Hispi

Part of Gary Usher's Elite Bistro group, Hispi has built a national reputation on doing the classics properly. The Sunday roast leans on well-sourced, aged beef, potatoes cooked in dripping and a Yorkshire pudding that regularly gets described as the size of a planet, with a proper vegetarian roast option too (the dish changes with the season). Bistro pricing keeps two or three courses within reach, which is why it consistently turns up on best-of-Britain lists. It is a short trip out to leafy Didsbury rather than the city centre, which is the main reason it sits behind Hawksmoor; but at around £20-26 for two or three courses it costs less than the benchmark above and edges the traditional Sam's Chop House below on chef-led cooking and national acclaim. The trade-off against Sam's is the journey out and a small room that books up fast.