Pesto
Italian Restaurant Manchester - reader comments
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| "Relaxed
atmosphere, very helpful staff that advised
how many dishes to order for 2 people. You can then order more if
needed. Good value and you get the chance to sample
a variety of small portions without worrying about wasting a dish
you don't like had it been ordered in a normal portion size. Only
complaint was the lighting was very low in some areas
and we had to get the glasses out to see and read the menu."
- julie scott, manchester 29/3/08 (visited on a friday evening) |
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"If you've never been to
Pesto on the corner of Deansgate and John Dalton Street then you
are missing out on one of Manchester's most unique dining experiences.
We visited the first week it opened, entertaining clients, and whilst
the decor was extremely impressive, the food and service was considerably
poor. As a result we've the restaurant a wide birth since??,
although have regularly visited the excellent bar, which was one
of the first places in town to serve Peroni Gran Reserva. Following
many good reviews, including those from our 'trusted reviewers'
we thought we'd give it the benefit of the doubt, put our bad experience
down to teething troubles and decided pay it another visit.
The
ambience has remained unique and the whole place is impressive -
the bar is hand crafted from original stone architecture recovered
from historic buildings and the walls are full of wonderful decorations.
They've also had a change in table layout since our last visit and
it makes the restaurant a lot more relaxed and comfortable than
before. In typical Italian fashion, there's plenty of outside seating,
facing the street and allowing you to watch the world go by albeit
with the cruelist of Mancunian weather. The concept is wonderful
- over 35 different dishes, each representing the various regions
of Italy and served in small tapas sized portions, allowing customers
to sample various dishes from the many pasta’s, seafood, meat,
salad and mini pizzas on offer.
We
opted for the Cannelloni al Ragu (pancakes filled with scallops
& prawns), which was very tasty and great value at just £3.25.
The Arancini (fried
balls of saffron rice stuffed with mozzarella) was
even better value at £2.95. Pesto's own Genoese fish stew,
Cioppino, contained a fair selection of aquatic vertebrates for
a dish so small and again was worth it's £3.75 price tag.
The only disappointment was the Gnocchi con Pesto Basilica &
Parmigiano, which was very poor it has to be said. The gnocci was
overcooked, the fresh basil pesto too powerful & the parmesan
had not been melted, was still rock hard and shaved in large chunks
which made it almost impossible to swallow.
Would
we be returning? The answer would still be a 'yes'. Pesto offers
a great concept in dining, Italian food in portions small enough
that you can eat as much or as little as the rest of your afternoon
requires. It's also in a great location - just a short walk to the
shops on Deansgate and King Street, very close to the Royal Exchange
and Opera House and only a short stroll to the MEN Arena and Bridgewater
Hall meaning the tapas size portions are perfect for a pre-show
bite to eat. It's also very good value for money at £3 to
£4 a dish and offers one of the most welcoming dining areas
and unique bars in the city centre."
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restaurants
of manchester - 24/11/07 (visited on weds afternoon) |
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"a very nice tapas restaurant on Deansgate,
Pesto has a really cool feel to it. As well as being
somewhere cool to eat and entertain friends, I can imagine it being
a great stop off on a night out with it's ornate bar area. The staff
are very nice and the service is fast and attentive.
My food was great and two tapas dishes was just right
for a lunch time fill"
-
nick,
stockport -
19/11/07 (visited on weds lunchtime) |
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| "Visited
Manchester to take in a show and stumbled upon Pesto's due to it's
close proximity to the theatre. We were not looking for a full meal
experience and were pleasantly surprised by the choice available.
Being smaller dishes we found that a selection provided us with an
adequate and most enjoyable dining experience. Attentive
staff, good service, good food - reasonably priced.
Taking in another show tomorrow and plan to return with friends to
Pesto"
- ray skingsley, newport 13/11/07 (visited on a weds evening) |
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| "The
staff were friendly and helpful. If you like your
restaurants brightly lit, this isn't the place for you, but we liked
it. It's a cosy atmosphere, the food's good, the
price is right, what else do you need? We'll be back"
- tom edwards, hyde 1/11/07 (visited on a thurs evening) |
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| "I
found it by chance I always visit when I come through to Manchester.
It is a lovely restaurant"
- teresa thompson, burnley 15/10/07 (visited on a weds lunch) |
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| "Visited
pesto for the first time on 5th Oct, now going back on 16th Oct. Would
recommend. Great value for money, for four of us
with three rounds of drinks and more than we could eat, £70.
Superb!!"
- tracy riley, wigan 5/10/07 (visited on a weds lunch) |
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| "A
great idea, normally when I go for an Italian meal,
I get bored half way through my bowl of pasta, or pizza, Pesto is
great as they are all small dishes so you can have
a mini 5 inch pizza and a bowl of spag bol and a salad, all together
and it is very reasonably priced. Well worth a visit
and they have a huge terrace on Deansgate and John Dalton Street for
those wanting to dine out"
- jayne green, deansgate 31/5/07 (visited on a fri evening) |
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