Stow is a restaurant in Spinningfields, Manchester. Rated 4.8 stars from 356 Google reviews. Known for open-fire cooking and service precision. Best for dinner and solo dining.
Stow
Across 271 rated reviews, 95% gave four or five stars.
| Rating | 4.8★ |
| Reviews | 356 |
| 1-star share | 1.1% |
| Best for | Lunch |
In Their Own Words
Review highlights surfaced by Google — shown in English, with the original beneath
“Stow have nailed the service, food, decor and above all atmosphere.”
“First place where I think the pork tasted as good as the beef !”
“The brined chicken was tender and juicy, but some bites were too salty.”
405 reviews across two platforms
Quick Verdict
Stow delivers confident open-fire cooking and service without stiffness in a room that feels both fine dining and genuinely welcoming.
You want open-fire cooking and service that remembers your name in a neighbourhood restaurant that doesn't feel like a neighbourhood restaurant.
About Stow
Open-fire cooking in Spinningfields, and done with real conviction. The menu rotates — October's will look different from July's — but the kitchen's approach stays the same: flames, precision, and ingredients given room to speak. The flatbread and steak draw the most mentions, the monkfish close behind, and the smoked cream tart has its own following. Cocktails are taken seriously here, which in this part of Manchester still counts for something. The chef's table puts you right at the pass with Alex and Aiden working the fire, and the kitchen is calm enough that it's genuinely good to watch. Ciara meets guests at the door and Rosa runs the floor with the kind of energy that makes a room feel looked after.
Stow earns its romantic reputation through both atmosphere and a serious wines and cocktails — the kind of place where a dinner for two tends to extend well past dessert.
In the last 90 days, Stow has drawn 19 substantial written reviews (50+ characters of genuine feedback) — recent momentum that is one of the signals behind its place on the hot list.
What Stands Out
Open-fire cooking
Steak, pork, brined chicken, monkfish and flatbread are the dishes reviewers rave about; the menu pivots monthly around open-fire technique and seasonal ingredients.
Service precision
Staff anticipate needs, offer thoughtful wine pairings, remember names, and a reviewer noted Ciara 'snuck me onto the chefs table last minute' while Alex and Aiden 'were also friendly and keeping me company'.
Atmosphere without pretension
Reviewers describe it as 'really cute and modern atmosphere, without being too showy or pretentious' and 'a cool, casual kitchen, with a fine dining twist'.
Practical Information
Opening Hours
Contact
Frequently Asked Questions about Stow
Stow in Spinningfields, Manchester welcomes solo diners and is popular for solo dining. Service is attentive and friendly, and the chef's table option offers theatre and interaction with the kitchen team.
Stow's menu turns monthly, but steak, pork, brined chicken, flatbread, monkfish and smoked cream tart are the dishes people keep writing about. The open-fire cooking is central to the kitchen's technique.
Stow in Spinningfields offers a chef's table that seats you at the pass with full theatre of the kitchen. Dinner reservations are recommended, and staff have been known to accommodate last-minute requests.
Stow in Spinningfields, Manchester has great cocktails and a wine list strong enough that reviewers specifically mention the wine as exceptional. Coffee also lands hard.
Stow in Spinningfields is popular for groups and offers small plates and sharing plates alongside larger dishes. Staff are accommodating and create a welcoming atmosphere for celebrations and group dinners.
Stow in Spinningfields, Manchester is cosy yet upscale, romantic without pretension. The room is described as 'really cute and modern' with a 'cool, casual kitchen, with a fine dining twist' — vibrant without being showy.
Also in Spinningfields
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How We Rank Venues
Rankings are recalculated monthly from live Google Business Profile data. Our Hot Score weighs review velocity (new text reviews), baseline rating, and Google Business Profile completeness. No editorial picks, no paid placements — just what the data says this month.
Hot Score: 64/100 · ranked October 2026
The written profile on this page is generated from real Google reviews and reviewed monthly. Quotes are verbatim and belong to the people who wrote them — not to us.
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