The life of this blog is hanging by a thread, but I refuse to give up. The one feature I've managed to keep going on it this year has been the lunch of the month. It must be working because people keep coming up to me and suggesting new places and thanking me for the recommendation.
It's time for the announcement of lunch of the year. It's not about fancy restaurants, or some kind of gastronomical Stanley Tucci tour of Manchester, I have friends far better qualified than me to do that.
When I started doing lunch of the month it was about picking up something high quality but affordable for lunch, and at the time I was working in Manchester in and around Oxford Road. I set the upper limit at a tenner, but was always pleased to spend less.
I've been working in Stockport for most of 2022 and in that time "The New Berlin" has been enjoying its place in the limelight through the course of the year (I would like to claim at least some credit for that, given I literally worked for the transformational leader of the Council).
I'm not going to list all the great places I've been this year. All the good ones had a mention along the way and I don't want to detract from this place, or diminish the standing of anywhere else.
My go-to gaff for a decent lunchtime buttie has been Rack in St Peter's Square in Stockport.
Stewart Reynolds first recommended it, the tech entrepreneur from Shopblocks had a proper twinkle in his eye and the next time I saw him he has keen to know if I'd tried it. I had, lots of times, and I'd taken some of Stockport's top politicians. Lots of places have steady service, great coffee, are good value and do a hearty lunch, whether you choose to take away, or perch on the side counter, or sit on the back porch. Any way you choose, it's superb. More than anything, Rack has real character. The specials have been routinely brilliant, especially the Lasandwich. But it also has a real style and positive attitude to food and its sense of place in the centre of Stockport.
I shall miss having you so conveniently nearby, now that I'm Manchester-based and WFH a bit more, but Rack, you've been amazing,
PS - I found this video by BramhallDoes, which shares my point of view.
