Honest Burger

Honest Burger is a chain, and normally that’s where the review ends. But this one earns its spot. The Cross Street branch sits in the middle of the city centre and does exactly what the name promises – honest, well-made burgers using quality British beef, cooked to order and served with those rosemary salted chips that have genuinely ruined other chips for a lot of people. They’re that good.

Every branch does a local special and the Manchester one usually features something from a local supplier or a nod to the city’s food scene. The standard Honest burger is a solid starting point – beef, bacon, cheddar, pickles, onion, and their own sauce. The plant burger is one of the better ones around if that’s your thing. Portions are right – not comically oversized, just a proper burger that you can actually eat without dislocating your jaw.

The Chips Though

Seriously. The rosemary salted chips come free with every burger and they are the reason half the regulars keep coming back. Thin cut, crispy, fragrant with rosemary. People have tried to replicate them at home. People have failed. Burgers run from twelve to sixteen quid with chips included. Craft beer selection is decent. The room is small so expect a wait at peak times but turnover is quick. No bookings, just walk in.