The unique trattoria has placed 19th in the Good Food Guide’s first ranked list of Britain’s best local restaurants...
An Italian restaurant hidden on a Prestwich industrial estate has been named among the best neighbourhood restaurants in the UK by the Good Food Guide.
Lupo Caffè Italiano, located on the Mountheath Industrial Estate, placed 19th in the guide’s 100 Best Local Restaurants for 2026, making it one of only 20 restaurants to reach the top of the newly ranked national list.
The small caffè, trattoria and pasticceria was founded by Rome-born chef Nico Pasquali in 2014 and has built a loyal following despite its unlikely location among warehouses and commercial units.
Inside, chequered tablecloths and Italian music set the scene for a menu centred on traditional Roman cooking. Dishes include crisp Roman-style pizzas, handmade and hand-rolled pasta, cannelloni, courgette flowers, crocchette and Italian pastries.
The Good Food Guide described Lupo as a ‘charming caffè-cum-trattoria in a surprising setting’, praising its relaxed atmosphere, traditional cooking, Italian wines and carefully made coffee.
It added that Pasquali has been bringing ‘a slice of Rome to north Manchester’ for more than a decade, with customers drawn to its informal approach and reasonably priced menu.
Another restaurant close to Greater Manchester also made the top 20. Almanac in Glossop was ranked ninth and named a ‘model of a neighbourhood restaurant’.
The restaurant is run by chef Luke Payne, who is also behind The Pack Horse in Hayfield. Its dining room serves modern British dishes, with the guide highlighting plates including braised Roscoff onions, mince on toast, mutton merguez with pease pudding and skate forestière.
The overall number one position went to La Locanda in Gisburn, Lancashire. Run by Cinzia and Maurizio Bocchi for more than 20 years, the Italian restaurant was also named the guide’s North West winner.
La Locanda’s seasonal menu combines regional Italian recipes and imported ingredients with produce from Lancashire, including Goosnargh chicken, Gisburn Forest roe deer and Bowland wild garlic.
The Good Food Guide’s annual list is based on inspections alongside nominations from diners, with restaurants assessed on their food, hospitality, atmosphere and importance to the surrounding community.
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