After learning that the official best roast dinner in the UK was literally right on my doorstep, I knew at once what I'd be doing that Sunday. The Ducie Street Warehouse, a restaurant based in one of Manchester's old warehouses, was this month declared to have the very best Sunday roast in the UK.
This was determined by the popular food blog Rate Good Roasts, which tied Ducie Street in first place with The Hawthorn in Haworth. This prestigious accolade was based on a number of all-important factors, namely: meat, vegetables, sides, venue, drinks, value, potatoes, gravy, service and, of course, Yorkshire puddings.
I've long been an advocate for a big walk followed by a cracking roast dinner as the ultimate cure for Sunday scaries, and so decided to head down and try Ducie Street's now-famous offering for myself. Spoiler: I wasn't disappointed.
First impression: the venue is striking and atmospheric, with high ceilings, abundant greenery, and ambient mood lighting. This is a huge, stylish space that still feels intimate, relaxed, and quintessentially Mancunian.
The clientele that late afternoon was varied, and, looking around, I could imagine coming here for a special celebratory meal with family, or for a boozy birthday lunch with pals. As it happened, I was all dolled up for a date with my other half, and by the time we were guided to our table, we were already impressed.
Staff members were friendly, and attentive, and we were delighted to find ourselves seated beside another couple, who came with a pair of adorable Shihtzu dogs nestled under the table. I for one always associate roast dinners with old pubs filled with dogs, but dog-friendly restaurants can be hard to find in the city centre.
While pondering our food choices, we ordered cocktails. I opted for a Breakfast At Tommy’s (£9.50), while my partner opted for the DSW Bloody Mary (£9.50) - the waiter's preference - deciding on a medium spice level.
My cocktail was smooth and extremely drinkable, the marmalade syrup and tequila mix making for a sweet yet zesty afternoon pick me up.
For my main course, I ordered the dry-aged local shorthorn beef sirloin roast option (£19.50), which came with three roast potatoes, an absolutely humungous Yorkshire pudding, and seasonal vegetables, all drizzled with meat gravy. I was pleased to see there was an option to ask for more gravy if we wished and, being Northern, we absolutely did.
I was delighted to find the meat was cooked to perfection. Soft, flavourful, and not in the slightest bit chewy, I haven't had such high-quality beef in some time. Crisp without being in the slightest bit crunchy, I could have happily munched through a second mammoth Yorkshire pudding, while the roast potatoes were well-salted, fluffy, and tasty throughout.
The veg was fresh, luscious, and without that overcooked aftertaste that blights so many a roast, and the gravy had a very good consistency. My vegetarian partner was also very happy with his vegan roast with all the trimmings (£17), remarking that, after a month of meat replacement roasts, it was a refreshing change to see a butternut squash tart on the menu.
As gorgeous as the roast dinner was, however, it was my side order of cauliflower cheese that made the greatest impression on me. Ducie Street is renowned for offering 'the world's first cauliflower cheese menu', with a range of inventive flavours on offer.
I ordered the truffle cauliflower cheese (£4.50) while my partner opted for the blue cheese option (£4.50). After a single bite, I experienced what I only half-jokingly described at the time as a 'Ratatouille moment', the nostalgia and unexpected heavenly taste momentarily taking my breath away.
Rich, gooey, and warming, I was thrilled to see the oft-forgotten dish elevated to such an extraordinary standard. I also stole a bite or two of the blue cheese dish, which packed a punch in all the best ways. Sheer bliss, and an absolute must-try for cheese lovers.
For dessert, I ordered the apple & blackberry crumble with apple sorbet (£7), while my partner ordered the gingerbread sticky toffee pudding (£8). We admittedly did have to wait a little while for desserts to arrive due to a kitchen mix-up, but we didn't mind too much at all, and the staff couldn't have been more apologetic.
Happily, it was well worth the wait. For me, an apple crumble is the ideal post-roast dessert, and this was by far the nicest I've ever tasted. Fresh and tart without being in any way sour, the lightly crumbled dish transported me back to the summer months,
We left the restaurant full, happy, and satisfied, plates more or less clean. This was a full, hearty feast that you'd expect to find deep in the countryside, not a minute walk away from Manchester's Piccadilly Station.
Excluding cocktails, we spent £61 on food, £31 of which was spent on my own meal. Although not something we'd be able to afford every week, this is the sort of price I'd expect to pay for such a high-quality, memorable dinner. Given the generous portions, I'd also consider this to be good value for money, and would most definitely return.
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