Situated within the iconic Midland Hotel – where, as legend has it, Rolls met Royce – resides Adam Reid at The French restaurant. For years, it’s been hailed as one of the top dining experiences in Manchester. While its name might suggest otherwise, they no longer serve a classic French menu. Instead, it has been reimagined and revitalised by Adam Reid, a native Mancunian, who has invested over a decade in shaping the restaurant into an unmissable destination for anyone touring the city’s finest eateries.
The fare, described as modern British, is actually a bold reflection of contemporary Mancunian culinary trends. The tasting menu is a remarkably reinterprets beloved childhood dishes into gourmet delights. From the innovative snack offerings, which include elegant transformations of humble fish pie and sausage rolls, to a section intriguingly named ‘today’s tea’ – a nod to the northern tradition of referring to evening meals as ‘tea’ – presenting hearty, comfort food with a luxurious twist.
Desserts, or ‘afters’, as they are fondly referred to here, continue this trend of reimagined nostalgia with a touch of modern foraging. Ingredients like meadowsweet and lovage make their appearance, while custard, a staple of British comfort desserts, is usually a regular feature in some form or another.
But it isn’t just the innovative menu that draws people to Adam Reid at The French. The restaurant is among the city’s most glamorous places to dine. A recent makeover saw the erstwhile lime green walls exchanged for a sophisticated navy blue. This stylish backdrop further enhances the beauty of the restaurant’s signature spherical chandeliers, transforming them into radiant celestial bodies against a midnight sky.