The Lime Tree Restaurant in Manchester

I have been coming to the lime Tree for over 20 years. My family - children love it here. Simon ,Stefan and the team are excellent . All go above and beyond to deliver excellent customer service . The chef is excellent. Of all restaurants in Dids and Wed - this is fine dining at the best . Their Sunday roasts are v good ,and they cater for my cockapoo, in the conservatory .

So lucky to have this restaurant in Didsbury! Every dish we had was incredible. The portions were a generous size and you could tell the chef had used high quality ingredients. We thought the restaurant had a lovely atmosphere. The staff were friendly and the service was superb. I can't stop thinking about the wonderful meal we had and can't wait to visit again.

Can't believe I have never tried this restaurant! Food delicious, best halloumi burger I have ever had, and my mother said her roast beef was the best she had ever had. Lovely staff, not 'overly loud', and reasonable prices. Thank you for the perfect Sunday, we will be back.

The lunchtime set menu is great value for money. The food is freshly cooked and never disappoints. Service is friendly and relaxed.

Great food and very friendly staff

Wow! What a brilliant first visit. Couldn't fault anything. Great wine choices, lovely attentive staff and fantastic food. The steak in particular was exceptional. We will definitely be back soon. Highly recommend.

Always excellent service with fresh, locally sourced food. A family favourite for many years. We love the early evening menu!

Excellent all round. I thought expensive (£180 for 4 inc just 1 glass of wine each) but was told I'm old and out of date with restaurant prices ! My wife had the scallops and unlike unlucky Paul's review found them excellent. Star main was the lamb, perfect pink if asked for it that way. On a pleasant evening sitting in the "conservatory" or whatever you would call it very enjoyable.

Great place to eat out, excellent competitively food

A lovely Sunday lunch, with properly crispy roast potatoes.

Delightful dinner, food delicious and excellent service!

Great food, good value and friendly service as always. One of our very favourite places to eat. A West Didsbury institution for a reason. Highly recommend.

Fantastic quality at a great price with excellent service. Really glad that I booked this place.

Always an absolute pleasure to spend an evening at The Lime Tree. The menu is delicious, the service perfect & the atmosphere comfortable. We love it.

Visited the Lime Tree Didsbury for Sunday lunch with my wife, we had not been to for some time.We both had the Roast beef which was excellent cooked to perfection,accompanied with very good vegetables and Yorkshire puddings.For afters I had the chocolate orange tort and my wife had the creme brulee which were both very well presented on the plate and tasted very good and we finished off with coffee.We were well looked after by Stephan and the waitresses and would recommend the Lime Tree for a good value Sunday Lunch.

So many years since returned to lime tree,don't live Manchester anymore. Was the same top standard giving 100% what a pleasure, !!

Always has been a great restaurant and when my husband celebrate my birthday there i jumped at the idea. It has maintained its high standards of cooking. The soup was so tasty, with nice hunks of bread ,and butter. My steak was nicely cooked with super and generous sides, and the scallops were lovely my husband said. The same went for his duck, with its mini Shepherds Pie. Great coffee, no room for desserts, and we found the staff friendly attentive yet not “ in your face”. A mark of excellence. Please keep doing this . Oh, very good wine, from the Douro. The carpet flooring is much better acoustics- wise too! Even if there WERE no rowdy parties present.

We celebrated my birthday with a wonderful meal at the Lime Tree restaurant in Didsbury. We had to book at short notice and we were on a tight timescale and the staff at the restaurant did everything they could to accommodate us & explain what could be provided in the time available. We had a fabulous meal and the service was exemplary to ensure we could make the most of our experience despite our lack of time. We first dined at this restaurant in 1986, the year that it opened, and it is great to see it still going strong after all these years. Proof that quality stands the test of time. Many thanks!

We celebrated my birthday with a wonderful meal at the Lime Tree restaurant in Didsbury. We had to book at short notice and we were on a tight timescale and the staff at the restaurant did everything they could to accommodate us & explain what could be provided in the time available. We had a fabulous meal and the service was exemplary to ensure we could make the most of our experience despite our lack of time. We first dined at this restaurant in 1986, the year that it opened, and it is great to see it still going strong after all these years. Proof that quality stands the test of time. Many thanks!

We ate there last evening, staff were really lovely, food was excellent and price was unbelievable, thank you, we’ll definitely return

We have been regulars here for many years . The very best food and service in Manchester.

Our initial surprise was how small the lunchtime menu was and it was an unusual/confusing blend of a la carte in bold type and a set menus in plain type. The hake was ordered and the fillet that was served was disappointingly small. The manager when challenged on this said what do you expect for a £20 set menu! It transpired that the haddock was served instead of the hake and we were told that all the fillets were the same size. We had eaten here on many occasions previously and it was good but it is going down hill rapidly. Any questions raised about any alternatives to what was on the menu received a brusque and unhelpful response from the manager of this is all we have. Never again.

Deeply disappointing. Have always had great experiences at the Lime Tree, stretching back decades. After tonight, I will never return. Very limited and uninspiring menu. Starter of pate was not a patch on something you would buy from a supermarket, accompanied (belatedly) by some tiny crumbs of charred, tasteless toast. I don't expect huge amounts of meat when I order duck, but honestly the duck I had must have been on a starvation diet! I turned and poked and probed but could find no meat at all. The duck came with nothing except a pallid mound of cabbage. I've had more taste during Covid. The side of 'courgette fritters', which they initially forgot to bring us, was heavy on the fritter, with no detectable courgette. Shavings of parmesan had less taste than tissue paper. My wife's hake would not have clogged up the hoof of a fly. The £40 bottle of Sancerre was room temperature. Service was perfunctory at best. We left the restaurant without so much as a word of goodbye or thanks from the disinterested staff. Little wonder the place was practically deserted. Terrible.

As usual, we had a nice dinner at the Lime Tree. As usual, we found lots of choice on the menu. A plate of grilled queen scallops, served on the half shell, was simplicity itself, just topped with a garlic and parsley butter and a sprinkle of lemon zest. For the other starter, four king prawns were perfectly cooked and served in an excellent crisp tempura batter. There was something of an east/west fusion with the accompaniments with a sweet chilli dipping sauce and aioli. You might think they wouldn’t work together – but they did. One of us kept with the seafood theme and ordered the hake fillet. It came with a cheffy presentation of potato which had been moulded into a hockey puck shape. There’s also a roast pepper and fennel “compote” and a zingy anchovy and caper butter sauce. Roast pork belly is a favourite for restaurants like the Lime Tree and with good reason – who doesn’t like the long cooked meat, falling apart almost at the touch of the fork. And particularly if, as here, there’s really crisp crackling. The kitchen had got its ring mould out again, added some greens to the crushed potato to make a bubble & squeak. And there’s mixed greens on the plate –more cabbage and peas. Apple sauce brings sharpness and there’s a drizzle of jus to moisten things up. It was like a midweek Sunday roast. We didn’t fancy dessert so just got coffee.

Wonderful food and service. We had such a lovely evening. The food on the set menu was outstanding and incredible value. Service was chilled , warm and friendly. The drinks were excellent and there was a really relaxing atmosphere. I can’t fault it. Probably one of the most enjoyable restaurant experiences I have had for some time. Highly recommended.

I thought the food and ambience was divine. Fast service . Would highly recommend. 5 stars it was busy for a reason.

We booked The Lime Tree on recommendation & it didn’t disappoint at all, I couldn’t fault it at all we had the set menu I can honestly say it was the best meal I’ve had in a very long time it was my friends birthday & they made it so special for her, the staff were very friendly, attentive nothing was too much trouble, after we had our meal we went to the bar & had ourselves a cocktail or two which just finished the night off. I would definitely recommend this restaurant we have already booked again for Mother’s Day.

It is with regret that I write this review as we have been visiting this restaurant for 28 years and never had cause to complain. However, my wife and I visited on the 20th of January, 2024 for my wife's birthday. When we went to order we were informed that there was no steak on the menu, despite it being advertised on line. The choice available on the a la carte menu was similar to the mains set menu at teatime. I reluctantly ordered slow cooked beef which came with half a carrot and a portion of fries, My wife chose the hake. Even though the menu was not up to usual standard it was still a la carte Prices. We left feeling disappointed and then to top it all, my wife was ill all night. I had booked again for our anniversary in February but I have since cancelled the booking.

It is with regret I write this review as we have been visiting this restaurant for 28years and never had cause to complain. However my wife and I visited on the 20 Jan 2024 for my wife's birthday. When we went to order we were informed that there was no steak on the menu, despite it being advertised on line .The choice on the Aa la carte menu was similar to mains on the set menus at tea times. I reluctantly ordered the slow cooked beef, which came with half a carrot and fries. My wife chose the hake. Even though this menu was not up to usual standard it was still Aa la carte Prices!. We left feeling disappointed and then to top it all, my wife was ill all night. I had booked again for our anniversary in February but have since cancelled the booking.

Another absolutely wonderful meal at The Lime Tree, it is so consistently fabulous. We went early and had the fixed menu, outstanding value. All three courses were lovely, with generous portion sizes. My main course of risotto with smoked haddock was perhaps the best risotto I ever had - and I lived in Italy for a while. Well done to all at this little gem of a place. Thanks for a lovely night.

We have been going to this restaurant for some 12 years and it never disappoints. On this occasion, we took my wife's mother for her birthday lunch. The set menu was both excellent and very good value. Stephane, Simon and all the other staff are very friendly and attentive. They all make the experience special. Looking forward to our next visit.

Great tasting food and atmosphere staff were friendly and polite We will most certainly be coming back or ordering a delivery ☺

We have just had a dinner at the Lime Tree. Averall food was good with a few exceptions. For the starter, I have ordered muscles. They could have had more garlic and herbs to enhance the flavour, but it was OK. My main was seabus. It was great. It had a good combination of garnishes, souce and a nice piece of seabus. The desert was supposed to be chocolate and orange torte. There was plenty of chocolate mousse, but unfortunately, there was not enough orange to be noticeable. It tasted a bit one dimensional. Even though I mentioned the two dishes that could be easily improved, we had a good time and I would recommend this restaurant to friends.

Early Christmas meal with my daughter. Highly recommend will be visiting again. Amazing food. Great service

Unsure why I haven’t eaten more than I have at the Lime Tree as I love it! I’ve been twice recently, both being Sunday lunch. I honestly can’t improve on it, I’ve been to many in surrounding restaurants in Didsbury, Chorlton & Cheshire. This is by far the best. The chef clearly loves his/her job & it shows on the plate. Very fresh, really tasty. Price is a few pounds more then others but worth every penny. Lovely atmosphere & great waiting staff too.

Second visit for Sunday lunch. Myself and partner both had a roast, myself the chicken him the beef. The food was lovely and chocolate soufflé that followed was also very good. Service was also good and staff are friendly. The only downside I find with the Lime tree is the atmosphere. It feels a bit like eating in a church hall. It feels a bit cold and dark, a few candles on tables and just slightly louder music and maybe another lamp in the front dining room would make a lot of difference.

food and service excellent...a pleasure to dine there!

Great place for lovely food. Highly recommend the lamb that is currently on the menu. Crème brûlée is one of the best I’ve had. *please note the menu on the website is incorrect and not the current menu!

Incredible meal. From start to finish the service was excellent with friendly, helpful and professional staff.

Absolutely delicious lunch, probably one of the best soups I’ve ever had and the courgette fritters were delicious! All very reasonably priced too. Thank you Lime Tree!

Excellent lunch at Lime Tree, absolutely delicious and very competitively priced too. We both had the butternut squash soup which was amazing. Lots of great veggie options on the menu.

Delicious food and wine, nice service and lovely atmosphere. Would definitely recommend.

Outstanding well presented local food I can highly recommend

We had made a reservation in advance, but upon arrival, we found that the restaurant wasn't very crowded. The service was good, and I had initially wanted to try the grilled peach but was informed that they were out of peaches. The starters, including the soup of the day, chicken liver, and scallops, were decent. The slow-cooked beef for the main course was quite impressive, and the sirloin had excellent value for money. For dessert, we ordered the creme brulee. What's worth recommending is that this place offers a selection of wines that can be ordered in 125ml servings.

Love this restaurant, never fails to give the best service and delicious food. Always a nice atmosphere, wish we could come more often, always try for special ocassions.

Amazing restaurant and would definitely go back again!! Quality of food was great, everything cooked to perfection and portion sizes were really good too. Service was really good, especially for a busy Saturday evening. Ambience was lovely, we sat in the glass roomed area, needed to put the heaters on but was warm enough. Thanks to the amazing team, it was a great experience

Had Sunday lunch with my husband a couple of months ago. The beef was beautiful and was cooked as we requested. The roasties were very tasty. The Yorkshire pudding could have done with being crisper. My husband enjoyed his veg but I thought it was on the plate as an afterthought there was no individuality it was mixed and cut up too small. The gravy was very nice and the service was really good. The dessert was delicious.

Fine food, reasonable prices, A shame that the beef roast had no fat !

Lovely food friendly staff many thanks

The food and service at the Lime Tree are excellent.

The Lime Tree has been my favorite restaurant for years. I absolutely love it. The food, the lovely staff, the ambience. I have never been disappointed here. Just the best.

This place is local to us, and we have been several times: there is little doubt that it survives on its past reputation. The food, while OK, is getting boring as the menu has not changed in a while and lacks originality. They also cram people in, so the atmosphere is not relaxed. We were seated right next to the door - in an area which had people walking past us on 3 sides, and it felt more like a canteen than a restaurant. The service level is mixed - some servers can't seem to be able to cope with a busy restaurant, and they all appeared harried. So, in summary, this place is not where we'd go back for a relaxed and enjoyable experience. They used to be OK but have gone downhill.

This place is a little gem. Great atmosphere with quality food and service, seasonal menus but highly recommended.

Spent a lovely evening with my family here. The food was excellent and drinks were a fair price. We had all three 'nibbles' as sharing starters which were very tasty and enough not to fill us up. All the mains were cooked to perfection and a reasonable choice. I was concerned about a 2 hour time slot but it was plenty if time and we did not feel rushed at all. The staff were attentive, pleasant and efficient. My last visit was 35 years ago when I started my nursing career at Withington. I will certainly be returning sooner than that! It was great to see the local bars and cafes thriving, the nearby tram stop was very handy.

I was caught in a downpour on a dog walk and my dog and I were able to come inside to the heated terrace . I had the fish cake lite bite and it was really tasty and beautifully presented. The excellent fishcakes came with a fresh, generous side of rocket, lemon, a great tartare sauce and a herb jus. Highly recommend the quality and value of my meal. But also really appreciated the warm welcome to both me and my small well-behaved (!) dog

We have been going to the Lime Tree in West Didsbury regularly for many years; it has always been our favourite restaurant for special occasions or just a treat night out. While the food quality is still high, sadly I have to agree with the reviewer who commented on the current rather sad burger/ fish n chips type menu offerings. I’d also say that the menu hasn’t changed for months. I understand how difficult things are for the restaurant trade and indeed all of us now but to reduce the formerly exciting & varied Lime Tree menu to yet another average offering (and there are dozens of those to choose from in South Manchester) is a huge mistake in my humble opinion. People go for a special meal with great service so I believe they, like we, would tolerate a slight price increase for food if it resulted in a return to former fabulousness!

The Lime Tree used to be “the place to go” sadly no more! The menu has plummeted in quality, 2 different burgers on the menu! Fish & chips! Really poor but they still know how to charge! Very expensive & very forgettable, what once was a truly great dining experience is sadly now just another tired restaurant.

Good food in general. Steak with pepper sauce was good, but not the highest quality steak

It's always a treat to have lunch or dinner at The Lime Tree. The food is excellent, as is the service.

A really lovely meal. The restaurant lacked atmosphere, not helped by being very quiet despite it being 8pm. The chairs are hard and uncomfortable. The staff were amazing.

First time at the Lime Tree and I can't believe I haven't been sooner. Foccacia starter was amazing, as we're all of our mains! Prices were reasonable and service was great. Will definitely be returning!

First time here and i really like the service and food. 💯

Booked by chance for 4 of us- in town from away (North Yorkshire) for a close friends funeral. The whole meal and ambience was superb. Staff, food and wine were all excellent and rounded off a sad day on a high. Thankyou Simon for looking...

Visited numerous times always excellent service and the food, starter mains and deserts never fails to deliver. Never quite sure which one to choose from the menu

We dined here NYE early evening, from start to finish the service was impeccable and the food was amazing, we will definitely be back and highly recommend to everyone.

We have frequented the Lime Tree on many occasions over the years, and have never been disappointed. As we had not been for several years and as we had a particular event to celebrate, we decided to book a table to with some friends. The...

Pre-Christmas rush so they were packing them in and rushing them out. I will definitely try again as the food was good and the setting pleasant but probably best sampled when a bit quieter

Amazing food and a lovely atmosphere. Very friendly and helpful staff. We ordered from the set Christmas menu which was excellent.

Well, you know Christmas is looming when places like the Lime Tree prune their main seasonal carte (down to three items at each course), but also offer a very well priced set menu (in this case, three courses for £29.95). And the Christmas set menu...

One of the best meals I've ever had. £30 for 3 courses of à la carte dinning was an absolute bargain. Cosy atmosphere, quick service, just 10 mins between courses. 10 out of 10.

Been a big fan of this restaurant for many years, the food never disappoints, the service is always good and it’s a lovely setting. Five of us had the Christmas dinner menu and all our choices were exceptional, incredibly well presented and tasty food. Great...

Not cheap but the food was wonderful

This restaurant ALWAYS delivers. The menu is good, the food hit and fresh and very well cooked. Friendly, personal service. Reasonable wines. I wish I lived locally - I’d be back every week.

Cosy and as if a combination of bistro and home. Great wholesome food, tastes perfect for each piece, presentation is on point, meals are fancy but humble. Three courses is perfect, sides are if you want to leave bursting and stuffed. From meat from land, sky and sea, to vegetables from all over, every taste is powerful, but balanced with the accompaniments.

One of the best and most under-appreciated restaurants in Manchester, this. The food quality is always fantastic. The type of food is higher-end, with a varying and imaginative (but not pretentious) seasonal menu. My family has eaten here for years, and the highest standards are always upheld. Looking forward to eating here again!

We've been to this established independent restaurant many times. The food is always good, the staff excellent.

Had a wonderful Saturday evening at the Lime Tree, West Didsbury. The food was exceptional, absolutely delicious and moorish! Service was excellent and very friendly. Great atmosphere, great night! Thank you.

Was a lovely meal and the waiters helped make our night. They didn't scrimp on spice when it was shown to be hot and the milds were suitably tailored. Waiters especially had such a good demeanor they helped creat and great atmosphere

I have been meaning to visit here for a while now and finally went for my birthday yesterday - so glad we did! If you’re looking for a massive menu and huge portions, this isn’t the place for you but if you are looking for...

Cozy place, nice staff, my fish was a bit plain, missing a bit of more flavour. Same from the tagliatelle, nice not dry.

Had a fantastic family meal yesterday. The food and service is always top notch. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff. Looking forward to my next visit very soon.

In the rush to brands, chains, trendy places, destination restaurants we seem to have lost many good old fashioned local places. The Lime Tree is a lovely local place, with good food and a good wine list. I went 25 years ago when I moved...

Pleasant ambience. Welcoming, friendly staff. Rather expensive for ordinary food with moderate portions.

We’ve been going to the Lime Tree in West Didsbury for over 30 years and it just never disappoints. Easily the best food in south Manchester. We went last night on a sudden whim to eat out and it was, once again, excellent. The figs with whipped goat cheese were perfect, as was the cod steak with charred broccoli. My partner’s slow cooked lamb melted in the mouth and the crème brûlée was probably the best I have ever tasted. The three vegetarian options looked enticing too. The food is superbly fresh, served without pretentions and no one is constantly asking you if everything is alright. It was beyond alright. Definitely 5 stars.

Pleasant atmosphere. Good, efficient service. Excellent food with sufficient choice for our taste.

The Lime Tree never disappoints. Beautiful food, lovely setting and attentive staff. Still as good today as it was when we first went 35yrs ago.

The Lime Tree never disappoints. Beautiful food, lovely setting and attentive staff. Still as good today as it was when we first went 35yrs ago.

It must be 10 years since we last visited and certainly we will not leave it so long again. I had a portion of 'nibbles' (olves, bread, oil/balsamic etc) - a very generous portion if nibbles, glad i didn't order a starter as well. My...

The Lime Tree is probably our favorite restaurant in Manchester. Probably favourite full stop. Been going close on 30 years and the quality of the food and the experience is as good as ever. Went today for lunch and it was brilliant and still fantastic value for money. The staff are a delight

We went to the Lime Tree Restaurant on Saturday evening, however our experience compared to the Bollington Lime Tree earlier this year was a quite different experience. My scallops were overcooked & very small, tasted rubbery & didn't melt in the mouth, otherwise it was a great experience!

Consistently good food and service. Love it.

Lovely meal in nice surroundings. Staff were friendly.

Excellent Sunday lunch. Thank you.

This was the first time I had been there. The food was excellent and the service very friendly. Highly recommended

My wife's favourite restaurant, came for early lunch and the food was well presented and cooked well as always. Definitely recomend anyone.

Fantastic food and service. Ingredients of the highest quality and prepared perfectly

Last Friday 1st April after a long period of lockdown my wife and I revisited for a special meal on her birthday. The boss had steak and I had Haddock, both the meals were excellent. The service was exceptional even to birthday greetings on my wife's pudding. I don't remember the waiters name but he served us both very well. Many thanks to him & the chef for a wonderful meal. Ged Bostock. Ps Cannot wait to return.

Great service, consistently good food. Value for money

Lovely food and excellent service. Really enjoyed it. Thanks for looking after us.

I had been looking forward to trying this restaurant for sometime. The food was good but felt very rushed. Table booked for 8:30pm and main course finished by 9:15pm. No rest in between courses and then tried to charge for a drink that was ordered but never arrived. I was disappointed after hearing great things.