Ruth praised a fabulous Sunday lunch she had in Manchester on a break during filming for the gripping new Netflix thriller Run Away

16:46, 01 Jan 2026Updated 17:56, 01 Jan 2026

Ruth Jones as Elena Ravenscroft in the new Netflix drama Run Away, which was filmed across the north west(Image: Netflix)

Stars of the new Netflix hit drama Run Away spent six months filming the show in Manchester across 2025, and for show star Ruth Jones that meant finding some amazing dining spots.

Gavin & Stacey star Ruth plays private detective Elena Ravenscroft in the gripping new drama, adapted from a Harlan Coben novel. She teams up with James Nesbitt’s Simon Greene in the story, a desperate dad trying to track down his teenage daughter who has gone missing from her university.

The thriller, which is now streaming on Netflix, was filmed on locations across Greater Manchester and the north west for the first six months of 2025.

Ruth said in interviews about the show, that it was the first time she had filmed in Manchester since 2004, when she filmed comedy series I’m With Stupid here. So it meant for lots of discovery of new places across the city while based here for six months with the Netflix cast and crew.

Ruth said: “I have friends who live in Manchester, and we had Sunday lunch at the Dakota hotel (the DakotaGrill – highly recommended) and drinks there in the conservatory. I also had a fabulous meal at the Ivy Asia.”

The Ivy Asia on Spinningfields was a hit with Ruth Jones (Image: The Ivy Collection)

The Ivy Asia is the glamorous second floor restaurant inside The Ivy on Spinningfields, which is known for its sparkling emerald green floor.

Meanwhile the Dakota Hotel, near Manchester Piccadilly Train Station, is one of Manchester’s top-rated hotels having won a number of awards over recent years. Its restaurant, the Dakota Grill, and outdoor terrace have become a popular spot for visiting celebrities in recent years.

Gary Barlow even hosted an impromptu “Barlow’s Bingo” night there after gigs in the city.

Dakota Grill is certainly very confident about its Sunday lunch offering praised by Ruth, which it describes as “the best Sunday roast in Manchester” on its website. The restaurant’s Sunday lunch is two courses for £35 or three courses for £40, including the option of either half a roast chicken, roast sirloin of beef or nut roast. All are served with Roast Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding,Cauliflower Cheese, Honey Roast Parsnips, Buttered Greens, Carrot & Swede Mash.

The terrace at the Dakota Grill (Image: Dakota Hotel)

There was also love for Liverpool from Ruth too, with the film shoot also taking the cast out there for memorable scenes at Sefton Park and also on Faulkner Street in the city centre.

In Ruth’s first scene in the drama, Elena is seen “dognapping” a dog running around Sefton Park, and using it as a tactic to get in touch with the owners who she is tracing as a private investigator, we soon discover.

Ruth said: “I also loved seeing a bit more of Liverpool which I didn’t really know at all. The architecture there is fantastic, and Sefton Park – beautiful. The people there were very friendly too.”

In the Netflix thriller itself, viewers may also spot some Manchester venues, including Evelyn’s in the Northern Quarter, which doubles as the vegan cafe Finch & Leaf in the action. Liverpool cafe Minna also appears in the drama in an early episode, which is close to Sefton Park.

Ruth Jones and James Nesbitt filmed at Evelyn’s restaurant in Manchester’s Northern Quarter for the Netflix drama Run Away(Image: PA)

Other cast members on the Netflix drama have spoken of their admiration of Manchester too.

Actor Alfred Enoch plays Detective Isaac Fagbenle in Run Away and is at the heart of the explosive action. Alfred has previously appeared in theatre in Manchester, at the Royal Exchange Theatre in 2015 and starring in Tree at the Manchester International Festival in 2019.

When asked about the dining scene here said there is one place that has left a lasting impression on him.

Alfred Enoch plays Detective Isaac Fagbenle in Netflix drama Run Away(Image: Netflix)

Alfred said: “I have a few favourite restaurants and cafes I love too. There is a brilliant Polish restaurant called Platzki, which is just off Deansgate.

“It was the one place that I didn’t get to go to this time because we were shooting long hours, and it is slightly on the other side of town to where I was staying. But the food there is sensational.”