Inside the Greater Manchester restaurant with its own hidden wine hatch

Ask anyone who lives in Prestwich and they’ll agree there’s been a lot of interest in the new restaurant that’s just opened its doors on Bury New Road. What was once a computer shop has been transformed into a stylish neighbourhood spot with a distinct Parisian vibe - but once seated though, you’ll find the cooking is distinctly British in its roots.

The Pearl, which is named after an arty cafe found in Paris’ trendy Le Marais district in the fourth arrondissement, has been brought to life by Sam Taylor, who after losing his job in the pandemic, moved into a career in hospitality. After successfully launching a sandwich delivery service in 2020 he turned his attention to establishing a restaurant that would be right at home within Prestwich’s thriving food scene.

With a little help from a crowdfunding campaign earlier this summer and having brought onboard one of Manchester’s best chefs, Iain Thomas, The Pearl has come a long way in a short space of time. Now, rather than an empty shop unit, visitors will find a well-appointed dining room with 24 covers and a refined menu serving classic European dishes made with the best produce from across the British isles.

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“It kind of snowballed quite quickly,” reflects Sam, who is busy prepping for service. “We took on the lease and at first we were going to turn it into a breakfast place because we’re morning people on account of having kids but some chef friends talked us out of it and made us realise brunch isn’t that interesting and it made us realise we wanted to build a dinner spot instead.

“When I did