Called in with my wife after a days shopping. We loved it from start to finish. The staff were great from start to finish, they were really helpful and it came across as a genuine desire to make your visit enjoyable. The food was great! To start my wife had halloumi fries, I had buffalo wings with a blue cheese sauce šš» For mains my wife had the Kentucky fried bacon burger, part of that was the only negative, the Kentucky coated bacon that sat on the burger wasnāt that nice, if being honest it tasted a bit like a cheap supermarket brand coating. I had the manc-hattan, burger, pastrami, black pudding and cheese dressed with a mustard mayo, WOW! Honestly it was the best burger Iāve had, trust me Iāve had a few, some in the states! Loved it, thanks Solita šš»š
I would highly recommend Solitaās! First visit and we were sat straight at a table, provided with drinks and had food fairly quick. The food was fantastic and great value: All the staff were looked like they were genuinely happy to be there and were always happy to help. Great music, great food, fab atmosphere! Will be back again!
We had dinner at Solita on Sunday. Table straight away waitress at table straight away taking drink ordered. Order for food took within 10mins. Starters were amazing & main course was fabulous. But the event of the night was the Dessert OMG. & to top it off we used a 25% voucher off the total bill which saved us nearly Ā£15.00. If u want a burger & cocktails this is the place. Will definitely be returning in near future. Cheese burger rolls are the future. š¤©ššš¤
Solita never fails to impress us with their burgers/food.
And their sense of humour although sometimes a bit tongue In cheek is brilliant. Ignore the sore pug owners who review at 1* they haven't even eaten here they haven't yet developed a sense of humour I'm sure evolution will catch up to these poor souls at some point
Ignore the pug morons, this place is easily the best burger place in Manchester. I'd say it's the dogs bollocks, but that might imply something else after PugGate2018
Bet half of the moaners are Vegan as well....
American style food with a Mancunian twang, whatās not to like?! The cheeseburger spring rolls are the dogs bollocks, and by dogs I donāt mean Pugs. I particularly like the no Pug/ rabbit policy, it keeps my plate free from dog hair and allows me to dodge salads on the reg. As for rats in my kitchen (what am I gonna do), I like my restaurants rat-free, especially when my burgers are dripping with melted cheese!
All in all; the food is good, the sites are decent and the staff ply you with drinks.
Went in, in my dreams (as so many people seem to be doing with this place recently) but the concept of that is great and allows for a truly personal experience, which reading some of the other reviews is completely different for everyone. A lot of the surrounding tables seemed to be rather loud Americans taking pictures of non existent faults and many had similar lines of conversation- something about "no it hasn't just walked into a cupboard" ,"NO it's NOT out of breath because it's been on the shag" and "it's eyes won't pop out of its skull" but I gave that no thought. Started off with the rat burger then I was invited to pick a dessert from a picture set, but they didn't have any pictures of heratige rhubarb crumble or goats milk pavlova, so I'll probably go online and start a campaign to help the plight of the humble rhubarb. But goats milk is from a shit animal and I didn't want to see a picture of it anyway.
Solita = great.
An amazing restaurant. The best burger we have ever had. Their halloumi fries are super tasty. The staff are great. We went for my boyfriends 30th and our other friends birthday (the same day a year apart!) and both of them got a free cocktail, can't fault the staff, service or food. Can't wait to try the one at Preston.
If my bosses paid me more & there were no consequences for being far too chubby, i would eat here: Breakfast, lunch & tea everyday for the rest of my life!! I can never get bored of this fantabulous menu & the cocktails are lush!
And you know what makes today even better... payday, which means feeding time at the zoo (what us fat bastards like to say when excitement arrives in the form of calamari, cheese burger fries & a mahoosive hotdog) ļæ½ļæ½ļæ½
best food and service in Manchester. Ignore the pug weirdos and their 1 star reviews, the burgers and mac n cheese balls are immense ļæ½
Fantastic place that has the heart to make a stand against ugly dogs bred to have a life of suffering to satisfy some perverse lust in awful humans.
PS, a one star review to all pug owners, they'd never choose the pug life of deliberately bred breathing issues, but they're happy to inflict the same on the dog breed.
Rachel Elizabeth Kirkham
+5
Mac and cheese balls are probably the best things to ever have graced my taste buds! Theyāll probably taste even better now I know they hate pugs. Keep up the good work Solita!
One of the nicest burgers I have had in a long time! We hadnāt made a booking but when we arrived the staff quickly found a seat for me and my partner. We ordered a started and main, the main came earlier than the started but when we told this to the waiter he quickly went back and got our starter with a apology and gave it to us for free. We had the cheeseburger spring rolls which were exceptional and ever so tasty. And the burger we had each was cooked to perfection, I highly recommend this burger kitchen as I WILL be coming here again.
Excellent Steak & Burgers
Visited with friends on a busy Saturday night, so we booked in advance to avoid disappointment.
I ordered the fillet steak with peppercorn sauce & fries any my friend ordered the Ribeye with blue cheese sauce. Both were well seasoned and perfectly cooked.
The other two diners ordered burgers which also looked great.
We would definitely recommend.
First time here and the food was amazing!!
Quick service and super friendly staff.
I had the Sunday lunch burger and my fiancƩ had the Big Manc burger.
The Sunday lunch burger was perfect, it came with a side of mini roast potatoās and gravy. My only critique is that there should of been more gravy as it was a bit dry without it. However I didnāt actually ask for any more! So I canāt complain.
My fiancƩ loved the big manc and he had the salt and pepper fries with it.
Very impressed with all the food.
We tried both the American beers on the menu and their some of the nicest drinks weāve had.
Definitely try Blue Wave!
Will definitely return again (hopefully soon!)
"Burgers to die for"
The vast varieties of delicious burgers..
They have incredible burgers with must try pizza fries, dry breaded chicken, the buttermilk fried chicken burger, hot Chipotle Chicken Wings, mac n cheese balls and many more delicious items..
Can seriously recommend the Big Manc and the Bacon Double Cheese burgersĀ
Atmosphere is so vibrant and a perfect place to sit with friends to enjoy the delicious food..
There's something for everyone on the menu..
Always a pleasure to frequent here. For some reason I've always visited this venue when the sun is out. So needless to say I always sit outside in their little beer patio/garden in front of their premises. Not the prettiest but who cares when you have a cold beer in hand and the sun is shining.
Ideal place if you eat insane choices in burgers/wings and fries. I had the KFB (Kentucky Fried Bacon) and it was delicious. Giving it a four because the burger bun was quite hard and crumbly, Iām assuming this is not always like this. Also I got the second spiciest wings selection which were mild at best. Would definitely go back.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I'm never a big fan a burger, so take this review with a grain of salt.
First of all, the interior is nice, and I got table on the basement, so that's fine with me.
I went there Friday evening, arrived around 7 pm, and honestly the service was kinda slow, and we were expected to leave in 8 pm. Honestly, if you want us to get out of there fast, then serve our food fast.
We had Solita Sharer for starter, and it was amazing. The spring rolls really lives up to the hype, it was heaven on the mouth. I almost order it for take away, but there was no room left after the burger. My friend said the Mac 'n' Cheese balls were amazing too, so you can't go wrong with this menu. The Fried Baby Squid was also good, I enjoyed that one a lot.
To the burger, well, I ordered Walk of Shame, and it was good, but I expected some special sauce but it was just like another burger, however, the patty is good. There was no vegetable whatsoever in this burger, and did I mention it was double patties?
Summary:
Coming back for the spring rolls.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
So I went to Solita today as I read lots of good reviews about it. I was probably their first customer of the day since I entered right at their opening time. My first impression wasnāt a very pleasing one because as soon as I sat on my table, I realized it was dirty and there was some sticky sauce on the menu. My knife wasnāt washed properly either and had some food stuck onto it.
Moving on, I ordered the Veg Halloumi Burger with cheesy fries. The presentation of the food was fantastic. The cheese on the fries was mouth-watering and I just couldnāt get enough of it. Then I tried the burger, which had halloumi that wasnāt well grilled. The outer-side was fine but it was just not well done on the inside. It was really chewy and I could not eat the other half of the halloumi. The burger tasted a lot better without the halloumi and the Portobello mushrooms were delicious. If youāre a veggie, maybe give the other burgers a shot or ask for the halloumi to be well done.
I was served by Angie who asked me how the food was. Told her about the halloumi and she offered to get another burger which was really nice of her, even though I refused. She genuinely seemed to care about what I thought of the food, which you donāt usually see in many restaurants. Finally, when I asked for the cheque, Angie had given me a generous discount, which was pleasing.
Overall, it was an OKAY experience but I am sure it can be better. Special shoutout to Angie who had a smile on her face throughout and made the whole experience worthwhile.
The newly refurbished basement is looking great, modelled on the impressive designs of the newer Didsbury & Prestwich restaurants; complete with Stanley Chow artwork, graffiti and fancy new neon lights.
I wanted to try the amazing sounding and looking āSalt Beef Croquettesā too, but sadly theyād sold out.
So I settled for an old favourite, āCheeseburger Spring Rollsā.
Then it was time for the main event.
An already impressively large burger is made higher still with a trio of Christmas dinner staples.
The seeded brioche bun contains a seven-ounce chuck steak patty and is stuffed (pun intended) with buttermilk fried turkey, roast gammon, Monterey Jack cheese, cranberry and port sauce and deep fried sprouts. Before being drenched in rich turkey gravy.
Oh, and itās topped with that skewer containing a: goose fat roast potato, stuffing ball and now legendary candied pig in blanket.
Yeah, itās quite literally Christmas in a bun.
Our latest foray into the world of grill and burger restaurants led us to SoLIta in Manchesterās Northern Quarter. The name of the restaurant, complete with capital L and I, is a reference to its location āsouth of Little Italyā. I think of it as sounding a bit like āso littleā as we arrived on a Sunday afternoon to a tiny, packed (but cheerful) room on the ground floor. Fortunately, the layout is deceiving as there are more tables on the floors above. I did notice that there are additional spaces downstairs as well as across the street, so they are well equipped to handle the flow of customers at peak times.
Go regularly.
Love it every time I go.
I have recently transitioned to a Vegan diet so would say that the vegan burger could do with a bit more love. The bun is very standard
Enjoyed it, friendly staff, clean, good food,
Its a place you can enjoy with friends, in its cosy atmosphere
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I dream SoLITA dreams.. I went to Solita with the boys on my way to France for a weeks skiing....Absolutely awesome place and i cant recommend this enough. Normally im a total fine diner but this place is magical and the other end of the spectrum...Its a Man v food establishment and i bloody love it.
I wanted to try the ANAL ( Apocolypse Now And Later ) Naga chilli burger but it had been taken off and replaced by the " Life Aquatic" burger..... I made a good choice. Moist chuck steak patty topped with Atlantic dressed crab claws in a soft Brioche bun and skewered with huge shrimp.
Other burgers to grace the tables are The Rossini ( fillet steak burger with foie gras and madeira sauce ) The Sunday Lunch burger ( exactly as it says on the tin ) and the Hungry Hoss ( you just wont get through it )
Solita is a Mecca for comfort food eating , all well researched and well sourced recipes and cooked to perfection. From the heart , i cant recommend this place enough and the sooner the management get it up and running as a franchised chain the better.
I dream Solita dreams.
After drooling over the menu for several days prior to my visit I had convinced myself that I was going to try the 'Once in a Lifetime' burger as it had only just been awarded a place in the '9 Best Alternative Burgers' in Esquire Magazine.
I decided to try a few food options and started with the Steak Eggs Benedict. Slicing through the eggs and steak was impressive, the steak was perfectly pink and the yolks exploded everywhere. Unfortunately the hollandaise tasted of barely anything, the capers were a nice touch and did provide a much needed hit of vinegar but there just weren't enough to compensate for such bland sauce.
Rahul Titus - Champagne & Chutney
+4.5
SoLita , where do I even begin? Itās been the talk of the town for quite a long time now. So much so, that itās got the same ratings as Manchester House Ā and The French on Zomato. Why does that matter? Manchester House and The French are both fine dining Michelin wannabe landmarks in Manchester whereas SoLita is a small restaurant situated in the unassuming Northern Quarter ā that is one impressive feat. This weekend, I decided to drag Seb and Matt to the Northern Quarter and see (and taste) what all the fuss was about. It was cold, wet and grey outside but it just had to be done and I am so glad I went because the food here really is something special! SoLita is situated on the corner of Turner Street in an unassuming building, you could easily walk past it and not even realise the restaurant was there but make sure you walk in, I promise you wonāt regret it. The interiors are very basic and industrial with simple black tables and leather chairs. The feature wall covered in comics is
Solita in the Northern Quarter, Manchester, is our most visited restaurant this year. Last week was our fifth time, what keeps us going back time and time again? The ever changing specials and bringing fresh ideas with Twitter hype. Solita play the game to perfection.
So lets get this out of the way, SoLIta has probably had the best opening of any restaurant I've ever witnessed. Everything I've heard about this restaurant has been overwhelmingly positive, photos that made my knees tremble have been published, anecdotes about the owners have been recounted and twitter trends have been skewed causing a New York newspaper to call SoLIta to question their Aperol consumption. We were not disappointed. I have to admit we were on a high when we decided to visit SoLIta on the spur of the moment. A rum, a pint of strong beer and a giant hotdog had already been consumed when we decided to make an impromptu visit. A visit had always been planned but further down the line for the reason that we didn't think we would get in. That fear was almost realised as we saw a few peeps being turned away. We felt no guilt as we chowed down I can tell you that. I suppose I should give you some detail about why this eatery has just ousted The Rose Garden as our favourite Man
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
We have been following Solita on Twitter for quite a while, after seeing multiple amounts of their snaps of their incredible looking delicious burgers, it was about time we had visited! We went to dine out on a Thrursday evening, and by no surprise the place was packed out which meant we had to wait for about 15-20mins? Nevertheless, it was worth the wait. SoLiTa's cuisine is a combination of influences of New York, Italy and Manchester, without any doubt you would feel as though you're dining in America whilst at your table. ( well ,Ā I did anyway :P) Starters: As usual we ordered a few things to share, but didn't want to go overboard as the mains were seemingly big. (As described by our waiter) Ribs, wings, rings and things Ā£7.90 - self explanatory .. Mmm the dish was smaller thanĀ I thought it'll be, but! it was satisfying. The barbeque sauce on the wings were yummy! & the fried Jalepenos were still spicy after being deep fried. Deep fried Mac n Cheese Balls Ā£4.90 - Small doughballs f
Victoria āMrsā Petticoat
+4.5
Gooey cheese, runny egg yolk and truffle oil - if you donāt like this combo then you should lose your right to vote or make any important decisions in life. In fact you should go and sit in a dark room and cry. NOW!
I'm already plotting a trip back to Solita to road test their house waffles with buttermilk fried chicken and the pancakes with lemon and sugar. Next time your timbers are feeling a little shivered, and your nose senses a nip in the air, head to Solita for some soul warming scran.
I canāt stop visiting SoLIta. I walk around the Northern Quarter, look at the many eating establishments, but eventually find myself holding a SoLIta menu. So it was that I ended up ordering their new āLife Aquaticā burger this Easter Sunday...
I've made a few trips to Solita lately, firstly to taste a few new dishes and secondly to photograph some other new menu items for Franco, the owner. It would be unprofessional (and unwise) of me to review these items properly this being the case but it's made me think about why people order what they do.
Firstly, the Hemingway Burger. It was a fantastic idea to use the original recipe, recently unearthed of the author's favourite hamburger. Apart from a few unusual touches, (carrots and Spice Islands seasoning for example) it's fairly simple. I had a feeling I'd like it because of this. In fact I'd go so far as to say it's the best burger I've ever had at Solita and probably one of the best anywhere in Manchester. You can really taste the meat unadorned without a hundred other unessential things muddying the flavour.
Also making a reappearance was one of my favourite Christmassy drinks. āMars Bar Eggnogā is essentially alcohol spiked (rum and brandy) Mars Bar milkshakes with extra butter, cream and chocolate. It probably contains more calories than the burger that followed but it tastes ridiculously good.
I loved the āCharcoal Grilled JalapeƱosā so much they could well end up being one of my favourite dishes of the year. Halved jalapeƱos are filled with cream cheese before being wrapped in bacon and grilled over charcoal. A stunning combination served with a Jack Danielās BBQ sauce.
The menu is bigger than I expected and covers all the basis except one; there was talk of Porridge and Granola making an appearance but those thoughts were rightly shelved, although there are still a few relatively healthy dishes you just donāt go to SoLita for proper healthy eating do you?
The Christmas Burger wasnāt the only festive special, we started with a seasonal cocktail āMars Bar Eggnogā. Made from a combination of Mars Bar milkshake, rum, brandy, double cream and nutmeg it was a sweet, creamy, chocolatey delight. Much more indulgent than the already rather indulgent original version, I dread to think how many calories were in it but who cares, itās Christmas!
Iāve been a bit obsessed with Japanese food recently but was far from convinced by this concept, until I tasted it. Ramen noodles are cooked and formed into ābunā shapes which are used to replace the bread! Between them is a 6oz patty, spring onions and a delicious spicy, sweet yet savoury sauce made from mirin, soy and my favourite condiment Sriracha.
Cooked perfectly medium rare these chuck steak patties with added bone marrow donāt need any help staying moist but they got it anyway in the form of the gorgeous chilli sauce, lashings of melted cheese and the soft and juicy red pepper. The addition of fried chicken and blue corn tortilla chips for added crunch is genius.
The Murray Burger is a fascinating concoction of Scottish stereotypes in a bun. It also looks and tastes amazing. Featuring an Aberdeen Angus beef patty, panko coated, deep fried haggis, Ayrshire bacon, lashings of melted Monterey Jock (not a typo!) cheese with an Irn Bru & Whiskey sauce and ānae lettuceā (I have a chuckle about that every time I see it). It could only be bettered if it was served with a side of deep fried bitesize Mars bars.
The intriguingly titled āLucky 7ā² is one of the best new starters. A 7 ingredient layered dip containing refried beans, guacamole, salsa, cheese, sour cream, salad and olives and served with a generous portion of blue corn tortilla chips of legendary āBreaking Bad Burgerā fame.
As you may have read in my review of the Northern Quarter Takeover 2013, I was brave (or stupid?) enough to enter the SoLita In The Street Hot Wing Challenge yesterday.
Now I do love spicy food and Iām always complaining when things that are supposed to be hot turn out not to be (Iām looking at you Almost Famous āSuicideā Sauceā) but I have to admit that the more I learned about what the competition entailed the less good of an idea it seemed.
The chicken breast is fried in a mix of parmesan and panko breadcrumbs and was wonderfully moist inside with a great crunch but itās the piles of bechamel sauce and melted cheese that make it taste so good. Of course Iāve never tried the original but I love the addition of the meatballs, the marinara sauce gives it a chicken Parmigiana vibe. The homemade garlic mayo on the side is incredibly good too. Itās just a brilliant combination of comforting flavours and I can see why itās as popular as it is.
Weād intended not to do dessert as weād inevitably spend the rest of the day eating cake but couldnāt say no when we spotted a special that we hadnāt seen before: āSticky toffee waffle pudding with creme caramel ice creamā.
Unfortunately theyād sold out of the Creme Caramel ice-cream so we had to have it with Oreo flavour instead, no a bad thing as itās very good but a shame as iād have liked to try the creme caramel. The pudding was gorgeous though, a moist, sticky, cakey delight with a hint of banana flavour topped with toffee sauce and waffle. I felt it needed a bit more waffle to be honest but other than that it was good fun and a very tasty pud.
The burger includes a standard 6oz chuck steak pattie with the heat coming from cornmeal fried jalapeƱos and Naga BBQ sauce. The jalapeƱos are not particularly intense but the BBQ sauce was, VERY! I had a taste of it on itās own before biting into the burger and I have to admit it had me a little worried.
Last Monday one of my favourite Manchester restaurants SoLita launched their new lunch menu, on paper it looked like fantastic value so I paid them a visit to find out.
The menu is available on weekdays and currently contains 11 items priced at Ā£5.95 each as well as Fries (Ā£1.50) and Sweet Potato Fries (Ā£2.50). Iāve no doubt that this will change over the coming weeks as they tweak and refine the menu and dishes though.
The Big Manc is a giant burger with two 6oz patties made from prime chuck steak with added bone marrow served on a brioche bun with lettuce, pickles, Monterey Jack cheese and Big Manc Sauce.
Obviously it is supposed to look like a Big Mac and it does, only bigger and much more impressive. In fact a regular Big Mac looks pretty sad now in comparison!
If 2012 was all about pulled pork, the early signs are that 2013 might be all about salt beef. Itās popping up on menus all over the place including SoLita in the form of āSalt Beef Frittersā. Just like the hushpuppies they were extremely crispy on the outside but inside was full of the most succulent slow cooked beef,
It tastes fantastic, theyāve really managed to capture all of the key flavours of a Christmas dinner in each and every mouthful.
I wouldnāt normally write another review of a restaurant when revisiting so soon after the original review. However Solita is no normal restaurant so exceptions must be made! (Donāt worry, iāll explain what I mean by this at the end.)
The āPulled Pork Sundaeā tasted fantastic even out of a plastic cup at āSolita In The Streetā. This time it looked much prettier served in a nice glass and it tasted even better too! Iām a huge pulled pork fan anyway and the pulled pork at the bottom of this sundae is as good as it gets. Soft and melt in your mouth meat with a delicious BBQ sauce. Itās topped with swirls of 60/40 mash, the 60/40 refers to the ratio of potato to butter. Yes, the mash is 40% butter!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
According to our hosts for the evening āSolitaā in Italian means āThe only thingā and in Spanish āThe lonely ladyā. For the last few weeks the Manchester food Twitterati has been twitching with the name of SoLIta.Ā Pictures of drool enducing dishes have appeared, disappeared, changed and reappeared.Ā The grapevine hissed with whispers āWhen does it openā āHowād they do thatā Deep fried what nowā. It murmured with rumours āManchesters first Inkaā āThereāll be bacon jamā āItaly meets America meets Manchesterā Well thanks to Dom Sotgiu, the force behind this new venture inviting a few of us down for a sneaky preview, some of these quetions can start to be answered. In a humble building in one of the oldest residential streets in Manchester is where you will find this place.Ā Just south (So) of what used to be well known as Little (L) Italy (Ita). But judging books by covers is as we know, foolhardy at best.Ā While the groundfloor dining room and kitchen are in keeping with the scale of th
I did find myself feeling absolutely stuffed by the time Iād finished the burger. To be honest, I was happily full when I reached the halfway point, but when a burger is this well cooked you canāt just eat half and leave the rest! The size of the burger and the fact that it is so filling may be too much for some, but personally we loved it.
Solita has appeared in national newspapers recommending them as one of the top places to grab a burger, in these burgersplosive times this is some feat....So what is all the fuss aboutĀ Yes they do burgers, many have jumped on the burger bandwagon since, but they were there at the beginning, maybe a little quieter in terms of their popularity but by no means quieter in themselves. They have been shouting about how good they are on twitter for some time now. They have so much confidence and most importantly passion about what they do it shines through in their food.
SoLITA was absolutely buzzing and as soon as a table was vacated it was immediately re-occupied again. Only one reason for that , it`s simpleā¦.They`re providing the customer with exactly what they`re wanting. Amazing home made food , Northern portions and Menus filled with excitement that totally guarantees a return visit.
Solita has clearly derived its inspiration from American diners and dive bars, Russell Norman's London Spuntino and the Inka Grills purveyed by Franco Sotgiu ... the chairs are the ubiquitous (though always comfortable) dark leather restaurant chairs. Similarly, the food comes on proper plates, and the drinks come in proper glasses, rather than the plastic baskets and jam jars that have (drawing on the lower end of the American market) become popular in places like Pitt Cue & Co and Meat Liquor in London. Menus double as placemats, supplemented by a large blackboard.
Solita itself is to be found on Turner Street in the heart of the Northern Quarter which is doing very well with a new food or drink venue seeming to open every week. I remember the days when a trip to the Market Restaurant was a serious expedition into an area of Manchester marked on the map by the words: ā Here Be Dragonsā with hardly anywhere else to chance a drink before or after your dinner in the area. This time we took in two places before our dinner which could not be more different.
SoLiTaās, as yet unnamed, āChristmas Burgerā features their signature 6oz chuck steak & bone marrow patty, topped with buttermilk fried turkey and all the trimmings ā namely: cranberry & port sauce, panko fried stuffing, sprouts tops and festive mayo topped with, the crowing gloryā¦ a candied pig in blanket!
SoLiTa is the more grown up of the two. It proudly sports an Inka Grill and the food ranges from the inventive (pulled pork sundaes?) to a range of burgers and steaks under the grill. My burger was the Catalan at Ā£11ish with manchego, red peppers and chorizo adorning a thick, medium-cooked patty.
Solita's got a big bold menu to go withĀ a big bold cooking device in the kitchen - an Inka grill; super expensive, it's able to cook meat very quickly whilst producing the same char you get off the BBQ - minus the burnt sausages and food poisoning.
Interesting but obviously very cholesterol red zone menu but oh so delish! Favorite starter - bacon fat fried popcorn! Yes it's as amazing as it sounds. Our table also had some chicken wings which had bourbon sauce - very good choice. For mains I had 10ounce steak - impressed to find good meat in UK for reasonable price. The menu is so interesting is recommend at least one visit to anyone in Manchester. Only downside was the ambiance/decor- very dark and bordering on bland side.
Solita is Manchester's temple of burgers, with several signature classics such as the Big Manc (a burger restaurant take on the classic Big Mac), the Manc-Hattan, which has deep fried black pudding and pastrami in there and the Once in a Lifetime which is more of a health warning than a name.
They also offer a selection of wings as part of their starter menu, and their cry for help offering, whilst do-able, are up there with the hottest thing I've ever eaten.
Solita have just added a second restaurant to their stable, over in Didsbury village, right on my doorstep, and I can say there hasn't been a drop in standards, opening teething problems aside.
All in all I'd thoroughly recommend a pilgrimage to Manchester's greatest burger restaurant.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
We have been following Solita on Twitter for quite a while, after seeing multiple amounts of their snaps of their incredible looking delicious burgers, it was about time we had visited! We went to dine out on a Thrursday evening, and by no surprise the place was packed out which meant we had to wait for about 15-20mins? Nevertheless, it was worth the wait. SoLiTa's cuisine is a combination of influences of New York, Italy and Manchester. Here is a list of the dishes we tried and a short but mouth watering description to go with it.
Starters:
Ribs, wings, rings and things Ā£7.90 - self explanatory.. Mmm the dish was smaller than I thought it'll be, but! it was satisfying. The barbeque sauce on the wings were yummy! & the fried Jalepenos were still spicy after being deep fried.
Deep fried Mac n Cheese Balls Ā£4.90 - Small doughballs filled with scrummy Mac n Cheese. Soooooooooo good! Never tried anything like it. Best Best starter!
Rooster Scratchings Ā£2.90 - House fried chicken skin pieces with Solita dust.
Extra cunchy, nicely seasoned, Very tasty, not too oily and greatly unusual.
Main course:
The Mega Manc Ā£19.90 - 3x6 ounce minced chuck steak patties, trifecta brioche (with an extra layer), iceberg, home pickles, Monterey Jack and Big Manc sauce.
Our waiter giggled as I placed this order, and believed that I wouldn't be able to finish this.. So, against his belief I took on the challenge that if I was able to finish the entire burger including the fries - I would get a free pudding :P
As, I chomped on this calorific burger it all started to seem bigger than it actually sounded! I loved the cheesy-ness of the sauce was and the minced burgers were surprisingly not chewy! YES I did accomplish this and I would recommend anybody who is extremely hungry to order this :P
The Big Manc Ā£15.90 with added Smoked Brisket Chilli Ā£1.90 - 2x6 ounce minced chuck steak patties, trifecta brioche, iceberg, home pickles, Monterey Jack and Big Manc sauce.
Slighlty smaller than the Mega Manc burger, including the same filling but with added smoked brisket chilli. My guest described this as the best biggest big mac he's ever had, even though he was about to explode! The smoked brisket chilli really does add an extra MmmmMmmm in the burger.
Whole King Prawns Ā£13.90 - brushed with chilli oil
Clarissa had ordered this and said that she loved that this was a great portion size of prawns, as it wasn't too filling and tasted like it was right off the grill. The chilli oil accompanied the flavours well and did not overpower the authentic taste of prawns. It was a nice and satisfying light dish and not too chilli.
Chow Chow Slaw Ā£1.90 - Very different to your regualr creamy coleslaw. We believed that it had oriental take on this Coleslaw as it contained chilli and vinegar.
Dessert - S'more. Solita's version consisted of a Double chocolate and nut cookie, chocolate ice cream, a layer of roasted marshmellows on top and cherry sauce. A mouthwatering dessert to end the night! Even though we was all stuffed, we still managed to eat this.
All in all, Solita will definitely be a place we would occasionally visit as there has been nothing like this to compare to. The food, atmosphere, staff and prices are all worth visiting for.
Please visit our blog for the mouth watering photos and the full review: http://prettyandtasty-ly.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/solita-bar-grill.html
Shrimoyee Chakraborty
+4.5
SoLiTa the name comes from the phrase 'South of Little Italy, hence So Li Ta get it? I always like finding out the reason behind names of brands or businesses as I had to do that as an exercise regularly in university so never got out of that habit!
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of SoLiTa is lots of cheese and massive burgers - and that m'dear is a great thing! How can anybody resist something as delicious and naughty as cheese and succulent tender burger (woohh). I only tried their food before at the Northern Quarter street party so never actually went inside to see what the restaurant actually looks like. Jenny (my manager) was visiting me in Manchester and she suggested we have dinner together so I had the opportunity to show off my lovely city. The first thing I focused on was obviously food and then I remembered she mentioned to me that she loves cheese. The first thought that popped up my head was the burger I had at the NQ street party and I just knew I needed to take her to 'South of little Italy'. She was also living right opposite at Light Apartments which obviously came in handy (that is what I call a win-win situation).
We went in and a very Italian looking waitress got us seated, the place was packed even though it was a Monday evening. I have to mention that its a very small and compact restaurant so even a few people can make it look like its really full - which to me could be a big advantage for any business as it can look very popular. I ordered for buttermilk fried chicken burger with extra cheese (nom nom nom) and a moreto (mexican beer) and I just have one word for it - Delicious! The inca grilled veg which Jenny ordered along with her Chicken breast and cheese looks pretty damn good too! The food was very filling and definitely satisfying after a long day! The price was definitely on the steeper end, so yeah it's not cheap by any means, a meal for two would be easily 50 pounds with drinks.
Verdict : Can't wait to have one more of those face sized burgers again!
![4]( "Recensione")
I've been here twice and enjoyed it both times. I also had vouchers from Manchester Confidentials both times which makes it cheaper -- pretty much half price.
The first time I went I had 3 of the slider burgers. I wasn't too keen on the PJ and jelly one, but I think it was just a bit strange because it was sweet. I can't remember what the other ones were to be honest but I liked them. I couldn't finish them because the burgers are actually a decent size even though they're only sliders.
The second time I went, I had the 28oz steak which I shared with my partner. The fries and onion rings are supposed to be bottomless but we didn't have any more than what came on the plate because we were full. We also had desert -- mine was the waffle which to be honest I didn't think was great.
Another good thing about this place is that there is a disabled toilet upstairs, which is good because it is accessible, the other toilets are downstairs. It also has a beer garden sectioned off, but obviously that's only good during the summer months.
Overall though, I really like the place.
We expected to try the challenge burger with 10 patties but sadly was not available when we went. Instead I had the spicy cry for help burger, which was fantastic, and yes did in fact make me cryš¢š. Both burgers were excellent with lovely cheese and patties, accompanied by delicious and crispy fries.
![4]( "Recensione")
Yesterday was our second visit to Solita with a voucher. We have mixed reviews of this place as our first visit was less than impressive but yesterday's visit was fantastic! Both reviews are below.
02/2022 - We ordered 24oz Wagyu Rump Steak (Ā£48) to share between the two of us. We asked for medium rare and it came perfectly medium rare. It's definitely a 2-person meal and we absolutely enjoyed it. The service was great too. The lady was so cheerful and attentive and we didn't feel thirsty at all afterwards. Highly recommended the steak.
11/2021 - We ordered The Manc (Ā£20) and The PBJ&D (Ā£17) burgers. The wagyu beef patties were overcooked and the fries were pale and under-seasoned. The doughnuts on the PBJ&D burger were stone cold.
We also ordered the Cheeseburger Spring Rolls which were disappointing. Not crispy at all and salty. The service was average and we were extremely thirsty afterwards.
Yesterday's experience has really changed our perspective of Solita. Not sure if we'd order burgers but that Wagyu Rump Steak will sure be on our 'must eat' list again.
Food was really nice! Good selection of beers and cocktails too. Hottest wings I've ever tasted and Big Mac Chicken burger was huge! Recommended upgrading your fries.
I'm from Surrey but often find myself up in Manchester. I love Solita.
Great starters, amazing burgers and some truly glutinous desserts. Whilst I am on the topic of the menu, it is a must to mention their "once in a lifetime" burger. A monster and definitely worth a second, third and fourth in your lifetime. If that doesn't tickle your fancy they always have a cheesy named special on offer which always taste better than its name.
There is plenty of seating and it is never empty. The staff are attentive and as yet, I have never had a bad visit.
Friendly staff and quick service. The range of food is original with a good selection of mains and deserts. Recommended!
What a find! Decided to eat at Solita on our last night in Manchester, pictures don't do the food justice, everything was so fresh and service was excellent. Read an article suggesting the burgers were up there with the best in the UK......confirmed! Top level scran and still offering a discount to people eating out Monday to Wednesday in September!
Solita was highly recommended to me and, as a burger burger lover myself, I had to give it a chance.
No surprises, the burger was as good as promised and I enjoyed it together with their own local American IPA Beer that turned out to be a great combination.
The size, how well the meat was done and the ingredients were all on point. Definitely worth trying yourself.
![4]( "Recensione")
The menu had some interesting ideas. We got the sharing platter but swapped the bbq wings for the cauliflower 'wings' as they sounded a bit more interesting. The mac and cheese balls were probably the highlight, with just a little spiciness to make them different. It was all deep fried but there was a nice little salad with it. For a main, I got the manc-hatten burger, which was an interesting melding of northern English and American. Upgraded my fries to salt and pepper fries. My other half ordered the special, which sounded really unique but was later told they had sold out. So he went for a chili hotdog instead. The meat is good quality. He upgraded to sweet potato fries. We both got 1 cocktail. The cocktail menu isn't large, but they say they can make any classic cocktail. The bill came to around Ā£58 altogether. We were sat downstairs where a big hen party was pretty loud and the music was also very loud, making it difficult to have a proper conversation. But then it was a Saturday evening around 6-7pm, and I've noticed quite a few places turn the volume up on the music! I know the restaurant can't help the hen party but it was the combination of both that was difficult. Overall, I was impressed with the quality of the food and would like to come back and try something else off the menu.
Sharing platter was big, more than enough for 2 people and tasteful. It contained halloumi fries, onion rings, fried shrimp and wings. For mains we tried the vegan burger and vegan hot dog, which came with french fries. The french fires was overcooked. The bread was toasted but was too hard that we left it and just ate the patty and hot dog.
The staff were kind, attentive and welcoming. Prehaps, we did not pick the best options on the menu because the other customers dining seemed to be enjoying their choice and demolished their dishes. As a result, we will come again and try other dishes. You should too.
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes