Consumer review company Which? have released the Which? Good Food Guide 2009. The guide gives independent reviews and comprehensive details of around 1,000 restaurants around the UK. Manchester has a reputation as a hot bed of top eateries in the UK but this year, Manchester restaurants have been snubbed by the Which? Good Food Guide. A pathetic three restaurants from the South Manchester area have made it into the guide and this has caused a bit of a stir.

2 top restaurants in the south Manchester region have now lost their Michelin awards. Palmiro in Whalley Range and Didsbury restaurant Jem & I, have both dropped off of the Michelin Bib Gourmand award list for good food at moderate prices for 2009. What does the future hold and does this mean that restaurants in Manchester have had there day? The country as a whole is now officially in the grips of a recession so people’s finances have decreased and competition is about to get much tougher.

Celebrity TV chef Simon Rimmer, star of BBC Saturday morning TV show Something for the Weekend and another show; Recipe for Success, has slammed restaurants in south Manchester. Simon Rimmer’s own restaurant Greens, is one of the limited Manchester restaurants that have made it into the 2009 Good Food Guide. Rimmer is quoted as saying “It has always been one of my biggest criticisms of the restaurant scene in south Manchester, that it has become so incredibly chain led. I think that the Which? Good Food Guide is a relatively accurate reflection of what is on offer across south Manchester.”

Simon Rimmer’s comments have angered and frustrated other south Manchester restaurant employees who have fought back by saying that Manchester has a wide and varied food scene. It is generally felt that south Manchester has plenty of amazing places to eat and that more inclusions were deserved for Manchester in the food guide.

According to people living in the area and food experts there’s a big demand for good quality food in the area and locals frequently visit Manchester and Liverpool restaurants. Admittedly there are several restaurant chains in both Manchester and Liverpool but there are also many independent businesses in the North West that are thriving. These establishments shouldn’t be punished as they are keen to produce high quality food to keep people coming back for more and to generate positive views of their food. Rather than chains which employ people that don’t always care about the quality of the ingredients, service and cooking, just increased profits.

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