The Alan is a design-led hotel in the centre of Manchester, comprising 137 rooms over six storeys, as well as a kitchen, bar and restaurant. Whether it’s a healthy breakfast, lazy weekend brunch or a selection of sharing plates for lunch or dinner, all The Alan’s menus revolve around seasonal, locally-soured ingredients and are constantly changing to reflect this.
The dining room, akin to the rest of the hotel, has been designed with a sustainable approach in mind, reusing, recycling and repairing as much of the materials in the original building as possible. The bar, for example, has been made from cigarette butts, weeds and flowers.
The modern British main menu is served on weekdays from 12pm, and weekends from 3pm, and comprises a selection of light bites, small plates and desserts. Examples of nibbles include truffled mac and cheese, baba ghanoush and flatbreads, while more substantial sharing plates feature things like potato and ox cheek terrine with French’s mustard and dill pickles, halibut ceviche with burnt orange and chicory, and cauliflower tikka with cumin, coriander and pomegranate. The Alan caters for all eaters with a good selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes available. You can also find dishes from ‘The Butchers Quarter’, such as steak or pork chops, with all its meat being free-range and grass-fed from family producers.
Desserts offer a modern twist on British classics, with one named ‘Snickers’ featuring candied peanuts and dulce de leche.
Brunch is served at weekends only, with a selection of classic cooked options and cocktails on the menu. The drinks list includes a range of classic and signature cocktails, but if a G&T is your preferred tipple, The Alan works with a number of independent distilleries (such as Ancoats Distillery) to support and celebrate their craft. You’ll also find plenty of craft beers on the menu, along with a reasonably-priced wine selection.