Follow us North, whilst we head to Manchester to eat our way through the vibrant city! A long-time destination for curious foodies, Manc is home to an ever-growing array of culinary gems. If you're craving French food, here’s our top selection from delicate pastries to modern bistros and timeless gastronomic institutions. No need for your passport, tag along!
La Chouquette Bakery: the pastry fix
Named as a nod to the iconic chou pastry — a tiny puff of heaven topped with pearl sugar -, this award-winning artisan bakery brings the best of France to leafy Didsbury. Since 2020, queues form down the street to taste owners Catrina Deignan and Florent Verove’s delectable array of pastries, viennoiseries and handmade sourdough bread. Everything is handmade on site, using top-notch French ingredients mixed and matched with local produce.
Past the chic blue shopfronts, indulge in a buttery pistachio croissant, a show-stopping Paris-Brest or an intensely chocolatey Black Forest cake. For savoury bites, pick up a croque-monsieur or a quiche lorraine. Early in the new year, make sure you taste the traditional flaky galette des rois. You may even bite into the fève if you’re in luck!
📍 Didsbury location: 812a Wilmslow Road, Didsbury M20 6UH
📍 Poynton location: 47 Clumber Road, Poynton SK12 1NW
Stretford Canteen: the cosy bistro
For many decades after the swinging 60s, the Beaujolais restaurant was the place to go for proper French bistro fare. Fast forward 2024, the next generation has lived up to the challenge. Together with husband Dean Taylor, their daughter Josephine Sandwith runs the popular Stretford Canteen.
Combining French culinary inspiration with a laid-back, casual vibe, this is a gem of a bistrot. If you’re after a twist on classic French flavours, look no further than this modern bistro. The Prix Fixe menu is a steal (£20-25), with comforting numbers making appearances like confit duck and spiced cabbage, decadent chocolate profiteroles, fragrant caramelised onion pissaladière or their famous rum steak au poivre and frites — all washed down with a Picpoul de Pinet white wine or a Côtes du Rhône Villages red. The place definitely brings a breath of French air to Stretford’s dining scene.
📍 118 Chester Rd, Stretford, Manchester M32 9BH
Salut Wines: the bottle paradise
Come and say hi — that's Salut in French, as you would have guessed — to Manchester's finest independent wine shop and bar, celebrating ten years in business. With over 400 wines carefully curated to take away, owners Jon and Sara Saunby celebrate grapes from around the world, including an extensive French wine selection.
It’s also the ideal stop for a casual evening with friends. Sit down, enjoy a glass of sparkling Crémant de Bourgogne or Pinot Noir from Pays d’Oc straight from the wine machine, while nibbling on charcuterie, Brie cheese and mezze plates. For lazy days, head to your favourite delivery app and get these bottles straight to your door. Santé!
📍 11 Cooper Street, Manchester M2 2FW
63 Degrees: textbook French gastronomy
Behind a brick façade in the heart of the Northern Quarter, the Moreau family has been offering French fine dining at its best for a decade. The quintessential French gastronomic destination in town, 63 Degrees takes its name from the sous-vide technique — giving you an idea of the craft and dedication that go into head chef Eric Moreau’s menu.
With dishes such as the sophisticated celeriac mille-feuille and truffle paste, the snails with Vouvray wine reduction, the famed lobster soup, the beef fillet with sauce Périgueux or the chocolate fondant, the menu reads like a love letter to French haute cuisine. The atmosphere is refined yet welcoming, perfect for a special occasion. For a more budget-friendly option, the set lunch menu (£28-32) is an excellent introduction to their French culinary delights.
📍 104 High Street Northern Quarter Manchester M4 1HQ
Contributor
Valentine Benoist
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