Mr Thomas’s Chop House, believed to be the eldest of the two Victorian Chop House Company ‘sons,’ is both a firm Mancunian regulars’ haunt and somewhat of a destination pint for those thumbing a city guide and looking for something a bit special. And it is. From the outside, a quaint Victorian townhouse, slightly unsure of its footing, leaning against its neighbours with unsteady legs.

 

The inside, a charming example of beautifully preserved original features, chequered floors and polished green tiled walls, adorned with what appear to be at first glance, faded figures from yesteryear. A closer look reveals familiar faces from around Manchester, decked out in period dress supplied by a local theatre. (Rumour has it Gordo’s up there somewhere!)

The bar area is long and thin, often crammed with a mix of interesting characters supping their cask ales, with lunchtimes bringing an eclectic mix of suits, regulars and people travelling through, wishing to catch a glimpse of what the guides describe as ‘a Victorian classic that has stood the test of time.’

And one would be forgiven for mistaking the bar for the only room, but once passed, the area opens up to a cavernous space, retaining all its charming original features and providing the perfect surroundings for one of Manchester’s favourite gastropubs.

The now widely-used term ‘gastropub’ was coined in 1991 to describe ‘a public house specialising in high quality food a step above the traditional pub grub’ – and Tom’s positively leaps beyond most. With a long-serving focus on traditional English classic dishes, made with locally sourced ingredients, it would seem that Tom’s probably invented the formula that is currently Manchester’s most attractive bandwagon.

Favourites include Mr Thomas’s legendary homemade steak and kidney pudding, fit to feed a small army. Or the equally famous corned beef hash with sautéed potatoes, creamed onions & smoked Cheshire bacon finished with a perfect soft-poached egg. It’s good English food, cooked well. There’s also a hell of a lot of it. The puddings are also magnificent, childhood favourites but in strictly adult portions!

For those that have a slightly more conservative appetite at lunch or who are constrained by time, Tom’s have an extensive bar menu they are clearly proud of featuring what they describe as ‘a most excellent cottage pie’ or ‘The Lancashire Mutton Hot Pot’ served with homemade tracklements (accompaniments such as pickled red cabbage & beetroot to you and me), bread and a spoon.

They are also pioneers of the doorstop challenge, with an extensive choice of generously stuffed bread wedges to chose from, served with chips and salad. The hot roast beef with homemade horseradish sauce comes highly recommended.

Then there are the pies. Unsurprisingly, Gordo tells me that there is none too finer a treat than propping up Tom’s bar, pint in one hand and sausage pie in the other. These are made on the premises, have perfect pastry and delicious gravy and are a mere £1.50. The steak and kidney pie is the same tender filling to the previously described legendary pudding. Gordo would like to demand a higher stock of these delectable pies, slightly concerned as to the repeated ‘sold out’ response he keeps getting on his regular visits.

Not satisfied with just a beer garden, Tom’s nestles in St Anns churchyard, sharing this niche with Lotus and providing alfresco dining at its best - a buzzing delight when the sun is out - and suitably covered if the weather reverts back to anything more typically Mancunian.

The delicious aroma of barbequed meats can be identified every Friday evening in the area, with their Corona Summer BBQ, as they cook up a mix of traditional ‘back garden favourites’ to an audience of ravenous onlookers.

YES. The gaff, astonishingly, stops serving food at 3pm (4pm at the weekend). Now call me old fashioned, but I’d like to be able to eat my slowly roasted honey-coated belly pork and homemade chocolate truffle dessert at dinner time if at all possible. Now I know there is Tom's younger brother Sam in close proximity, but surely there’s room in this town’s evening dining experience for the both of them?

Who else wants Tom’s to introduce evening dining? Make sure you sign our petition by clicking here http://www.manchesterconfidential.com/go/toms072005 and filling in your details! We'll be drawing out one lucky entrant a free bit of nosh.

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Mr Thomas's Chop House
52, Cross St, Manchester, Lancashire M2 7AR
Tel: (0161) 832 2245
http://www.tomschophouse.com/