It’s fair to say that Manchester likes a rooftop. Whether it’s a trip to Terrace’s beer garden in the Northern Quarter or 20 Stories wrap-around terrace on Spinningfields, rooftop bars and restaurants are one of the first places we think to head to when the sun comes out to play and a post-work drink is in order.
And next the next couple of years will see the arrival of a few more. The Treehouse Hotel will land on Deansgate, Soho House and its rooftop pool will open at Old Granada Studios and Chotto Matte - a Japanese Peruvian restaurant concept - will take up residence atop Gary Neville’s St Michael’s development.
But you don’t need to wait for those to open to get your panoramic views of the Manchester skyline because Climat, a new wine-led restaurant, will be opening its doors this Friday (December 2) at Blackfriars House in the city centre. Filling the role of sister restaurant to Chester’s Michelin-Guide recommended Covino, the new spot will combine Parisian-style interiors with casual, yet elevated dining.
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Christopher Laidler, owner of Climat, notes: “After a lot of blood, sweat, and tears (mostly my own), I couldn’t be happier that we’re one step closer to bringing Climat to life with the menu and wine list already things I’m immensely proud of. Climat is essentially going to be a place for guests to share our passion for really good food and drink in a relaxed rooftop setting with what I think is one of the best views of Manchester’s skyline.
“We’re well on the way to achieving this; from the look and feel of the restaurant coming together, to the exciting daily changing menu ideas and informal but quietly knowledgeable style of service we have planned.”
While the rooftop views are spectacular - head out onto the terrace and you’ll catch a glimpse of the River Irwell, The Lowry Hotel and fellow rooftop bars on Deansgate - the food and drink here are the focus here. The name ‘Climat’ derives from the term used to describe a singular vineyard site in Burgundy, which is lauded for its microclimate and specific growing conditions - it’s the region where most of the wines - of which there’s more than 250 - will be selected from.
Food wise, the menu has been developed by Executive Chef Luke Richardson and Head Chef Simon Ulph, and has taken care to offer British cuisine with influences from around the globe. The aim of the game here as Luke tells the Manchester Evening News is to simply create “food you want to eat” or “Parisian expat food” for those looking to impress their friends.
Utilising Covino as a testbed in preparation for the new opening, the dishes have been created to cater to tables of three or more to share. Expect whole turbot or slow-cooked lamb shoulder, alongside a small selection of snacks and larger plates - all of which change depending on the best produce available that day.
Evolving daily, diners can also try dishes cooked over the grill, especially cuts like white pork loin and ex-dairy cuts on-the-bone, all while experiencing a bespoke offer every day of the week. Every restaurant has to have a signature dish of course, and for Climat, Luke and Simon have called upon cult classic vol-au-vents.
On the menu, Luke Richardson, said: “We want to have a different signature snack at each restaurant we open. Whilst Covino has the gougère, Climat will have the vol-au-vent.
“The humble gougère will continue to serve Covino, whilst we’ve opted to resurrect the vol-au-vent for Climat, owing to their complete versatility throughout the seasons. They can literally be stuffed with anything. Beef tartare, parfait, truffle and ricotta to name just a few.”
“Both myself and Simon have worked closely together to develop an opening menu we are both super proud of and we think does justice to the building and the surroundings. We believe we offer something completely different to the Manchester restaurant scene and we now can’t wait to officially launch.”
Grab a stool at the wrap-around bar or lounge area and pick from the daily snack menu of fresh malted loaves, seasonal oysters, fried swede and charcuterie - all which can be washed back with one of Climat’s carefully selected bottles of wine or classic cocktails. From some of the world’s best chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, to Burgundy’s lesser-known grape varieties and appellations, the cellar and bar team will be on hand to guide you.
The wine list of over 250 different cuvées will also be diversified by the remainder of the cellar’s wines from around the world. Here, you’ll find at least 15 different growers of Champagnes and the exciting wines of Jura, helped along by other favourite wine varieties and regions.
Wine lovers will be pleased to hear that there’ll be a variety of styles and price points, made up of lesser-known small producers, as well as rare icons, back vintages and large formats.
The restaurant opens this Friday, December 2 and bookings are now open. On Monday, the dining spot will be open 5-11pm, Tuesday through Saturday it will be open 12-3pm for snacks and 5-11pm for the full kitchen experience. And on Sundays, the kitchen will be open 12-8pm, with the bar remaining open until 10pm.
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