"Adam Reid's modern British tasting menu in Manchester's Midland Hotel — the Golden Empire dessert and northern produce, for a serious special-occasion dinner."
About Adam Reid at The French
Adam Reid at The French is the fine-dining room of the Midland Hotel on Peter Street in central Manchester, a grand Edwardian space first opened in 1903. Adam Reid arrived as head chef in 2013 under Simon Rogan and took the room over as chef-patron in 2016, putting his own name above the door. Though the room's name nods to French tradition, the cooking is modern British and is shaped more by Reid's northern upbringing than by Paris, built around a multi-course tasting menu.
For more of the city's top tables, compare the two-Michelin-star tasting menus at Mana, the Michelin cooking at Where The Light Gets In and the seasonal British menus at Higher Ground. For the category, see our fine-dining guide.
The Kitchen
Reid cooks a set tasting menu of refined modern British dishes that lean on northern produce and his own memory rather than classical French templates. The signature is the Golden Empire, the apple-and-caramel dessert that won him BBC's Great British Menu, and which has stayed on the menu as the kitchen's calling card. The format is a single Signature tasting menu at around 160 pounds a head, with a longer Signature Experience at around 230 pounds that adds extra courses and pairings. The room has held four AA Rosettes, and the cooking is precise, seasonal and personal; book the longer menu to see the kitchen at full stretch.
The Room
The dining room is one of the most beautiful in the city: a gilded, mirrored Edwardian space under ornate plasterwork, restored as the centrepiece of the Midland Hotel. Service is polished and unhurried, the pace measured, and the whole evening is geared to a long, special-occasion dinner rather than a quick meal. It sits on Peter Street in the city centre, an easy walk from the main hotels and venues. Reservations are essential, dinner is the focus, and smart dress suits the surroundings.
Best for an Anniversary
The grand room, the tasting menu and the polished service make Adam Reid at The French a memorable anniversary or proposal dinner, and an impressive setting in which to impress clients or guests in Manchester.
Not for
Not for a quick, casual or budget meal — this is a formal tasting-menu restaurant in a grand hotel room, built for a long, special-occasion dinner.
Frequently Asked
Who is the chef at Adam Reid at The French?
The chef-patron is Adam Reid, who joined The French as head chef in 2013 under Simon Rogan and took the room over under his own name in 2016. He is best known for winning BBC's Great British Menu, and cooks a modern British tasting menu shaped by his northern roots.
What is the Golden Empire?
The Golden Empire is Adam Reid's signature dessert, an apple-and-caramel creation that won him BBC's Great British Menu. It has remained on the tasting menu at The French as the kitchen's calling card, and is one of the dishes most associated with the restaurant.
How much does Adam Reid at The French cost?
The restaurant serves a set tasting menu. The Signature menu runs around 160 pounds per person, with a longer Signature Experience at around 230 pounds that adds further courses and pairings. It is a special-occasion restaurant rather than a casual dinner.
Where is Adam Reid at The French?
It is inside the Midland Hotel on Peter Street in central Manchester, in the hotel's gilded Edwardian dining room. The location is an easy walk from the city's main hotels, theatres and venues, and reservations are essential for the tasting menu.
What kind of food does The French serve?
Despite the name, the cooking is modern British rather than French. Chef Adam Reid builds a multi-course tasting menu around northern produce and personal memory, with refined, seasonal dishes and the Golden Empire dessert as its best-known course.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Adam Reid at The French
Reservations are essential; the restaurant is inside the Midland Hotel on Peter Street and serves a set tasting menu.
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Practical Information
AddressThe Midland Hotel, Peter Street, Manchester M60 2DS
NeighbourhoodCity Centre (Peter Street)
CuisineModern British
PriceSignature tasting menu ~£160; Signature Experience ~£230
Dress CodeSmart
SeatingGilded Edwardian dining room in the Midland Hotel
ReservationEssential
