Borrowing its name from the cult 1989 American black comedy, The Burbs, when you arrive at this welcome addition to the thriving Heaton Chapel food and drink scene two things quickly become apparent. Firstly, there’s no satanic cult living next door, like in the movie. And, secondly, just like the film, this place is all about celebrating the best of just-out-of-town, with head chef Laurence Gallagher calling on decades of experience working for institutions like Evuna and Mowgli to pull together a menu that showcases some of the best creations inspired by the culture and cuisine of that most 20th Century phenomena — suburbia.
Focused on small plates, encouraging diners to share, sample and swap by the forkful, dishes change with the season. At the time of writing, these include carbonara ribbons of pasta in a rich creamy sauce with pancetta, grilled rump of steak (gf) with green pesto, sun-dried tomato salsa and shaved parmesan and panko crumb fried calamari (gf) with Amarillo chilli aioli & kimchi.
The list could go on much longer, of course, but you probably get the point already. Elsewhere, 10″ pizzas come courtesy of the team behind I Knead Pizza, offering fans of the brand’s Neapolitan bases a chance to sit down over a slice, rather than rely on delivery.
Smart casual defines the aesthetic and ambience at The Burbs, with an eclectic music policy reflecting the overall concept. As should always be the case, the bar is brimming with wonderful wines, craft ales and beers, local gins and rums, and those spirits also afford a strong cocktail menu, all conceived and created by in-house mixologists. A fitting ode to life and living beyond the glass and steel towers of city centres across the globe, it’s hard to think of a more fitting location than The Heatons, which easily rank among the loveliest and most alluring suburbs to visit in Greater Manchester’s south-easterly sprawl, conveniently located a short train ride away from both Piccadilly railway station and Stockport.