Libertines opens in Didsbury

The suburbs of this great city is where it is at at the moment, and the arrival of Libertine has well and truly put Withington on the map.

The team behind Cottonopolis and Edinburgh Castle have taken over the grand grade II listed former bank opposite the library and turned it into the new restaurant and bar space with a community focus, with the owners hoping to entice the locals with their friendly welcome.

The site is vast, with many original features lovingly restored during the renovation. The result is a welcoming ambience that still keeps that feeling of calm, so you can sit in a corner with a friend for a quiet drink, or join those at the bar for a more social feel.

Speaking of the bar, if you have been to Cottonopolis you will know their skills when it comes to cocktails and Libertine is no different.

We tried their Margaritas and Daiquiris and both are worth a sip. If a beer is more your thing, you will find a beer focused bar here with 20 keg and 4 cask lines to whet your appetite.

On the food side? An open kitchen is centred around live fire cooking over wood and charcoal. The menu features small plates and pizzasmidweek, with Sunday roasts being the MainStage event on Sundays. There is a lovely focus on vegetable dishes as well as meat and fish, with

gorgeous jersey royals taking place instead of the humble chip. We definitely approve.

We enjoyed the coal fired flatbread, with yeast butter for a hit of umami and sprinkling of pecorino. The ‘fire’ section of the menu really shined for us with a butter soft dry aged pave steak and an interesting addition to the menu, the smoked mackerel. It’s not something you seeoften on a menu but here, it is butterflied and then served on a kohlrabi and apple slaw for a burst of freshness and a touch of crunch.

There are no desserts, and whilst we were a little disappointed not toindulge our sweet tooth, we made up for it with a particular punchy Espresso Martini, made with local Worker Bee coffee.

The food, on paper is simple, yet beautifully executed and we can’t wait to go back for a taste of those Sunday roasts whilst listening to live music with the people of Withington. Can you think of a better way to spend the day? No us neither.

Keeley Watts for Canal St Media

www.phatcupcake.com - an award winning food and travel blog based in Manchester

Published: 25-Aug-2022 (6789)