A labour of love rooted in sustainability, Sam Buckley’s Where The Light Gets In hardly needs an introduction. Having made its mark in Stockport back in 2016, when both the city centre and Stockport’s food scene were far from their current flourishing state, the venture was a daring move that has evidently paid off over the last nearly seven years. This venue represents one of only two Michelin-starred establishments on our best restaurants in Manchester list, albeit with the newer green star, acknowledging sustainable practices in fine dining.

Occupying an expansive former warehouse that echoes the feel of a vast New York loft, the open kitchen takes centre stage, providing diners with a theatrical experience. Ingredients are either locally sourced from farms in a manner reminiscent of the comically exaggerated local sourcing in the US sketch show Portlandia, or they’re grown in ‘The Landing,’ an allotment set up atop a shopping centre nearby. But it’s not just about where the ingredients come from. The dishes, meticulously crafted by a team of skilled and passionate chefs, are served alongside natural and biodynamic wines, chosen by one of the UK’s top sommeliers. The pricing is impressively fair for such a high calibre of food. Where The Light Gets In was rightfully named Manchester’s Best Restaurant at the Manchester Food and Drink Awards in 2022, despite fierce competition.