Luxury Manchester restaurant shortlisted for national award less than six months after opening

A Manchester restaurant is one of a select few to be shortlisted for a prestigious restaurant award. The National Restaurant Awards celebrate the best 100 venues in the UK, alongside a series of special awards.

A number of UK restaurants have been notified in their inclusion in the 2024 list, ahead of the official reveal in June, but the awards have now also unveiled its shortlist for Opening of the Year, which includes restaurants in Bristol, London, Edinburgh, Jersey and Manchester.

Launched in 2007, the awards celebrate the UK's dining scene, rewarding the best chefs, front-of-house staff and restaurants. The top 100 and additional awards are decided on by the awards' academy of esteemed chefs, restaurateurs and food writers.

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On the night of the awards, the 100 best restaurants in the UK are revealed, as well as a series of special awards, including the Opening of the Year Award. The main award of the night, though, is the coveted National Restaurant of the Year.

Amongst the nine restaurants nominated for the Opening of the Year award is a recently unveiled Manchester establishment. Fenix, the glamorous Greek-inspired restaurant from the team behind popular city centre eatery Tattu, opened its doors at the end of November, and has already attracted attention from national critics.

Situated on the edge of Spinningfields, it has taken up residence in the new "Enterprise City" part of town - the area around the old Granada Studios now known as St John's. The new restaurant already counts Aviva Studios (Factory International) as neighbours, and next year it will be joined by the hotly anticipated arrival of members' club Soho House as well as popular London restaurant and all-day dining spot Caravan.

Shortlisted alongside an number of esteemed new eateries, Tattu is described by The National Restaurant Awards as 'ambitious', while its décor is a mash-up of 'Ancient Greece meets Star Wars'. It writes: "It's very Manchester, but also very impressive."

Inspired by the food scene of Mykonos and the Greek islands, Fenix's was born out of the pandemic, when Tattu founders Adam and Drew Jones were forced to close their restaurants. Just like the mythical phoenix rising, there is an element of rebirth and renewal at play, as reflected in its opulent design with a ground floor bar inspired by a phoenix's nest.

Food is overseen by executive Head Chef, Ippokratis Anagnostelis, who has built a strong reputation across a number of fine dining establishments in Athens and Mykonos. Dishes include everything from fresh pita served with grilled aubergine, tomato confit and feta espuma, to hearty portions of spiced beef meatballs, grilled octopus with Aegean fava beans.

There's also a variety of pasta and rice dishes, a ‘cold’ menu including sea bass ceviche and steak tartare, and a clay-pot roasted leg of lamb folded in vine leaves. Drinks wise, wines focus on the variety of produce from Greek and Cycladic vineyards, while cocktails are inspired by the Greek Isles.

The launch of Fenix follows the founders decision last year to rebrand Tattu to the name ‘Permanently Unique’. The updated name for the group was announced alongside the expansion of its restaurant portfolio.

Founded in Manchester in 2015 by brothers Adam and Drew Jones, the Permanently Unique group also recently launched Tattu London at The Outernet development, following the success of their existing locations across the UK and the original Tattu in Manchester.

The Opening of the Year award, sponsored by Open Table, will be announced at the National Restaurant Awards. The ceremony will be held in London on June 10.