The Refuge By Volta

Oxford Road, Manchester I-M60 7HA, United Kingdom

🛍 British, European, Vegetarian, Contemporary

4.2 💬 7893 Reviews
The Refuge By Volta

Phone: +441612335151

Address: Oxford Road, Manchester I-M60 7HA, United Kingdom

City: Manchester

Dishes: 35

Reviews: 7893

Website: http://refugemcr.co.uk

"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 things simple and do them right. I had the beef burger accompanied by skinny fries and it was delicious. Just the right consistency so you could pick it up without it falling apart. It was generously topped with salad and the 'posh big mac ' sauce finished it off nicely. If you want to eat you 'll have to head through to the dining area as they don 't serve food in the lounge beware this was very busy, even on a Tuesday, so you may need to book in advance. After lunch we headed back to the lounge area and had a coffees while we chatted. The coffee was great, I had a flat white which was just off on the good side of bitter. We also ordered snacks later in the day the Almonds cooked in bacon fat are a must try that might sound gross to some people but just wait until the bacon flavour hits your taste buds! To access the free wifi you 'll need to sign up wth your email address but then it 's all yours. I haven 't even received a spammy email a week later. It 's really hard to fault The Refuge the staff were attentive without being too in your face, which I suppose is important when people are using their premises for business meets! All in all a really great experience and a lovely place to spend the afternoon working."

Menu - 35 options

All prices are estimates.

User User

Lovely location, worth a visit. Food was ok, some very nice bits but some average ones too. Service ok, but had to flag them down a few times for drinks.

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Reviews

User
User

that really enjoyed it here. absolutely beautiful environment and service was very good. the food was delicious, but some dishes missed the brand. the pork belly and cactus tacos were delicious, but the lamb-shawarma and the dorsch were devastated. very nice experience overall.


User
User

Excellent bar with a fabulous interior in keeping with the building itself and its history. From ornate tiled floors and pillars to the windows and ceilings. Vibrant, yet chilled atmosphere during the afternoon/early evening. Superb service and table service is offered, an expansive selection of beers and spirits especially if your a gin or ale drinker. Friendly knowledgeable staff and an all together wonderful experience.


Saffy
Saffy

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!


Jonny
Jonny

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...


Brian
Brian

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...


Michael
Michael

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...


Natalie
Natalie

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...


Philip
Philip

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...


Stevie
Stevie

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...

Categories

  • British Traditional and hearty, the British menu offers comfort classics like fish and chips, succulent roasts, and savory pies. Rediscover familiar favorites, lovingly crafted with timeless recipes and fresh, local ingredients.
  • European Delight in a culinary journey across Europe with our exquisitely crafted menu, featuring authentic dishes from France, Italy, Spain, and beyond, using the freshest ingredients to bring traditional flavors to life.
  • Vegetarian Delight in our vibrant collection of vegetarian dishes, crafted with the freshest greens, rich flavors, and savory spices. Enjoy a wholesome, delectable plate that celebrates nature's finest ingredients.
  • Contemporary Contemporary cuisine embraces innovative techniques and global flavors, offering a creative blend of traditional and modern dishes designed to surprise and delight the palate.

Amenities

  • Amex
  • Beer
  • Wine
  • Visa Card

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