If you’re looking for something a little different, we believe Dishoom is the place to be.  This upscale restaurant specialises and exclusively serves Indian cuisine, and is one of the Indian restaurants in Manchester that we hold in high regard.

What we like about Dishoom is how extensive their menus are. Their all-day menu had a considerable amount of options, even for vegans and vegetarians.

We were exceptionally pleased to see that there was also a good selection of meals available for those with dairy intolerances and gluten allergies. We highly appreciate that their dishes can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of their dietary restrictions.

Furthermore, their menus also include the amount of calories their dishes contain. We believe this is a nice touch and is very helpful for calorie-counters and other health junkies!

However, spiciness levels may be a bit of an issue. We noted that their menus do not indicate the spiciness of certain dishes. 

We greatly recommend speaking with the staff in charge of your table, especially those with a low spice tolerance.

Despite this, the food itself was presented well and looked appetising. Their Nalli Nihari Biryani was especially rich and flavorful, which we thought was a very good attempt at combining two very iconic pieces of Indian cuisine.

We also appreciated how professional the staff was. Other than being very knowledgeable about their menu, they were also helpful and generally friendly.

Finally, Dishoom’s decor is nothing short of sophisticated with its dark wooden colours and its large stained glass windows. Even during peak hours, Dishoom’s ambience remains relaxed and chill–ultimately a good recipe for a good time.

Next on our list is Northern Soul Grilled Cheese, a humble but hearty fast-casual restaurant that specialises in grilled cheese sandwiches.

We noted that their menu, although not as extensive as some others on the list, was still very focused and inspired. A good selection of grilled cheese sandwiches are available, ranging from classic flavours to more adventurous combinations.

Since their specialty is grilled cheeses, this means that not many vegan or gluten-free options are available. On the bright side, they do still have choices for vegetarians.

Still, their grilled cheeses are definitely no joke. Meals were served on a typical retro-style fast-food basket, and portions were satisfyingly large.

What we liked most about Northern Soul, though, was how well their sandwiches were prepared. Not only was every bite oozing with cheese, but the sandwiches were also toasted and grilled to absolute perfection.

We appreciated that the staff was generally friendly and attended to us quickly. Additionally, we like how payment is handled via mobile–making things just a whole lot quicker and more efficient.

We found that the general ambience of Northern Soul was bright and fun. Their walls are covered in vivid colours, providing an almost pop-art feel to the whole restaurant.

Ultimately, we enjoyed our stay in Northern Soul as both their food and their vibes were surely a good way to spend lunch in Manchester.

Located in Church Street is a charming restaurant called Pieminister whose specialties lie in one of the very pillars of British cuisine–pies!

We were pleased to see that their menu contained an ample selection of pies that range from Pieminister originals to traditional British favourites. Now that Christmas is on its way, we also noted that they have seasonal pies to fit the occasion!

Additionally, we like that they have a good number of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options on their menu. Having a sizable collection of alternatives for those with different food preferences and dietary restrictions is always highly appreciated.

Aside from their large selection of pies, their drinks menu is also pretty decent. The usual beers and cinders are available, as well as popular soft drinks, coffees, and teas–a good mix of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

We were happy with the quality of food, as portions were quite large and very filling. We did feel that their side dishes were a bit too heavy for lunch, and are better suited for when you’re feeling exceptionally hungry.

Alternatively, we do believe choosing the gravy over the side dishes made for a better lunch experience. Their gravy was creamy and full of flavour, and paired perfectly with our pies!

Although the pies themselves were tasty, we do think that the waiting time was a little longer than we had expected. It takes a while for meals to be served during peak hours, even more so if your order is gluten-free.

Still, we appreciated that despite being busy, diners were seated promptly. Furthermore, they were polite and constantly updated us on the status of our meals. 

Pieminister’s decor is certainly nothing fancy, but charming all the same. Its dark-coloured furniture matched with the red brick walls offered a rustic look with a touch of modernity. 

Overall, we found that whether you’re in the mood for a comforting, more British experience, Pieminister is certainly a must-try among other cool lunch places in Manchester!

Listo Burrito is a quick-service burrito joint located along Oxford Street, formerly known as Changos Burrito Bar.

Unlike other restaurants on our list, Listo Burrito adopts a build-your-own-meal type setting. We like that diners get to choose exactly which fillings and toppings they want in their meals, which makes every meal suited to fit your tastes.

The best part? Most toppings are vegan and gluten-free, and they have vegetarian fillings available for customers with diet preferences and restrictions. 

Considering their small menu, it was no surprise to us that their drinks were limited aside from having the usual sodas and water. To add just a bit of variety, though, they do offer Jarritos, a popular Mexican fruit-flavoured soda to pair with your burrito.

What we also like about Listo Burrito is how not only are portions large and hearty, but they’re also bursting with flavour. Moreover, we were pleased to see that every burrito came with guacamole.

Although their burritos may taste wonderful, we were surprised by the long queue, which reached outside the restaurant. 

However, we appreciated that the staff moved fairly quickly attending to customers. We noted that orders came right away, so the wait in line wasn’t as bad as we thought. 

We also noted that the place itself is quite small and only has a handful of tables and chairs. Knowing the crowd they generate, seats are definitely going to be hard to find during peak hours. 

Even so, Listo Burrito remains simple but vibrant. Mexican motifs adorn the walls and are paired with their brightly coloured furniture, making the small restaurant a pleasant place to dine in nonetheless.

Over at Didsbury is Hispi, a modest-looking bistro with not-so-modest meals. This award-winning restaurant may look simple enough, but it has never failed to impress Mancunians.

What we like about Hispi is how they serve 2- or 3-course meals that you get to plan yourself. The restaurant’s menu was neither too much nor too little–just enough that it wasn’t overwhelming.

However, although there were vegan and vegetarian options available, we were disappointed to see that they were very limited. 

We were pleased with how the meals were presented very beautifully but did feel as though portion sizes were a bit smaller than what we’d expected. That said, we believe availing the 3-course meal would be the better option.

Still, we do think that Hispi is an award-winning restaurant for a reason. Their meals–despite being small–were expertly cooked. 

But one of our favourites is their custard tart, which had the perfect sweetness and creaminess to every bite.

We were also impressed with Hispi’s staff, as they truly went above and beyond with their service. Aside from being very knowledgeable about the menu, they didn’t hesitate to help when it came to choosing which best wine pairings for our meals.

Furthermore, we appreciated that they were very attentive, and made sure to check in on us now and then!

Hispi’s decor is also among one of the simpler types, with clean white walls, large windows, and the average-looking tables and chairs. We thought that it was nothing too fancy or creative–just the standard uncomplicated look.

Overall, despite their decor sporting a very basic style, their food in the meantime was surely the highlight of the experience.