3 Best Restaurants in Manchester, Liverpool, and the Peak District, England

The Refuge

$ | City Centre Fodor's choice

This glamorous spot serves eclectic global food amidst the original features of a stunning Victorian Gothic building that's been given new life as the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel. Expect dishes such as halibut ceviche with red onion, lemon crème fraïche, almond, and sumac or lamb shawarma with roasted garlic, toum, zhug, slaw, green chili, onions, and lahuhua. The bar is a beauty, too (the restaurateurs are former DJs, so think hip).

Mackie Mayor

$ | Northern Quarter

Located in a 19th-century market building, this food court brings together several casual dining experiences under one stunningly restored roof. Choose from sourdough pizza, ramen and bao, rare cuts of beef, tortillas, tacos and margaritas, and more, enjoyed at long shared tables. There’s a similar venue, Market House, in the market town of Altrincham eight miles southwest of Manchester city center, and another sister venue, Picturedrome, in Macclesfield just outside Greater Manchester in Cheshire.

Maray

$ | City Centre

Tapping into Liverpool’s love affair with the sharing experience, this tiny bistro serves eclectic and inventive dishes with mainly Middle Eastern inspiration. The place—all bare bricks, upcycled furniture, and edgy artwork—takes its name from the Marais district of Paris, though it’s actually inspired more by the falafel joints of the French capital's less scenic Bastille district. There are two outposts at the Albert Dock and in the suburb of Allerton, plus a Maray in Manchester.

91 Bold St., Liverpool, Liverpool, L1 4HF, England
0151-709–5820
Known For
  • excellent vegan menu
  • member of the Sustainable Restaurant Association
  • the Agent Cooper (a riff on an espresso martini)

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