The Horse & Jockey, a Chorlton Green fixture for more than two centuries, will reopen on 20 October under new management and following a huge refurb.
The landmark pub has been leased to the team behind The Black Friar in Salford in partnership with Manchester brewery Joseph Holt, and will relaunch as a food-led gastropub focusing on seasonal cooking, heritage charm and community spirit.
Standing on Chorlton Green since the late 18th century, the pub’s mock Tudor-style frontage – which was added in 1908 – has been retained as part of the refurbishment. Inside, the interiors have been stripped back, with a palette inspired by the building’s history.
The bar will continue serving Joseph Holt’s award-winning ales, now joined by a curated wine list, cocktails – with a planned happy hour – and updated bar snacks.
Leading the kitchen is head chef Paolo Bianchi, whose CV includes working under the legendary chef Alain Ducasse at the Eiffel Tower, heading kitchens at Four Seasons Dubai under Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and opening Manchester’s Lucky Cat for Gordon Ramsay.
At The Horse & Jockey, he’ll be championing seasonal local produce, and rethinking a few British pub classics with touches from his Italian heritage and influences from French and Asian cuisine.
Standout dishes from the launch menu will include a pickled Shetland mussel & palourde clam crumpet with dill yuzu aioli, Berkshire pork neck with mustard-apple-pancetta strudel and whiskey jus, a Chorlton Pale Ale battered haddock with triple-cooked chips, and The Jockey Burger with aged beef, Alpine cheddar and house pickles. Desserts will rotate seasonally.
There will be roasts on Sunday, of course, with a dedicated Sunday Service menu: two courses for £30 or three courses for £37. Choices will include half spatchcock chicken, 35-day dry-aged beef, stuffed roast pork or a vegetarian mushroom wellington—all served with roast potatoes, sweet potato mash, roasted root vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and gravy.
Owner Neil Burke, who acquired The Black Friar in 2021, said: “I have a personal history with the Horse & Jockey. It’s such a beautiful building, but it hasn’t been shining the way it should in recent years. Chorlton deserved a proper foodie pub – somewhere that delivers brilliant food in a setting that does justice to the building’s history.”
Bianchi added: “The Horse & Jockey is an iconic part of Chorlton’s history and I’m proud to be leading its kitchen with the brilliant Black Friar team. My vision is simple, to serve British classics that people know and love, elevated with seasonal local ingredients, touches from my Italian heritage and international experience. The menu will be ever-changing, so guests can expect something fresh every time they visit.”
The Horse & Jockey will officially open on Monday 20 October. Tables are available for booking via its website, and walk-ins will be welcomed.
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