The Refuge By Volta

I've not had food here but have popped in for drinks on a couple of occasions now. My first impressions are very positive. The bar seems well stocked and the prices are decent. I LOVE the winter garden area, it's gorgeous, cosy sofas and chairs strewn amongst fairy lit trees. You can get table service in this section. They also have a large smoking area with tables and chairs around the back. The size of this place is impressive, there's ample seating and the bar is well staffed so you get served pretty quickly. The actual building is beautiful, the dark wood finish in the bar area really emphasises the cosy yet chic feel of the place. I'll be back for food soon, and for drinks sooner!

I previously visited this restaurant just for drinks, but this time we decided to have dinner, and it was incredible! The small plates were larger than typical tapas, and every dish we tried was fantastic. The standout for me was the Gochujang-glazed pork belly, which had just the right amount of heat and a burst of flavor. We also enjoyed the chicken thigh and Old Spot pork tagine with apricots, pistachios, and mint; lamb shawarma with roasted garlic toum, zhug, slaw, green chili, and onions; and cauliflower with coconut yogurt, harissa; and green lentil daal with ghee and ginger. As carnivores, we found plenty of options, but there are also many vegetarian and vegan dishes available. Every...

As a couple of cultured Americans (almost an oxymoron) and food enthusiasts staying at the Clocktower Hotel, we decided to explore the tapas-style menu here. We were pleasantly surprised by the vibrant flavors. The grilled prawns were excellent, and the chicken wings were outstanding—far better than what you'd find at Wingstop or Hooters. The portion of Jerusalem artichokes was generous and paired beautifully with flavorful stewed tomatoes. The broccoli was a bit on the salty side but packed with delightful Indian and Asian flavors. The grilled carrots were less sweet than typical orange carrots, but the pesto added a fantastic kick. The lentil and potato daal had a distinctly Indian flavor... Speisekarte ansehen

Popped in here yesterday when walking to Piccadilly station from Oxford Road and thought oh yeah, this new place must give it a spin! First impressions with only popping in for an hour is yes, this place is awesome so well designed and really bringing it back to life and to it 's past glories (but with a modern spin) it really will be great for all occasions. I was actually only looking for a place to work for an hour so got settled in their cavernous lounge and there was plenty of room and great high speed internet. I think it will be a big favourite amongst remote workers and the laptop brigade in the day, with enough room not to get in the way of everyone else the name 'Refuge ' pretty mu...

The Refuge in Manchester has to be the definition of cool . One small word of warning consider NOT going here (first) if you are starving they serve what are basically Tapa 's small portions that night share with you dining mate(s). They suggest starting with 3 per person prices range from £5.50 (small portion of triple fried new potatoes bravas) to £9.50 (small portion of sea bass (Mrs. G 's fave) £16.50 (small 5oz steak) so it can add up if you take 4 5 per person. So with this one caveat the Refuge is awesome. Go and graze with friends together with a beer, wine or cocktail or two. The lighting is great, the ambience and the service too. If there is anything wrong with one of your dishes...

I wish I 'd remembered Jonny 's review and not made the same mistake of ordering a pot of tea here though served in a stylish ForLife Stump Teapot, the cup wasn 't much bigger than an Espresso and at £4 my Earl Grey was ridiculously overpriced. First world problems but I wasn 't asked if I wanted anything with it (lemon or milk) and the server brought over the bill without seeing if I wanted anything else. Very peculiar. But apart from those glitches, this is a stunning space to spend some time in, with the large public bar area containing lots of comfy chairs and sofas to lounge for a while. There 's also a large wooden table for sitting down with your laptop if you so wish. The bar itself... Speisekarte ansehen

Thought I reviewed Refuge already but I guess not! I've been for lunch on Sunday and dinner on Monday now and both times it was quietly buzzing and was a really nice environment they've really enhanced what was already a cool, historical space (Manchester tiles! . The winter garden is beautiful. I did attempt to come for a drink on Saturday night but the winter garden seriously lacks seats (several tables left without any so bf I abandoned it which was a shame for Refuge given the amount we drink. Foodwise it's generally a good standard. We also had really nice servers both times. I enjoyed the black daal, it almost veers towards sickly but is great if you want comfort food. The pork belly w...

The Refuge is unbelievably impressive. the décor follows the rustic brass and dark wood trend that has become quite popular in bar/restaurants in Manchester City Centre, but that is far from a critique as The Refuge looks amazing! The venue is separated into different section with a long bar situated in the centre, and the front is the Public Bar area where everyone is welcome. Another section to the right of the bar is the dining area, which is a little isolate to the public area, which offers a great place to dine. Behind the bar and occupying the centre of the venue is the Winter Garden , an intimate seating area, which looks incredible, and only by visiting would give you a full comprehe...

Excellent! We spent around four hours here on a Tuesday afternoon sampling their food, savouring their coffee and scabbing their free wifi! I 'll start with the basics. The Refuge is conveniently located on Oxford Street just a two minute walk from the train station. The casual seating area is huge with plenty of places for different sized groups to sit, there 's even an Apprentice Style boardroom table. The vibe is very relaxed but when I entered I noticed a lot of business people (or people clearly working). The decor is fantastic, as mentioned its a huge open space but the dark wooden finish makes it feel close and comfortable. The lunch menu isn 't huge but they clearly want to keep thin... Speisekarte ansehen