Food Highlights
The Knot Food Highlights (in no particular order). Venues in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. Check back for updates, share with friends, family and visitors looking for good spots to eat.
Got a recommendation for us? Email: james@theknot.group
1. Little Dumpling King, Hanley š„¢
A key part of Hanleyās culinary resurgence, āLDKā is a great Japanese spot on Piccadilly. Chef and Owner has a brilliant tone on Instagram and seems to love nothing more than proving the local āragā (SOT Live) wrong about Hanley and getting āhurtā or āpacked outā by punters. The food is fresh, tasty and if you head down on a Tuesday or Thursday itās 2 for 1 on Bao. Natural Wines are a speciality.
Walk-ins only currently and the good food is accompanied by indie/rock music and waiters/waitresses that make you realise youāre not as cool as they are (in a good way).
Try; salt and pepper hash browns, panko aubergine w/rice, salt and pepper chicken wings, all dumplings, all Bao. Actually all of it. Go twice.
Park on the Potteries Centre for peanuts after 4pm or on big Tesco (free for 3 hours or extend for ~Ā£2 on an app). Please no moaning about parking.
2. Proven Pizzeria, Stone š
Itās hard to get Pizza wrong, but itās also not easy to get it right every time. Thereās Pizza and then thereās Neapolitan Pizza with properly good dough, Proven in Stone is the latter. The menu is full of different options with something for everyone. If youāre a basic Margherita kind of person, meat lover or the only Vegan in the family, youāll all fit in. Iām an Earth Mother lover.
If youāre in or around Stone, takeout is a good choice too with Pizzas made to order sometimes as quickly as 10 mins from calling up. So if youāve got nothing in and itās been a long week, youāre going to be ok. Always order a BBQ dip, or two.
Located just off the canal, not on Stone High Street. Park near to Crown Wharf and walk or park for free on the road under the bridge.
3. BEAR, Stone āļø
Not just a highlight but a critical part of my life. Genuinely not sure I could have survived the cold turkey transition from living in London to Stone without the coffee, brunch options and cinnamon classics from BEAR.
The vibe is great, the space is enjoyable to be in and there are enough people with tattoos and silly little hats working on their laptops (with stickers on) to make me feel like Iām not a weirdo for doing the same.
Founders Craig and Michael are Uttoxeter boys and thatās home to their first place, they have others in surrounding areas, including Northwich and Ashbourne.
For me, itās a Long Black, a Cinnamon Classic (warmed up) and then a Veggie Breakfast on a Sunday.
Disclaimer: The coffee is so strong I once had two, or three cups in a row and iām sure it nearly brought on a panic attack.
4. Anasma Greek Bakery and Eatery, N-U-L & Trentham Estate š¬š·
by Zuzanna Pog
I am itching to get away for some sun and amazing food. Greek cuisine has been a forever favourite since my first visit there in 2011.Ā Post-travel blues make me miss fresh pastries and meals that require a long nap after. Anasma Greek Bakery and Eatery brings delish meals without having to hop on a plane to Greece.
The business is owned byĀ Marianna Anastasiou who successfully opened a bakery during the pandemic and has been growing since. Their bakery site in Newcastle under Lyme is perfect for lunch or a quick pick-me-up, and their Trentham Gardens site is nestled at the back of the shopping village. The food is authentic, cooked with love, attention and so much care. Itās perfect for a date night or an evening to impress your friends with something unique.
For me; a chicken gyros and tzatziki for lunch with a Greek tea are the perfect combo. For dinner at Trentham, an Anasma Clay pot is my absolute go to.
Warning:Ā OnceĀ you try their food you have to keep going back for more.
5. Slamwich Club, Hanley š„Ŗ
Started in 2018 by two Stoke-born best mates, Nicole and Steph, Slamwich Club is a continuing āf*ck youā to anyone hating on Stokeās City Centre. Their love of music, sandwiches and a good time has been enough to fuel their continuing success on Piccadilly, even through a pandemic.
Itās the kind of place youāll walk in and be temped to say; āooh itās like being in London in hereā (donāt say it). The branding, design and fit-out is on point and the music is upbeat, sometimes with a DJ on the decks, not just the snazzy Spotify playlist.
The food is a seismic twist on the traditional sandwich. āA meal in between two slices of breadā is the best way to look at it. Each dish is well constructed with a wide range of options for all taste buds and dietary requirements. Obviously the most important thing for some people is how instagram-friendly the food is and with a Slamwich Club logo scorched into the top, it scores high on that front.
For me; Iāve not eaten off this latest menu, but Iām told the Porkie Pig is top notch. Iāve got my eye on the Satays-faction personally. See what I mean about the branding?
Food coma alert.
6. FEAST STONE š
Bringing Street Food to Stone since 2016, Feast Stone is back in May until September on the first Friday of every month.
Next date - May 3rd, 5pm - 9pm, Stone Cricket Club, Lichfield Road.
Food options can feel limited in Stoke and Staffs, so a load of vendors coming together to serve up delicious treats from across the Midlands is much needed and greatly appreciated. The instagram and website is a little mysterious, but Iām seeing photos of brownies, vegan food, fried chicken and a van that says āoriginal punjabi flavoursā and thatās enough to convince me that this will be decent.
Itās a nice summer location on the cricket pitch and looks both family friendly and āI want good food and then a few drinks in Stone with my matesā- friendly too.
7. Zagros, fresh naan bakery šÆ
š https://maps.app.goo.gl/4LG4Uecd282eRpBA6
š° less than Ā£5
When I worked in Shoreditch Iād queue most days for a falafel wrap from a street stall. The falafel was made fresh and they handed you one whilst you waited. For Ā£5, I thought it was a great falafel wrap.
Now Iāve been to Zagros In Shelton, I realise how wrong I was. This is how a falafel wrap should be made. Zagros is a fresh naan bakery. They make the naan right there in front of you, itās as fresh as it gets. They make the falafel fresh too and you can add pickled salad or the standard stuff plus sauces. Youāve also got a chicken shawarma as an option on the same fresh naan.
Itās the kind of place that if you didnāt know about, you wouldnāt go in. For Ā£3.50 iāve not had a better wrap. The naan is light and doesnāt sit too heavy on you, for a lunch time pick up itās bang on.
Travelling through Stoke, or stopping off at the station, itās just round the corner and you heard it from me - itās the best wrap going. Or, curry for dinner? Pick up some fresh naans on the way home. Do it.