Simon Wood won MasterChef in 2015 and instead of doing the usual cookbook-and-TV circuit, he opened a restaurant in Manchester. Wood sits on Jack Rosenthal Street in the First Street development and it’s a proper restaurant — not a celebrity vanity project. The cooking is seasonal British with technique that reflects the MasterChef pedigree without being showy about it. Wood clearly cares about what leaves his kitchen.
The space is modern and clean-lined. Big windows, an open kitchen, and enough room that tables don’t feel crammed together. The tasting menu is the flagship — five or seven courses that showcase what the kitchen can do. Think along the lines of seared scallops, aged beef, interesting vegetable courses that don’t feel like afterthoughts. The a la carte is solid too if you just want a main and a glass of wine.
What to Expect
Service is polished without being stiff. The lunch menu is good value and a smart way to try the place without the full evening commitment. Tasting menus run from around fifty to seventy quid. A la carte mains are in the mid-twenties. First Street as an area is still finding its feet but Wood gives it a genuine dining destination. Book in advance, particularly Thursday through Saturday.