The story
Chef patron Simon Shaw brought his acclaimed tapas restaurant to Manchester in 2016, relocating from a Yorkshire village to an elegant converted townhouse on King Street. It was a bold move that cemented his reputation and established El Gato Negro as one of the North West’s most successful restaurants.
The award-winning menu combines modern and traditional Spanish flavours and techniques, offering seasonally-influenced small plates based on quality Spanish and locally-sourced ingredients. Signature dishes are served alongside some of Spain’s best wines and sherries. Occupying three distinct floors, the stunning interior reflects the restaurant’s style and dining experience – both refined and relaxed.
Since opening, the restaurant has consistently received acclaim. It has been crowned City Life’s ‘Best Restaurant’ twice, won ‘Premium & Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year’ at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards, and was listed in the National Restaurant Awards Top 100 for two consecutive years. Most notably, the Michelin Guide has awarded El Gato Negro a Bib Gourmand for offering “exceptionally good food at moderate prices” – making it the only Manchester city centre restaurant to hold the honour.
Simon Shaw is one of the North’s most highly respected restaurateurs, with over 35 years of experience. Originally from Yorkshire, he worked at Harvey Nichols in Leeds and London before opening his first El Gato Negro in the Pennine village of Ripponden. Its reputation grew rapidly, earning a Bib Gourmand for its last three years in Yorkshire before the move to Manchester.
The menu is informed by what’s fresh and in season, taking the best of modern and traditional Spanish cuisine while drawing on ingredients from closer to home. The result – whether eating casually at the bar with a drink, or enjoying a more extensive dining experience – is balanced, exciting food that evokes the spirit of Barcelona, Madrid and San Sebastián. The drinks list, curated with Master of Wine Miles Corish, features a unique selection from independent Spanish producers, alongside a range of sherries and artfully made cocktails.
El Gato Negro remains a defining address for Spanish cuisine in Manchester.
Recognition
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History
good quality, good value cooking
The triple-decker delights of the original 'Black Cat' seem almost quaint given chef-patron Simon Shaw's subsequent adventures in Manchester and beyond. But King Street's top-floor terrace, open kitchen on the middle floor and darkling street-level tapas bar offer both a whisper of glamour and a reliable hand in the kitchen; years of in-house experience with solid Spanish ingredients pays off handsomely on the plate. Charcuterie boards are all killer, no filler, with sweet notes provided by orange-blossom honey and quince jelly, while tapas are characterised by rich saucing and plenty of punch – try the chicken thighs with mojo picón, the smoky grilled lamb skewers accompanied by butter bean houmous and harissa yoghurt or hispi cabbage with parsnip purée and Picos Blue vinaigrette. For zing, look to chargrilled octopus with new potatoes, capers and shallots, plus a glass of white Rioja from the Iberian-led wine list. For afters, crema catalana is a classic, likewise Basque cheesecake with Turrón sauce; alternatively, dip into the Euro-accented orange bomb with white chocolate mousse, orange coulis and honeycomb. Note that amiable service can be administered in Spanish, if required.
1 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
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