Manchester’s best seafood restaurants
13 Sep 2024
13 Sep 2024
Spotlight on Canto in Manchester
Manchester is full of amazing restaurants that deliver incredible food from all over the world with a Mancunian touch. Often when we speak of restaurants and bars in Manchester, the conversation is dominated by the bustling and trendy Northern Quarter. But there are great places all over the city, from Prestwich and Chorlton, to Didsbury and Deansgate. There is another former industrial area in the city centre, which is growing in terms of popularity and population. That is Ancoats – Ancoats is becoming a hub for eating out. Rudy’s Napoletana Pizzeria, the Viet Shack, the highly acclaimed Elnecot and the award-winning Erst all call Ancoats their home. There is another restaurant we’d like to introduce to you that makes visiting Ancoats even more worth it. It’s called Canto, a Mediterranean tapas restaurant in the heart of the area; it furthers the competition for the best restaurant in Ancoats. Simultaneously, it’s one the restaurant and bars that’s putting Ancoats on the map in terms of eating and drinking out, allowing it to compete with the Northern Quarter, Deansgate and other well-known areas. Since opening in 2018, Canto has been a standout in Manchester and here we’ll explain why that’s the case.
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Background
In 2018, Canto opened in Ancoats’ Cutting Room Square by famous chef and restaurateur, Simon Shaw and head chef Caros Gomes. It came out of Simon Shaw’s vision of what another of his restaurants, El Gato Negro’s younger sibling would be like. El Gato Negro is all about sophisticated Spanish cuisine. Canto, meanwhile, was created to offer a wider range of tapas food, influenced by Mediterranean cuisine. It keeps the friendliness and authenticity that El Gato Negro has, but delivers a fast-paced and exciting experience as well.
Creative Director Simon Shaw’s fingerprints are all over this restaurant. His 35 years of experience in cooking and customer service, which includes El Gato Negro and the Middle Eastern restaurant and bar, Habas, is clear to see in Canto in how ideas and practices are developed. His love for cooking is a reason to visit this place alone. Born in Porto, Carlos Gomes is a highly experienced chef that adds so much quality to the cooking at Canto and provides the other chefs key lessons and guidance. Chef Gomes was the Head Chef at the UK’s first Spanish Michelin star restaurant, Barrafina. Through Simon and Carlos’ partnership, Canto has become a shining light in Ancoats.
The food
The food here showcases Mediterranean influences and heritage. The dishes are designed to be shared and are made with fresh and high-quality ingredients, sourced both locally and in the rest of Europe. The main menu consists of small dishes that are to be shared with a guide of five to six dishes per two people. The desserts you could share, but it would be reasonable enough to have a dessert each!
The petiscos [Portuguese-style tapas] section consists of traditional starters such as the gorgeous Catalan bread, which is toasted with olives, garlic and fresh tomatoes. Other options include the Iberico cured meat selection and the formidable Canto cheeseboard. This has some of our favourite cheeses in the world, such as Manchego, the local Lancashire bomb and the wonderful Monte Enebro. From the meat section, sweet and sour chicken wings, Italian meatballs and the braised Ox cheek all dominate.
Patatas bravas served with spiced tomato sauce and alioli is a classic vegetarian option. Others include the polenta, spinach and poached egg with a delightful Manchego sauce and the baked aubergine with piquillo peppers, confit onion, tomato and a wonderful goat’s cheese. Adding to the already great dishes is the seafood. Whether it’s crispy squid, the Gambas pil pil, which includes prawns with incredible homemade focaccia, or the chargrilled octopus, you should try at least one of the seafood dishes.
Expect Italian tiramisu, homemade sorbet and pastel de nata as dessert options, which will make a great finish to your meal. In addition, on Sundays you can get three dishes from a selected list for £18. A wonderful deal indeed.
Drinks
Despite the dominance of the tapas, the wine is sublime and deserves to be tasted. Whether it’s a Portuguese white, such as the Ai Galera Mistico, or a sparkling wine from Spain, like the Castilla del Moro, there’s a wide range of high-quality options available.
There are of course red wines available too, with bottles from Romania, Portugal and Argentina. Canto has a large list of house cocktails that are designed to go nicely with the tapas dishes as well. Plus, there’s a large list of gins, spirits and beers, too.
A standout in Ancoats
A wonderful restaurant created by Simon Shaw and Carlos Gomes, Canto is a star in Ancoats and is a big factor in the area’s blossoming foodie scene. The dishes are made with high-quality and love, yet they are simple and accessible. Canto is a must-visit restaurant.
