The Sparrows Continental Pasta & Spätzle in Manchester

Spärrows is hands down one of Manchester’s most unique dining spots. Nestled under a bridge in an area that feels more Eastern Bloc than Northern Quarter, this place surprises you in all the right ways. Inside, it’s clean, cosy, and stylish – no sign of the mouldy bridge. The acoustics are great, even when it’s full (which it usually is – book ahead!). The menu is a beautiful mix of Eastern European comfort and Italian elegance. Sharing is the way to go – every dish is worth tasting. Their focaccia is next-level, the kind you dream about later - would also recommend to leave room for dessert with schnapps. Service is warm, attentive, and relaxed – the only tiny suggestion would be to not spill when pouring wine. But that’s a small note in an otherwise fantastic experience.

Fabulous food, fabulous service, really trendy place !!!!

Some of the best food I’ve enjoyed in Manchester and beyond!

Fantastic food, great service and lovely little venue would highly recommend

Dainty dishes, but SUPERB quality!

It could be because I grew up eating spätzle, ghocchis, goulash cooked by my hungarian grandmother so I was exposed to the original way of cooking these meals BUT….the food was too bland to justify the pretentiousness of the place and the prices. Also it can get really loud and feel almost like a canteen. I wouldn’t go again. The staff were very friendly and nice though.

My friend had been yearning to come here for so long- we finally did for his birthday. It’s tapas-style: they recommended around 3 plates each and came up with a sort of ‘running order’ for them. 1 Kase- Spatzle 2 Bolognese- Gnocchi 3 Guanciale- Pappardelle 4 Ravioli of the Day (Goat’s Cheese) 5 Pelmeni- Beef and Pork 6 Smoked Sausage All of these dishes were phenomenal. The fillings, the sauces, the pasta itself 🤤 One of the best meals I’ve had in this city. Service was warm and attentive. Sparrows is on the more expensive side of dining in Manchester, but utterly worth it.

The food at this restaurant is amazing, the whole experience made our visit an experience well worth the travel for us to get there. On arriving you are faced with an inconspicuous entrance with a bell, making it feel rather mysterious, then once inside the staff go above and beyond to help, guiding you through the menu and drink selection, giving great advice and sharing their personal favourites. The meal we had was superb, it all had great flavour, was very well presented, and was more than enough to leave us feeling like we had eaten our fill. The wine selection has something for every taste, and the staff are happy to help if you are unsure what to choose. A great restaurant, well worth a visit.

Outstanding. Will return. Thank you to everyone involved.

A lovely family treat for my birthday, never been before. I was annoyingly suffering with bronchitis that made me deaf and blocked up, the welcoming staff quickly picked this up and kindly offered me hot water and lemon! That care from the waiting staff continued throughout the meal, with young children, a bit messy, but not made to feel unwelcome at all. The restaurant has a fabulous relaxed but classy ambience, and the food was all delicious, slices of black turnip a real pleasant surprise! Will definitely be back here (in full health) to enjoy another meal.

Fabulous birthday celebration. Gorgeous food. Great atmosphere

The Sparrows is hands down my favourite restaurant in Manchester. The food is on another level, completely unique and unlike anywhere else I’ve been. Everything is so well made, and the prices are really fair for the quality you get. The interior is lovely, with a quiet, relaxed atmosphere that makes it perfect for a date or a catch-up with a friend. Just make sure to book early because it’s only small and fills up fast. Honestly, I can’t recommend it enough. If you haven’t been, you’re missing out!

Saw a review by Tom Parker-Bowles and it more than lived up to expectations. Truly fabulous experience because the food, ambience and service combined to make this the best meal I’ve had in years. Awesome!!

Really lovery experience and hope all their plans to expand go well. Staff were great, food amazing lovely evening!

Been twice, perfect and efficient both times.

I had high expectations for this place given its reputation, but my experience was just average. The platter was a disappointment, especially the quality of the bread. The Pierogis were fresh but a bit doughy, and while the fillings might be what makes it popular, I didn’t find it particularly tasty. Chorizo spätzle was the only thing that I enjoyed. Portions were on the smaller side, and overall, I’ve had better European dumplings elsewhere in the UK. It wasn’t bad, but it didn’t live up to the hype for me.

Really outstanding food, warm and welcoming service. The buratta and braised onion pasta were particularly excellent. Relaxed atmosphere but still felt like somewhere to go for a special occasion.

Always wanted to go here, finally managed to do so. Quite underwhelmed, overall, overpriced for what they offer. The speck board comes with a decent amount of ham, but a few shavings of focaccia. Extremely miserly of the establishment to do this. What would it cost you to put a few decent pieces of bread on a plate for 15 quid? Chorizo spaetzle flavour and quality absolutely excellent. Portion could have been a bit better. Pierogis were underwhelming. Not sure if it was an off day for them, but didn’t live up to the hype. Worse still, levied a stupid 10% ‘self accolade’ gratuity service charge which is very poor and a growing trend in restaurants.

Great food, service and atmosphere. The place was so, so, so busy! It totally makes sense because the food is just pure bliss!

Truly fantastic. Staff who know what good service is without being stuffy, food that is amazing quality and downright reasonably priced for what it is - fantastic speck board (definitely get the burrata) and the spaetzle is also a must have. Amazing atmosphere hidden behind a door under the railway arches. No complaints at all. EDIT: after revisiting I want to just sing this restaurant’s praises some more! I had some cocktails this time, all of which were delicious as with the food which I had some different options (notably the salmon confit, which was really fantastic). The atmosphere is absolutely perfect and the prices are not cheap but are not absurd either. I think this might be my favourite restaurant in the UK and I compel anyone in Manchester to try and visit!

Can’t recommend enough, service is excellent, very rarely find service this good. Food didn’t disappoint at all, the Käse Spätzle is a must, as is the Sparrows Tale cocktail.

The food is extremely good. The service was really good. The place had a really good atmosphere. A must try if in Manchester. Advise that you book in advance.

Everything is just perfect. The food, the team, the whole place. The price point is very inclusive also. Cannot wait to come back!

One of the best restaurants I have ever been to. The service was s-tier, the food was delicious and overall it was a wonderful experience. Recommending for everyone visiting Manchester.

We ate here last night it was incredible. The service was amazing and the gentlemen on the door was extremely welcoming and passionate about this place. Every dish was perfect!

It’s a spaghetti restaurant. It’s boring after eating too much. Don’t order it if there’s a fermented cucumber.

Great Food & Service, would recommend and use again.

Great food, great service, great wine all in s lovely atmosphere. We want to go again but getting a reservation of hard due to its popularity.

What a beautiful experience we had! Right from the start we were greeted with such warmth, guided through the menu and were looked after at every stage of our dinner. The food is phenomenal, our highlight was the Trout - absolutely mouth watering. Panacotta - amazing. Service - very attentive but not intrusive. And thank you for acknowledging oir anniversary ❤️ Will definitely come back again!

Had been looking for somewhere to eat spatzle, and came across this place. Had a variety of dishes to share- the pielmini were a highlight, as was the burrata and sausage. Service was friendly and staff informative (we came in not really knowing how best to order). Only complaint would be there was a long gap between some of the dishes, however, staff explained the reasons for this and were apologetic. Will return when I can!

Nice restaurant in a quirky location. The food was good with some dishes unlike anything I’ve had before. The service was even better. I highly recommend this place to anyone.

Loved it here so much! Service was amazing from the get go. The food is incredible! Nothing we ate was anything less than that. Pasta , gnocchi, pierogi were some highlights.

Went here a few weeks ago for a late Sunday lunch/early dinner. The place was packed, which is testament to its popularity and the fantastic food - we had passed by several near empty restaurants on the way up! The waiters were great at explaining the menu and the best way to order, advising us to go for about 2 dishes per person and then to share them, which worked out really well as we were able to sample different dishes, all of which we really liked. We weren't going to have a dessert as we were all full, but when I heard that apple strudel was on offer I had to ask for a takeaway option, which the waiter provided me with! Everything was delicious, service was excellent and there was a lovely atmosphere. Highly recommend.

Been back two weekends in a row. Food is amazing, we had Ian serve us on our first visit and he made sure to come say hello this weekend. All the staff are brilliant and the food is just as good. Couldn’t recommend enough and if you ever come across Ian, you know you’re in for a perfect night Kay

I’ve been here 3 times - once in 2022, once in 2024, and once in 2025. Each time I was hoping the previous experience was just a one-off and the next would be what I anticipate from a Michelin guide restaurant, but I was let down every visit, even though I so much wanted to like it. The food is passable - good but not extraordinary and portions are not the biggest for what you’re paying. Lighting is really dim, making it difficult to read the menu. I’m relatively young so I can imagine how older people must struggle with it. Due to the small closed space, the noise level gets quite unbearable when the restaurant is fully packed as everyone’s voices just kind of reverberates throughout the room. Despite all this, I have to say that the service is fantastic. I do think there are certain better pasta places in Manchester that are more or equally deserving of being on the Michelin guide.

Amazing food and great attentive staff. I have been twice now and it has not disappointed any way. The choice on the menu is a fantastic and the food is so good. The staff are so good at what they do and make you feel so welcome and are happy to help you through the menu and the drinks.

Visited a few Sundays ago for late lunch as heard a lot of great things about it. There's plenty of parking on the road next to it outside of time restrictions or a huge pay carpark under the bridge so access if driving is excellent. We had 4 dining and all shared each dish amongst us which consisted of 4 mains and a few sides. The dishes we amazing, as we'd hoped, especially the cured pork cheek Spätzle Beer menu is a little limited for my liking but what's on offer for a small restaurant was OK for our group. The wine menu makes up for the lack of beer options. Our waiters were knowledgeable about the menu and helped us chose the right amount Access to the restaurant is via an unassuming silver door in the railway arch which you need to buzz to be opened. We expected the restaurant to not be busy due to visiting on a Sunday after lunch but was pleasantly surprised to see nearly all tables full, this speaks volumes to how good it is there. Many thanks and be seeing you again

A beautiful meal and great service! A visit for 2 for 3pm on a Saturday, booked a few weeks in advance and a £20 deposit paid. Parked for free at the back near the bakery. Arrived 15 mins early and were seated whilst our table was prepared, the wait for this was only a few minutes. Taken to out table and water preference taken, then a server came over to ask if been before (my broth had) but guided us in how to order, make some recommendations and told us the specials. Really useful advice in regards to quantity of what to order for 2 and was then left to decide what food to order whilst water was poured and other drinks order was taken. We ended up ordering 4 dishes and a side and then a dessert each but we shared all the food. The food was delicious, really tasty and fresh, highlights were the Pelmeni and the spatzle with sage and butter sauce, so good! The staff were very attentive but too much, atmosphere was good as it was busy but not too crowded or rushed. Did order 2 desserts (Panna Cotta and the cinnamon brown sugar butter spatzle) but ate it too quickly before getting a picture! Highly recommend!

It’s a delicious restaurant on the Michelin recommendation list. I really like eating the long and thin pasta.

Absolutely outstanding attention to detail. From the moment you enter and leave you are cared for. Food is amazing, a wonderful experience thank you 🙏

Delicious food and great service.

A true hidden gem! I visited yesterday with my godfather. A great experience, fresh & tasty food and great service :) A phenomenal strudel with Custard.

They accommodated us (party of 2) at the bar (no table availability) for a last-minute reservation. Replied almost immediately and very kindly. The attention was impecable, the food was exquisite, especially the guanciale spaetzle (carbonara style) and the focaccia. All of it at a reasonable price, including the drinks. Would definitely recommend and go back.

Delicious food and a refined, yet comfortable atmosphere. Great value for such an upmarket dining experience

Beautiful comfort food, enjoyed it immensely thanks.

Honestly I can’t rate this place enough. We came for our anniversary and so glad we did. Highly recommend the spätzle kase and cottage cheese pierogies

I enjoyed the very different menu offered by this restaurant. A great, friendly team takes good care of you and overall it's a worthwhile experience. A couple of dishes each and a drink each saw the bill come to £50 per head. A couple of us don't think it's worth that sort of money, which regrettably makes our visit a once only trip.

I'll start this with how I usually end good ratings. 6 stars. Now we are past that, yes, it does live up to what you have heard. Every aspect of food, service, and atmosphere gets a tick. The food options speak for themselves, but I do believe the ambience they have been able to build and sustain to match the food offering is what will keep them popular for a long time to come. Add this to your must try list and no reservation, no party I'm afraid so get there early!

Staff are amazing every time, we’ve already been back twice and definitely will return again! Everything is amazing quality and even better value for money

Fantastic little restaurant! We came with a party of 19 and the service and food was amazing. Staff were so friendly and accommodating for our large group plus a pram for my newborn. The food was delicious. Hidden gem.

Dedicated to Polish and north Italian food. Absolutely amazing polish pierogies and other dumplings. I really recommend the beef goulash and the polish and Russian pierogies.

The Spātlzle with Ragu was 10/10! Very buzzy restaurant

Excellent in every way, will be returning to finish the rest of the menu.

Absolutely loved our dinner here. Great atmosphere, lovely staff and above all amazing food! Can’t find a single fault and can’t wait to go back the next time we’re in Manchester.

Very friendly people, amazing food.

Amazing food, really great atmosphere and would recommend to anyone looking for something special - thank you to all who looked after us

Love, love, love Great service and food Thank you to Ivan who was great!

Well, you book a table and turn up under the railway arches in Salford. You are greeted with a stainless steel shutter and a sign saying 'please ring the bell' 🤷🏻 but what awaits inside was glorious. Listen to the staff, order accordingly, and let your taste buds enjoy.

Great, cozy, little place with amazing dishes.

We visited The Sparrows on recommendation, my husband has eaten there before. The food wasn't cheap and the drinks prices varied, with a fair election of nonalcoholic beers and spirits. The quality of the food was excellent, the staff were friendly and eager to explain their knowledge of the food they were offering. We would recommend this restaurant andvwill be going back.

Booked The Sparrows for our lunch, on arrival told we were in Little Sparrows just up the road. Room we were in was cold and small. Two of our orders when they arrived were wrong, also myself and my partner ordered the crab ravioli as our main, one arrived as expected and the other 30 minutes later. The lady who served us was very good and also apologetic. Food was actually lovely but overall service and experience was poor.

Very nice environment, kind staff, good first courses, you can taste the handmade pasta, the rest so-so,

Best Pasta in Manchester! The Sparrows is a true gem! The burrata, fresh egg pasta, and spätzle with chorizo were incredible, and the pelmeni and pierogi were equally delicious. Great drink selection, cozy atmosphere, and friendly service made for a fantastic experience. Parking is convenient, and while entry took a moment (doorbell might not be working sometimes), it was absolutely worth it. Will definitely come back again!

We always have the most spectacular meals at Sparrows. Among other staple dishes, we tried the trout this time which was exceptional. Cannot recommend the Sparrows enough. Kasia and Franco are wonderful hosts and the whole staff are extremely attentive.

Amazing food, cool atmosphere and great staff. Host recommended the sister restaurant just up the street which is a sake bar. The host there, despite us not knowing anything about sake, was incredibly helpful and friendly in helping us and making us feel welcome - deserves a raise, amazing!

Ate here on Saturday for the second time and I have to say I think this is the best restaurant in Manchester. Delicious food and great service and incredibly well priced. We had duck ravioli on a pumpkin sauce that was pretty special.

The food here is consistently great, the service is impeccable and the drinks are so so good. We very rarely eat at the same venue more than once but we are really looking forward to returning in the new year.

Brilliant dining experience. Cozy and atmospheric. Service was really good. Above all - the food! Amazing! We loved it here - thank you!

This is the best restaurant in Manchester. This is a must try. The Tiramisu is 10/10

Hands down one of the best restaurants I've been to in a long time. We ordered about 7 dishes to share between 3 of us, plus 2 desserts and some focaccia. Everything was delicious and we were given good recommendations by the staff. Salmerino, the focaccia, the crab ravioli special, sage and butter spatzle, pelmeni, Bolognese, cinnamon spatzle, were all stand out items, paired with a delicious gerwurtztraminer. Realising that I'm listing pretty much everything we ordered as it was all so good. I went with a fussy Italian, and even he was impressed. We're all eager to go back. The price was also very reasonable given the quality of the food.

I love atmosphere and ambience inside, it felt comfortable, warm and welcoming. They had a large ravioli with sashimi grade salmon, was a little on the pricey side but it was delicious! It melts in the mouth and the flavouring for it was perfect. The parpardelle was al dente and the sauce went well with the pasta. The dumplings wasn’t really my thing, slightly too doughy, which is a personal preference but the flavour is there!

Waited for a while to visit and it didn't disappoint. Great food & unbelievable service in a low key cosy setting, not at all pretentious

Great food and cocktails, but ambience and service timing fell short—Racheal’s (General manager)excellent intervention saved the day. The restaurant is located in an up-and-coming area of Manchester, surrounded by what appears to be industrial dereliction. Housed in what looks like a repurposed old warehouse, the entrance is marked by a metal door and a bell to ring for entry. Outside, there are two small tables, presumably for smokers or warmer days. Inside, the space opens up into a large, industrial-style area with very high metal ceilings, concrete floors, and a central bar with the kitchen behind it. The interior design is bright but somewhat cramped in terms of table arrangement. Unfortunately, our experience was made worse by being seated next to a party of eight loud women, creating an overwhelming and unpleasant ambience. The Food: The food was the highlight of the evening, with some standout dishes: • Crab tortellini, sage and cheese spätzle, and gnocchi with chorizo were all excellent. • The salad was below average. • The focaccia was decent, paired with lovely oil. • The burrata and sausage with gherkins were fine but unremarkable. Desserts: • The panna cotta was exceptional. • The tiramisu was average. • The apple strudel was disappointing. Drinks: • The Winter Warmer (sake and Earl Grey) and the Sparrow Tale were both fantastic. • The Cherry Negroni, however, was unbalanced and overpowered by cherry liqueur. Service: The wait time between courses was unusually long, exacerbated by the nearby table of eight, which seemed to dominate the kitchen’s attention. Thankfully, Racheal, a member of staff, stepped in and graciously adjusted our bill to reflect the delays and inconvenience, which we greatly appreciated. Overall: Despite the service and ambience issues, the food and drinks were good enough to warrant a return—just at a quieter time.

worst service ever! visited as a party of four for dinner and left hugely disappointed. having been before, i had been raving about it and wanted to bring some friends that hadn’t been. the host on the door was very welcoming when we first came in but it just went downhill from there. we ordered a bottle of wine and a couple drinks at the same time as ordering two starter dishes. before the starters were brought out, we ordered the rest of our food, five dishes between four people; a main each and one to all share. after the starters, the remaining dishes came out in dribs and drabs. we had two dishes within half an hour and then waited an hour from ordering for another pasta dish. at this point, half the members of the party had eaten and the other half hadn’t. no one came to check back on our meal or question why two people had no food in front of them. no one offered a second round of drinks either when we finished our wine. when someone came to clear the plate, we said we were still waiting on two dishes and we were told, with no apology, that we never ordered them. we knew we had as all of four us confirmed we had heard it be ordered, but the waiter never wrote anything down. mistakes happen but due to the fact nobody checked in on us, or repeated back the order, two of the party went without dinner, including the member of the party whose birthday it was. they offered to quickly make the missing dishes but the restaurant was emptying out by this point and we didn’t wanna hang around much longer. no apology was made by the staff and we were made to feel like it was our own fault. no dessert menus were offered and we felt unwelcome. the bill was extortionate for what it was. i’d visited a few times before but that will be my last visit as i will never go back

went for my birthday meal and they forgot two of the dishes we ordered. waited ages for one pasta dish and, after an hour, when asking where the remaining dishes were, they said we never ordered them. but why would we only order two mains between four people? i’m surprised they didn’t check or write the order down. they took service charge off to compensate but we left a tip anyway, we would have rather just have been able to have dinner. bill was still £100! we refused the remaining orders when we asked about them as the other members of the party had already finished. disappointing from a michelin guide restaurant and a birthday meal. went home and made food so i didn’t go to bed hungry.

A pleasant surprise in Manchester, very different to anything we have tried before in this city. The spätzle kase, with that cheese and onion sauce, transported me back to the comforting pasta sensations of my childhood. I would have ordered 3 dishes. I would come back tomorrow for breakfast.

If I could give more stars for the gentlemen at the reception I would. Excellent service, I can’t find this anywhere else in Manchester.

Incredible place, beautiful food and staff 10/10

Hard to find but what a find! Great food, good value, great service (thanks in particular to Ian). Loved it.

I was worried they day before the booking when I read a negative comment. But when I walked into the restaurant, all my worries vanished. The warm and welcoming atmosphere behind the door curtains, the high quality foods they offered, and the heartfelt services they provided, all impressed us. I highly recommend Sparrows to someone who want to have a decent gathering with friends, or to someone who is seeking for a nice place for anniversaries.

Antonias new favourite place. We have had lots of people mention this place to us and finally managed to head over and squish in a a visit. A great location with plenty of local parking if you arrive after six, the parking is free as well The venue itself is really fun funky you’re going through the front door and there is curtains blocking out the window. They take your coats and bags. The whole venue is really quirky is quite an intimate setting and the staff are absolutely lovely The food is really really good. I would definitely recommend visiting this place if you haven’t already also it is priced really reasonably.

Food and service was excellent. The menu was explained. I can't fault it at all

Beautiful food, lovely friendly staff and gorgeous restaurant. Also really reasonable prices.

Amazing food! Super tasty and everyone was very friendly

Love, love, love this place ... consistently good in all respects.

An unusual restaurant with a fusion middle European style. Can be tricky to find. Google maps helps with that

Food and drink was fantastic, very helpful staff.

One of my favourite restaurants in Manchester and the best pasta I've ever had. Vibes are relaxing and not too formal. Service is incredible. Price is surprisingly reasonable for the quality of food and service.

A hidden Gem ! The venue is off the beaten track but well worth the exploration. The food and service both excellent. Try everything on the menu awesome as the nights get colder

The best service I've ever had. I called the restaurant for a last-minute large booking, and Ian was so helpful that it's impossible to express my gratitude in words. In my 10 years in the restaurant business, I don't remember receiving better service and care.

You wouldn't even know it was there, it is like a speakeasy. The food was excellent and the team who provide the service excellent, too. The dishes were reasonably priced but tasted just amazing.

What a fabulous restaurant. From an incredible friendly welcome. To fantastic food and service. The full team knew the menu and knew the wine list. I am coming to Manchester again in December and will definitely book again.

Thoroughly enjoyed, food and service was faultless

Zhongfu! I don't want to write it in English because foreigners may have different tastes and food cultures. Two galaxies for the service staff! First of all, the restaurant space is very narrow. The restaurant is located in an industrial park, so there is only an inconspicuous entrance. When you enter, you pass a curtain, which is the dining area. You don't need to think about the view, because the restaurant is a secret room with four walls. . The food choices are very limited, the price is not low, but the portions are very small. We Asians ordered four kinds of food, including two main dishes, two drinks, and after eating we had to eat two slices of bread when we returned home. The food is very average, just fast food level. One order of slow-cooked beef only had four small pieces, three of which were old, woody, salty, and burnt, and the other one was normal, so I thought it was mixed with meat cooked at different times. Many people liked it I kept talking about the Guanciale gnocchi. The menu said it was pig cheeks, but I couldn't find them at all, only a few pieces of lard. I'm not full, but I don't dare to bark anymore. The bill was £58.85, not expensive, but totally worth it.

Really good meal for a special night out. The handmade pasta is incredibly well made. The pierogi and goulash are definitely highlights!

Absolutely love the sparrows it’s my favorite restaurant in Manchester without a doubt and have always come back for every occasion! In our most recent visit, the food was gorgeous as always (the focaccia is perfect, love the bolognese with either spatzle or gnocchi, pelmenis and the fermented cucumbers + yellow French beans) and drinks are delicious (love the sparrows tale). I love the panna cotta they do here as well!! Also the space is gorgeous and so unique. The only thing on this particular visit was the service was a little strange on the drinks side, but I’m gonna put that down to it being Saturday evening rush. Would recommend this in a heart beat to literally everyone!!

Another incredible meal here. The food was just divine, we found the basic späzle and sage just out of this world and the service was incredible, we never wanted for anything. Crab ravioli with saffron was also delicious. 10/10

Outstanding food, brilliant and attentive service and in a great atmosphere - the sparrows is a hidden gem in Manchester's Green quarter. The food comes fairly quickly but the service is not rushed. I'm looking forward to returning to try more dishes!

Absolutely fabulous food. Loved everything about the venue, feels cosy very warming and well the Saki what an experience. This was beautifully explained by the lady owner . Hopefully will not be my last visit

Unique intriguing delicious with lovely informative host in a lovely restaurant. Great value for money and a super evening 👍