Places to eat in Stoke-on-Trent

There’s a local delicacy here in Stoke that’ll change your life and they go by the name of Staffordshire oatcakes. Breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, supper – no matter the time of day, you can eat an oatcake, and you better believe it’ll be the best thing you can eat.

They are, essentially, a savoury pancake made with oats. You can wrap them like a fajita, or stack them to your heart’s content. Now, we hear you, that doesn’t sound like anything special. And you’re right, on their own, oatcakes aren’t going to give you sleepless nights. But you don’t eat oatcakes on their own. You eat oatcakes with literally any breakfast food you can think of. Bacon, sausage, egg, cheese, beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, black pudding, onion, hash brown; you can whack it all between some oatcakes if you’re brave and hungry enough.

By now you’re probably hungry to try some for yourself – frankly, how could you not be? There are endless options when it comes to oatcake shops in Stoke-on-Trent, but why settle for second best when you can make your way to High Lane Oatcakes? Don’t just take our word for it: the pride of Burslem himself (Robbie Williams) singled out these fluffy beauties for praise, and the GOAT Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor gets his oatcakes from High Lane, too. It may not look like much on the outside, but don’t let that put you off. Make your way inside, place your order, and let the oatcakes do the talking.

Moving on, if you’re looking for a more traditional café in Stoke-on-Trent, you can’t go wrong with The Quarter on Piccadilly. It’s barely a 10-minute walk from our Hanley hotel, just down from the Regent Theatre. Inside, it’s got bags full of character, the staff are friendly, and you can expect excellent service. It’s open from 8pm until late, so you can visit during the day for breakfast, brunch or lunch, in the evening to sample their bistro-style dinner menu, or to simply grab a drink. The food is fresh and delicious, with excellent options to suit everyone’s taste. If you can, book a table at The Quarter for Tapas Thursdays and fill your boots with their delicious small plates.

Another top-class option in Hanley’s Cultural Quarter is RAWR. It’s a little further down Piccadilly, next door to Bottle Craft – one of our Stoke-on-Trent nightlife highlights. RAWR set up shop to offer the people of ‘the Potteries’ delicious comfort food that won’t have you worrying about your waistband, nor your wallet. There aren’t many meaty options on the menu, so it’s perfect for veggies and vegans. That shouldn’t put carnivores off, though; the food is fab.

The café itself is modern and stylish, the staff are friendly and happy to talk through the menu, there’s plenty of seating spread across both floors, and the coffee is the cream of the crop. If you’re staying at our Trentham Gardens hotel, RAWR also has a café and juicery in Trentham Shopping Village, perfect if you’re looking to refuel after exploring Trentham Estate, one of our top activities in Stoke-on-Trent.

As far as Stoke-on-Trent’s restaurants go, NOM is one of the favourite eateries across the six towns. Admittedly, it’s not going to grace the pages of the Michelin Guide anytime soon. Refined dining, NOM is not. However, they do what they do, and they do it well. That’s steaks, burgers, beef dripping chips, handmade pizzas and the like. Prices are decent, the restaurant’s modern, and it’s conveniently located next to the Potteries shopping centre. Another option along the same lines is The Exchange, which you can find on the bottom of Trinity Street serving up big portions of great value guilty pleasures.

Alternatively, make your way just around the corner to Portofino. As far as Stoke-on-Trent’s food scene goes, this Italian restaurant is a veritable institution. We couldn’t tell you how long its doors have been open for, but it must be going on 20 years, perhaps even longer. You don’t have that kind of innings without knowing a thing or two about running a restaurant. As you can expect from the best Italian’s, the service and atmosphere are great, while the food is simple and delicious. If you’re looking for somewhere to go for a pre-theatre meal, you can’t go far wrong with a trip to Portofino.

If you’re staying at our Newcastle-under-Lyme hotel and you’re looking for somewhere special to enjoy an evening’s meal, then make your way to Marloes next to the sunken roundabout. It’s a tiny, family-run bistro that’s been serving beautiful food for more than 30 years. A word to the wise, due to its size and popularity, you’ll have to book quite far in advance to try and get a table at Marloes. It’s worth the effort, though; restaurants don’t get much better than this in Staffordshire.

Another nearby option in Newcastle-under-Lyme is The Orange Tree. It’s the most conveniently located restaurant from the Paragon Group of several eateries, all offering stylish surroundings, and ranking among the most popular places to eat in the region. When it comes to first impressions, it’s hard not to appreciate the wow factor of The Orange Tree. It’s a beautifully restored Georgian building, with chic contemporary decor and a delightful glass extension. The service is exemplary, the food plated to perfection, and the cocktails are so good, we could have easily included The Orange Tree in our shortlist of Stoke-on-Trent nightlife hotspots.

To round things off, if you are staying at our Trentham Gardens hotel, you’ve probably seen there’s a wealth of places to eat right on your doorstep, particularly in Trentham Shopping Village. If you need a hand narrowing down your options, take your pick from the following two.

David’s Brasserie is a family-run restaurant with an informal café atmosphere during the day, which transforms into a candle-lit bistro in the evenings. The menu is excellent, so too the service; try it for yourself and see why it’s many peoples’ favourite restaurant in Trentham.

A more casual option is Pieminister. The popular chain began life in Bristol before taking over Britain with 15 of their own restaurants, as well as partnering with 45 pubs. The pies are pukka, with plenty of different flavours to choose from. Service is fast, prices decent, and the eating’s good.