A great place for Sunday lunch- the platter was awesome and veggie meal great too. Also very doggie friendly which is a huge bonus when visiting family. Will definitely come back 👍
The menu is fab, food tasted delicious and creative all round. Love the charm and style here. Friendly staff. Thanks to Kiernan and all ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Best Restaurant Outside Centre of Manchester
Brilliant as always, has to be the best restaurant outside of the city centre that’s within the M60. Food and service is excellent, heavily suggest ordering 2 of the lamb shawarma as one isn’t enough!
Went for an early Father’s Day lunch, absolutely fantastic, nothing to fault at all! Pork was succulent, beef was just right, vegetables were not over cooked, really highly recommend.
I seem to be eating nothing but steak recently. I don't mind though when it's as good as this Galician rib eye. I've previously explained what makes this meat so special here and in my recent Levanter preview here. Since then even Mr Rayner has ventured north to try them! (in vain sadly although it was wonderful that he loved Levanter).
The building blocks of any great restaurant are high quality product. You must always start off with that before you do anything else. We've always been impressed with the sheer quality of the produce you get in Spain. The seafood always but the meat too. It was on a trip to Madrid last year that I realised that all these top chefs (Roberto Ruiz of Punto MX and David Muñoz of Street Xo & DiverXo for example) often source their beef from the north of Spain, from Galicia and San Sebastián. We could see why, it has a deeper, fuller flavour to the meat than we're used to in the UK.
Home » England » Food Review: brunch at Volta, 167 Burton Road, West Didsbury, Manchester. Inside of Volta, Manchester, window view. One place you should go to in Manchester is Volta. Located in the leafy suburb of West Didsbury it’s a relative newcomer to the Manchester food scene and in the last few days has been awarded Best Restaurant in Manchester by the Manchester Evening News. Our Mancunian unhipster hipster friends spoke highly of here when we were visiting a few months ago and so we stopped by for some weekend brunch.
I think our favourite is the Rib eye. One is matured to 20 days which we had 'early', the other is air dried 40 days from a 17 years old retired 'milker'. The heavily marbled meat is all superb, it's much fattier than the usual British beast. There is a totally different denser flavour dimension in there from all that buttery fat and the maturity of an animal that's lived a full and long life outdoors. It's deep and and earthy with a bit of a chew (not that elastic chew though like you get with cheap steaks) but that real intense primal flavour is what you get. If you're really into your steak you have to try this.
I'm a big fan of the tapas style serving which has become massively popular post-Polpo over the past couple of years, not just restricted to typical Spanish fare anymore. This worked really well at Volta, the menu was broken up into a majority of small plates and with a few meaty mains - the whole process was very laid back with food coming when it’s ready and side plates provided from the start so everyone gets to dig in.
We visited Volta as it was approaching the end of the January, eager to take advantage of the January 50% off food promotion. Volta is based on the former site of Rhubarb on Burton Road, which is packed with a range of good eateries. The menu is quite short with a range of small and larger plates. We like the idea of small plates, as it gives us a chance to try more dishes. We started with s moked feta, beetroot, hazelnuts and dill, a vibrant plate with the beetroot puree, nice textures however we couldn’t quite taste the smoky notes from the feta. Sea bass, fine beans and olive tapenade is a safe combination yet tasty dish. However the sea bass didn't seem the freshest as it was rather fishy . We have never tried haggis before but we loved this, big deep fried patties of haggis which were packed with flavour. We thoroughly enjoyed this dish and the mash accompaniment. The smell of lemon on the lamb chops along with the spices filled the air, Mrs Nom couldn’t wait to tuck into the mea
Volta is successful because they keep it simple with a small very well thought out menu. In all honesty, did we get a 'wow' moment? No.
But the food is solid and very good value for money (especially as we took them up on the 50% offer too). Neither do they charge daft prices for beer either, as seems to be the norm these days. FOH are lovely, special mention for Amy, our waitress.
Volta isn't perfect but they're on the right path because it's really a labour of love serving proper grown up food rather than simply a way to make money selling 'dirty food'. Electric chair wasn't perfect either. It was hot and sweaty, the toilets were always awful but it was still, despite the flaws, our place. Volta is shaping up a bit like that too.
Unusually for us, we've not been out for a while and were even reluctantly forced to postpone a trip to the Lakes at the weekend due to us both being unwell. It's not stopped us eating like horses at home though but it was necessary to just get out of the house for a bit, as we were getting stir-crazy.
A big hearty meal out would be just the trick to lift our spirits, so we went over to Volta in nearby West Didsbury. We don't actually go out for Sunday dinner that much because with a few notable exceptions they can be generally quite disappointing.
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This was my first venture into Volta and I absolutely loved it! A perfect spot for any sort of meet, when Matt F suggested it as a venue for a post yelp event drink, many Yelpers obliged. Upon entering a chilled out vibe instantly made me feel at home. The staff were extremely friendly and embodied the relaxed atmosphere of the place.
I only stayed for a few and it was a fairly short stay but an eventful one. Not only did I catch up with Emma C, (who's still getting used to the wonders of mid week drinking as a freelance fresher) but also got to know some new Yelpers.
Having concluded his CM duties at the Yelp event prior to Volta Matt arrived a bit later on and happily joined a fully functioning Yelp corner of vociferous (and very merry) Yelpers. Before we knew it the whole place was buzzing with punters. A quick escalation from mellow to Friday night atmosphere.
Places like Volta are the reason Burton road in West Didsbury has gained a favourable reputation amongst the hip folk normally confined to the Northern Quarter. I can certainly understand why.
Located in the heart of the action that is Burton Road in West Didsbury, Volta has always been a safe bet for a really good time.
It opened a couple of years ago as the new venture from the team behind Chorlton's popular Electrik.
Granted, it's not perfect (beer tends to be on the pricey side and at times it's standing room only), but these are the only minor gripes I have with the place.
Three handpumps on the bar tend to feature guests from local brewers such as Blackjack and Red Willow plus one from their own Electrik Ale Experiment range.
The few times we've eaten here the small plates have been delicious - the menu is small, mainly tapas-style but there's usually sharing plates and steak available too.
The background music is always on point (and it should be, as it's owned by two DJs). It's small, candle-lit, casual and just-about-tolerably 'hip' and I love it here.
A great example of somewhere that's been a successful addition to the local drinking and dining scene.
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Another place which does great beer on Burton Road! Huzzah!
I've been to Volta a couple of times now, once to check it out and have a drink, and once for a meal with the in-laws. They have a wide range of ales - three on cask (I believe) and a number of keg offerings, from continental lager to lovely hoppy pales. The decor is relaxed, vintage and classic, reminding me of a small underground continental bar.
Their food menu is wonderful, lots of various nibbles/'small plates' and cheese boards to share. A special mention has to go to their pork belly, which was absolutely divine, and perfect to share so it doesn't become too overwhelming. The star of the show for me, though, was the hanger steak, which I had cooked rare. Insanely flavoursome and tender, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this was the best steak I've tried so far. My partner was a bit less impressed with his dexter steak, and both he and the father-in-law said that they wanted to come back again so they could get the hanger steak themselves.
The staff are attentive, personable, and very knowledgeable about what they're serving. There's no reason for me not to give it full marks, so well done Volta! I think it's a marvellous addition to Burton Road, and judging by how busy it seems to be all the time, so do my neighbours.
Volta is a really cool little bar in on Burton Road in Didsbury, offering some good ales and a range of cocktails.
It is fairly minimalistic in that the decor is simple, it's not got a crazy hipster set up to it where drink come served in an elf's hat or with flying saucers on top, just a good solid drink in a glass.
I had the Camden Pale Ale on this visit but members of the group had rum and cokes, vodka and cokes and a few had glasses of wine.
Staff were friendly and I'd actually been in earlier that day to grab a coffee to go (they don't usually do that but made one for me) and to check when they were open until as it struck me as the perfect after spot to our event at Reserve Wines (it was).
I only stayed for 1 drink with the Yelpers but everyone seemed to enjoy the place, the atmosphere and of course each others company! Didsbury is just a lovely area and it's great to see no shortage of brilliant local businesses opening up and doing well! Volta is one of them!
My husband is not a fan of Sunday Dinners in general but Volta defintely won him over.
Pink and tender beef, a ballooning yorkshire, red cabbage flavoured delicately with star anaise, a hint of chilli in the kale, crispy roast potatoes and smooth mash.....perfect cooking and excellent flavouring. A high class sunday dinner!
Staff are friendly, helpful, professional.....pitching service just right.
well done Volta, spot on.
As with most eateries on Burton Road this is a rather pricey place, however the food is absolutely delicious.
This was my first visit here so it was nice that the serving staff went through the menu and made suggestions to us.
Between two of us we shared 5 of the tapas dishes. All dishes were presented well and the flavour combinations were superb.
Their cheese sharing platters are to die for, I would certainly recommend them to anyone who loves cheese.
N/b I emailed them to reserve a table and it took them four days to respond. I would possibly suggest calling them just so you can confirm.
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I've been a couple of times now, and keep thinking I should have reserved a table. Though unsure if it's possible just for drinks. We've ended up sat outside which has plenty of space compared with the rather rammed Folk next door! I'm unsure where I stand on outdoor heaters - not particularly ecological, but this is Manchester and the weather, even in summer, isn't always as continental as we'd like.
The food smells fantastic, and I need to go back to sample it mid-week sometime. West Didsbury for me is more of a Friday / Saturday place, as that's when it's at its liveliest. I'm sure it'd be a very good location for a mid-week date.
So far the drinks have been great as an ale drinker. Took me until my second visit to realise that not only do they have 3 ales at the front of the bar, but also the entire of the back of the bar is full of another 8 or so. Amazing choice!
It's a small bar so if you go on a Friday / Saturday there's going to be a queue - so it'd be nice if the service was slightly quicker. However, if you make sure you're getting your mates a drink then it's not so bad.
A great addition to Burton Roads drinking & eating scene.
p.s. the musical connection here is from The Unabombers / Electric Chair folk, who also run Eletrik in Chorlton. This is their foodie pub!
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I was struggling to think of what Volta could bring that hasn't already been done in W. Didsbury, but they've really hit on a winning formula.
Volta is really rooted in being a bar, a vast majority of the menu consists of bar food - cheese and ham platters, flavoured bread (from the wonderful Trove bakery in Levenshulme) and 'small plates' (it's not tapas, okay!!!). The only proper full meal is the steak, which comes with chips and sauce. There are lamb and salmon choices, but these are not quite full meals - a few small plates act as sides.
The decor really reflects that focus of drinks over food. The tables are all quite small, with far more chairs around them than you would expect in a restaurant. There is also a large open space for people drinking at the bar. The overall feel is of a mediteranian cafe/bar.
Upon arrival and inspection of the menu, we ordered our food. The waiter kindly suggested just waving him over when we wanted some food for more of a tapas experience, rather than ordering all the food at once as you would in a conventional restaurant. Nice idea, but we had already decided what we wanted to eat, so just ordered everything at once anyway. But still, worth knowing before you go that you can order a beer and then order the food plate by plate!
The food is simple but good quality. Food comes out as and when its ready, so there's no set order. First up was feta, nuts and beetroot, which was tasty but really required a side of bread to mop it up (why they don't include this in the plate I don't know). Then we had pork belly - cooked perfectly, basted in lemon. Artichoke and Truffle toast was the highlight of the small plates for me, absolutely delicious and great little snacks to have with a beer. Finally we had steak, and for £13 (£6.50 with the January half price offer) I was truly flabbergasted. This steak could easily stand up with gaucho or grill in the alley, but at a fraction of the cost. The garlic oil complemented the smoky steak and the chips were well cooked (although maybe not as crispy as I would have liked).
Conclusion: great simple food in chilled surroundings for a great price.
Volta is a fantastic new addition to the West Didsbury 'Neighbourhood bar' scene! In fact I was so taken with it that I could have done with having a few more drinks in it before we left, but alas we were on a big night out and there's so many places to hit, such little time!
I love what they've done with the inside, it's like they've spent a fair amount on doing it up while making it feel pretty rustic, yet classy but also a place that feels relaxing to be in. There's great outdoor seating and everyone we encountered from the patrons to the bar staff seemed friendly and 'our kind of people'
The beer selection was also fantastic. I opted for the Kernel beer (which I love anyway) and my friend had the 'Citra' from Weird beard brewing co which was highly recommended by our beer aficionado Yelper Rowan M - nice work Rowan as it was amazing :-)
I can't wait to go back to Volta and spend more time here, plus they do food - I hope it's as good as the beers and setting!
One of the rare bar places that does table service...excellent. A recent trip to Germany reminded me how great table service can be (when it's efficient).
Volta is the latest addition to the Didsbury scene, open by the people behind Electrik in Chorlton I believe. They seem to have adapted to the local scene very well, it's nothing like Electrick but just as exciting. It does look a bit bare inside but everybody was on the terrace on that sunny day so we could enjoy a table inside, by the sunlit window. Very quickly a waitress comes and recommend some beers to us, promptly served and promptly enjoyed.
The beer list is very exciting and they have cocktails too although I've not tried those. Same for the food, we did not order any on the day butwhat I've seen going past me looked pretty damn tasty.
I will soon become a regular in Didsbury so no doubt I will find out more in the near future. For now, it looks like a winner to me.
We had lovely dinner here, they are quite busy but still very helpful and friendly service. The aubergine miso dip and the dry fried green beans are very impressive. 6 tapas are plenty for two of us to share. Dog friendly and smoking friendly if you sit outdoors. Overall, a very local but tasty place to go. Will definitely come back again.
Fantastic small plate menu which is great for sharing and socializing over. The food is very good for the price although the portions could be a little more generous.
The staff are skilled and friendly and can make an excellent flat white.
I really enjoyed, the set menu, everything was excellent. Things like the caviar dish witch is some thing I would not normally be in to was reply good. Relaxing, chilled, great
Lovely atmosphere, this was my first time visiting Volta. Staff were friendly and attentive, the food was delicious and not too long a wait. The overall look of the place inside is spot-on for a dimly-lit date night. Im not sure I’m dying to go back as a regular place as nothing majorly stood out, but I would still give it the 5 stars.
Nice little restaurant with cozy ambiance. We went there for lunch and they have this £15 for 3 small plates deal, the portions were, as it says, small but the food was surprisingly delicious. The chef works magic on the most ordinary ingredients such as potatoes and cabbages, glad we ordered both because they were amazingly good 👍🏻👍🏻
Food was beautiful really tasty. We shared 5 plates and some potatoes. Had sticky toffee pudding for afters it was amazing. Can recommend the blood orange margaritas. Would definitely go back.
Came for the midweek small plates deal. Excellent value and quality was considerably above the price point, even without the deal would still be excellent value. Definitely no skimping on portion size. Inspired menu and left in a food coma.
I went for lunch today and it was lovely. The lady who served us was Excellent, very attentive.
I recommend the hispi cabbage, yellow curry cod, potatoes with dip and the steak 😋
Really enjoyed our meal I have been before and the food is always to a high standard
Staff are really friendly and helpful - fantastic food with some great veggie/vegan options. Aubergine & miso dip, crispy cabbage & lentil dish are really great, a must try.
What a gem, our first meal out of lockdown and it couldn’t have been better. The service was friendly and super attentive. We tried not far off everything on the menu and every single plate was a hit, such good quality food, fresh and full of flavours. The cocktails were also nice and the outdoor seating are was well set out post Covid. We’ll 100% be back again and I’d highly recommend them. The chicken skewers and the Goats cheese were my stand out faves!
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