I've just been going trough some old Instagram photos (unemployed problems!!) and came across the…read morechocolate challenge I did at Slatterys a few years ago. Still one of my best achievements to date! Easily one of the best patisseries in Manchester. The ground floor is chock full of their celebration cakes, they'll make pretty much any cake for any occasion in all sorts of shapes and sizes. My friend bought her wedding cake from here and it was divine! They also have a huge chocolate gift shop on the ground floor, you can spend hours looking round! Upstairs in the restaurant gets pretty busy so it's always best to book, especially if you want to go at the weekends. Some bookings have to be made weeks in advance. There is also a baking area where you can watch the cakes being made!

The food was excellent. I got cheese and onion pie (lunch) and tried the chocolate challenge…read more(which we failed dismally). The chocolate was to die for...totally scrumptious. The service was really good with friendly and knowledgeable staff. I'll be back for sure. The prices were good also. The seating was good and the wait was not long ( although I booked ahead of time).

New owner I think, time for a new review…read more Dropped in for breakfast, ordered an omelette & coffee. Rapid service, very friendly, genuinely nice place, clean and well presented without necessarily being the pinnacle of luxury. Two minor gripes: Don't assume 'coffee' always comes with milk: ask how the customer likes it! I don't complain when milk gets put in my coffee because I don't want the business to throw away food/drink and lose money on it but I'd rather have black coffee so it would make sense to ask first. Red onion does not make a salad! Especially not first thing in the morning. Maybe it's a Bolton thing but I've yet to find somewhere that doesn't overload on the onion (red or otherwise) Otherwise it was a very tasty omelette and arrived very punctually. I'm sure as long as you aren't looking for gourmet Michelin cheffing you'll be happy with any food from here.

Whenever my mother wanted me to feel special she brought me here. Now now, get that vision of an…read moreuptight, stressed and stingy with love mother out of your head, we're not talking any central matriarch from We Need to Talk About Kevin here, I was one spoilt rotten kid, with affection, and materialistically. It's amazing actually that I've turned out as well-adjusted and selfless as I have. *Chuckles to self, recalls all 'you're not the centre of the universe!' comments from significant others* Anyway, lunch in Southport meant one of several options. It meant The Gallery if my grandmother was around, as she had lofty aspirations. It meant Pippins, Coffee Bean or a department store if both parents or my father were present. It meant somewhere silly with the brunette where we'd forego nutritional value in favour of empty calories. But if it was just Mum and me, it'd be Nostalgia. The cutest, sweetest, kitschiest place on earth. It is just stunning. You're situated above all the shops on Lord Street so the view out of the windows is fantastic, if you ever get round to it after taking in the view indoors. The ornate high ceilinged tea room is divine, and it's perhaps not one to take the partner to, considering that all the warmly-welcoming and efficient waitresses wear traditional tea room outfits. Ooh, matron. Well it is Nostalgic after all... Old-fashioned is the order of the day here, and that extends to the menu. High teas, quaint sandwiches, cream scones, soups, light bites, traditional main meals, scrumptious desserts, and plenty of warm and cold beverages to choose from. The food is rich and tasty and feels like a treat. There's a function room on the second floor and the place has won countless awards for just how accomplished and friendly its staff are. Don't think the posh vibe makes it all formal, you couldn't find a more relaxed and lovely ambience. It's easy to miss - there's a narrow opening by the Early Learning Centre and the tea rooms are located above that, up a rather heavy climb of stairs. Still, it's certainly worth the exercise and it's an overall memorable experience, one you'll want to relive again and again. Come along and be ladies what lunch! Or men, I'm sure the frilly aprons will entice you too.

I've been coming here since before I can remember; in fact I practically grew up here. So many…read morememories of my visits to southport include this place; from afternoon teas to family functions. This place has not changed! If you want to feel lady like and transported to another era this is the place to go! However the food is not so good since the new owners have taken over. It's simple food and really I'm picking at straws. But if you are looking for a quick bite and delicious scones then head here. My visit today I had the tuna toastie - the toastie was okay, maybe a tad more mayo ( or something with tang?) and the salad was pretty lifeless (do it well or not at all I say!) but overall okay. Also had the Bakewell tart which was lovely. But nothing to write home about. 3 for food 4.5 for service and ambience 10 for childhood memories!

Ah, as lovely as the cream after which it is named. Chantilly is just so cute you want to pinch its…read morecheeks, or... would if a café actually had cheeks. This is a place that does hearty, down to earth café grub such as fried breakfasts, bacon or sausage toasties or 'mega thick toast' - anybody who loves doorstop toast as much as I do has my blessing. Plus, they throw in hash browns with the veggie breakfast. Do you know how much I love hash browns? It's one of the few reasons I miss working at an office in Spinningfields in Manchester, the cafeteria did lovely crisp hash browns. Their gourmet sandwiches at a mere £2.75-£3.75 have some exceptionally tempting fillings such as lamb and mint, hoi sin duck, That green chicken and the like, and there are some super hot options for paninis and toasties like roast beef with onion and tomato, sausage with fried onions and tuna melt. I'll be honest, there ain't a lot of options for the diehard veggies amongst you, as these bad boys only do a cheese, onion and tomato melt and it is a simple little place so despite the gourmet fillings you're unlikely to come across any Mediterranean roast vegetables and pesto in your Panini. The slow-baked spuds are another great option for a quick lunch but if you're in the market for something heartier you might want to take a look at the mains, as they do fish and chips, some burgers and cottage pie and the quintessential bowl of Scouse. Puds are as comforting and cholesterol sky-rocketing as you can imagine and they do offer the obligatory frothy coffee and even some frappes. A simple menu with a modern twist - perfect if you're in the mood for some melancholy-busting home cooking. The prices and service are the cherry on top of the Chantilly cream.

With bold orange walls and 60s style furnishings and amber glowing lamps lining the window,…read moreChantilly Lounge is a place to chill with a hot drink after you bought those boots that were made for walkin', in Cavern Walks. They do a damn fine home-made scouse for £3.95 (extra beetroot please!) which in my book is a pretty cheap, if not slightly more homely scran than the surroundings would evoke. No half-measures, a growing girl needs a wholesome meal, even (possibly especially) in Cavern Walks! Ooh, and they do a six item brekkie for £2.95 so if you fancy some cheap, tasty filling food, in that sheek 60s setting, (odd combo but it kinda works!) then take a trip to Chantilly Lounge, via the boutiques of course!

A small and very cozy tearoom. The space is warm and airy. The tea for two was delicious. The…read morescones were warm, the sandwiches savory, and the sweets a delight. The service comes with unlimited tea. You can switch out to a different tea at any time. Espresso drinks are also available. The champagne was good, and they offer prosecco. Make sure to reserve a table if you plan on going!

It was our anniversary, and as we love a good Afternoon Tea, we decided we fancied trying somewhere…read morewe've not tried before, and The Dearden was on our list, as is has great reviews and the photos make it look wonderful. It's in Haslingden in Rossendale. Booking was a nicely handled affair, with my booking being handled by a reservations site, and confirmed for me via EMail. When we arrived, we noticed The Dearden really stands out on the little cobbled street on which it sits. It's a bright and cheerful building, with beautifully maintained flowers and plants on the fences and by the windows. The only initial problem was that we couldn't find parking, as it was street parking with time limits, however we found something nearby that was free, which was a relief. I'd say to just check the local parking options before you set off, so you know where to head. When you step through the front door, the "new customer" bell gives a mighty "thwack" of a ring as you open the door. I don't know why but that made me smile straight away. You're greeted in a corridor by a member of staff with a cleverly wall-mounted tablet, allowing them to keep tabs of reservations and the such. We are taken into the room on the right, and seated in a corner by the window. I would not say the seating is cramped, but as the building itself used to be an old Counting House, they only have so much room they can work with, so have a fair few tables in the room (I didn't see the other room, so can't comment), but it's more cosy than cramped, and as it's very pleasantly decorated with vintage and period decor, with lovely high ceilings and the oldies playing gently in the background, you feel comfortable right away. We are handed the menus, which were made of wood with ironwork hinges! Unique! The menus within this interesting binder are comprehensive and tempting, mentioning special themed evenings and Afternoon Teas, the general menu, the Afternoon Tea menu, and a very impressive selection of teas available. On this instance, as we had pre-booked Afternoon Tea, the staff were aware of our pre-order, and simply asked us which drinks we'd prefer with our Afternoon Tea. My partner opted for the Assam, and I went for the Rose Congu. These arrived first, allowing us time to relax and chat over some very lovely quality tea. The table was decorated in period fashion as you would imagine, complete with vintage lace tablecover, fresh flowers, and a bobbin as a table number. Another unique element. Our Afternoon Tea cake stand was brought out, and with it our waitress wished us a happy anniversary, which had also been written in chocolate on the rim of the top plate, a very sweet touch indeed. We were told the sandwiches we had, and what each of the cakes and delights were, then left to enjoy. And enjoy we did! Sandwiches were tasty, but might have benefited from a chutney or mayonnaise or something to add a touch of moisture (but they were still very nice!), the scones were warm and nothing short of perfect; we were given a fruit and a plain scone each. The treats on the top tier included two of each; white chocolate dipped strawberries, a chocolate tart, raspberry cream macarons, and a little pot of rhubarb and custard. Superbly English! We really enjoyed it. We've had some hit and miss Afternoon Teas, but this is up there with the better ones! If they just had a look at potentially enhancing the sandwiches a little, I would put this as one of my top 3 without question! The young staff were friendly, professional, and bright eyed with smiles all round. A really nice thing to see, and made you feel both welcome and happy. I loved some of the little details too, such as a re-purposed chair on the patio area at the front which was now a water drinking station for dogs! Lovely! A stand as you enter the tearooms lets you know that they currently only accept cash only, however they are literally next door to a shop with a free cash machine, so that's no problem. We really enjoyed our visit, Dearden. Not just as customers, but as an anniversary treat. You really made us feel special, thank you. We will be back!

Situated in The Avenue, Spinningfields, is one of my favourite restaurants in Manchester…read more I've been to Artisan numerous times now and sampled a huge range of eats they have on the menu. Every single time I have been blown away by the standard of the food and the friendly service of their very knowledgeable staff. Artisan never fails to impress me. Their menu is vast, boasting nibbles (Salt and Pepper Pork Crackling is my absolute favourite) a variety of small plates, salads and main meals from their wood oven. Artisan cooking at its best. The open kitchen gives off a very inviting scent when you walk into the restaurant. Lovely. Today, their Pear and roasted beetroot Tarte Tatin was outstanding and the Baked Camembert, sugar spiced nuts with beetroot and red onion chutney was also a favourite at the table! I'll continue to come here often, as there is so much left for me to try.

A great evening with friends at Artisan with a great offer of 50% off all food. Our table wasn't…read moreready right away so they asked us to wait in the bar. The bar area was spacious and quite comfortable with big comfy sofas and arm chairs. They gave us a buzzer to tell us when our table would be ready. When it started buzzing the host had a few tables for us to choose from but we decided on a booth. We didn't have to wait that long for service which was outstanding at all times. My friends starter didn't turn up at the same time as ours so they knocked it off the bill. One of the steaks wasn't cooked to how my friend wanted it so they took it away and bought a fresh plate and also took it off the bill. I thought this was a very good gesture which isn't found in most places these days. The whole place was busy and buzzing. I loved how the whole place looked like a New York style loft restaurant-bar.

I really really really like this place - in fact it was that much of a pleasurable cake and tea…read moreexperience that I'm gonna give it 5 stars! Having a rare afternoon off recently and having our oldest child in nursery, my wife and myself had a quick trip down here and treated ourselves to 3 cakes and tea between us - the salted caramel cake was amazing and the tea tasted lovely in proper china cups. You can eat in or out with just a small number of tables for the even smaller number of days of sunny weather. I hear the afternoon tea is excellent (my wife goes regularly) - I really need to get here again soon and check it out. Tea and cake FTW!

Amist the hustle and bustle of Burton Road stands a tiny cake shop, with possibly the greatest…read morename! I absolutely love this place, I keep telling everyone I know to go and try it, so they best keep making their fabulous cakes so everyone can try them. There's only about seven or eight tables, so when I say tiny, I certainly mean it. This isn't a bad thing at all (well unless it's so busy you can't grab a table), because it means the atmosphere is great. When I visted on Saturday there was a baby shower in progress, a few friends having cake and a catch up and an adorable elderly couple having cream tea and scones. It's great, certainly a place for anyone and everyone. There's a cake counter - that's right! A whole two tiered counter displaying all the homemade goodness for the day. This is great because you actually get to see what you're ordering. I've never seen any less than six different types of cake on offer!! I booked a table for my best friend and I for afternoon tea. When we arrived the table was laid out ready and we were given our afternoon tea menu. There were four sandwich choices, multiple drinks choices (you don't have to have tea) and the best bit is that you can pick two cakes! All for the amazing price of £14.50. I had their cheese and chutney sandwich, which was full of flavour, followed by a big juicy strawberry covered in dark chocolate. Next came the freshly baked scone, with clotted cream and jam of course, then finally my cake selection, a red velvet cupcake and a chunk of cookie and cream cake. So moist, yet fluffy with a side of a sugar overdose. Ha. I was so stuffed that I couldn't manage all my cake, but that's okay because they offered me a box so i could take it away with me!

Right, I'll lay it out at the start, these guys for me, are a solid 4.7 or so, they aren't perfect,…read morebut I'm rounding up as they're averaging on here as a four, and I think they're a bit better than that. So, came here with the bestie, as she wanted to quiz me about taxes and slap duty, as you do. She'd been here with her fellow before, and cake is always a good shout with me (these guys also do plenty of other things though too) We chose to sit outside, as it was a little warm in for our tastes, the waitress (in a rather excellent green dress) wiped the table clean (even though it looked it anyway) and sat us down with menus. We'd literally just chosen, when she came out, apologising for the wait, but excellent timing in our books. For you indecisive folks, there's a cake platter, where you get taster slices (which were fairly generous actually) of three, yes three, types of cake. I had; raspberry and white chocolate, carrot, and chocolate and blackberry, with a little pot of tea of hibiscus, rose, strawberry, elderberries, rose hip and orange blossom, quite the pink cocktail. Jess had blueberry French toast, which arrived as a huge, almighty stack, adorned with heaps of tiny, bright purple juicy blueberries in a saucy puddle. The service was excellent, the seats outside are a sun trap, there's a great range of choice, and a cocktail and slice of cake for £9.95? Excellent. My only gripe is that the cake wasn't quite as moist as I like, not dry, but still, I do think this is down to it being a hot day, but it just stops them from edging perfect points, but not enough to drop a star.

What a great start of our vacation! This quirky and cute…read morebreakfast place delivered delicious entrees. The hot chocolate was generously portioned and whimsically presented. My avocado poached egg entree with bacon (British style bacon more like a Canadian bacon/ham) was perfect. Hubby got the banoffi pancakes were decadent. We weren't rushed and noticed other patron got cream/high tea... next time we will too!