Solita - Manchester Burgers Restaurant Photos
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Core blimey, if you want to eat yourself into food oblivion, visit SoLita! I mean this in a good way of course, as the food was great and the atmosphere was a match. I started with the Bacon Wrapped Dough Balls, which were a perfect stodgy starting dish, before moving on to the Bacon Cheeseburger for my main. The burger was great, not the very best I've had but it was up there, and the Pizza Fries I had on the side accompanied it well. On this occasion I was driving, so I had a coke (model citizen I know) however my two friends had a couple of beers and said they were excellent. All in all a fantastic place to eat, eat and eat, I didn't get dessert but the Jaffa Cake Ice Cream Pie looked unbelievable and I'll be back for that!
Such a cool name isn't it? Solitaaaa, has a cool roll off the tongue appeal to it. What's more it's in the coolest part of Manchester surrounded by some of the coolest living spaces in the city. Alas all that glitters ain't gold. I very nearly had Solita at 2 stars but in all honesty I DO love the decor and general ambiance of the place. It does feel VERY American and rather hip, a great place to hang out. Unfortunately that's pretty much all I'd rather do at Solita. To their credit it really isn't their fault. Ever since the incredible production and editing of that monstrosity of a show "Man vs food" went 'viral". A gap in the market has developed for the Americanisation of our eating habits, which translated just means pigging out. The proprietors can express on their "passion for food" all day long but reality is they spotted a gap in the market and have profited from it. FairPlay to them. Expensive gunk is how I'd best describe the food. The song killing me softly also comes to mind (although you should substitute softly with slowly) Which by the way is absolutely fine, after all Americans eat this way don't they? Who doesn't want to pile up a sky scraper of grease, put a bun on top, a large stick through it, then force feed themselves in Fincher Seven gluttony style? I mean, they have deep fried Mac & Cheese on the menu! It's like sticking the finger up at Maccy D's and saying hey we serve heart failure too it's just we charge £6 for the privilege. But, as human beings we have the right to self loathe and self harm, it's called freedom of choice. And I for one am all for it. Heck I'd probably come here for one of those burgers that exemplify greed (No human being needs to eat that in one sitting for logical nutritional reasons apart from sheer excess) On a practical level the service was poor as JQ points out. The cheeseburger spring rolls were ok but nothing special and the burgers were also ok. The burger market in the city centre is just too saturated at present and not in a good way. They've all started to serve pretty much the same thing: Quantity and size over Quality and substance. Having said all that I'm certain that the owners are good people and genuinely just love American food and opened a place that takes that to the next level. However for me the reality is American food and the eating habits which have led to them being the most obese nation on earth isn't really my cup of tea. I disliked man v food as a concept which highlighted and glamorised a certain food narrative. And I'm not really too hot on American food, in this incarnation anyway.
Burger heaven. The menu here is quite simply my idea of heaven. The starters are amazing. I usually go for the chicken wings (try the lime, sounds a bit dull compared to the others but it's epic!) but have also tried the flowering onion that's sometimes on the specials and the deep fried mac and cheese balls. Yes that's right they do deep fried mac and cheese. I may as well stop my review right here, you are probably on your way down there after reading that last sentence. The mains are the stuff of dreams. I may have inappropriately eaten the 'once in a lifetime' burger 4 times now. The Big Manc is a great burger too and I love the hanger steak off their amazing Inka grill. The pizza fries they had on special recently were just stunning. I'd recommend following their Twitter account to keep track of the ever changing specials. The desserts (if you have any room at all) ate great too. The Oreo cookie cheesecake was spectacular recently. Again another special. The bar staff are fantastic and will happily rustle up any cocktail I ask for, whether it's on the menu or not. Hooray for Solita, a Manchester institution and one of my absolute happy places.
Buttermilk fried chicken. I could end the review right there and the 5 stars would be justified.I could also say bacon candy and the justification would be right there,throw in kentucky fried bacon and I want to add another star! Before going last night I was already planning on giving SoLiTa at least 4 stars for the menu alone! And when you read the other 2 reviews you think "Can it really be that good?" and the answer is yes,yes it can be that good.... You could possibly argue that it isn't exactly cheap,but neither is it expensive either,and when the food is that good the price is insignificant anyway (In my opinion),and as it was our (15th) Anniversary it was the perfect place for us to go. We started by sharing the mac 'n cheese balls which were really nice indeed,a lovely blend of crispy breadcrumb outer and an oozy cheesy centre. Ange ordered the KFB burger,and what a burger it was! cheddar,bourbon bbq sauce and what I can only describe as a slab of kentucky fried bacon,which looked and tasted beautiful. For her pud she opted for the deep fried coke,which turned out to be little donutty type things sprinkled with cinnamon and served with vanilla ice-cream,and it was stupidly nice! I went for the Buttermilk fried chicken which consisted of a large piece of fried chicken with a gorgeous coating between a really nice brioch bun. I love fried chicken,and this was some of the nicest I have ever had! the burger also came with a little pot of chicken gravy which was also very nice,especially to dip the chips in : ) For pud there was only ever one thing that I was going to go for,Vanilla ice-cream with bacon candy (Although when it was served to me it was sans bacon!! no worry, it was soon rectified).The ice-cream they use is really nice indeed,but the bacon was the real star,a rasher of sugared/caramelised bacon which was soooooo nice it has to be eaten to be believed. I was a happy little Zombi! Ange also had a Bloody Mary which she said was really nice too. SoLiTa,you are a star! (Or 5)......
I've been here more times than I care to mention but am I the only one who thinks that the burgers aren't quite as good as they used to be? In the last 2 months I've been to this one and the place in Didsbury and I've been left feeling slightly disappointed. Not in a bad way, just I feel he actual burger patties are now a little over cooked, at least for what you would expect in a decent burger place. It's pushing them a little too close to 'pub burger' which is something I never thought I would say. Still very good regardless but not as good as it once was? The starters are still as good as ever and the Paulaner lager is something I could drink all day and all night. The service is still decent and friendly and the total during my last visit having a starter, a normal Solita burger and a pint was £23 including a tip. Not cheap but I think pretty reasonable considering I needed rolling out of the door. Would still recommend but I feel Almost Famous or filthy cow may be my preferred choices for a burger going forward. As an all rounder I feel Solita however still has them beaten.
I'm actually quite surprised I've never reviewed Solita such is the regularity I used to hit it - if you wanted a kick ass burger in an environment that was 'less' in your face than AF then this was the place to go. Having recently checked out their Didsbury branch I really enjoyed that and think they're really on to a winner in terms of that venue and the offering in that particular part of town (I gave it a 4) On this occasion though I have to give it a 3 - probably a 3.5 but I can't give it the 4 due to a few issues that didn't really set my pulse racing. First off it wasn't massively busy and we were seated downstairs on a Weds night - there were loads of staff but it seemed like a total ball ache to get a drink. Our half of the table waited and waited and when the House IPA came it was possibly one of the worst beers I've ever tried (and I love IPA) - God knows what it is but if you're going to make it the House IPA then it needs to be good - I swiftly moved onto a bottle of Brooklyn. I massively enjoyed the cheeseburger spring rolls as a starter and then for main I had the Krabby Patty which to be honest I found dry and tasteless which was a real shame. I enjoy myself at SoLita but on this occasion it all seemed a bit rough around the edges with poor service and at £27 for food, one dodgy pint, a bottle of average stock beer and a small tip I was expecting something a little bit more!
Well well, what can I say about SoLita... Other than that it is fantastic. Now that I've been here on a few occasions I feel like I can give this place the review it deserves. Firstly, BRUNCH! The first weekend they started doing brunch I just had to go..! I had the full English toad in the hole and it was just as fabulous as it looks on the photo. All the things you could possibly want for breakfast, baked into a huge, fluffy and crisp Yorkshire pudding. Gahhh! Beans served on the side too! My mate had the Steak and Eggs Benedict and he was very impressed - he's a chef and it's difficult to do, but he scoffed the lot and smiled! Winner. I've been back for brunch once since and tried the Truffled Egg on Toast - which was a thick loaf bread with melted cheese, toasted with a fried egg in the middle and drizzled in truffle oil - again, fabulous. Definitely worth getting out of bed for. Next BURGERS! Now if you follow SoLita on Twitter then you'll be very aware of their 'unique' approach to burgers.. And pretty much anything goes here. Lucas S. tried the Jerk Experience burger here - he seemed to like it. I've tried many burgers from their menu on the times I've been here. The Halloumi burger stands out for me.. But the most recent, most wacky and the most impressive, was the special 'Breville without a cause' burger (pictured). A bacon cheeseburger, with cheese toasties on the top and bottom instead of a bun. Jeez. STARTERS - their rooster scratchings, amazing. Deep fried mac and cheese, also incredible. There's just no stopping these guys. I got to dessert once at SoLita - wasn't overly impressed.. But I can't imagine many people getting round to dessert anyway! It's definitely one of my favourite eateries in Manchester and there's still so much left for me to try! So you'll find me in a dark corner stuffing my face SOON!
I visited SoLita a part of a party of 10 on Sunday evening for a friend's birthday. The restaurant has a cool vibe, an exciting menu and I have been looking forward to visiting for a while. After being sat downstairs we ordered our drinks and perused the menu. First up, I ordered a SoLita Colada, very nice the 3 sips of it I had, but the very slim tall glass was 95% ice, 5% drink and was left a bit mystified. I went on to order a bottle of white wine between 2 of us, nice and reasonably priced. The bottle was delivered table but had to ask twice for glasses. The food....wow what a menu and if you look at pictures on social media it makes it even more difficult to decide because it all looks great. My choice was the once in a lifetime burger with sweet potato fries. The pulled pork was delicious; the chicken schnitzel was moist inside and the burger juicy and full of flavour. I sent my fries back because they were all burnt but were replaced very quickly with the pizza fries, which was a good choice : ) Overall everyone enjoyed their food subject to the minors of burnt fries, a dessert with an additional random hair in it, which was swiftly replaced and a stingy SoLita Colada. I really liked the décor of the restaurant, although the bathrooms were like being in a nightclub and half of the light bulbs weren't working. Overall would I arrange to go back to SoLita? Probably not, but the burger and peanut butter fudge brownie I had with the Oreo ice cream was tasty.
I only popped in here to give it a try, but I'm really glad I did! The lunch menu was £9.90 for 2 courses. Now, the burger I ordered on it is usually £9.90 anyway, so I basically got a free dessert! Woo! The burger I ordered was cooked to perfection in the venue's unique Inka Grill, and was cooked with bone marrow too, to give it extra juice, and boy does it! Probably one of the best burgers I've ever had, and the juiciest too without being fat dripping everywhere! In fact, it gives Almost Famous Burgers a run for their money!! The fries that came with it weren't as crunchy as I would've liked, but were still very tasty! It was nice that as a tee-totaller, I was able to order Fentiman's soft drinks instead of the bog standard Coke/Sprite/Fanta offerings, so I got a lovely dandelion and burdock. That said, they did also have an extensive cocktail menu, for those interested in such things ;) I spoke extensively with the waiter, Matt, who was very passionate about the business, telling me about their Inka Grill, how their food is almost all made on the premises, nothing frozen, fresh meat etc. Really made it clear that he's actually proud to serve the food because of its quality, even raving about their home made ketchup and bbq sauces. I told him after the burger that I was full, and might have to forego the cheesecake I was eyeing up... but he told me to have a rest and see how I felt... which inevitably ended up in me ordering said cheesecake! A really creamy and clearly home-made vanilla cheesecake served with a delicious toffee sauce and a generous helping of mixed berries in coulis. Very tasty indeed!! Next time I'll probably go off-lunch-menu as their "deep fried Coca Cola" desert sounded amazing! The venue itself is modern and fresh, with a great comic book mural across one wall, and a glass window on the other, showing a big "SOUL" sign made of red light bulbs, beckoning downstairs to their larger "Soul Bar" area, which at this time of day was closed. The toilets were small but mostly functional... I say mostly because the soap dispenser was empty, but there were two bottles of nice quality hand soap provided, and the hand-dryer wasn't working, but paper towels were provided too. As for functionality, at that point I was the only customer in the restaurant (12pm on a tuesday), and the only other people there were the barman, a second staff member who was also running about sorting bits out, and two men on mobiles talking to a man sat on a laptop about some apparent problem with the venue's coffee machine, which they were angrily trying to get sorted out over the internet and by phone, as well as reading reviews and the sort about the venue itself (so its nice to see they're interested in such things!). Admittedly being the only one there with a few business focussed staff members is not going to be the usual experience, but as the kitchen only opens at 12pm and it was a Tuesday, it's definitely forgiveable. Their twitter feed that evening showed a photo of a busy and bustling restaurant dining room, so its nice to see they're getting the attention they deserve. I whole heartedly recommend this place, and will most definitely be retuning there for one of those delicious burgers! Pop in for lunch sometime if you're nearby, it's in the Northern Quarter just behind the Arndale car park :)
Definitely need to come back here more often... and I think if I come back I need to get thigh deep in their menu... nay waste deep and just swim around their BBQ'd/Grill meatisciousness menu in a more experimental way... I went for the Big Manc... it was very tasty can't fault it's flavours, but it felt very standard, this is utterly my own fault, I was meeting some family and was late playing catchup, I ended up in my head rushing my decisions as they'd already ordered, I could have gone for something else or indeed added to what I'd chosen... and When you're a addict of AFB unless the burgers dripping with more BBQ sauce than bun, or has half of a farm on it then the burgers standard. I think what maybe I should have done is taken my time a bit more, I was drawn into the Big Manc by the box it has round it on the menu I thought that meant something now I'm not so sure, as looking at everything not in the boxes I think I should have chosen them lol... it's some weird kinda reverse marketing ploy. Family had various bits, the wing ribs n things looked awesome though apparently the fried cornmeal japalenos on there you need to be wary (father type person had to leave them after one taking half of a pint of beer with it) The steaks I saw going round my word they need to be in my face. So the result is I need to go more, I need to leap headlong and bury my face in it all I need to take some well deserved time over that menu to get it's full effect, Round to will be epic when I dedicate the time that's deserved to this place. In terms of trying to get a table this place is a bit like AFB, you can't book if you're less than 6 people so it's luck of the draw when you turn up, and people know this place exists so it's all about playing the timing game to get in here
As some of you may have seen *here* http://www.blondehappiness.com/2014/02/the-best-burger-in-manchester.html I´m on the hunt for the best burgers in Manchester! And where to better start my mission than at Solita. To be honest I have missed a lot of the social buzz surrounding this place, until recently I wasn´t living in Manchester City Centre, however, better late than never. So thanks to twitter I noticed Solita´s tweet about now serving Paulaner. PAULANER IN MANCHESTER. ON TAP! That alone was reason enough to visit, but at the sound of proper burgers AND my hometown beer they just got me completely. We decided to go early on a Friday night, having heard of the crazy queues forming outside on weekends, especially as they are now serving some pretty amazing looking brunch from Friday to Sunday. When we came in, we had almost free choice of table, and once seated, we were already peeking over to our neighbours table in pure food envy. The menu offered a great variety in burger, hotdogs and grilled meat, with some funky twists: Home made sauces (The big manc), a Mac n Cheese burger bun, bacon popcorn, Spongebob Krabby Patty and Candy Bacon to name a few. As far as I´ve heard he menu is under constant change and improvement, next week having ordered 80kg of finest Wagyu beef. (Yes I´m already thinking of when to come back! ) To accompany the refreshing taste of home and to bridge the short waiting time, whilst our burgers were sizzling in the Inca oven, we were treated to one of the greasiest sins in this world. Fried sliced onion (Solita Onion) in very thin batter, with a delicious cocktail-like dipping sauce. Such simple goodness, uniquely presented and a pleasant twist to the usual onion rings. To my surprise they weren't fired to death and I could still taste the sweet onion. Yum! The waiters were very attentive this night, and as soon as we wiped our greasy fingers on a napkin our burgers arrived. The mister chose the KFB (melted cheese, bourbon BBQ sauce, kentucky fried bacon and jalapeños) with normal fries, having a soft spot for BBQ. I had gone for the double cheese (Monterey Jack) bacon burger with candy bacon and sweet potato fries. After trying the candy bacon ( sin sin sin ) I had a proper bite: The bun, sesame brioche was not too squishy and sturdy enough to support a thick patty of mince that was still slightly pink and juicy on the inside. Perfect. Just perfect. The only thing I would probably ask for next time is lettuce and tomato with it to give it a bit of crispy freshness. None of the flavours were too overpowering; a simple classy burger to cure all your cravings. Considering the freshness and quality of the ingredients, the price of 12 pounds including fries was more than justified. The atmosphere was very relaxed and the clientele a lot less "hip and hype" than I actually expected. Overall we had a very pleasant evening, leaving Solita with a happy belly.
The Mac and cheese as a side was well seasoned. It was so so creamy and cheesey, which I basically started licking the dish until my hubby stopped me. I just wished there was more of it! . Side dish (£3.50) The mango and habañero wings (£6.50) were so so delicious. When you bite into it, you can taste the sticky sweetness but then as you chew that heat from the chillies kicks in. The juicy meat from each bite was really really good and not greasy too! .
I was absolutely famished and hot when I came into SoLIta so we were sat inside to cool down. I ordered the bacon fat popcorn to come straight away before ordering our food and drinks. It came smelling delicious and dripping in fat which I got everywhere. My friend tried a little bit but wouldn't eat anymore as it was "wrong". Anyway, it satisfied my hunger and I was able to sit and have a conversation without constantly thinking about food. My friend ordered the Once in a Lifetime Burger. It is certainly the biggest burger he's ever eaten in his life and I had the KFB with sweet potato fries (Staff didn't mention the extra surcharge on that). Both burgers were delicious and there were empty plates at the end. Staff were friendly and chatty and an error on our bill was quickly dealt with. Overall, we were very happy customers.
I've had this food before but was through deliveroo so I've had our but never been. I decided to be more social with this trip (even though I went on my own). I went in around 6ish on a Friday and got seated straight away downstairs. The place was a bit dark but a lot of northern quarter places are like that these days. Sat down and looked at the menu and I got what I usually order. I was gonna go for something different but eh. One problem I found was that the tables were wobbly ... And it wasn't just my table as someone mentioned It in front of me they came to sort it. I hadn't mentioned it so left it ... wasn't a huge problem so didn't feel I had to. So ordered the Manc-hattan which is 2 patties, cheese, pastrami and a battered black pudding slice on an oven bottom. Wanted sweet potato fries to so paid the little extra for Those. Looking at the menu I saw that they did a beyond meat burger which I've just tried at home and love it so is great that they're catering for BC those on a plant based diets to. My Drink came with a paper straw (good for the environment but sometimes annoying for me ... but it was alright) and a bit later my food came ... it was good to have it straight from the kitchen as apposed to waiting for it to be delivered. It was a tiny bit dry but with black pudding it would be ... the patties were super juicy and handmade and excellent. The sweet potato fries were hand cut and also amazing so all in all it was and excellent meal ... great service, great food, will be back for sure read more
8 years ago
The staff were amazing, even singing happy birthday to me and some of the customers joined in (Something that I normally hate, but enjoyed) The seats were a bit cramped, but it was busy so thats expected. We ordered a number of cocktails which were all made correctly (according to my sister) I loved my meal (Doubledown + Pizza Fries) the chicken was tasty.. read more
10 years ago
Core blimey, if you want to eat yourself into food oblivion, visit SoLita! I mean this in a good way of course, as the food was great and the atmosphere was a match. I started with the Bacon Wrapped Dough Balls, which were a perfect stodgy starting dish, before moving on to the Bacon Cheeseburger for my main. The burger was great, not the very best I've had but it was up there, and the Pizza Fries I had on the side accompanied it well. On this occasion I was driving, so I had a coke (model citizen I know) however my two friends had a couple of beers and said they were excellent. All in all a fantastic place to eat, eat and eat, I didn't get dessert but the Jaffa Cake Ice Cream Pie looked unbelievable and I'll be back for that! read more
Such a cool name isn't it? Solitaaaa, has a cool roll off the tongue appeal to it. What's more it's in the coolest part of Manchester surrounded by some of the coolest living spaces in the city. Alas all that glitters ain't gold. I very nearly had Solita at 2 stars but in all honesty I DO love the decor and general ambiance of the place. It does feel VERY American and rather hip, a great place to hang out. Unfortunately that's pretty much all I'd rather do at Solita. To their credit it really isn't their fault. Ever since the incredible production and editing of that monstrosity of a show "Man vs food" went 'viral". A gap in the market has developed for the Americanisation of our eating habits, which translated just means pigging out. The proprietors can express on their "passion for food" all day long but reality is they spotted a gap in the market and have profited from it. FairPlay to them. Expensive gunk is how I'd best describe the food. The song killing me softly also comes to mind (although you should substitute softly with slowly) Which by the way is absolutely fine, after all Americans eat this way don't they? Who doesn't want to pile up a sky scraper of grease, put a bun on top, a large stick through it, then force feed themselves in Fincher Seven gluttony style? I mean, they have deep fried Mac & Cheese on the menu! It's like sticking the finger up at Maccy D's and saying hey we serve heart failure too it's just we charge £6 for the privilege. But, as human beings we have the right to self loathe and self harm, it's called freedom of choice. And I for one am all for it. Heck I'd probably come here for one of those burgers that exemplify greed (No human being needs to eat that in one sitting for logical nutritional reasons apart from sheer excess) On a practical level the service was poor as JQ points out. The cheeseburger spring rolls were ok but nothing special and the burgers were also ok. The burger market in the city centre is just too saturated at present and not in a good way. They've all started to serve pretty much the same thing: Quantity and size over Quality and substance. Having said all that I'm certain that the owners are good people and genuinely just love American food and opened a place that takes that to the next level. However for me the reality is American food and the eating habits which have led to them being the most obese nation on earth isn't really my cup of tea. I disliked man v food as a concept which highlighted and glamorised a certain food narrative. And I'm not really too hot on American food, in this incarnation anyway. read more
Burger heaven. The menu here is quite simply my idea of heaven. The starters are amazing. I usually go for the chicken wings (try the lime, sounds a bit dull compared to the others but it's epic!) but have also tried the flowering onion that's sometimes on the specials and the deep fried mac and cheese balls. Yes that's right they do deep fried mac and cheese. I may as well stop my review right here, you are probably on your way down there after reading that last sentence. The mains are the stuff of dreams. I may have inappropriately eaten the 'once in a lifetime' burger 4 times now. The Big Manc is a great burger too and I love the hanger steak off their amazing Inka grill. The pizza fries they had on special recently were just stunning. I'd recommend following their Twitter account to keep track of the ever changing specials. The desserts (if you have any room at all) ate great too. The Oreo cookie cheesecake was spectacular recently. Again another special. The bar staff are fantastic and will happily rustle up any cocktail I ask for, whether it's on the menu or not. Hooray for Solita, a Manchester institution and one of my absolute happy places. read more
Buttermilk fried chicken. I could end the review right there and the 5 stars would be justified.I could also say bacon candy and the justification would be right there,throw in kentucky fried bacon and I want to add another star! Before going last night I was already planning on giving SoLiTa at least 4 stars for the menu alone! And when you read the other 2 reviews you think "Can it really be that good?" and the answer is yes,yes it can be that good.... You could possibly argue that it isn't exactly cheap,but neither is it expensive either,and when the food is that good the price is insignificant anyway (In my opinion),and as it was our (15th) Anniversary it was the perfect place for us to go. We started by sharing the mac 'n cheese balls which were really nice indeed,a lovely blend of crispy breadcrumb outer and an oozy cheesy centre. Ange ordered the KFB burger,and what a burger it was! cheddar,bourbon bbq sauce and what I can only describe as a slab of kentucky fried bacon,which looked and tasted beautiful. For her pud she opted for the deep fried coke,which turned out to be little donutty type things sprinkled with cinnamon and served with vanilla ice-cream,and it was stupidly nice! I went for the Buttermilk fried chicken which consisted of a large piece of fried chicken with a gorgeous coating between a really nice brioch bun. I love fried chicken,and this was some of the nicest I have ever had! the burger also came with a little pot of chicken gravy which was also very nice,especially to dip the chips in : ) For pud there was only ever one thing that I was going to go for,Vanilla ice-cream with bacon candy (Although when it was served to me it was sans bacon!! no worry, it was soon rectified).The ice-cream they use is really nice indeed,but the bacon was the real star,a rasher of sugared/caramelised bacon which was soooooo nice it has to be eaten to be believed. I was a happy little Zombi! Ange also had a Bloody Mary which she said was really nice too. SoLiTa,you are a star! (Or 5)...... read more
I've been here more times than I care to mention but am I the only one who thinks that the burgers aren't quite as good as they used to be? In the last 2 months I've been to this one and the place in Didsbury and I've been left feeling slightly disappointed. Not in a bad way, just I feel he actual burger patties are now a little over cooked, at least for what you would expect in a decent burger place. It's pushing them a little too close to 'pub burger' which is something I never thought I would say. Still very good regardless but not as good as it once was? The starters are still as good as ever and the Paulaner lager is something I could drink all day and all night. The service is still decent and friendly and the total during my last visit having a starter, a normal Solita burger and a pint was £23 including a tip. Not cheap but I think pretty reasonable considering I needed rolling out of the door. Would still recommend but I feel Almost Famous or filthy cow may be my preferred choices for a burger going forward. As an all rounder I feel Solita however still has them beaten. read more
I'm actually quite surprised I've never reviewed Solita such is the regularity I used to hit it - if you wanted a kick ass burger in an environment that was 'less' in your face than AF then this was the place to go. Having recently checked out their Didsbury branch I really enjoyed that and think they're really on to a winner in terms of that venue and the offering in that particular part of town (I gave it a 4) On this occasion though I have to give it a 3 - probably a 3.5 but I can't give it the 4 due to a few issues that didn't really set my pulse racing. First off it wasn't massively busy and we were seated downstairs on a Weds night - there were loads of staff but it seemed like a total ball ache to get a drink. Our half of the table waited and waited and when the House IPA came it was possibly one of the worst beers I've ever tried (and I love IPA) - God knows what it is but if you're going to make it the House IPA then it needs to be good - I swiftly moved onto a bottle of Brooklyn. I massively enjoyed the cheeseburger spring rolls as a starter and then for main I had the Krabby Patty which to be honest I found dry and tasteless which was a real shame. I enjoy myself at SoLita but on this occasion it all seemed a bit rough around the edges with poor service and at £27 for food, one dodgy pint, a bottle of average stock beer and a small tip I was expecting something a little bit more! read more
Well well, what can I say about SoLita... Other than that it is fantastic. Now that I've been here on a few occasions I feel like I can give this place the review it deserves. Firstly, BRUNCH! The first weekend they started doing brunch I just had to go..! I had the full English toad in the hole and it was just as fabulous as it looks on the photo. All the things you could possibly want for breakfast, baked into a huge, fluffy and crisp Yorkshire pudding. Gahhh! Beans served on the side too! My mate had the Steak and Eggs Benedict and he was very impressed - he's a chef and it's difficult to do, but he scoffed the lot and smiled! Winner. I've been back for brunch once since and tried the Truffled Egg on Toast - which was a thick loaf bread with melted cheese, toasted with a fried egg in the middle and drizzled in truffle oil - again, fabulous. Definitely worth getting out of bed for. Next BURGERS! Now if you follow SoLita on Twitter then you'll be very aware of their 'unique' approach to burgers.. And pretty much anything goes here. Lucas S. tried the Jerk Experience burger here - he seemed to like it. I've tried many burgers from their menu on the times I've been here. The Halloumi burger stands out for me.. But the most recent, most wacky and the most impressive, was the special 'Breville without a cause' burger (pictured). A bacon cheeseburger, with cheese toasties on the top and bottom instead of a bun. Jeez. STARTERS - their rooster scratchings, amazing. Deep fried mac and cheese, also incredible. There's just no stopping these guys. I got to dessert once at SoLita - wasn't overly impressed.. But I can't imagine many people getting round to dessert anyway! It's definitely one of my favourite eateries in Manchester and there's still so much left for me to try! So you'll find me in a dark corner stuffing my face SOON! read more
I visited SoLita a part of a party of 10 on Sunday evening for a friend's birthday. The restaurant has a cool vibe, an exciting menu and I have been looking forward to visiting for a while. After being sat downstairs we ordered our drinks and perused the menu. First up, I ordered a SoLita Colada, very nice the 3 sips of it I had, but the very slim tall glass was 95% ice, 5% drink and was left a bit mystified. I went on to order a bottle of white wine between 2 of us, nice and reasonably priced. The bottle was delivered table but had to ask twice for glasses. The food....wow what a menu and if you look at pictures on social media it makes it even more difficult to decide because it all looks great. My choice was the once in a lifetime burger with sweet potato fries. The pulled pork was delicious; the chicken schnitzel was moist inside and the burger juicy and full of flavour. I sent my fries back because they were all burnt but were replaced very quickly with the pizza fries, which was a good choice : ) Overall everyone enjoyed their food subject to the minors of burnt fries, a dessert with an additional random hair in it, which was swiftly replaced and a stingy SoLita Colada. I really liked the décor of the restaurant, although the bathrooms were like being in a nightclub and half of the light bulbs weren't working. Overall would I arrange to go back to SoLita? Probably not, but the burger and peanut butter fudge brownie I had with the Oreo ice cream was tasty. read more
12 years ago
I only popped in here to give it a try, but I'm really glad I did! The lunch menu was £9.90 for 2 courses. Now, the burger I ordered on it is usually £9.90 anyway, so I basically got a free dessert! Woo! The burger I ordered was cooked to perfection in the venue's unique Inka Grill, and was cooked with bone marrow too, to give it extra juice, and boy does it! Probably one of the best burgers I've ever had, and the juiciest too without being fat dripping everywhere! In fact, it gives Almost Famous Burgers a run for their money!! The fries that came with it weren't as crunchy as I would've liked, but were still very tasty! It was nice that as a tee-totaller, I was able to order Fentiman's soft drinks instead of the bog standard Coke/Sprite/Fanta offerings, so I got a lovely dandelion and burdock. That said, they did also have an extensive cocktail menu, for those interested in such things ;) I spoke extensively with the waiter, Matt, who was very passionate about the business, telling me about their Inka Grill, how their food is almost all made on the premises, nothing frozen, fresh meat etc. Really made it clear that he's actually proud to serve the food because of its quality, even raving about their home made ketchup and bbq sauces. I told him after the burger that I was full, and might have to forego the cheesecake I was eyeing up... but he told me to have a rest and see how I felt... which inevitably ended up in me ordering said cheesecake! A really creamy and clearly home-made vanilla cheesecake served with a delicious toffee sauce and a generous helping of mixed berries in coulis. Very tasty indeed!! Next time I'll probably go off-lunch-menu as their "deep fried Coca Cola" desert sounded amazing! The venue itself is modern and fresh, with a great comic book mural across one wall, and a glass window on the other, showing a big "SOUL" sign made of red light bulbs, beckoning downstairs to their larger "Soul Bar" area, which at this time of day was closed. The toilets were small but mostly functional... I say mostly because the soap dispenser was empty, but there were two bottles of nice quality hand soap provided, and the hand-dryer wasn't working, but paper towels were provided too. As for functionality, at that point I was the only customer in the restaurant (12pm on a tuesday), and the only other people there were the barman, a second staff member who was also running about sorting bits out, and two men on mobiles talking to a man sat on a laptop about some apparent problem with the venue's coffee machine, which they were angrily trying to get sorted out over the internet and by phone, as well as reading reviews and the sort about the venue itself (so its nice to see they're interested in such things!). Admittedly being the only one there with a few business focussed staff members is not going to be the usual experience, but as the kitchen only opens at 12pm and it was a Tuesday, it's definitely forgiveable. Their twitter feed that evening showed a photo of a busy and bustling restaurant dining room, so its nice to see they're getting the attention they deserve. I whole heartedly recommend this place, and will most definitely be retuning there for one of those delicious burgers! Pop in for lunch sometime if you're nearby, it's in the Northern Quarter just behind the Arndale car park :) read more
Definitely need to come back here more often... and I think if I come back I need to get thigh deep in their menu... nay waste deep and just swim around their BBQ'd/Grill meatisciousness menu in a more experimental way... I went for the Big Manc... it was very tasty can't fault it's flavours, but it felt very standard, this is utterly my own fault, I was meeting some family and was late playing catchup, I ended up in my head rushing my decisions as they'd already ordered, I could have gone for something else or indeed added to what I'd chosen... and When you're a addict of AFB unless the burgers dripping with more BBQ sauce than bun, or has half of a farm on it then the burgers standard. I think what maybe I should have done is taken my time a bit more, I was drawn into the Big Manc by the box it has round it on the menu I thought that meant something now I'm not so sure, as looking at everything not in the boxes I think I should have chosen them lol... it's some weird kinda reverse marketing ploy. Family had various bits, the wing ribs n things looked awesome though apparently the fried cornmeal japalenos on there you need to be wary (father type person had to leave them after one taking half of a pint of beer with it) The steaks I saw going round my word they need to be in my face. So the result is I need to go more, I need to leap headlong and bury my face in it all I need to take some well deserved time over that menu to get it's full effect, Round to will be epic when I dedicate the time that's deserved to this place. In terms of trying to get a table this place is a bit like AFB, you can't book if you're less than 6 people so it's luck of the draw when you turn up, and people know this place exists so it's all about playing the timing game to get in here read more
12 years ago
As some of you may have seen *here* http://www.blondehappiness.com/2014/02/the-best-burger-in-manchester.html I´m on the hunt for the best burgers in Manchester! And where to better start my mission than at Solita. To be honest I have missed a lot of the social buzz surrounding this place, until recently I wasn´t living in Manchester City Centre, however, better late than never. So thanks to twitter I noticed Solita´s tweet about now serving Paulaner. PAULANER IN MANCHESTER. ON TAP! That alone was reason enough to visit, but at the sound of proper burgers AND my hometown beer they just got me completely. We decided to go early on a Friday night, having heard of the crazy queues forming outside on weekends, especially as they are now serving some pretty amazing looking brunch from Friday to Sunday. When we came in, we had almost free choice of table, and once seated, we were already peeking over to our neighbours table in pure food envy. The menu offered a great variety in burger, hotdogs and grilled meat, with some funky twists: Home made sauces (The big manc), a Mac n Cheese burger bun, bacon popcorn, Spongebob Krabby Patty and Candy Bacon to name a few. As far as I´ve heard he menu is under constant change and improvement, next week having ordered 80kg of finest Wagyu beef. (Yes I´m already thinking of when to come back! ) To accompany the refreshing taste of home and to bridge the short waiting time, whilst our burgers were sizzling in the Inca oven, we were treated to one of the greasiest sins in this world. Fried sliced onion (Solita Onion) in very thin batter, with a delicious cocktail-like dipping sauce. Such simple goodness, uniquely presented and a pleasant twist to the usual onion rings. To my surprise they weren't fired to death and I could still taste the sweet onion. Yum! The waiters were very attentive this night, and as soon as we wiped our greasy fingers on a napkin our burgers arrived. The mister chose the KFB (melted cheese, bourbon BBQ sauce, kentucky fried bacon and jalapeños) with normal fries, having a soft spot for BBQ. I had gone for the double cheese (Monterey Jack) bacon burger with candy bacon and sweet potato fries. After trying the candy bacon ( sin sin sin ) I had a proper bite: The bun, sesame brioche was not too squishy and sturdy enough to support a thick patty of mince that was still slightly pink and juicy on the inside. Perfect. Just perfect. The only thing I would probably ask for next time is lettuce and tomato with it to give it a bit of crispy freshness. None of the flavours were too overpowering; a simple classy burger to cure all your cravings. Considering the freshness and quality of the ingredients, the price of 12 pounds including fries was more than justified. The atmosphere was very relaxed and the clientele a lot less "hip and hype" than I actually expected. Overall we had a very pleasant evening, leaving Solita with a happy belly. read more
9 years ago
The Mac and cheese as a side was well seasoned. It was so so creamy and cheesey, which I basically started licking the dish until my hubby stopped me. I just wished there was more of it! . Side dish (£3.50) The mango and habañero wings (£6.50) were so so delicious. When you bite into it, you can taste the sticky sweetness but then as you chew that heat from the chillies kicks in. The juicy meat from each bite was really really good and not greasy too! . read more
I was absolutely famished and hot when I came into SoLIta so we were sat inside to cool down. I ordered the bacon fat popcorn to come straight away before ordering our food and drinks. It came smelling delicious and dripping in fat which I got everywhere. My friend tried a little bit but wouldn't eat anymore as it was "wrong". Anyway, it satisfied my hunger and I was able to sit and have a conversation without constantly thinking about food. My friend ordered the Once in a Lifetime Burger. It is certainly the biggest burger he's ever eaten in his life and I had the KFB with sweet potato fries (Staff didn't mention the extra surcharge on that). Both burgers were delicious and there were empty plates at the end. Staff were friendly and chatty and an error on our bill was quickly dealt with. Overall, we were very happy customers. read more
Fantastic service! This place has been bookmarked for awhile. My friends have wanted to drag me to the likes of a steak house for ages but I refused to go somewhere that was limited to a pescaterian... After a few drinks we entered this place, where the (manageress I think )seated us where we wanted. By this point I had had a few drinks so decided on something soft. It wasn't on the menu but the waiter kindly offered to make me a mocktail mojito . For starters they offer chicken wings, mac and cheese balls, jalapenos, cheese burger spring rolls , mussels and squid.. I settled for the Mac and cheese, and my companion the chicken wings. Now they do offer a very spicy sauce with the wings made out of Naga chillies, so drunkenly I tried a wing in the sauce...wow spicy and tasty! But not for the faint hearted.. the mac and cheese balls were good also ..but ironically I enjoyed the chicken wing more! For mains they have a special board where one can buy a steak for £30..or a big selection of burgers, fish and bbq'd stuff . We went for the crab burger and a bacon double cheese skewered with some bacon candy. The presentation was fab and I was curious to try some candied bacon...but it wasn't for me... The soft shell crab burger tasted similar to what I order from wasabi sushi. It was tasty but it didn't taste any different to what I normally get. Apparently the burger was amazing and there are plenty of things on the menu to chose from so I will be back again. When I came out of the bathroom I went for a snoop. The manageress spotted this and took the time to give me a full tour of the place. Overall I would come here if you have a divided group of meat eaters and veggies, the menu is creative and the service snappy.... I will be back read more
7 years ago
So good! The best veggie burger I have ever had and the fries were not bad. Super cute place, great service, good drinks. My friend loved her chicken breast too. Would recommend! read more
12 years ago
Myself and 3 friends ate here at Solita on a Thursday evening at approximately 7pm. We didn't struggle to get a table which was great as they do not accept bookings for less than 6 people. There are two floors to Solita, we are upstairs which was quite small but perfectly presented. It has a very modern feel to it, different to the other restaurants located within the NQ area. They currently have a special called 'The Dirty B*stard'... That alone is a 5*. It comes with standard fries, you can upgrade to Sweet Potato fries on any of the dishes. So what is this dish I hear you ask... It is probably the weirdest thing I've ever seen on a specials board "Deep Fried Lasagne served in a Garlic Brioche Roll" (£13) Bizarre yet GENIUS! It tasted incredible. Very garlicky and very filling. I also ordered a side of Chow Chow Slaw which was a perfect compliment to the dish. My friends ordered 'Once in a Life Time' which was a bread roll containing; Buttermilk Chicken, Pulled Pork, Beef Burger, Onion Rings, Chow Chow Slaw! It was just under £17! (Expensive we thought!) I asked my friends if it was worth the £17, they said "For the amount you got in the burger, yes. Compared to other burgers you can get (for a lot less money) in and around the NQ, No! And they wouldn't choose that if they visited again". The chef also mixed up our fries meaning we had to swap over ourselves (we opted for half and half). I do prefer another places in the NQ I must admit. The reason I gave 4* was overall it was a nice evening but I thought very expensive (compared to other places we have visited) Our bill was approx £99.50 which included: 2x Lasagne Specials, 2x Once in a Life Time Burgers both which were upgraded to come with SP fries, 1x Chow Chow Slaw, 1x Fried Pickles, 4 bottles of beer, 2 desserts. That may sound a lot for £99.50 but I have had the same and paid a lot less! read more
11 years ago
A bit over hyped if I'm being honest. I didn't order a burger, so maybe that was where I went wrong?! Everyone seems to reckon their burgers kick ass, but having spent so long in the US over the years (and being the burger critic I am) I tend not to bother ordering them in restaurants over here. So a few of us Yelpers randomly found ourselves in Solita (an Indian was the first choice) and having already eaten elsewhere, I just ordered a few starters to pick at; the pulled pork sundae (pretty average with a blink-and-you'll miss-it spoon of cold mash on top) the fried chicken nachos (could taste more grease than chicken) and the cheeseburger rolls (tres sexual!). As Meatloaf once said 'Two Out of Three Ain't Bad' but seeing as I'd only order the cheeseburger rolls again, I probably won't hurry back unless I'm running out of burger joints in Manchester, which is highly unlikely. Nice waiter though. Very smiley and helpful. Five out of five for him alone! read more
I hate to say it, but I'm going to anyway - Solita NQ used to be better. Back before they were a runaway success with several locations around the city, they were better. They were a cool little independent burger and grill joint, serving up some awesome meat with varying degrees of eccentric topping - they were cool, damn it. Now, much like my beloved Almost Famous, the quirky soul of Solita which I liked has had a veneer of the establishment glossed over it and I find myself viewing it more and more like any other chain - which, in a sense, is what it's becoming with every new location they open. My recent visit to Solita in the NQ was with my family, as I'm not the only one who appreciates a great burger. To accommodate my sister, who doesn't like them, we went to Solita so she could order steak or chicken or something non-ground-beefy. I found myself apologising for most of the night. Firstly, for the fact that despite booking well in advance and being made to confirm on the day that I was keeping my reservation, the table wasn't ready on time. Sure, I get that Saturday evenings are "prime time" and yes sometimes people take longer than you've allotted for their meal; but when I've said that I'll take the group to a nearby pub if you'll text me when the table is free, then you don't actually text me... we're not off to a great start. Secondly, once we actually got to our table there was quite a wait before anyone wandered over to take any sort of order. Again, busy Saturday evening - so perhaps the staff were genuinely busy. Once we had ordered drinks, though, one of our group had ordered a pint of the Paulaner only to be told that they were changing the barrel and it would be a few minutes after the rest of the drinks had been brought over. A few minutes turned out to be more like 15-20. The food order went a bit smoother, at least as far as the starters went. Everyone ordered easily enough, everything turned up; everyone enjoyed. I went for the mac and cheese balls, though my girlfriend ordered the halloumi - definitely ordering that next time. Mains were a mixed bag. We had to send one of the steaks we ordered back because it was ordered medium-rare, and arrived (and was announced as) medium-well. Aside from that, though, everything else turned up OK. I went for the goucho burger: a burger, topped with a 7oz flat iron steak. Amazing! The bro-in-law went for the "Once in a Lifetime" burger which was, frankly, ridiculous. (Yes, I am totally regretting not ordering that myself!) Dessert was a bit hit-and-miss as, again presumably due to it being a busy Saturday, they were out of some of our groups first choice. They then turned out to also have none of what people ordered instead - but the chap from Solita who explained that also let those affected have a more expensive pud from the specials board for the same price as the one originally ordered. Overall, not my best visit to Solita. Can't fault the lady who was waiting on our table tbh, as she was great - I think it was some of the supporting staff, those who were running the drinks etc who perhaps dropped the ball a touch. I think if I'm going to venture back to a Solita, it'll probably be the Didsbury one rather than NQ. read more
11 years ago
Having now visited for burgers, beers and brunch on three separate occasions it feels like high time to write a review. Burgers - I had the Back to Basics. When eating at places that do burgers piled high with toppings, I like to go for the simplest one on the menu, to see if the food is actually any good under all the stuff. This one was very good, and I'd happily go back for a more dollied up version now. Beers - Ah, beer gardens. When that weird bright shiny thing appears in the sky it is nice to find a good one. Solita's is a pretty good one, even though it is flanked by the delightful sight of the NCP. Pints of Paulaner were excellent and they just kept coming, much to my dismay when it came to paying the bill. Brunch - We had been talking about going for brunch here pretty much since they started doing brunch. We finally plodded along at about 11.30 on a Saturday, nabbing a table straight away and settling in with a large coffee and an orange juice. Fulfilling stereotypes with our food choices, I had the Uovo Pomodoro (eggs baked in a tomato sauce) and he the Steak Eggs Benedict. I thought I might be jealous of his decadent choice but actually my dish was so delicious that I couldn't be. It tasted bright and fresh, with a pleasant heat that crept up on me as I ate. The eggs were wonderful, oozing creamy yolk into the sauce to be mopped up with delightfully chewy toast soldiers. I believe that he enjoyed his too but honestly I was too lost in food heaven to pay much attention. Before first visiting Solita, I thought that they might be a bit gimmicky, like that other popular burger restaurant *ahem*. But the more I learn of them through more it seems that there's no gimmicks, just good food that changes relatively often to keep up with trends and to try new things. read more
Considering how popular Solita is and how long its been around, its a surprise to me (and others) that until the other week, I had never been to Solita. Now looking at the Yelp reviews, the rating is actually quite mixed. Looking at the reviews for people I know, a good few 5s but also 3s. Anyway, I went to Solita with a group of other Yelpers. I had the nachos for starter and the Jack Daddy burger (which comes with standard fries). This had onion rings, Monterey Jack cheese and Jack Daniel's grill sauce. The nachos were a bit unusual since they were blue corn. I didn't realise this meant they would come all dark in colour - almost like it was burnt. But it wasn't! They tasted OK - fairly standard (apart from the colour) nachos. The burger was not bad. Certainly had better. Would have been better if it was more juicy. But burger, onions, cheese is always a good combo. Maybe because of my impression that it was really good, really popular etc that I built it all up too much. The service was good and I would not hesitate to go back again. If I did, I would probably try something else other than a burger. If I wanted a burger, Manchester has other (better) options - in my opinion. read more
My second visit to solita was so much better than my first, so I'm glad to be able to put a good review together! Not sure my body was loving it after consuming over double a days worth of food, but it was definitely worth it... On my first visit my mate talked me into trying the bacon fat starter, which I'm afraid to say was pretty terrible. If you have a bad starter, it kind of ruins the main meal! However, I avoided the bad recommendation this time and went for the nachos topped with cheese and guacamole, sour cream and salsa dips, which was much better. I went for the safe option, but some of the group got really tempting starters like cheeseburger spring rolls and halloumi bites with dips which id possibly go for next time... So onto the main- I love a good burger, but always seem to prefer a chicken or veggie burger that little bit more, so I typically opted for the buttermilk fried chicken burger. It comes with a rich chicken gravy sauce for pouring onto the chicken, or for dipping. I did a bit of both, and it was soooooo good! I opted for sweet potato fries instead of regular as my side, which came crinkle cut and again were lovely. Couldn't fault the burger- possibly about 3000 calories on the plate but I enjoyed every calorie! It's always pretty busy in solita no matter which night you go, with a fairly good atmosphere. Prices reflect those of almost famous and luck lust liquor burn, and I'd say the standard of food is equally as good. In fact, I like this place a little bit more than almost famous as I'm pretty sure AF doesn't do a chicken burger? Correct me if I'm wrong though ... A small, bustling restaurante in the heart of the NQ which id recommend for those with big appetites :) read more
11 years ago
We went to Solita for New Years Eve, and I couldn't fault the experience. It could be that I was expecting it to be slow service, with staff who were angry at me for not being in their shoes. But I couldn't have been more wrong. The staff were friendly and attentive all evening. We were shown to our table which was up two flights of stairs (the smoker in me wasn't too pleased - but I wasn't about to complain). We chose all three courses at the beginning of the meal, so that each course was brought to us promptly and they could get in the next party as soon as possible. Having said this - it didn't feel like we were being rushed at all. All three courses were lovely, and considering they were fully booked all evening I was pleasantly surprised at the speediness of each course arriving to our table. The wine was top notch too. I would highly recommend when booking a table for a party to ask for a seat upstairs - the downstairs seemed very busy and hectic, whereas on our floor there was only one other table of people. This made the evening feel quite intimate, almost like a dinner party - not something you expect when going for a meal on New Years Eve! The whole party left completely stuffed and extremely satisfied - so hat's off to the Solita team for working so hard while we ate and drank at New Year! read more
12 years ago
12 years ago
Ever looking for the next meat fix, my friend and I headed to SoLiTa to indulge. Having not been for circa 6 months and my companion not having any previous visits, I was happy to suggest and show off my old favourite Manchester spot. Despite the drop in star, it's still a huge favourite; I find it reliable in that I know that it's there and will be for a while - there's little worse than becoming hugely attached to an independent and then it closing down. I feel on this occasion the downside was our timing. Visiting directly after work and arriving at roughly 6.30pm on a Tuesday, there really was little to no atmosphere; but then, what can you expect when you're effectively eating during early-bird hours? The menu has only had minor tweaks since my last trip, which was a bit of a let down as I'm always excited by a few new menu additions to try, but something that SoLiTa always cracks out is their specials, which were the Krabby Patty (worth a Google - very visually impressive, and a little bit terrifying!) and the Game of Bones. We shared the ribs, wings, rings and things to start so we could have a little bit of everything. It was slightly hard to eat due to the sheer amount of sauce, but we weren't afraid to get a bit sticky and make the most of the wet wipes provided. I just had to go for the Game of Bones burger; burger, cheese, gherkins...oh, topped with boneless ribs. Meat heaven; it all worked really well, with a good mixture of sweet and savoury, and it didn't disintegrate in my hands, which is always a bonus. Service was friendly and fast, but it was just missing that special something that makes you walk away saying wow. read more
The Oxford English Dictionary definition of fancy burgers, So Litas. I've been many a time and loved it, this time is no exception. Having indulged in the Manchester Markets earlier I had to pass on the Once In a Lifetime and went for the Schnitz, pulled pork, chicken and BBQ sauce - spot on. £30 for two burgers and two drinks, not bad at all - in fact unbeatable in terms of quality. read more
8 years ago
The vibe is nice the entry way is not the biggest but there is a parking garage across the street and also a small out door area to hang out and eat and have a pint. Menu is a good mix of all those burger classics that you love and the Mac and cheese balls NOCE!!! read more
10 years ago
One star for the amazing buffalo chicken wing. One star for the big portion of all their dishes, especially the mains (and burgers obviously). One star for very nice starters! One star for their warm service. However, I find the buttermilk chicken burger and their very famous sweet potato fries not that good as I expected. Maybe it was because they came after I finished the starter (spring rolls, good) and chicken wings (buffalo, amazing) and I'm already stuffed. Next time I visit maybe I'll just order a starter and some chicken wings. read more
13 years ago
Well, haven't *I* just had reviews drafted in the last 6 months and life's gotten in the way of me writing just like it always does! Goodness. Now I know how you all felt when I was badgering you every day as community manager round these here parts, begging you to write reviews of where you'd been. I wholeheartedly apologise/don't. Still, this feels like coming home. So! ...LiTa, let's go! I now live in Ancoats (don't be creepy and look me up, I'll invite you round for a cuppa IF I like you) which was once known as the Little Italy of Manchester. Italian settlers round here made pizzas and gelato and all kinds of lovely yummy bits and bobs amongst the cotton mills and chimneys you see all around. Well, SoLiTa takes its name from this, shortened from South of Little Italy. Which technically the Northern Quarter is, geographically speaking... confusing as it sounds, calling something with North in the title South of something. Let's not get brainhurt before we can even try to fail in our January resolutions. Anyway, I'd wanted to try this place ever since I accidentally walked past it, as the menu appealed to my newly-awakened carnivorous side and it sounded, well, for want of a better phrase, kinda poncey and unusual. What I mean by that is there were names of things like 'deep fried coke', 'pulled pork sundae' and the like. I've graced this place with my presence twice in my deeply-regretted Yelp absence (darn you life, get out of the way!), once on a girly date and another taking Mum and Auntie out for some scran. So, what's the verdict? Positives: - The burger is infused with bonemarrow. Don't ask me how this works and if that means it's some kind of dog treat... It tastes delicious and makes it juicy. Still doesn't knock Almost Famous out of the park, but hey, it's nice to know you can chow down on a yummy burger that isn't a crazy tall towering gourmet type. - Suitable For Parents. Yep, bring them here and they'll finally realise that Manchester isn't all uncouth greasy spoons and hipster silliness. It actually feels like dining out, and you're paying for quality. Plus, there were sensible options for the older fillies in my life... they both had a juicy chicken breast don'tcha know. - Great service. If you know Dom the Manager from his Teacup days you'll know he doesn't suffer fools gladly, and I have the inside track that he's much happier in this gig because he can really let his Italian roots run riot. That said, the cuisine is far from Italian-feeling... It's somewhere between Southern 11 and a right-posh Almost Famous. Don't be expecting carbonara and lasagne. Head over to Jamie's Italian p'haps for that nosh. - Deep fried mac and cheese balls that put Simple's in the shadows. - BACON JAM. Just don't leave without trying this. It comes in an adorable pot!!! (And there's nice toast, don't worry about having to spoon it directly into your mouth... not that I've tried this, honest.) - 60/40 mash. That's, er, 60% potato, 40% butter. Because you only live once... and lovehandles are cute anyway. - Tasty cocktails and a great wine selection. Negatives: - My veggie friend was happy enough with her mushroom burger option, but I know that when I didn't partake in meat I did like to be presented with a few choices. Noteworthy noticing of someone else's review: - There's a BREAKING BAD BURGER?!? I feel I need this in my life. Then again, doesn't Walt always eat PB&J when he's making meth? read more
11 years ago
Innovative menu? Check! Unique to Manchester? Check! Convenient location that's easy for someone new to Manchester to find? Check! Recommended by the CM for someone who has never been to his city before? Check! Delicious food AND 50p from each burger is donated to a great local charity for kids? Check! SoLiTa definitely checked all my boxes! When I learned I would be coming down to Manchester for a quick work trip with an overnight, I immediately asked Jonny Q what he recommended as I only had a short time here, had never been to Manchester, and wanted to make the most of my short time here to explore the unique goody offerings here. I went for SoLiTa and it was a fantastic choice. I wasn't sure it would be the best place to go as a solo traveller, but it was totally great since its such a quirky and cool place that they had tons of cool stuff to look at on the walls (cartoons, great items from the menu, info about their super awesome Inka charcoal grill, etc) and friendly staff who made me feel right at home. Speaking of the Inka grill, I don't think I've been to a restaurant with one before and don't know of any in Edinburgh that do. This grill is super hot and cooks the meat really quickly, making it so tender it melts in your mouth. I had the SoLiTa burger with smoked brisket chilli, blue cheese and BBQ sauce - the burger was smothered in the brisket and the BBQ flavours of the tender brisket and burger meat worked perfectly together. The chips were different from the norm, too, and were good, and they had a great drinks menu featuring German and American beers and some awesome Hawaiian beers. SoLiTa was a great place to go, and I loved it! read more
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Solita - Manchester - burgers - Updated May 2026
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