Date spot in Manchester
Skof
Settle in for a tasting menu at Tom Barnes's Michelin-starred restaurant in an old textile warehouse in NOMA.
Federation Street, NOMA
Address: Skof, 3 Federation Street, Manchester M4 4BF- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Why it's a good date: Exposed brick and girders, no tablecloths and no dress code, so it feels relaxed for somewhere this serious about food. Tables are released month by month and go quickly, so plan ahead.
More from our Manchester guide
Winsome
Princess Street, city centre
Address: Winsome, 74 Princess Street, Manchester M1 6JD- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Big night
Sit up at the big kitchen counter for hearty, seasonal British cooking at this busy brasserie on Princess Street.
Why it's a good date: It has a proper sense of occasion without any fuss, and the counter seats let you watch the chefs at work. Ask for the counter when you book if you like a bit of theatre.
Where The Light Gets In
Rostron Brow, Stockport Old Town
Address: Where The Light Gets In, 7 Rostron Brow, Stockport SK1 1JY- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Take the short train to Stockport for a set sharing menu cooked in the open kitchen of a loft above an old coffee warehouse.
Why it's a good date: There's no choosing to do: you sit back and the food arrives, cooked from whatever's in season. The room feels like a dinner party in someone's very good kitchen, and Stockport's Old Town is worth a stroll first.
Hawksmoor Manchester
Deansgate, by Spinningfields
Address: Hawksmoor, 184-186 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WB- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Big night
Book a steak dinner in the wood-panelled rooms of a Victorian courthouse on Deansgate.
Why it's a good date: Grand but warm, with service that makes a birthday feel like one. Get there early for a cocktail in the bar, which is usually quieter than the dining room.