The Sparrows is a unique, European restaurant in the heart of Manchester's city centre, with a menu that focuses on handmade dumplings and pasta dishes, including pierogi, spatzle, pelmeni, ravioli and more. The Sparrows is inspired by all things dough-based, cooking up fresh pasta and dumpling recipes which herald from Germany and Austria to Italy and Poland.
The house specialty is spätzle; a fresh egg pasta which can be found all over South Germany, Switzerland and Austria, right into Northern Italy. All pastas and dumplings are complemented by handmade, hearty regional sauces, offering an authentic insight into how they would be enjoyed at home - with a crust of freshly baked bread, of course.
The team are also passionate about choosing drinks that have cultural significance. For example, the Italian's love of coffee is represented in the rich, aromatic cup of Joe on offer here, while Japanese green tea is also served. If you're in the mood for something stronger, try Swiss craft beer, a glass of organic Austrian wine or Japanese Sake.
For a closer look at the menu, those dining as a group might like to share a cheese board, or smoked sausage with braised onion, pickles, sauerkraut and focaccia, with a winter salad or borlotti beans. When it comes to picking your pasta, dumpling or gnocchi, choose a delicious sauce to go with it including butter and sage, tomato, or chorizo with cherry tomato, spinach and cream, among many others.
Those with a sweet tooth will be pleased to know the dessert menu has also been beautifully considered, with a rich plethora of sugary treats. The panna cotta is infused with bergamot tea, then there's Daz's wife's brownie and a cinnamon, brown sugar and butter spatzle, which sounds delicious.