. Recognise the location straight away.
just realised that Tom Barnes was on GBM.
great video again lads, what camera and lenses did you guys use to film this episode? keep smashing it
I have a feeling he never went to Collyhurst, Droylsden, Moston or Openshaw during this filming. Thats where you will find the "hidden Manchester".
Glad you've updated your Manchester review 😀 i live in manchester and work there, theres TOO MUCH CHOICE NOW
Multicultural is one word for Cheetham hill
The sparrows is by a country mile my favourite restaurant in town, glad you enjoyed it. Should of had a cocktail or two though as they are just as good as the food.
Love seeing Manchester’s dining scene getting the spotlight. Nice to have Skof featured, great work Tom and the team!
Wouldn't touch any of those places but there we go 😂
This video is literally just a 'taster'. There are so many more hidden gems in Manchester. 😋 top vid though !
YOU MISSED KALA – best restaurant in Manc and I have eaten at a lot on this list!!!!
SKOF looked amazing! Brilliant episode lads!