The north of England is notorious for its food: dishes from all
over the world have been truly incorporated into the traditions of
northern cities, and made firm roots, where they can now call home. From
deep-fried Mars Bars in Scotland, or chips with curry sauce in
Newcastle, traditional foods in northern cities differ greatly.
Different kinds of food in the north are loved by locals and visitors
alike - they are now as much a part of the cities themselves as they are
reasons to visit each city in their own right.
The city of Manchester is famed the world over for its so-called 'curry mile', thought to be the largest concentration of South Asian restaurants outside of the Indian subcontinent. Here, take-away restaurants, curry houses and kebab outlets specialise in Asian cuisine, from India to Pakistan and back again - more than seventy shops sit side by side in this small stretch of the city.
In recent years, the Middle Eastern influence on the area has increased, with Arabic food now enjoyed alongside alongside the well-loved and popular curries of the stretch. With the Arabic influence have come a number of restaurants embodying the tradition of smoking Shisha pipes, allowing visitors to take a relaxed attitude to eating, spending time relaxing with some Shisha over supper.
Across the city sit more than three hundred different restaurants to choose from, with every kind of food imaginable - as in any other cosmopolitan city in Europe, and incorporating the flavours of many neighbouring countries. At the other end of the scale from the curry houses, Manchester is home to a number of excellent restaurants, where well-known chefs cook outstanding food for their guests.
Dropping south-east to Nottingham, the variety and quality of the food remains. Café culture reigns supreme here, with the local Nottingham people enjoying nothing more than a cup of tea and a slice of cake at one of the city's many cafes - especially when the sun is shining, and tables spill on to the streets, and a convivial atmosphere rules.
Double Michelin-starred Sat Bains sits at the top of the spectrum, the crème-de-la-crème of Nottingham dining, while many other cuisines star in different parts of town. The iconic Lace Market shows visitors the creativity of tapas at Iberico, intricate Chinese creations at Opium, and classic British delicacies at a real mix of restaurants for all occasions.
Dropping slightly further south again - yet still relatively in the north - Birmingham is a further food capital for the UK: Birmingham's history has been intertwined with food and drink for many years.
It was in Birmingham that Thomas Ridgeway first started trading tea in the 1830s at the Bull Ring - today, one of the most important hubs in the city - and William Sumner, founder of Typhoo Tea, also had his earliest business roots in the city.
From this point forward, Birmingham was an important place for food trading throughout the nineteenth century. Limes and cocoa were two of the most significant imports into the city: the influence of the latter can still be seen today as the city is still home to the Cadbury chocolate empire.
You might be having lunch with a group of friends in one part of town, sipping coffee on a sunny pavement in the afternoon, and then donning your glad-rags for a Michelin-starred supper - all within a few hours of each other. Northerners like their food, but most of all they love to share it with their guests - so all that remains to be seen is to pick which city to be whisked away to first...
The city of Manchester is famed the world over for its so-called 'curry mile', thought to be the largest concentration of South Asian restaurants outside of the Indian subcontinent. Here, take-away restaurants, curry houses and kebab outlets specialise in Asian cuisine, from India to Pakistan and back again - more than seventy shops sit side by side in this small stretch of the city.
In recent years, the Middle Eastern influence on the area has increased, with Arabic food now enjoyed alongside alongside the well-loved and popular curries of the stretch. With the Arabic influence have come a number of restaurants embodying the tradition of smoking Shisha pipes, allowing visitors to take a relaxed attitude to eating, spending time relaxing with some Shisha over supper.
Across the city sit more than three hundred different restaurants to choose from, with every kind of food imaginable - as in any other cosmopolitan city in Europe, and incorporating the flavours of many neighbouring countries. At the other end of the scale from the curry houses, Manchester is home to a number of excellent restaurants, where well-known chefs cook outstanding food for their guests.
Dropping south-east to Nottingham, the variety and quality of the food remains. Café culture reigns supreme here, with the local Nottingham people enjoying nothing more than a cup of tea and a slice of cake at one of the city's many cafes - especially when the sun is shining, and tables spill on to the streets, and a convivial atmosphere rules.
Double Michelin-starred Sat Bains sits at the top of the spectrum, the crème-de-la-crème of Nottingham dining, while many other cuisines star in different parts of town. The iconic Lace Market shows visitors the creativity of tapas at Iberico, intricate Chinese creations at Opium, and classic British delicacies at a real mix of restaurants for all occasions.
Dropping slightly further south again - yet still relatively in the north - Birmingham is a further food capital for the UK: Birmingham's history has been intertwined with food and drink for many years.
It was in Birmingham that Thomas Ridgeway first started trading tea in the 1830s at the Bull Ring - today, one of the most important hubs in the city - and William Sumner, founder of Typhoo Tea, also had his earliest business roots in the city.
From this point forward, Birmingham was an important place for food trading throughout the nineteenth century. Limes and cocoa were two of the most significant imports into the city: the influence of the latter can still be seen today as the city is still home to the Cadbury chocolate empire.
You might be having lunch with a group of friends in one part of town, sipping coffee on a sunny pavement in the afternoon, and then donning your glad-rags for a Michelin-starred supper - all within a few hours of each other. Northerners like their food, but most of all they love to share it with their guests - so all that remains to be seen is to pick which city to be whisked away to first...
No comments:
Post a Comment