We had dinner at Erst on our first evening in Manchester. Yes, it is hipster. Yes, it is a natural wine bar as well. And yes, we booked it. We were there for the food.
Erst opened in 2018. The two founders met at a bakery café, where one of them worked as a barista. Today one runs the kitchen, the other runs the floor, and Erst holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
It sits on a cobbled street in Ancoats, between old red brick buildings. Inside it is simple. Big windows, wooden tables, and wine bottles lined up in the window.
First, the wine. I tried I cannot recall how many wines by the glass to find something drinkable. Drinkable for me, that is. The woman looking after us poured taste after taste without any fuss, doing her best to please the wine snob. That kind of patience deserves a medal.
Eventually I settled for a red, or at least it looked like a red. Juicy. I know I should not be that wine snob, and should just order a beer.
The food is for sharing, so we ordered a few dishes between us, starting with the charcuterie.
The melon with feta and oregano is the one I still remember. Just the pure taste of melon. Super fresh. Like being kissed by the sun.
The best melon I have ever had.
Strangely enough, in England.
Sun Sweet Melon – Feta – Oregano
The fazzoletti with courgette, pecorino and hazelnut pangrattato was good. The confit chicken leg was lovely and moist, with that crispy skin. Just delicious.
Confit Chicken Leg – Pink Fir – Lettuce – Tarragon
Our only regret is the dish we did not order. The grilled flatbread with whipped beef fat and Urfa chilli. It is the dish Erst is known for. Everyone orders it. Everyone but us.
How could we miss that? We need to step up our research.
We both agreed on the food. Tasty and unpretentious, just like the service. A good start in Manchester, and we would go back.
Next time, the flatbread first.
Almost every restaurant we have visited, in one list → The Restaurant List
