Picturedrome Macclesfield — Restaurant in England

A while ago, I enjoyed an evening meal at the Picturedrome where the quality and choice of food and drink on offer made for a great experience. I said I would write a review…

It was a sunny Wednesday afternoon, if rather chilly, and I sat outside to wait for my companion. I'd ordered an alcohol-free gin-and-tonic and was impressed at the variety on offer (I think the bar had five from which to choose).

After drinks, we ventured inside to look at what food was on offer. I ordered Mussels and King Prawn with Garlic and Chili from Savage's Mussels and my companion (who'd had a light lunch in preparation) ordered a Lamb Shawarma Flatbread, Halloumi Fries and Chicken Wings from Rubens.

Service was rapid and my mussels and king prawns came 'in the shell' in a big metal pan. I don't know why, but I'm always surprised when sea food comes au naturel and I have to do a bit of work in order to eat it! But after getting over my surprise, I got stuck in and found that the food was worth it – really worth it. The mussels tasted so fresh, and there was a chunky slab of bread to soak up the delicious garlic and chili liquor at the bottom of the pan. It's been a long time since I've had fresh shellfish and I'd forgotten how tasty they can be (and how much fun the process of eating them can be)!

My friend said their Lamb Shawarma Flatbread was good and shared their Halloumi fries with me. These were amazing – so crisp on the outside in contrast to the gooey inside. We enjoyed our main courses so much that we decided to order desserts: I went for sticky toffee pudding and my friend had a brownie. The pudding had quite the lightest sponge I've ever experienced, complete with a scoop of luscious vanilla ice-cream. We both had coffee to finish.

I've been to the Picturedrome a few times, but it really came into its own on this occassion. The variety of fare available was amazing and, on this showing, it was all high-quality stuff. I've seen a few reviews that say "it's expensive" – but for food this tasty I'm happy to pay a bit more (and will...

The owners have done a marvellous job of restoring the building and it it is smart. I can see the appeal to some but for me, it missed the mark. The atmosphere is akin to a (posh) works canteen or Weatherspoons with echoing voices competing with neighbouring tables just to be heard with the addition of music fluctuating in volume in the background. Chairs uncomfortable and flimsy, I wonder if this is one way to ensure that patrons move on quickly once they are fed and watered without being obvious. Food- overpriced and underwhelming with some of the same vendors found at the other two sites which makes you wonder how independent and 'local' they really are! A plain bacon ciabatta is £6.50 and somehow arrives 5 minutes before a pot of tea that you have to order at the other end of the hall. If other members of your group order elsewhere be prepared for all your meals to come at varying times. Macclesfield has so much to offer in the way of truely local, independent, quality food, I'd hoped it would be more competitive. The dogs policy needs to be adhered to more strictly as some people seem to invite their pooches to sit at the table which I find absolutely revolting despite having two of my own. I also find it very odd that open bottles of water are left on the tables. In such a busy and mixed setting this idea is so open to abuse especially of an evening, its scary. What about a fountain or dispensers with taps placed on the counter tops of the vendors? On a positive, we really couldnt fault the 'runners' who were attentive and cheerful, the kids play area is a welcome feature and it's brought an injection of hope and a buzz to our town. It's not for me but I hope it works for those...

The Picturedrome in Macclesfield is a lovely place for a coffee and a bite to eat. We came here on a Thursday morning and the place wasn't too busy. Finding a place to sit wasn't an issue as there is plenty of seating opportunities. You had several people in there who were working from there and were having meetings or the occasional meet up with a friend. Only 3 stands were open as we were there, so the food choice was somewhat limited, nonetheless there is something for everyone's liking. To order you must use your smartphone and pay via card/app. There is a sheet on each table which explains it quite well.

Food was good. The avocado on toast with labneh (for 10£) was excellent, whereas the poached eggs on toast with bacon (for 10£ too) was slightly underwhelming and the presentation was loveless. Can't say the same for the avocado on toast from another stand as that was just 10/10, even the presentation and the portion size.

Service was what you'd expect and friendly. They took good care of us and made sure everything was alright with our food. Atmosphere was OK. It was very loud, although few people were there. The kitchens are open so you hear all the clanking of the pots and dishes being put away. There is a little, wood fired pizza oven in there too, which I can only imagine, is a lovely idea, though the smoke and smell of the burning wood made us leave sooner than we had hoped.

Definitely worth the visit and experience, but probably nothing for a frequent visit or a larger get together with...