Restaurants in Manchester

Ornate lanterns bask the dining room of India Palace Restaurant in a warm glow, illuminating the classical Indian portraits and dark wood pillars surrounding the tables. Among these authentic confines, friendly staff help guests choose the right dishes from a vibrant menu of fine Indian cuisine. Manning a clay oven fired by charcoal, chefs bake ground-lamb seekh kebabs, swordfish tikka, and marinated tandoori chicken. A selection of 18 vegetarian specialties sates the hunger of plant hunters, whereas a variety of curries gives all diners the ability to roar cartoon flames. Indulgent beverages, such as an Indian chai latte or a mango milk shake, can be paired with any dish to sweeten palates.

At 36 deLux Restaurant, culinary moguls Chef Matt Provencher and Ita Isakov form a powerful duo bent on sourcing the freshest produce, seafood, and meats from local suppliers. Matt graduated from the New England Culinary Institute before honing his skills at eateries all over the country, and Ita heads up Carmel Produce, a distributor of just-plucked produce. Together, they mastermind a menu headlined by salmon and calamari from the raw bar, pecan-crusted pork tenderloin, and sole stuffed with lobster and spinach. Paired with house made breads and desserts, the sizzling dishes make for a hearty meal complemented by potent cocktails and martinis from a recently revamped drink menu.

In a gallery space, the eatery spotlights revolving masterpieces from local artists. Nearby, its private function room sets the stage for making small talk with imaginary friends among up to 35 seated guests or 60 standing party goers.

Caffé Il Cipresso's chefs construct traditional, Old World Italian cuisine with a modern twist, tapping into an arsenal of top-quality ingredients such as fresh haddock, tender veal, and gorgonzola cheese. A smattering of sauces such as pesto and alfredo flood freshly made linguine, penne, and fettuccine noodles. Chicken and fresh seafood, including salmon and shrimp, sizzle in 100% olive oil and artfully complement the eatery's wine list, which flaunts crisp whites, full-bodied reds, and dessert varietals that sparkle like holographic diamonds. The dining room spotlights crimson booths and full-wall murals depicting idyllic countrysides, and the downstairs lounge fuels merrymaking with a full bar. Caffé Il Cipresso also furnishes large events with catering options, including pans of homemade pasta and entrees that serve up to 24 people.

Gourmet India's cuisine sates bellies with fresh meats, ripe vegetables, and astounding sauces spiced flawlessly. The restaurant's friendly staff makes all diners feel at home and excited for the palpable stomach pampering ahead. The relaxed, intimate dining room shares the duty with outdoor seating that illuminates the kitchen's bright creations with all-natural sunlight.

Feng Shui embraces the culinary traditions of both China and Japan while updating its menu seasonally, garnering praise from the Boston Business Journal and New England Cable News for its extensive selection. Stir-fried orders of chicken, beef, and seafood arrive laden with ginger or signature sauces, and sushi chefs roll maki with traditional tuna and salmon or such innovative combinations as strawberry and wasabi aioli. At some locations, the dining rooms include tabletop hibachi-style grills where chefs, like Shakespeare as a toddler, put on food-based shows, flipping, dicing, and sizzling Angus-certified beef in cholesterol-free rice-bran oils that are rich in vitamin E.

After ten hours of slow-cooking, the barbecue ribs at Joe’s American Bar & Grill land on tables tender and ready to fall of the bone. Served with fresh-made coleslaw, these ribs are the centerpiece of a menu overflowing with upscale comfort food. Chefs cut potatoes by hand to accompany bacon cheeseburgers topped with aged cheddar and bread-and-butter pickles made in-house rather than flown in by a talking stork. Grilled pizzas are made fresh to order and never frozen, and hefty sandwiches and hand-cut steaks stack plates with sustenance. On the weekends, brunch dishes come out of hibernation to sate guests with made-to-order omelets and specialties such as eggs benedict and prime-rib hash. Diners enjoy the fresh air on the outdoor patio or cluster around the bar to keep track of sports scores or find out who really got married on Days of Our Lives.