First look inside Manchester’s newest high-end eatery
Skof will be run by L’Enclume alumnus Tom Barnes and is billed as an “unpretentious yet ambitious dining experience”.
Place North West revealed in November that Barnes was planning to open his first solo high-end restaurant within Manchester’s Hanover Building.
Now, a planning application to covert part of the NOMA asset has been submitted to Manchester City Council and fresh images have been issued to give punters a flavour of what they might be in for at Skof.
To learn more, search for application reference 138988/JO/2024 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.
Barnes, who has appeared on the TV show Great British Menu, is the executive chef at Simon Rogan’s acclaimed three Michelin-star L’Enclume in Cumbria.
Skof will be owned and operated by Barnes and form part of the next iteration of UMBEL Restaurants, where the group – owned by Rogan – will support individuals in opening their own restaurants and businesses.
Skof will not be UMBEL’s only Manchester venue. The group is also behind plans for The Mezz, a new restaurant due to open as part of the £50m upgrade of the AO Arena.
Barnes has worked with Rogan for 12 years. He joined L’Enclume in 2011 and became head chef in 2013, the year the restaurant won its second Michelin star.
Manchester’s luxury dining scene is in the midst of a boom, with several high-profile outfits open or planning to open in the city.
Earlier this year Mayfair restaurant Sexy Fish launched in Spinningfields, while Chotto Matte, which serves Peruvian and Japanese fusion, has committed to a rooftop restaurant at St Michael’s.
Chotto Matte is owned by Kurt Zdesar, former European director for American hospitality group Nobu, which was co-founded by actor Robert DeNiro.
At present, Manchester has one Michelin-star restaurant; Mana in Ancoats.
Is it instagrammable? Young people want to go to places that are instagrammable and have celebrities there, that’s why Sexy Fish and Fenix are thriving,
By Gilly
This is very true though. In order for restaurants to thrive nowadays, a main feature must be for it to be instagrammable.
By Anonymous
Thank goodness for a wonderful Chef serving beautiful food in the most dynamic and vibrant Noma – an area of soul and character where authentic real people meet to eat , talk and be happy. Hopefully it won’t attract the shallow superficial instagrammable plastic types who go to Sexy Fish.
By Michael Hawkins
I’ve seen much better designed motorway cafeterias
By Anonymous
With his background I hope it’s food first and Instagram opportunities last. Too many places opening in Manchester with mediocre food.
By Phil
All the same pretensions. Nothing different. A walk around the rear of all these places reveals unwashed spotty youths smoking and then subsequently serving you your “sensational” experience on a plate. Erm…..good luck with that.
By Chris Hulme
It looks cheap, nothing like a high end restaurant, more like a rough pub
By Stormer
Despite the usual ‘everything is misery…😅’ this is a great addition. Even the miserable can eat here…as long as they can pay. Might cheer em up!
By Phil Emup
Blimey – seems like some of the misery and pessimism that infects Liverpool threads on this site has legged it down the East Lancs Road for a day out. Be happy, people.
By More Anonymous than the others
The whole Instagrammable thing might have been relevant a few years ago. With the older ‘gen Z’ who are much less interested in social media now beginning to enter higher paying jobs – I reckon this has a good chance
By Anonymous
Good luck but the CGI’s are just woeful!
By Alan
Adore the comments. Very Manc. Absolutely no interest in the food whatsoever – which, of course, is totally how the city works.
By Anonymous