Inside the new Greater Manchester Italian restaurant that's like 'going to a show'

It’s lunchtime in the middle of the week in the city centre, and chef Sam Astley-Dean and his team are preparing for a busy night’s service at the new Onda restaurant on Oxford Road - work that takes hours to complete before doors open at 5pm.

Having just opened Onda’s first permanent restaurant space, the chef’s mind remains firmly fixated on one review the pasta bar received when it operated as a pop-up space in the Northern Quarter. “The reviewer said that they had never tasted love in their food like that before,” Sam explains to the M.E.N whilst meticulously weighing out fresh batches of dough to be used later that night for pizzas, focaccias and pastas.

“It’s poetic and perhaps almost too deep for what is essentially just a plate of food, but I do feel you can taste the difference when something is made with love. It brings a liveliness to things.”

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For Michelin-trained Sam, who has previously worked at luxury hotels like Claridge’s as well as top London haunts Chez Bruce and Elystan Street, that taste of love is the running ethos of Onda.

First opening as a pop-up at Exhibition on Peters Street, Onda - which translates to ‘wave’ in Italian - it became a slow-burner success getting booked out for months in advance. Whilst its plates of pasta were flavoursome and championed by those who visited, it was the Tiramisu that essentially saved Onda from bankruptcy after going viral and being shared online by the likes of Hollywood actress Florence Pugh.

But now, Onda has its first-ever restaurant within the emerging Circle Square development on Oxford Road, taking over residency from New Zealand restaurant Tahi, where it hopes the rest of its menu will attract the same attention. A joint concept between Sam and cult bakery Gooey, the permanent space came after a successful fundraising campaign for £60k to open the venue.

“I’ve got no excess money to spare, so the fact that people have and they’ve chosen to spend it on us - it’s very humbling,” Sam admits. “We’re a luxury sector. It’s never a given that anything is going to happen. Every time we’ve taken chances and put ourselves out there, there’s always a part of me that wonders if it’s going to work. It’s never been harder to succeed.”

But, whilst he's humble about the love for Onda here in Manchester, Sam knows he and his team are onto a winner when it comes to the food. Made predominantly using fresh ingredients, sourced from either Italy or the UK, it’s good food done right - and in front of your very eyes, thanks to the preparation area that leaves no part of the cooking process to the imagination.

“It is a bit like going to a show,” Sam says. “Things do taste better when you can see it made in front of you, and you see it go from the kitchen to your plate. You eat with all your senses and it certainly whets the appetite. It’s a conversation starter and gives real weight to things.”

Onda’s food is also affordable. The menu features classics like Bucatini Carbonara and fettuccine with garlic mussels (both £12), alongside the likes of Mafaldine with beef shin ragu (£14) and spaghetti served with garlic, parsley and breadcrumbs for £9. There's also a children's menu, whilst pizzas are no more than £8 too.

“We have had to be careful not to be too adventurous,” Sam explains of the menu. “We want to be an accessible location that people can visit on any occasion. The quality is there but we want it to feel affordable and accessible.”

He adds: “All the pastas are absolutely traditional. We use phenomenal Italian and British ingredients - that’s the hallmark of what we do. They are made by people who are passionate about what they do, these aren’t big corporations behind suits.”

Alongside that traditional Tiramisu - which Sam says is ‘never going anywhere’ and there’s now ‘loads more of it’ - the menu also features the likes of Sorbetto (£4), Affogato (£5) and baked Gelaska (£6) with a variety of toppings, like extra virgin olive oil and salt, to choose from.

“It’s a huge sense of achievement,” Sam says of opening the Onda restaurant. “For me and the guys to go from very small pop-up kitchens to this sort of space feels very special. To do it with friends, and the way we’re doing it, is amazing. It’s taken a lot of hard work but it’s real now.”

But Sam is also aware that the launch of Onda comes at a difficult time for the hospitality industry - and that he and the team will have to work extra hard to bring people to their choice of location for the restaurant. "It's a precarious time for the industry, for sure," he accepts.

“We’re in the city centre, but this part of Oxford Road is still a little bit hidden. There’s talk on the town that some big operators are coming here soon so we can’t wait for that. There’s some really cool people already here but it’s just about bringing people here and spreading the word.

“But I think what has helped us stand out is the real character and soul of the place, and I think that really resonates with people. People see the reality and know that they’re getting value and effort for their hard-earned time and money, which I think makes it special. It’s something that people respond to. Hopefully that will put us in good stead here.”

Onda is at Circle Square, 3 Symphony Park, Oxford Road, M1 7FS. Open Wednesday to Friday from 4pm to 11pm, and weekends from 12pm to 11pm (kitchen closes at 9pm on all days).

Bookings recommended, with limited walk-ins available each day.