Towering over Deansgate sits Cloud 23; a large open plan bar and restaurant in Manchester’s iconic Beetham Tower.
By night it’s a swish cocktail hotspot with unrivalled views of the city’s sky line, but during the day the venue comes alive with afternoon tea sittings.
My good friend Gemma and I tried out the Champagne Tea in January and although the skies were grey, our experience certainly wasn’t.
The restaurant has a real buzz and on the weekend we dined it was fully booked, which shouldn’t come as a surprise; it’s an ideal venue for dates, (sophisticated) Hen-do’s, birthday’s and all other special occasions.
As one would expect, the menu boasted an extensive list of exciting teas; I opted for a pot of the Blue Earl Grey which was flavoursome and citrus. Gemma, on the other hand, kick-started her sugar load early and went for a hot chocolate with oodles of cream. I must admit I was rather jealous.
The service was slick and unpretentious and actually one of the things I liked most about the venue was the local feel. Often in luxury settings I find there’s a lack of strong regional accents but the waiters we met at Cloud 23 were unashamedly Mancunian and quite rightly so.
I’ll be honest when I say the food we were served didn’t set the world on fire, but then again I don’t suppose a slice of sandwich can?! It has to be said there was a good mix of fillings/toppings – I particularly enjoyed the beetroot and feta wrap and also the cheese twist pastry.
A small word of advice… save room for dessert! We were pretty full after several rounds of sandwiches but I can confirm the red velvet cake is most definitely worth reserving your appetite for. The warm scones were equally as delicious and it’s safe to say we left in a carb coma!
After eating our body weight in cake we moved on to the champers – naturally. As Rosé lovers we went for the Jacquart Brut Rosé Champagne which was fruity and elegant with hints of cherry and wild strawberry. It was the cherry on top of a wonderful lunch.
I’d really recommend a trip to Cloud 23. When it comes to stunning settings there’s really no other venue in Manchester that compares. The view is magnificent and it’s a perfect setting for special occasions.
Contact:
Address: Beetham Tower, 303 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4LQ
Website: cloud23bar.com
Phone: 0161 870 1670
