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

Part of a small group of famously crowd-funded restaurants (yup, people liked the owner-chef's concept so much they raised money so he could open a place in their 'hood) found across northwest England, this neighborhood bistro offers ambitious dining at remarkably fair prices. In pared-back surroundings, expect the likes of pastrami-style trout with sour cream, dill, and pickled green beans or braised featherblade of beef with wild mushroom ketchup, truffle and parmesan chips, and red wine sauce, plus wonderful accompaniments including hard-to-find vegetables. Gary Usher has another crowd-funded venue in the city center, KALA Bistro.

This stylish restaurant, charcuterie, and Campari bar—a lively take on the workingmen's canteens of backstreet Venice, known as bacaros—offers highly creative small plates. Options include croquettes, fried mixed fish, and pizzette (mini-pizzas).

Part of the same crowd-funded group as Manchester’s Hispi Bistro and KALA Bistro, this hip spot serves up seriously good modern global cuisine from an open kitchen in a once derelict building in the Ropewalks district. As with its sister restaurants, think excellent local products taken to the next level through pairings with unusual vegetables including heritage tomatoes and hispi cabbage. Breakfast is great, while Sunday lunch can be as traditional or as inventive as you like.

This airy suburban dining room in a former bakery with polished concrete floors, grey walls, wooden benches, trailing foliage, and chalkboard menus is presided over by local chef Mary-Ellen McTague (who cooked under Heston Blumenthal at the legendary Fat Duck for many years). It offers southern European comfort food based on seasonal produce; think the likes of cucumber, fennel, tarragon, and ricotta salata or fazzoletti with walnut sauce.

Ambitious and groundbreaking, this restaurant was launched by two brothers who leapt to fame for their award-winning Marram Grass restaurant in the unlikely setting of a holiday park in Wales (the name means "Liverpool" in Welsh). Although you can dine a la carte here, the focus is really on the tasting menus (£90), which embrace sustainably sourced shellfish including Menai Strait oysters, homegrown aged pork from Anglesey, and other prime ingredients from small local producers. The atmosphere is very grown-up, with no children under 10 allowed.

Located in the heart of town and run by a family who fell in love with Spanish food after decades of visiting Spain, this restaurant, bar, shop, and deli offers mainly shared plates meant for a social meal. You might find deeply authentic dishes such as ensalada de Santiago with duck liver pâté and shavings of hard Mahon curado cheese or aubergine fritters with romesco sauce, honey, and fresh Valencian goats’ cheese.