The Manchester-based restaurant is loved by critics and has been namechecked in the Michelin Guide
The new restaurant, located in the NOMA district of Manchester, comes from acclaimed chef Tom Barnes(Image: Cristian Barnett)
A Greater Manchester restaurant has been shortlisted in a prestigious food awards. Skof, which opened in the city centre last May, has been named as one of the contenders for a top gong at The Good Food Guide Awards 2025.
Celebrated at a glittering ceremony on Monday, February 3 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in central London, The Good Food Guide Awards 2025, in partnership with OpenTable, are gearing up to name the best of emerging and established excellence in British dining in 2025. The awards will be hosted by TV presenter Richard Bacon.
The shortlist, which also includes categories such as Restaurant of the Year and Chef to Watch, comprises some of Britain’s top restaurants and the awards seek to celebrate the work and talent of the hospitality industry as a whole. Skof has been nominated in the Best New restaurant category, alongside dining spots in Edinburgh, London and Birmingham.
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The Best New Restaurant award showcases the smash-hit new openings of the past year, with Skof and Lyla in Edinburgh among the most exciting and ambitious destinations.
Based in a historic former drapery in the Hanover Building, Skof has been brought to life by chef Tom Barnes, who earned his stripes working as executive chef at the three-Michelin-starred L’Enclume in Cumbria alongside esteemed chef Simon Rogan.
Chef Tom Barnes at his new restaurant Skof in Manchester(Image: Cristian Barnett)
Located in the NOMA area, the dining concept is centred around modern British dining with a twist. The restaurant serves 12 course or 16 course tasting menus for £120 or £165 in the evenings, or there is also a £50 lunch option.
Each menu is guided by seasonality, locality and the best possible produce, and Tom and the team work closely with small-scale suppliers including Cinderwood Market Garden and Lake District Farmers to bring the best produce to people’s plates.
Dishes on the menu so far have included Dexter beef bavette with pickled artichoke, black pepper and grilled sprouting broccoli; Orkney scallops with spring vegetables, fried oyster and dulse seaweed; and roasted Sladesdown duck with fig leaf, ibis celeriac and a mini loaf of wholemeal bread stuffed with a surprise element.
The Hanover building in Manchester (Image: Cristian Barnett)
The drinks side has also been carefully executed with a lot of thought. As well as a wine pairing with the dishes there’s also a non-alcoholic and mixed pairing available, and diners can also sample Sidney, a special beer made in collaboration with Track brewery.
Since opening last May, it has received a number of glowing reviews from national critics including The Telegraph’s William Sitwell, who described Skof as a ‘slam-dunk reason to love and admire this city’ and labelled it ‘the Eiffel Tower of cuisine’.
It also won won praise from the National Restaurant Awards just days after opening and landed in the Michelin Inspectors’ Favourite New Restaurants in August last year.
The prestigious awards also features awards for drinks list of the year, best value set menu, most beautiful restaurants and most exciting food destination for 2025, the latter of which, will be revealed on the night.
A new award introduced for 2025 is The Russell Norman Award for Restaurateur of the Year, in memory of the late restaurateur behind Polpo and Brutto.
Interiors at Skof reference Manchester’s industrial heritage and the chef’s upbringing in the Lake District(Image: Cristian Barnett)
Knife & Fork Media founder Adam Hyman commented: “Russell was a hero of mine, a friend and mentor. We wanted to pay respect to a man who was enormously influential in our industry and make sure his name is not forgotten. With the blessing of his family we’re delighted to name our Restaurateur of the Year award after Russell and his legacy of exceptional hospitality.”
Chloë Hamilton, co-editor of The Good Food Guide, commented: “This year’s shortlist is a magnificent mix of starry names alongside some brilliant lesser-known talent that anyone interested in restaurants should be taking note of. If last year’s ceremony is anything to go by, our return to Theatre Royal Drury Lane is set to be a huge night of celebration with some revelations to remember.”
The Good Food Guide Awards are by invitation only and will take place at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London on Monday 3, February 2025.