The romantic restaurants in Manchester you need to book now

With views right across the city, 20 Stories is a great place to impress your date. The glamorous restaurant has a cosy rooftop terrace where you can enjoy a range of unique cocktails with 360 degree views of Manchester, snuggled up underneath heaters. The food menu is also outstanding, focusing on fresh, seasonal British produce.

The Midland Hotel is a timelessly romantic spot to begin with, then couple this with an outstanding British menu from chef Adam Reid and you’re very much onto a winner. The setup is a tasting menu, with courses opaquely named things like ‘Fungi’, ‘Meat’ and ‘Custard’. So while it’s not one for fussy eaters, The French guarantees a evening full of intriguing culinary delights.

There are posh pubs, and then there’s The Black Friar. The once derelict boozer has been lovingly restored into a cosy spot to pass a few hours in front of the fire or out in the beer garden. The menu is carefully crafted, leaning heavily into pub classics like pies, burgers and steaks. And sometimes, there is simply nothing more romantic than that.

There’s just something impossibly romantic about a view of the city skyline, and Climat have a spectacular one. The restaurant, which has it’s own climate-controlled wine cellar eight floors up, is located inside the visually striking Blackfriars House – all setting the scene perfectly for an impressive date night. The menu is all about aesthetically pleasing plates full of intriguing flavour combinations. There are about 400 wines on offer at any one time, and the cocktail menu is pretty special too. If you want to go all out on romance, the forecast at Climat is good.

Somehow managing to feel both painfully cool and endlessly inviting, Erst in Ancoats is perfectly designed for romantic rendezvous. Loosely Scandinavian, the menu is comprised of stylish small plates and world-class natural wines, so expect the likes of Carlingford oysters, beef tartare and Cantabrian anchovies. And because there’s nothing more romantic than delicious carbs, we’d seriously recommend sharing one of their outstanding flatbreads or three.

One of the city’s top steak restaurants, Hawksmoor is a bit of a no-brainer when it comes to romantic dining. Located in a late Victorian courthouse on Deansgate, the restaurant specialises in the best dry-aged beef, sustainable seafood and seasonal farm produce, which put simply means the food is very, very good. With their impeccable service, outstanding cocktails and dimly lit dining rooms, the right ambience is guaranteed.

Hiding in plain sight behind red velvet curtains, discouraging photography and social media shares, Louis is all about transporting diners back to another era. Inspired by the Italian-American speakeasy, and big on glamour, the menu is fittingly nostalgic. Dishes steeped in culinary heritage, then elevated through the use of specialist ingredients hand-chosen for their quality. Add in some live music and champagne and desserts served to your table via a trolley service, and you’re all set for a thoroughly enjoyable date night.

Set over three floors, Maya is a palace of fine dining with a distinctly hedonistic edge. Depending on whether you and your date want to sit and eat, sit and drink or party the night away, there’s a floor of this Chorlton Street brasserie for you. The food – modern, creative takes on British classics – is always exceptional, and once you’re well-fed, there’s plenty in the way of after-dinner entertainment, ranging from DJs to burlesque shows.

There’s just something really special about super fresh seafood, and there’s nowhere doing it quite like The Oystercatcher. With spots in Chorlton and Sale, they are all about ultra sophisticated seafood with loads of foodie flair. Yes, the oysters are a given, but the restaurant extends its reach to a spectrum of fish and seafood dishes on the menu, all brought to life on their in-house chargrill. Plus, if your date doesn’t fancy anything too outrageous, they do an excellent fish and chips too.

You’d struggle to find someone with anything negative to say about stand-out fresh pasta and späzle restaurant, The Spärrows. A firm favourite among Manchester foodies ever since they started out in a tiny railway arch by Victoria train station, everything they do is crafted for an intimate dining experience. There’s indulgent small plates inspired by comforting Eastern European specialities, carefully selected wines and outrageously good tiramisu. And if you’re toasting a special moment, why not peruse their sophisticated sake menu.

The ultimate in theatrical destination dining in the city, Tattu is perfect for a romantic dinner, especially if you get to back yourself a seat underneath the stunning cherry blossom tree upstairs. Everything exudes elegance and sophistication, and the modern Chinese menu is still exceptional after all of these years. Add some theatrical cocktails and plenty of dry ice and you’re all set.

Half the battle with Where The Light Gets In is getting the reservation, so if you’re walking through the door, things are already going well. The Stockport restaurant is the brainchild of top chef Sam Buckley, and they serve a creative, intriguing and most importantly delicious tasting menu where diners watch it all play out and course after course emerges from their entirely open kitchen. A more beautiful space to be wined and dined we couldn’t think of, which is helpful, because they pair the wine to the food too, if you want them to.