The Venetian

The Greater Manchester region of Bury is dotted with picturesque towns, many of which hide some absolute gems when it comes to good food and fine dining. Ramsbottom’s best kept secret for Italian cuisine is undoubtedly Venetian Hideaway, located in the heart of the town along Market Place. Here, evocative decor, impeccable hospitality and, more importantly, authentic Italian dishes poach the charm of Venice and deliver it to Britain’s north. Reserving a table here is like booking a culinary holiday on your doorstep.

Chicchetti are a kind of Italian equivalent of Spanish tapas. It is these snackable side dishes – that in combination can become a meal in themselves – that Ramsbottom’s Venetian Hideaway specialise in, offering an experience suggestive of leisurely hours spent on a Venetian piazza at an down-home osteria, sampling fine wine and good food. You are in fact sitting down Market Place, but with The Venetian (as it’s known to locals) taking the best of local produce, meat and fish, and judicious imports of authentic Italian fare, head chef Marco Pellegrino has curated an incredible selection of typically Italian delicacies that you’d be hard pressed to find at other Italian restaurants in Bury or the Manchester region.

Taking a seat at Venetian Hideaway’s cosy restaurant down Market Place sets the mood for this lesser known mode of Italian dining, what this Ramsbottom Italian restaurant likes to call the cicchetti way, where quality trumps quantity, where a sublime meal can be had simply by ordering between three and five of the smaller dishes on offer. Sumptuous sharing platters kick things off, with beautifully presented displays of meat, cheese, and seafood for the table. Classic Italian salads like the bresaola and montanara inject some green into the proceedings before diners indulge in modestly sized but deliciously prepared antipasti, bruschetta, pizza, pasta and risotto. Head chef Marco’s meatballs with the option of a truffled white cream sauce are divine, while the fennel sausage cime di rapa is another highlight. Already a destination for heritage and food tourism, Bury is spoiled for choice when it comes to good eateries, drawing curious gastronomes from the Manchester region and beyond. With its somewhat exotic concept and edroit execution, Venetian Hideaway deserves to become a destination.