Stretford Canteen in Manchester

Food was tasty and good atmosphere but the monkfish amounted to a few small cubes of fish , the pork chop was extremely fatty with little meat , beans were sparse and the desserts were so small they would not satisfy a young child . As a result we had to order 10 dishes between 4 rather than the 5 indicated by the server .cost for 4 with a bottle of wine at £40 ( one of the cheaper !)and one drink each pre meal resulted in a bill of £260

The focus is on good food you might think that’s obvious but it’s hard to find in Manchester. We eat out a lot all over the world this is a little gem in our own back garden. The food was delicious !

2nd visit, so good, and that's just brunch, we had benedict, mushrooms and kippers, we will be dining there again soon as can't wait to try the dinner menu, Sunday fixed menu looks a bargain too. Had to take a sourdough loaf home too!

I have dined here once before, but this was our first brunch experience. It's a small restaurant - all tables good - we had a window view which was lovely. The brunch menu is varied - mushrooms on toast, galettes with veggie and meat options, kippers, merguez, to mention a few - extras to add on as wished. Two of us opted for the oyster mushroom and vine cherry tomato plate, one went for the merguez, while I had the kipper and two poached eggs - the gorgeous bread is a huge plus for me. Food all excellent, except my poached eggs were not runny at all, and 2 dishes arrived well before the other 2, meaning that some went cold - it is normal to be served at the same time. Obviously a popular brunch venue - maybe more so, being Fathers' Day? We were a bit rushed to leave, and staff were already standing by with table spray and a cloth before I had even got my coat on and picked up my bag - not good. I feel evening service is miles better, more relaxed and more professional.

If you enjoy excellent food in a relaxed and comfortable setting you have to visit Stretford Canteen. My girlfriend found them via a well known food critic who gave them a fantastic review. I completely agree, great ingredients, a menu with some complex and some simple dishes that leave you feeling perfectly satisfied.

What an amazing foodie find! This place is sensational. Drive or walk by and you wouldn’t notice it. Once inside it’s got a quirky chilled decor. The food, oh my, just so great. French fayre at its most delicious. The crab, fennel and ricotta on toast was so light and summery and perfect with the sparkling Chardonnay. My husband’s rump steak au poivre & frites was “the best rump steak he’s had” and we’ve eaten far and wide! The staff and service was truly exceptional. Keep room for dessert, the rhubarb frangipane was gorgeous. Great wine list too. We had a stunning French Malbec, normally we go for Argentinian Malbec but this was divine. I really wish we lived closer as we’d be back regularly. We booked prior to a gig at the Emirates cricket ground, easy walking distance and a local Air bnb booked close by. A MUST visit if you’re in the vicinity, you won’t be disappointed! 😃

An unexpected gem. Brunch was absolutely delicious and everything we had was cooked to perfection, and a big step up from a standard Brunch. Seasonal food, cooked with flare. Very excited about visiting again for dinner this time.

This is a very simple operation, a better kind of cafe, the food however is excellent. Alongside my earl grey I had dramatically beautiful oyster mushrooms on sourdough toast, with roast tomatoes. The bread was delicious, oyster mushrooms cook to pulp very quickly, these were still firm, yet charred appetisingly, the whole cherry tomatoes were extremely ripe, and cooked to a melt in the mouth consistency, and everything was drenched in a delicious parsley and shallot vinaigrette. A lot of skill went into getting a simple dish right. My only criticism is that it takes a while to get your food, something that happened on my last visit too.

Very friendly, welcoming and informal bistro with a variety of delicious and nicely presented small dishes either to share or eat solo. They concentrate sensibly on a limited menu but with a good variety of dishes and excellent daily specials. Well chosen wines and fine locally brewed beer. Very good value. Highly recommended. At last somewhere locally to enjoy really top quality food!

Brilliant restaurant with inspiring menu and great wine selection. Love the concept of sharing places and good selection for vegetarians. Maybe one more vegan option would be my only suggestion, but other than that really impressed. Lovely service. Didn't feel at all rushed which makes us want to go back. Hope this place continues to do well and stays for a very long time - we're grateful to have such high quality food locally. Worth the price. 10/10

The quality of the food is good - but my enjoyment was curtailed by some of the pricing. Gushing reviews of food are justified but can we address the elephant in the room…..pricing. The small plate prices go up exponentially as you work your way down the menu but the plate size does not change. So 4 of us sharing ordered the lamb….at £28 that is quite a price…expectation at that price did not reflect reality - 2 small cutlets less than a cm thick arriving not even enough for one person?? Did someone make a mistake here? £26 for trout - a small slice of fillet arrived literally one mouthful each…really? I would recommend the food and the value of the lower priced plates but the 2 highest price small plates we ordered were ridiculous. Unfortunately I have no photos to illustrate my point as Mexican stand offs ensued at the arrival of each plate

In a very unpromising setting, this turned out to be an excellent little restaurant or more accurately bistro, though the food isn't particularly French. From pickles for nibbles, to chalk stream trout with spring vegetables to frangipane, plus some sensational moscatel potatoes, the food was imaginative, made with care, and delicious. The wine list is brief but chosen with an eye to quality and price, and overall it was a much more satisfying experience than I've had at more feted Manchester restaurants.

A lovely relaxed bistro - delicious food and really lovely staff - will come again - very eclectic menu and we are things we wouldn’t ordinarily choose - all very good and beautifully presented

Celebrated my partner's 50th birthday, great choice as we felt spoilt by the selection of delicious food and drinks. Good brunch cocktail list and a change from the standard full English offering. A cut above with tasty offerings and friendly staff. Highly recommended.

This place is exceptional! Menu was brilliant and loved the wine choices, brilliant atmosphere and service. Can’t wait to come back

Having heard some of the buzz about Stretford Canteen we decided to check it out Located in a unremarkable shop front in Stretford it’s possible to walk / drive past without noticing it, that would be a huge mistake The food is just…great! Small Small plates of heavily French influenced food Every dish was a winner but special mention must be made of the crab and Jerusalem artichoke salad (sensational) and the panna cotta with Armagnac prunes (excellent) The aioli accompanying the roasted smashed potatoes was the best I’ve tasted anywhere This place is real gem Great atmosphere Great service Just a fab place We had high expectations and they were exceeded…thanks for a great night

Fantastic food in a chilled out and friendly setting We have been for dinner before so this was the first brunch trip; looking fwd already to returning!

This is one of the best restaurants in Manchester. Its up there with Hawksmoor, Sparrow etc. It really is exceptionally good. Forget about the location and the understated name, this is French style bistrot cooking with top quality ingredients done exceptionally well. Therefore, it's offering something a little different. The food is wonderfully prepared, the prices very reasonable, the service friendly, attentive and informative. Do yourself a favour - get out of town and away from Didsbury and Chorlton, and visit this superlative restaurant. Easily accessed by tram (Altrincham route, get off at Stretford) or you can park at the rather unprepossesing Stretford Mall. But go soon, whilst it's still possible to get a table. We've been twice, once for dinner in A Friday evening and more recently for brunch. Everything was faultless. I love this place and look forward to trying the Sunday fixed menu soon.

Very good indeed. My companions had been there but it was a first for me. I'm sure we'll be going again. Food and service were excellent.

Firstly, the food is excellent. Great quality throughout. Unfortunately it was let down by poor service and a total lack of hospitality. It's reasonably priced but the service was non existent - I've had friendlier, warmer service at a chain fast food place. We had a two course menu (not small plates) and had to work around used plates that weren't removed between courses. We had to use the same cutlery throughout as it wasn't replaced. We were only offered drinks after asking for them at the start of the meal. We weren't greeted on either entering or leaving the establishment. It genuinely felt like there'd been a huge argument in the kitchen before we arrived. I did contact Stretford Canteen about this but, unsurprisingly, received neither acknowledgement nor reply.

Came here in the evening as a hungry table of 5. We ordered everything on the menu (small plates), and loved every one of them. Filled us up perfectly, and washed it down with some fantastic red wine. Have also visited for brunch a couple of times, and that is also great. I'm glad stretford has this place. Would highly recommend.

This intimate tasteful space, complements the wonderful French flavours being prepared by a skilled team in the smallest of kitchens. I watched, perched on a barstool opposite the open kitchen, dish after dish appear, which not only looked great, but smelled delicious. The warm winter salad, the wild mushroom rosti, among others, were plates I genuinely coveted. My own choice from the seasonal menu however, did not disappoint. The dish, was neither lamb nor mutton but Hogget, somewhere in between the two in age. Braised and rich in flavour, the meat was topped with a green tangy sauce. I ordered Dauphinoise potatoes to accompany the Hogget, which were cooked with precision and care. Not too much cream, or cheese, or nutmeg - but perfect, just as I’ve eaten them in France. My wife had the Trout in sorrel sauce, also with the Dauphinoise potatoes, which thankfully we didn’t order as a share! For desert the malted pannacotta served with prunes in Armagnac, was just the right side of sweetness. The wine list is a little bit limited with more focus (as mystifyingly it is everywhere) on cocktails. I couldn’t fault any part of our dining experience, which was reasonably priced for the standard of cooking. Certainly cheaper than travelling to a bistro in Aix en Provence, for a similar culinary experience.

Very good restaurant. Clever menu very well executed, not possible to find any room for improvement,

Gorgeous, sumptuous food, but unfussy. The Hoggett with caramelised onions and sauce vierge was sweet and tasty. Mincemeat frangipane was a delicious twist on my favourite dessert.

This is the best restaurant in Manchester. I have been 3 times now and loved it on each occasion. The owners and staff create a really relaxed atmosphere and the food is amazing

What an amazing place! It is so refreshing to go to authentic, family ran restaurant. The food and the staff are both brilliant.

Superb food, great service and excellent value. This restaurant always delivers great food. This was the first time we had brunch here and it was excellent!

Had dinner here with family last Saturday and we all loved it. Have been here a few times now and it's been excellent each time. The atmosphere is great, cosy, busy, relaxed and the service is great. Brunch is really good here too. As there were six of us for dinner we pretty much has the entire menu. Top dishes are the panisse with tarragon mayonnaise, the mushrooms with the potato pave, the dauphinoise and the braised short rib which was sooo good. the menu changes regularly so its always worth coming back. Wines are really interesting here too. And it's close to Stretford metrolink so no one has to drive. Great value for money. One of my fav restaurants in Manchester.

Fabulous. Located on one of the most unlikely spots on Chester Rd, the food here is great and the service first class. My favourite is the braised beef short rib.

Lovely atmosphere in this small, family run bistro. Amazing food and wonderfully friendly hosts - highly recommend.

Brilliant brunch spot with friends and family, very accommodating, amazing food, very relaxed and welcoming cool atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Great place to celebrate daughters birthday. Food was delicious good sized portions great variety not an overwhelming menu which I like. Staff very friendly and welcoming. Enjoyable Sunday night out. Place was busy to which gave it great atmosphere. Highly recommend

We were very excited to experience the food at Stretford canteen given the rav reviews, we chose the restaurant instead of Street Urchin in Ancoats my sons 30th birthday, we were disappointed to be regretting our choice. The flavour of the food was good however...

Nice evening. Family tea locally. Pleasant surroundings considering its on the edge Stretford Arndale. Very friendly staff. Super clean. Interesting menu. French good. We had pork chop, trout veal and some sides. Took a whole for the food to come, ie felt like we got...

New taste experience absolutely fantastic. Did not disappoint. Looked at menu thought not sure about that. But it was amazing food. That girl can cook

Delicious, unctuous and comforting braised beef cheek served with a buttery celeriac purée and adorned with crispy leeks - a truly wonderful experience and such a warm and welcoming ambiance too.

Best food in Trafford excellent taste great service and good vibe . Would highly recommend. The braised beef cheeks and celeriac mash were to die for. The choux bun with chocolate and cherries was amazing. Will be back for sure .

Always excellent. Interesting and well prepared dishes. Good music and nice setting. Friendly staff.

Fabulous yet again. The food is ‘top notch’ friendly service and lovely menu all freshly cooked. Amazing Bloody Mary!

Yet another fantastic meal at Stretford Canteen, the quality of the food is amazing. Service as usual excellent. Will be back soon. Thank you

As soon as you open the door to Stretford Canteen, you know you're in for a good dinner - the aromas from the kitchen and the welcoming front of house. Before 7 pm on a Thursday evening, and already the place was buzzing and almost...

Stunning veggie meal last night. The quality of ingredients can be tasted in every mouthful and your delicate touch with dressings, seasonings, food combinations make your food unique. Cocktails special was gorgeous. We leave happy and inspired after very visit. Can’t wait for our next...

Delicious food for sharing which I enjoy. I didn't take any pictures as I was too busy eating. My favourite dish was probably the mushrooms on pave potatoes. The profiteroles were gorgeous. The chocolate sauce and flaked almonds together were just divine.

Amazing little “hidden gem” restaurant. Food service and atmosphere was really great! Would definitely go back.

Fabulous Father’s Day lunch. We had the totally divine sourdough bread and butter; the steak; the hake; the wonderful potatoes and an amazing salad. Dessert was profiteroles for the adults (loved the almonds and sauce) and ice cream and a delicious chocolate sauce for the...

Lovely little spot. The decor is well thought out and the little touches around the space are great. Food was exceptional, perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. Could not fault the food, service, or atmosphere.

Excellent food -really interesting and fresh. Great staff. Sharing plates are a really good idea and nice atmosphere in this small but very pleasant place!

Efficient friendly service and lovely food, unusual and delicious. Reasonable prices at this local venue, family owned and run. Fully justifies it's inclusion in the Good Food Guide.

Went to Stretford Canteen Chester Road, Stretford Manchester. Yesterday . It’s only small about 25 covers. Staff very very nice friendly attentive no probs. I thought menu was very limited for my taste but everything we ordered was really nicely presented and tasty. A little...

Let me get my negative prejudices out into the open. I’m not keen on restaurants which just do small plates (or, even, smallish plates), much preferring a menu of “proper” plates. You know the sort of thing – proper starters and proper main courses. I’m...

Wonderful restaurant serving really good small plate French food. We ate most of the dishes on the menu and they were all well balanced, cooked with genuine love and care and really tasty. The service was professional, friendly and delivered with a lovely bit of...

Exceptional place. Beautiful from start to finish- the food, the atmosphere and the staff were all top notch. So thrilled it’s almost on our doorstep

This is what restaurant food should be like. Absolutely wonderful. Fresh ingredients, no gimmicks just all about the flavours. I was blown away by the food, friendly staff atmosphere. I want to go back.

In one word - WOW! This experience is somewhat of a French tapas. From the menu, we had the short rib, sea bass, mussels, mushrooms and dauphinoise (all of which, but especially the latter, where to die for!). The sauces accompanying each dish where as...

Had dinner with a friend. The restaurant was full, the music was chilled and not overbearing. The service was professional and friendly but not "in your face". The food was excellent, perfectly seasoned and reasonably priced. Can't fault it, we had a fab evening.

Four of us ate here yesterday. I saw a review on social media & decided I had to visit. A very unassuming location attached to Stretford Mall (where you can park free for 3 hours btw). On arrival there were beautiful smells of food, we...

In short, quite superb! To elaborate, the staff are friendly and welcoming, the venue is cosy and relaxed with a great vibe. The food was excellent and every bit good as all of the previous reviews had suggested. The highlight being the braised short rib...

If you are fond of all things Gallic, then Stretford Canteen is the place of your dreams, if you just love good food, wine and service then you are also in the right place. The prosaic nomenclature betrays a restaurant that is generations in the...

We got 3 mains between 2, a side and some bread to mop up the sauce. Everything was delicious. Staff were all lovely. Will definitely be going back

Fantastic french bistro, with amazing food to boot. I am coeliac and there was plenty of choice for me. Staff were friendly and attentive. Great wine list, could have easily stayed all night. Can't wait to return!

It’s quite hard to believe this place is on busy Chester road in Stretford. Once inside we definitely forgot where we were. Everything about this place was fabulous. Gorgeous food, tasty, hot, beautifully presented, not over complicated, perfection! Lovely friendly service and a busy bustling...

We'd booked in for a Saturday early evening, and we arrived and waited to be seated. Aside from people who arrived slightly after us being seated before us (and taking the better table), we felt that service was great throughout the night. Our only minor...

An unexpected delight. While waiting for car to charge. Fantastic atmosphere. Lovely dishes. Great service. I just had short ribs and celeriac mash, which was yummy. I will definitely look forward to recharging both the car and my tummy. Worthy of the Canteen title. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g528859-d6731851-Reviews-The_Canteen_at_Maker_Heights-Millbrook_Cornwall_England.html

The opening of this restaurant in Stretford (and for Manchester to enjoy) really is one of the best things that happened in 2022. Great food, great service, atmosphere and good value. Look forward to returning again and again.

One of the best meals I have had in a very long time! Absolutely could not fault anything. The service was attentive but not intrusive, great ambience, good wine list, lovely cocktails and excellent menu. Someone in our party has food allergies and they were...

One of the best things to happen to Stretford in a good while. The food is absolutely delicious and they've got the pricing perfect. Lovely setting, cosy but not overcrowded. Because the menu is tapas-style, it's lovely to just get waves of food come to...

Gorgeous food, lovely atmosphere and service, everything we had was tasty and perfectly cooked. Would recommend and we will be back. Only took pictures of the desserts, which were lovely, but can especially. recommend the pork chop and potato dauphinois

We visited Stretford Canteen with friends after hearing so much about the place since it opened. We were not disappointed, lives up to its reputation. The food was delicious and very good value for money. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The restaurant itself...

Tasty, carefully prepared food. Delightful service. Overall an unpretentious foodie gem. Menu so tempting my friend had two desserts! Really can't wait to head back as the seasons and menu changes.

Third visit to Stretford Canteen and still amazing. Great food. Loved the new menu. Staff good. Atmosphere relaxed and beautiful.

Visited the restaurant on a Saturday night. It was nicely busy. I have been a fan of Stretford Canteen for some time, having visited their pop ups over the years, so quite excited to try the restaurant. The food did not disappoint, delicious. Everything is...

This has to be the best restaurant I have been to since I can remember. The food is fantastic . A hardened meat eater could be easily persuaded to have the vegetarian and vegan food on offer here . There are meat dishes if preferred....

Lovely, relaxed environment. Great wine list. Super friendly staff who are knowledgeable and make great recommendations. I'm gutted that we wolfed the food down before we could take a photo. Great variety on the menu all made with quality ingredients. We'll be back SC!

Faultless, the service, ambience, soundtrack, decor, menu but most of all the food is sensational. We have been twice and everything has been incredible. I love this place, the panisse, pork chop, beef shin, deserts, wine, everything is so good and the people are lovely....

We made our debut visit to Stretford Canteen last night, shoddily many weeks after it first opened. We have supported them in their pop ups and the short term pop up at The Food Hall, all of which were excellent experiences, but lacking something… their...

Went with a group of 10. Excellent service, food was delicious. Would definitely go again! Wine was lovely, good choice for veggies too!

We have visited the Stretford Canteen on two occasions so far, both times with large groups (7 and 9) On both occasions the service and food were excellent. Can't wait to go back again and again.

First visit to Stretford Canteen, hopefully one of many. Food was fantastic. The service was very good. Definitely worth many more visits.

Lone diner made to feel very welcome. Perfect light lunch on a hot and sticky afternoon air con is an added bonus. Delicious salad layered with all sorts of treats, excellent ginger beer will defy be back!

This small and perfectly formed family-run restaurant is an absolutely brilliant addition to Stretford. Having initially tasted the culinary delights that Stretford Canteen offer at a work lunch, we were both looking forward to this little gem opening up. This was our second visit, first...

Great to see new place starting out.Really enjoyed all three generous courses.Good wine and refreshingly different music.Staff lovely and very attentive.They deserve to succeed after all their efforts to get going from pop-up restaurants.Look forward to going back soon.

Wanted to go to this place for a long time and oh my goodness how utterly amazing! Attentive staff and unbelievable food. You need to go! What an superb addition to Beech Road!

We went to Stretford Canteen last Friday night with friends. The whole experience was excellent, both the food and service were superb. It's a family run restaurant that is utilising premises when not in use and has passed on the costs savings to the customers....

People moan about the lack of food opportunities in Manchester- I'm so pleased we are finally getting folk cooking up great offers. This place delivers honest, well sourced food in extremely convivial surroundings- with a soundtrack as well sourced as the provenance. Pack cash because...

We've been meaning to go to Stretford Canteen for ages and now it's popped up closer to home in Beech Rd Cafe in Chorlton. It's small, cosy and when full there's a good buzz. It's also a BYO so you can treat yourself to that...

Visited Stretford Canteen last night for a fantastic meal - food was cooked perfectly , great menu and lovely attentive staff. Added bonus that it's BYOB! We'll definitely be back soon

It's taken me a while to get round to writing this review, but I felt I really had to as my husband and I had such an exceptional meal, and overall dining experience, here just before Christmas 2016. We ate here on the evening of...

We went to Stretford Canteen on a Friday night. It was superb. The food was excellent. The service was great- they really cared about whether we enjoyed our food and it showed. It is a family run restaurant and you really do get the personal...

Stretford Canteen are currently operating as a pop-up from the Beech Road Cafe in Chorlton. With stiff competition nearby, this is a bold move. It proved an excellent choice. We were warmly welcomed and the friendly staff explained to us that they were cash only...

Visited this pop up at Beech Road Cafe. It was joyous. Got a fabulous bottle of wine from Ludo's epicerie two doors up - a Cape chenin/viognier blend for £8. Then tucked into the pig's cheek in a delicious bean cassoulet. So good. Then, like...

Good quality food. Unfortunately the vegetarian option I wanted had sold out and so I only had one option but my boyfriend very much enjoyed his steak. The cafe in Stretford was rather cramped but then this is a pop up! I understand that they...

I heard about this pop up restaurant via social media. As it was fairly nearby, we decided to give it a go. It's inside Pine's Pantry on Moss Road in Stretford, so it is hard to find if you don't have the address. It's also...

Maureen and the team are doing something really special in Stretford - finally there is somewhere to eat out in the evening (Thurs, Fri, Sat) food was great, really good selection for meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans and a really nice feel. BYO makes it...

Great food great presentation staff very helpful Service was good no complaints worth a visit if your looking for a small family run business

There aren't really many places to eat in Stretford - even if there were, this place would still get my hearty recommendation. A cafe during the day, it becomes a great little restaurant on weekend evenings. A small-but-perfectly-formed menu and a bring-your-own booze policy. Gorgeous...