{"id":441005,"date":"2025-09-21T13:30:42","date_gmt":"2025-09-21T13:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/441005\/"},"modified":"2025-09-21T13:30:42","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T13:30:42","slug":"i-tried-the-michelin-recommended-stockport-restaurant-with-view-of-primark-and-an-eyewatering-price-tag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/441005\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I tried the Michelin-recommended Stockport restaurant with view of Primark and an eyewatering price tag’"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the shadow of Primark and the Merseyway Shopping Centre sits one of Greater Manchester\u2019s best restaurants<\/p>\n

Jenna is the What’s On Editor for the Manchester Evening News, covering everything from new restaurant and bar openings to gig reviews and live coverage of major events and festivals across the region. Jenna joined the M.E.N In 2022 having previously worked as a freelance food and travel writer and as editor of Supper magazine.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe restaurant loved by Michelin is located on Great Underbank in Stockport Town Centre (Image: MEN)<\/p>\n

Growing up in Stockport, a trip to the town centre promised a few things.It wasn\u2019t a glamorous affair but it had its perks.<\/p>\n

School holidays meant trying on musty bonnets at the Hat Museum, wandering around the Merseyway Shopping Centre, and scrunching your eyes tight as you propelled yourself down the big slide at Grand Central.<\/p>\n

Post swimming baths, the scent of chlorine perfuming the air all the way down the street as the 24-hour McDonald\u2019s came into view, a Happy Meal and a knowing look assuring your dad you wouldn\u2019t tell your mum you may have spoiled your tea, capped it all off.<\/p>\n

For me, McDonald\u2019s or a Pizza Hut after the cinema felt like I\u2019d really lucked out – nothing could rival this level of fast food heaven.<\/p>\n

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Fast forward a couple of decades and I can hardly believe how much has changed – and the burgeoning food scene tells a large part of this incredible story.<\/p>\n

In the space of just 10 years the high street has been transformed, from ghost town to thriving food and drink destination.<\/p>\n

\"CantaloupeCantaloupe located on Great Underbank in Stockport Town Centre(Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

Foodie Friday, a street food event held on the last Friday of every month, was launched by the Barratt family in 2015, and spans a plethora of food and drink stalls, offering a whole host of cuisines and showcasing the borough\u2019s rich variety of cultures.<\/p>\n

It was the catalyst. Stockport is now home to some of Greater Manchester\u2019s best restaurants, cafes and bars and pubs.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s Where The Lights Gets In, which was awarded a Green Michelin in 2021; the fabulous Mekong Cat leading down to the historic Underbanks; an overwhelmingly good selection of drinking spots from The Magnet and Arden Arms, to Runaway Brewery and Bohemian Arts Club; and bakeries like Yellowhammer and Sticky Fingers which are making Stockport a more compelling offer than the city centre.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe House Negroni served at Cantaloupe restaurant in Stockport (Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

New businesses straddling fine-dining with finesse and humility, all the way to cafes where lunch costs less than a meal deal – and tastes much better – and pubs where a pint of Guinness is yours for under a fiver, give Stockport its edge though.<\/p>\n

That said, there are some ambitious openings where you\u2019ll have to fork out a little more for the experience.<\/p>\n

Overlooking the back of Primark, and just within earshot of the karaoke echoing out from The Chestergate, sits Cantaloupe, a no-frills bistro with a very simple, but well-executed menu and compelling wine list.<\/p>\n

It finds itself, whether intentionally or not, at the heart of this new era for Stockport – ambitious but understated. It doesn\u2019t even have a proper sign but opening times are etched in handsome type to the glass-fronted bar area.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe bread and butter at Cantaloupe (Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

Easily a contender for one of the town\u2019s best people watching spots, it was quietly opened late last year by chefs Joshua Reed-Cooper and Mike Thomas, whose CVS feature some of the region\u2019s most acclaimed eateries, from the aforementioned wtlgi and Michelin-starred Mana, as well as The French, Hawksmoor and The Creameries.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good start and little wonder that in less than a year it\u2019s caught the attention of The Michelin Guide, whose inspectors recently named it one of their favourite dining spots<\/a>.<\/p>\n

From this you get a sense of what you might expect, but it’s totally understated and its calling card is its unfussy nature.<\/p>\n

Anywhere else and its paired-back aesthetic of white washed walls, tiled floors and minimal signs of decoration might seem a little standoffish or pretentious, but look past that and what\u2019s happening here is just a couple of chefs cooking some really beautiful food.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Pate De Champagne at Cantaloupe (Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

Think lots of European influences, sharing plates and lots of local produce and that should help conjure an image.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not for everyone and that\u2019s perfectly fine, but should you wish to splash out – we\u2019re talking \u00a330 for a main course here – there\u2019s a lot to love, even if my bank balance now says otherwise.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t my first rodeo and I\u2019m aware that these sorts of concepts don\u2019t go huge on portions, opting instead to source the best local produce and plonk it on a plate surrounded only the oil is was cooked in or a wine reduction, which can sometimes leave you pondering – but crucially not voicing – \u2018is this it?\u2019.<\/p>\n

Perhaps not very cultured of me, I find myself thinking tactically about what will be the best value for money from the menu – and not lead to sloping off to McDonald\u2019s afterwards to cure the hunger pangs.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Onion Tart at Cantaloupe (Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

After a small but mighty House Negroni (\u00a310), and I really do mean small, but nevertheless with a punch, we ordered some bread and butter (\u00a34.50), a sure-fire way to fill the stomach. Admittedly, this was far better than a stale bread roll and butter sachet, the bread spongy and malty with an impressive crust to boot.<\/p>\n

We saved some back for mains, and tucked into two starters – Pate De Campagne (\u00a312) and a Roscoff Onion Tart (\u00a310).<\/p>\n

The former, a rustic but decadent style of pate, which is more like terrine, wasn’t a looker which may explain why it was somewhat shielded from views by bits of toasting bread and a smudge of French mustard.<\/p>\n

Translated as Country pate or country terrine it felt befitting of a posh picnic with its stuffing of various coarsely minced meats, but was at times tough to spread and perhaps a little underwhelming, the mustard doing a lot of heavy lifting.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Duck Breast with mint and fig (Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

Hidden under a canopy of Parmesan shavings, the onion tart was punchy and flavoursome. The sort of starter that makes your taste buds jump and stomach leap into action. The small amount of salad accompanying it felt slightly unnecessary though.<\/p>\n

From the A5 sheet of paper sat in front of us, the main course was harder to decide, a toss up between duck, two fish courses and Escalivada, the latter a Catalan delicacy of roasted vegetables which I did look up on Google under the table.<\/p>\n

Simply labelled Duck, Fig and Mint (\u00a328), and accompanied by Cannellini Beans (\u00a34.50), what arrived literally what was listed on the menu and to some may have not looked like much but was a standout of the meal.<\/p>\n

Simply sliced up with a few sprigs of mint, a jus beneath it, the beautiful cooking shone through here. A bit of sliced fig, tender, melt-in-the-mouth duck and spoonfuls of braised beans, it tasted like autumn feels – the crunch of leaves under foot and crisp morning walks.<\/p>\n

\"CannelliniCannellini Beans at Cantaloupe in Stockport (Image: Manchester Evening News )<\/p>\n

More filling than you would expect, the back-up trip to McDonalds was swiftly cancelled as we scooped up spoonful after spoonful of beans, and the knife glided through the duck. It was simple, understated, and exactly what Cantaloupe is about – letting the ingredients shine.<\/p>\n

A McFlurry off the cards, we treated ourselves to dessert, a mesmerising creme caramel gleaming in the late evening light. Rich and decadent, I\u2019d have preferred my own but the meal – and the bill – which was accompanied by a couple of glasses of crisp Gavi di Gavi, was started to rack up.<\/p>\n

The bill, just surpassing \u00a3100 was a lot, there’s not sugarcoating that. Was it worth it for the experience though? Yes.<\/p>\n

Would I be able to do it again anytime soon, probably not.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe creme caramel at Cantaloupe (Image: Manchester Evening News )<\/p>\n

That’s the beauty of Stockport right now though, there are those places like Cantaloupe or Wtlgi where you can go for those anniversary meals or special occasions, but there’s also the places with karaoke, crisps and cheap pints – the town can do both.<\/p>\n

Stockport has come a long way in ten years, and its food scene is testament to that. I hope over the next decade it continues to push boundaries, intrigue diners, but ultimately retain its roots and offer something for everyone, at every price point.<\/p>\n

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