The best tips for Manchester – according to me

My brother studied for several months in Manchester in which I had the time to visit him for a while and hike parts of the Pennine Way. So, here are the best tips for Manchester – according to me.

My best omakase experience in Manchester

The Japanese habit of omakase (お任せ) when you’re ordering at a restaurant pretty much means, “I’ll leave it up to you”, inviting the chef to be innovative and surprising in the selection of dishes. I try to do it in every city I visit, and apply the idea behind to everything between how I pick my runs, how I pick my food, how I plan activities with my kids, how I explore cities and how I travel in general. So, I tried this in Manchester as well.

My best omakase experience in Manchester was at the Curry Mile where I had some amazing food in Jaffa, selected by the chef. Som

The best hotels in Manchester – according to me.

• At the gateway to the Northern Quarter, with its laid-back Bohemian vibe, sits Hotel Indigo Manchester – Victoria Station hotel, still in the original Victorian building where many features have been retained whilst embracing contemporary design. I love Indigo hotels (like the one in Antwerp), so this is a logical base to explore Manchester.
• I would sooo like to try the Principal in Manchester (which is rumored to become a Kimpton like the Kimpton Fitzroy in London and Kimpton De Witt in Amsterdam ones).

The best restaurants in Manchester – according to me.

• The Curry Mile in Manchester is a part of a street with plenty of Indian and Asian restaurants – including Jaffa and MyLahore.

The best bars in Manchester – according to me

• Revolución de Cuba is a nice cocktail and tapas place, spread over two floors.
• The Shakespeare is a typical bar – soccer, great beers and some decent bites.
• Krobar is a trendy bar/restaurant with a Danish flavour, in an old building with beer garden and live music.
• Brewdog has several great bars in Manchester.
• Port Street Beer House. Amazing range of real/craft ales and offers a lot of the latest/rarer offerings from the top craft breweries.
• COMMON has some great burgers, fries and coleslaw. Great bar that is just the right side of cool (beware the occasional hipster) and the beer selection is always top-notch.

The best things to do in Manchester – according to me

• The John Rylands Library was just breathtaking.
• The Pennine way in the Peak District is a truly great day- or multi-day hiking trip near Manchester.
• Watch a soccer game, either Manchester City or Manchester United.

The best coffee places in Manchester – according to me

• TAKK is a super nice Icelandic-inspired coffee place
• Fig & Sparrow combines a coffee place with a great store for beautiful gifts. The interior is warm and welcoming with a stripped-back, Scandinavian vibe.
• Ezra & Gil is a spacious, stripped back location serving up great coffee and a delicious menu of fresh cooked food.
• Grindsmith. There are now three Grindsmiths – one near Greengate Square, not far from Manchester Cathedral, there’s a branch over at Media City and then this one, inside a spacious arch adjacent to the Great Northern Warehouse on Deansgate. All serve excellent coffee.

The best places for a run in Manchester – according to me.

Platt Fields Park is a great place for a walk or run.