The Orangery

Sandwiches: £6-9

It's been a bit London-centric, recently, probably because I've been spending a lot of time down south.  Well, I'm back now, and forging onwards and outwards (in terms of my waistline) with the food available in Manchester.

First stop, The Orangery in Heaton Moor.

As previously mentioned, Heaton Moor's lunch scene is booming.  The Orangery is one of the stalwarts, having been feeding Heaton Moorians for almost a decade.  With the sun (in theory) streaming in through the stained glass roof, it is a pleasant place to sip coffee or cocktails.

The sandwiches, while bordering on the expensive (especially when considering the prices a few shops along at Back's), are large and served on fresh ciabatta rolls or slices of bread.  My sandwich, the harissa chicken with coriander mayo, had a nice kick of chilli in the harissa although the coriander was barely detectable.  My cousin's spinach and goats cheese sandwich came with two sizable roulettes of goats cheese, while my aunt's club sandwich was three towering layers that she found difficult to tackle even with a knife and fork.  All of the ingredients taste fresh and, while the selection is not unusual, the combinations are well-thought-out.  Similarly large portions of apple pie and a very chocolatey chocolate cake followed, both of which are served with an espresso cup filled with cream.

The Orangery sits in the middle of the area's price scale, not as expensive as Damson or Town but more expensive than Back's or Kro.