I worked in Cheadle for 4 years and so visited all of these places many, many, many times. Mostly for work drinks but at the weekend, it kicks it up a notch and there’s plenty going on.
It doesn’t really matter where you start geographically, Cheadle is tiny and can be walked up and down in seconds. Mentally though, you should start with a pint…
The White Hart
Pretty much what you would consider to the be most typical pub in the British Isles, The White Hart has everything you could ever desire from a local boozer including a shiny gambler, an array of real ales and pub grub that manages to fill a cheese and burger shaped hole whenever you’re hungry. They had a re-fit in here a few years back and I was gutted – they swapped the old leather seats for posh wooden ones and replaced the big bags of Quavers for posh nuts. The drinks selection is still great though, and there’s also a cheeky little beer garden round the back for when it’s sunny.
White Hart, 90 High St, Cheadle SK8 1PX
0161 491 3028
The Crown Inn
An unassuming little place sandwiched between a Pizza Express and a jeweller, The Crown is a belting little pub full of locals and visitors alike. Long and thin, they regularly host live music nights featuring people with names like Steve Boon, who sing Kings of Leon songs at the top of their voice as the whole pub chants along. They’ve always got a good selection of ales and ciders, and they also do a mean Gin & Tonic in here – well they did the last time I went in there.
The Crown Inn, 81 High St, Cheadle SK8 1AA
0161 491 6082
The James Watts
I never really ever ventured into the Old Star while working in Cheadle but since leaving I’ve heard from a reliable source that it’s had a bit of a spruce up and a lick of paint. It was probably for the best, it was usually avoided due to the muck on the windows and Wild West era atmosphere inside. Renamed The James Watts, apparently it’s a cracker now with a full food menu featuring foreign sounding dishes and a drinks menu to rival even the most cosmopolitan city centre gastro pubs. Order a G&T from their extensive selection of gins, grab a big bowl of olives and you could be in The Ritz. Sort of.
The James Watts, 13 High St, Cheadle SK8 1AX
0161 428 3361
George & Dragon
For years this colossal pub at the end of the High Street stood empty, a shell of its former glory as a coach house, tavern and hotel. Thank Einstein then that someone decided to spend a shit load of money on it and get it back to its glory years in both appearance and atmosphere. Okay so in the olden days there weren’t nearly as many 60-inch widescreen TV’s adorning the walls, in fact there were none, but the George & Dragon is perfect if you like your sports or another 9/11 event happens. Everywhere you look you can see a TV, so perhaps the best thing to do is to go outside with an ice-cold cider and take advantage of their massive beer garden – it’s fantastic.
George & Dragon, 1 High St, Cheadle SK8 1AX
0161 428 1613
Okay so you’ve wet your whistle now. Cheadle isn’t all about the pubs though – there are some fantastic places to grab some food and now that you’ve had a few lagers, you will definitely be wanting some…
Indian Tiffin Rooms
First on the list for somewhere to eat in Cheadle has to be Indian Tiffin Rooms. Sure, you’ve probably eaten at the one at First Street, with all its bells and whistles and leg room, but this tiny restaurant is where it all started and they continue to serve up some of the best Indian street food imaginable. All your favourites are in there including the legendary Vada Pav, Bhel Puri and that Kerala Fish Curry which makes your mouth water just thinking about. I can’t really say any more good words about this place – you’ve just got to go.
Indian Tiffin Room, 2 Chapel St, Cheadle SK8 1BR
www.indiantiffinroom.com/restaurants/cheadle/
JAS JAS JAS
Located just opposite the White Hart and that Istanbul Express place, JAS JAS JAS is quite possibly the greatest place for Middle Eastern cuisine in Manchester, serving up daily hot and cold specials which would make Aladdin’s shoes curl up even more through sheer flavour alone. Most people during the day will head on down here, grab a Meat Box packed with the day’s specials and go eat it at their desk, making everyone else in the office green with envy. There’s also plenty of seats to sit down and sample their fantastic mezze and meats, all watched over by a rather charismatic family who will not shy from making your experience that much more authentic.
JAS JAS JAS, Cedar Tree House, 5 Wilmslow Rd, Cheadle SK8 1DW
0161 439 9000
If you’ve got a bit of spare time between eating and drinking, you can always check out the shops on Cheadle High Street. To be fair it’s mostly banks, supermarkets and charity shops so you won’t really be too busy, but there’s a few absolute gems knocking about…
Barnardo’s Vintage
Quite possibly the greatest charity shop in the North West, and perhaps the country, this Barnardo’s Vintage was a thrice weekly visit place when I worked here, and there was always some great new gear, furniture or trinkets that I would spend my semi-hard-earned cash on. This is the place where I bought the most fabulous ski suit in the world from, and it was only a tenner – as well as countless other fashion winners over the years. Well worth a look.
Barnardo’s, 76 High St, Cheadle SK8 1AX
www.barnardos.org.uk/
Hulme Farm Shop
The perfect example of a farm shop, Hulme’s offer the kind of products you’d expect to find somewhere in the middle of Yorkshire in 1932, with a fantastic array of delicious sausages, meat, pies and something my mate bought once called a Duck which was nothing like what he was expecting. The prices in here are excellent, very competitive and the produce is as local as you can get it. They also do fantastic sandwiches that come rammed full of cooked meat and will fill up even the greediest of bloody big blokes for the rest of the day.
Hulmes Farm Shop, 36 High St, Cheadle SK8 1AE
0161 428 4823
