For a good lunch and cocktail experience in Manchester, the award-winning chicken and cocktail restaurant Yard & Coop had to be on our list. You can never go wrong with something fun and familiar, and Yard & Coop offers this experience!

What we like about Yard & Coop is that although their menu may be small, customers can create their own meals by choosing their preferred cut and sauce. 

What’s more, their recipes can easily be spun to fit vegan and vegetarian customers. Despite the menu consisting mostly of chicken, we were very happy that vegans and vegetarians can enjoy what Yard & Coop brings to the table.

We noted that the restaurant also offers a small but good selection of drinks aside from its homemade and classic cocktails. Beers and wines are also available, and we liked how they paired well with the meals. 

Another thing we appreciate is that the restaurant’s decor remains in-theme: a barnyard-like feel with a twist of modernity, featuring small booths that look like chicken coops! 

Although it’s simple, we adored its quirkiness. We love how this combination resulted in a cosy and pleasant atmosphere!

As for prices, they range from £7 to £14 for a meal and £5 to £9 for cocktails. We believe their portions are large and filling and were served fairly quickly with attentive staff –a good experience overall in our books!

Next on our list is Lost Cat, a quaint sandwich bistro that doubles as a bar in the evenings and hosts frequent music events. Their store logo, “cheap food and fancy drinks,” was enough to attract our attention, and is surely nothing but the truth. 

Although their menu is also pretty small, their brunch and dinner menus religiously do not go over £2.5–a steal for a tasty selection of food. 

The caveat? Despite the dishes being presented well, the portions are pretty small. We think ordering one more serving is due if leaving stuffed is your intention. 

We noted that their drinks menu is also quite limited, with the cocktails and wines being the main attraction. A drink is about £8.5 to £9, which we believe isn’t too pricey, especially when availing of their Bottomless Brunches on the weekends.

Aside from service being fast and the staff being generally friendly, we also found it quite charming that the restaurant’s decor consisted primarily of plants. We like that it matches well with the venue’s earthy tones, which offers a very cosy, relaxing space.

Lastly, we appreciate that their live music events feature local indie bands that play well into the night. The humble and usually quiet sandwich bistro delightfully turns into a lively hub for musicians and music enthusiasts!

In its quiet simplicity, Lost Cat is the perfect place for good vibes and good conversations. We believe that it brings nothing less than a cute, affordable, and comfortable space to the streets of Manchester.

Next on this list is 20 Stories, a not-so-humble restaurant that gives diners a breathtaking aerial view of Manchester. Although quite pricey, we believe this fine dining experience offers nothing but quality food and ambience.

What we like about 20 Stories is their wide selection of food and drinks. We were impressed at how their menus change throughout the day, offering two-course to five-course set meals in case you have difficulty deciding what to eat.

Although vegan and vegetarian options are available, we found the choices limited. For a restaurant that is supposed to offer a fine dining experience and an extensive menu, we expected more options for those with different preferences.

We must also mention that choosing to dine here on a whim may not be easy. 

This is mostly because of the restaurant’s strictly implemented dress code. Guests are always expected to be in smart casual attire which means sportswear, trainers, flip-flops, caps, and tracksuits are big no-nos.

Since 20 Stories is a glamorous restaurant, it is no surprise they would want to retain a certain reputation. So, we recommend being prepared whenever you plan to book here.

Finally, besides serving beautifully presented food, the service here is top-notch. We truly appreciate how the staff goes above and beyond for the customers to have an authentic fine dining experience.

Next in the favourites is The Botanist, a horticultural gastropub chain specialising in botanical-themed cocktails. 

We were happy not only with The Botanist’s extensive menu but also with the availability of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. 

That said, whether you go here for brunch, lunch, or dinner, customers with different preferences and certain medical conditions can choose from a wide selection of food.

Notably, the prices here start at £10 and can go up to £15 for an entree. While it might be a little pricier than average, we believe it was still worth it, particularly because of its presentation, adequate portion size, and flavour.

Another one of their highlights is their wide selection of cocktails that include the usual mixes aside from their specialties. We were impressed by their experienced mixologists, who even whipped up some of our off-menu favourites!

Lastly, we were fond of how The Botanist’s horticultural aesthetic was expertly applied. The combination of plants, large glass windows, and light-colored earth tones gave off a very pleasing rustic greenhouse look!

We definitely think this place is perfect for business meetings, casual hangouts, or private events.

Overall, we believe that The Botanist offers excellent food and a memorable ambience for all.

Along the streets of Oldham is Fress, a lovely once family-owned restaurant that offers seasonal international food, often serving Mediterranean-inspired dishes. 

Fress’ menu contains a range of reasonably priced choices that hit the £9 to £15 mark. While it is not the cheapest, we honestly think that it was still worth it, given the quality of their food, service, and pleasant ambience. 

However, we must note that although gluten-free and vegetarian dishes are available, vegan alternatives are limited. Granted that this was a good effort towards having an inclusive menu, it is one that we believe is still, unfortunately, lacking just a bit.

Nonetheless, we liked that their drinks menu was extensive, offering alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks. The fun part: Fress offers a 2-4-1 cocktails promo which you can easily share, as well as a Bottomless Brunch that comes with both food and drinks. 

We noted that the staff is also fairly attentive in Fress. We appreciated that drinks were always refilled quickly, and waiters made an effort to ensure that none of the orders contained anything that could trigger anyone’s allergies!

We were pleasantly surprised that food portions were adequate and filling even without an appetiser or a drink (although you would do well to try an appetiser or two). The quality of food and presentation is pretty up there, as well!

However, due to its popularity, Fress can generate quite a crowd. Walk-ins are usually accepted only until 4:45pm to make way for those with reservations for dinner–indeed, a perfect place for lunch and cocktails in Manchester!

Finally, despite their Mediterranean-inspired dishes, we liked that Fress has a lovely modern Victorian aesthetic. Its brightly lit interior and comfy-looking furniture are definitely a charm to behold and fit the aesthetic quite nicely without looking gaudy.