Medlock Canteen

There’s no way anyone’s struggling to find Medlock Canteen. Even in a town which feels more densely built and borderline-claustrophobic by the day. Just look for the city’s tallest skyscrapers, the cluster at Deansgate Square, and you can’t go too far wrong. Vying for business alongside a handful of other restaurants at the foot of the glass and steel towers, founders Sam Grainger and Chris Edwards have done an excellent job selling this place on first impressions alone. 

A quick nosy through the window explains more. You can almost see the laidback vibe before opening the door, with well-chosen mid-century fixtures and fittings creating a timeless, cosy but contemporary kind of aesthetic. The atmosphere only gets more lackadaisical inside, although that’s not to imply anything other than first rate service. A perfect balance between relaxed and informal for the customers, and attentive and professional in terms of the team themselves. Good enough to satisfy a slew of critics, including Guardian and Observer don Jay Rayner, who described “dishes that are the best versions of themselves” after his visit. 

Customers will find three menus types, starting with Morning — featuring categories like ‘breakfast’, ‘eggs’, and ‘the rest’, freshly brewed tea and coffee, juices and other soft drinks. Noon – Night introduces a broad selection of snacks, large plates, sides, homemade sauces and desserts. Cuisine is less important than attitude here, so expect down-to-earth recipes done very well indeed, meaning you can just as easily grab a stomach-filling plate of posh beans on toast as you can rotisserie chicken, burger or steak sandwich. Although Sunday is a separate thing altogether, focusing on the traditional roast with trimmings, albeit elevated and modernised. Bites aside, you’ll find a strong range of beers, impressive choice of digestifs and pro-level cocktails behind the bar. Not to mention some great wines by the bottle or glass.