It’s no secret that in Manchester you’re pretty much spoiled with new dining experiences popping up left right and centre, from finger lickin good dirty burgers in the Northern Quarter to old school Bombay dining at the beautiful Dishoom.  20 Stories, at No1 Spinningfield brings a little bit of Manhattan to Manchester City Centre.  Much like the soaring skyscraper bars of NYC, the entrance of 20 Stories is a little underwhelming, its essentially an office block but 19 stories above the city is the hottest new place to be seen, to drink and to eat… especially if you’re looking for views.

You don’t have the Empire State Building, Rockefeller or Chrysler building on the horizon, but if you can settle for the panoramic views of Manc, it’s pretty magical on a clear day or if you wanna take in the sights over a Northern sunset.  Perfect date location, am I right?

Take the elevator 19 stories up and you’re into  open plan restaurant which is split into three zones: cocktail bar, a brasserie which offers relaxed menu dining and the restaurant, headed up by Brian Hughson.  Outside an open roof terrace spans the entire stretch of the space and is the crowning jewel.   With floor to ceiling windows, greenery that flows throughout the bar, dining area and out onto the terrace, the whole space has an inside/outside feel to it.

gives you amazing views overlooking the city as you dine, even if you’re not lucky enough to bag a table by the window (probably for the best if you’re not au fait with heights).

The terrace is where you step out of Manc and into a Manhattan style space that I’m not gonna lie, is pretty breathtaking.  I’d been for drinks at 20 Stories before and can concur that midweek the outside terrace is full of Manchester’s young professionals enjoying their post work beers, multiple bottles of Prosecco being popped and the signature 20 Stories cocktail made with Tanqueray, vermouth, honey and herb cordial, and grapes shaken with fresh lemon..

…I’ll take two with a view, please.

Enough about the views (but how can I?) you want to know if 20 Stories is all novelty and no nosh goodness, right? 

Breathe a sigh of relief, the foods pretty damn good.  & the wine ain’t too bad either.

I dropped by one Sunday afternoon to try out their set three course lunch menu for £29.50pp.  On the so called day of rest, I’d much rather be glass of wine in hand than be up to my elbows in saucepans and spuds.   Come Sunday, the modern British menu in the restaurant offers up an all singing, all dancing roast dinner (praise be) alongside a varied selection of dishes if, like me, you get menu FOMO and want to see what the rest of the menu has to offer.

All of the dishes on Brian Hughson’s menu for the majority feature locally sourced produce within a 50 mile radius of Manchester, showcasing the best of what the North West has to offer and even the delicious sour dough is born and bread in Manchester from Pollen Bakery and cutlery comes from just up’t road in Sheffield.

Let’s talk about that roast, because when it came to the table I got food orderers remorse. Perfectly pink, melt in your mouth slices of rare beef, a sizeable Yorkshire pud (HOORAH), crisp roasties, creamed carrot and swede, broccoli (my favourite) and charred gooey cauliflower.  Add to the mix a decent serving of gravy and this roast more than holds its own up against the contemporary plates on the menu.

Sunday’s at 20 Stories are a much more chilled affair after the late night shenanigans of Friday and Saturday nights.  Live acoustic music on the outdoor roof terrace makes for the perfect place to spend a summers day or evening and I’m beyond excited to see how the team transition that outdoor space through to the autumn months.  I’m envisioning patio heaters galore and blankets not too dissimilar to the likes of 230 Fifth in New York.  Yep, a little chilly come the winter months (read, freezing) but it would be a shame to put that prime real estate and views to waste, and Manchester looks just as beautiful in the evening as it does in the day.

Oh, by the way… did I mention that even the loos offer floor to ceiling views and you’ll most likely lose your dining companion for a good half an hour whilst the soak in the sights (and spend a penny?)

NO. 1 Spinningfields
1 Hardman Square
Manchester
M3 3EB