Co-owned by two members of the team at Trove cafe + bakery. Patrick Withington: Who was the head chef over at Trove and helped the venue snap up multiple awards. And William Sutton: Who was a Barista within trove and rose to help develop their drink menus, which gave him his passion for natural wine. The two have now joined forces to bring you Erst, Serving up small plates alongside a wide selection of Natural wines with Patrick taking the reigns of chef patron/Co-owner and William as the restaurant manager/Co-owner.

*Erst - Manchester, Ancoats restaurant review.*

Erst Review Summary

My visit to Erst was not without issues. Issues are unavoidable. Especially with smaller, independent restaurants. How those issues are dealt with however, says a lot about a restaurant.

Which is why out of the 50+ Manchester restaurants and bars who have received a Smartblend Score, Erst ranks second with a whopping 46 Points out of 50.

Myself and my partner arrived at Erst promptly and on time for our 8:30 booking. Upon arrival there was no table ready, and given it’s a small restaurant we had to just stand at the door for 20 minutes waiting for a table to be ready. Not a great first impression. However, we was given complimentary glasses of prosecco for the wait, result! The staff were extremely apologetic even though we didn’t make a fuss about it. Great job guys!.

After being seated, we perused through the drinks menu. Fernet Branca and coke? Don’t mind if I do!!!

After ordering a selection of plates: Burrata, flatbreads and ricotta dumplings. There was one dish I was looking forward to the most, Carlingford oysters with cucumber & lovage. Would you believe I’ve never had an oyster? Half the reason I went was to break in my oyster virginity. But alas, it wasn't meant to be, they had none left. Understandable when you book a late table, it's expected.

Once again, no fuss made and yet we received a dish of pickles and ferments, complimentary. Delicious. It’s these little touches coupled with amazing food and drinks that show their passion for what they do and why they rank so highly on the Smartblend Guide.

Where can you find erst?

You can find Erst at Cutting Room Square, Blossom Street, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 5DH Or check out there menus over on there official website here

The Smartblend Guide score for Erst - Manchester, Ancoats Restaurant

Food 9/10

The food menu at Erst is a collection of small plates made for sharing. It’s a short menu but with a variety of options to choose from.

The food comes out fast which is great. There's nothing worse than waiting one and a half hours for your food to arrive (Like I recently did at Escape To Freight Island)

The star of the show for me was the flatbread and tomato. Such a simple dish yet absolutely delicious.

For dessert we shared a fennel panna cotta & strawberries which did not disappoint!

*Fennel panna cotta & strawberries - Erst*

Drink 10/10

What they serve at Erst, they serve well. Don’t expect large beer selections or cocktails. It is a natural wine bar afterall, and Natural wine they do well.

With a large selection and variety of wines both by the glass and bottle, as well as some specially selected combinations such as Fernet branca & Coke and Vermouth & Tonic. With some after meal digestives available.

Ambience 8/10

Laid back, slick decor sets the ambience with a clear focus on the food and drink. There is nothing outstanding about the interior but its once again, the small details that helps Erst score highly for ambience. Such as the hand towels in the toilet and the open kitchen so you can see your food being prepared.

One constant about Erst is that they have an eye for detail. Impressive.

Customer Service 10/10

The customer service over at Erst is nothing short of outstanding. Friendly welcome, knowledgeable staff and accommodating. You couldn’t ask for anything more! Everyone there seems to be passionate about what they do and happy to be there.

Value For Money 9/10

A bottle of wine, 3 sharing dishes, a dessert and after dinner shot for £75 isn’t bad at all. The only thing that stops Erst scoring a 10 out of 10 for value is because of a small hiccup with the wine price.

We had ordered a bottle of wine listed at £26 on the menu. However, on the receipt it was priced at £36. The wine was delicious don't get me wrong! But not worth £36.

I don’t have any doubt that if I had mentioned this issue that the price would have been adjusted. However, considering we had 2 glasses of bubbly for free as well as an extra dish, we figured at the very least they deserved that extra £10.

To conclude: Erst is a must-try for any food or wine lover. They look after their guest, have a keen eye for detail and serve outstanding food with outstanding customer service.

Have you been to Erst?

If so I would love to hear your opinion. Fill out this form to get your Erst scores added to the Smartblend guide to manchester bars and restaurants.

Compare Erst to other Bars and Restaurants in Manchester’s Ancoats here Or check out Bars and Restaurants from other parts of Manchester’s city centre or more about the Smartblend Guide here.

Erst: Manchester, Ancoats Restaurant Review

Erst Review Summary

Where can you find erst?