It’s not the first place that comes to mind to take the kids out to eat but Gusto Manchester is proving a hit with all the family.
As it stands in all its glory on the corner of Deansgate and Lloyd Street the listed building may look less like a restaurant and more like a bank on the outside but when you step through the doors you will find a chic little gem with plenty of room to park a pushchair!
We took our two little ones, Daisy 5 and Harry 11 months, to check out what Gusto Manchester had to offer.
From the moment you enter the Italian restaurant you know it’s somewhere more special than the usual ‘family favourites’ like Pizza Hut or the local pub with a play area. It definitely ticks all the boxes for the grown-ups; plush leather booths, dark wooden décor and a central bar area which wouldn’t look out of place in Manhattan. It got the thumbs up from the kids too with Daisy loving the fairy lights adorning the high ceiling windows. And did I mention the space…this place is deceptively huge so you don’t feel on top of the diner next to you (always a good thing when you are out on mass).
The kids have got their own special menu at Gusto, which they can colour to keep them entertained until the food arrives. There’s also the option to choose a smaller portion from the casino online adult menu so they can enjoy the same food as you. I would totally recommend Make Your Own Pizza for anyone over the age of three – kids get to choose their own toppings and put them on top of the prepared pizza dough ready to then go in the oven. It’s great fun, plus they even get to wear a chef’s hat which Daisy didn’t take it off till we left. She loved making her own tuna, sweetcorn, cheese and tomato pizza, prompting her to proclaim ‘Gusto do the best pizza ever’!
I must admit Gusto Manchester was pretty fantastic when it came to the pasta too. I enjoyed a hearty portion of prawn and lobster spaghetti with my other half opting for the delicious 10oz rib eye steak. The attentive staff were great at looking after us all, even suggesting adapted dishes for Harrys’ delicate taste-buds and offering to serve their creamy mash without pesto for him.
As a restaurant this place works on a lot of levels: diners ranging from ladies who lunch, couples on a romantic date and families enjoying a meal together. With such an eclectic mix you’d be forgiven for thinking it won’t work…but it does.
Our visit to Gusto Manchester has definitely given me food for thought and proved that it is possible to eat somewhere ‘grown-up’ when you have kids and, as a family, enjoy the same wonderful experience.
