Quite simply put, it's one of the most visually appealing spaces in city centre Manchester, especially if you manage to snag one of the window seats, as we fortunately did on this occasion.

The whole unit is glass fronted, from floor to ceiling, so those views take centre stage and in many ways upend the rest of the internal décor which is also very plush indeed.

It's a stunner, no question.  Even the loos are stunning, but Ill let you see those for yourself as I wasn’t going to take photos in there!

People taking photos of the views whilst standing over your shoulder as you eat is a bit off-putting, as much as that's not the venue's fault at all.

It's far from cheap but then it's not an everyday place to eat and you pay for the overall package.  2 glasses of fizz, a bottle of solid wine, and 3 courses for 2 with sides, would have come to around the £200 mark which is exactly in line with the quality received. 

So whilst it's not cheap, it's also rather nice, which makes the prices fair enough.

Nothing to note that's out of the ordinary.

Sure, the views get a lot of press and traction on socials, but ultimately, you return to a restaurant for the food and drink quality and the service over the views, so that's what really matters here and hence what I'll focus on.

We began with a delicious Goat's Cheese Mousse (£14), served with a vibrant pea & mint salsa, finished off with a nice fresh pop from some radish and spring leaves.  A perfect fit to the Spring weather outside.

Roasted Quail (£18) was a more robust affair due to the poultry hit.  The delicate meat was superbly juicy and well-seasoned.  The wider plate was completed with a salad of pear, goats cheese & radicchio, this helped to keep things light.

Our first main was BBQ Lamb Rump (£36) which was cooked perfectly to a blushing pink, featuring superb quality protein, and was paired with a tranche of grilled squash, Brussel sprouts & chestnut, all tied together with a stunning spiced lamb sauce.

Seared Stone Bass (£28) was the table's favourite plate of the evening, and ticked all the boxes of being seasonal, well presented, and above all it was absolutely delicious and thoroughly enjoyable.  It came plated with orzo, pea, asparagus, tarragon, and lemon vinaigrette.  Fresh, light, and a perfect dish to complement that sunset.

Technically the Seared Stone Bass needed no sides but we felt it prudent to order some, purely in the name of reviewing. Buttered New Potatoes (£6), which were great quality albeit simple, and well-seasoned, these complemented the BBQ Lamb Rump well.  Fine beans, shallots & garlic (£6) were the pick of the two though, cooked to an ideal slight-crunch, dressed really well. They partnered ideally with both of our main events.

Now as a pastry obsessive something which generally pains me is that even in most mid to upper market venues, the days of having a dedicated pastry section/Chef are long gone. These days, in a world of cutting costs and streamlining sections, it's now the norm to have the general brigade all mucking in to produce the sweet goods.  Fortunately, it didn't take very long to work out that 20 Stories 100% have a proper pastry section in their kitchen, and it truly shows.

Raspberry & chocolate opera cake, raspberry sorbet (£12) was our first sugar-based course over the pass.  Thin layers of sponge compiled into a neat stack, with a rocher of silky-smooth sorbet, all sat atop a stunning chocolate sauce, with a pop of texture from some fruit based tuile.  Superb.

Our second dessert was a bit lighter, and its fresh acidity was the perfect way to end a meal.  Rhubarb Custard Tart (£12) was rich and comforting, and featured more superb sorbet work, this time made with rhubarb, topped with a pistachio flavoured moulded tuile.  It tasted as good as it looked.

But; the goat's cheese on said course needed to feature heavily on the plate as it was a bit lost.  The quail could perhaps have been cooked to give more external texture, and the Rhubarb tart's cream garnish wasn’t really needed.

We were looked after perfectly all evening, and the experience felt suitably high end for the whole evening.  Coats were taken, service was efficient yet friendly, and nothing was too much trouble for the duration of our visit. 

Even our nerdy requests to get photos of the wine bottles from which we'd ordered by the glass, was duly obliged without any worries at all.  We felt in safe hands.

A couple of short service delays, but nothing unreasonable based on how busy things were.

I've worked with the team ever since their doors opened way back in 2018, and the venue is now firmly rooted as one of Manchester's most cherished destinations and for good reason.

As ever the views are simply spectacular, especially when the skies are clear and the evening sunset is as stunning as it was when we dined. It's just a very special place to be, and it's always a pleasure to see new customers being wowed for that first time as they step out of the lifts, through the bar area and onto the terrace.

Executive Chef Daniel Scott's new menu Spring menu is now in full flow and delivers the same great level of experience which 20 Stories never fails to present. There's something for all occasions and tastes, where it be a high-end dinner, a great bar experience, bottomless brunches, Sunday roasts, or some of the best pre-theatre dining deals in town.