"Manchester is a genuinely fantastic place to eat in all sectors.”

British restaurant owners and chefs have hit back at claims made by Sara Arfaoui that there are no good places to eat in Manchester following a recent post on social media.

The wife of Manchester City’s captain Illkay Gundogan announced on social media that the city had no good places to eat out and branded them all horrible.

Sara’s comments were made during an Instagram Q&A when she was asked to name her favourite places to eat out.

Replying to the question she said: "Sorry I'm sad to be honest but nothing. I tried so bad to find a good restaurant but... horrible food everywhere. Can't find a real Italian or good sushi or just fresh food... everything frozen. Restaurants here are just focus on making money with drinks and shot like night clubs not quality food."

As a result, restaurant owners and chefs from Manchester and afar have hit back at Sara’s comments with some labelling them as short sighted and uneducated.

Speaking to The Staff Canteen, Simon Martin Owner of the Michelin-starred Mana, labelled the comments as: “Short sighted, uneducated opinions on an entire city's food, which she obviously knows nothing about. Manchester is a genuinely fantastic place to eat in all sectors.”

He added: "It's such a fluffy topic, a WAG has gone on Instagram and has been obviously very short sighted in her opinion on the Manchester food and drink scene. It is quite funny how, how much this has snowballed." 

Following numerous closures across Britain’s hospitality industry, Simon said: “I think people are really struggling at the moment and to have 'influential people' saying things that at this moment in time when the economy isn't so good it can be potentially damaging."

“PACKED FULL OF BRILLIANT INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS”

Sixteen Manchester restaurants were featured in Michelin Guide 2022 with Mana retaining the title of the city’s only Michelin-starred restaurants.

Hitting back at Sara’s comments, Author and Critic Jay Rayner, quoted by tabloids, said: "This is a ludicrous point of view. Manchester’s packed full of brilliant, independent restaurants.”

In a now deleted tweet, Gary Usher Owner of Kala, said: “We have two restaurants in Manchester & I’m genuinely delighted that footballers & their wives don’t come because I’d be questioning our offer if they did.

He added: “Good taste & class is hardly synonymous with footballers wives & their leopard print themed cinema rooms.”

In a tweet Simon Wood, Owner of Wood Manchester, said: “This couldn’t be further from the truth, the food scene in Manchester is thriving!”

The Sun: City WAG - Manc food is manky #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/qQb6vruA8H

— George Mann 🫧🫧 (@sgfmann) October 5, 2022