Flat Iron Manchester - A Cut Above When it Comes to Tasty Steak

Last updated: January 14, 2025

Flat Iron opened in Manchester last summer and is already proving it’s a prime spot in the city for tasty steaks which are high on flavour and low on cost.

Located at 200 Deansgate just next to Spinningfields, this smart, ambiently lit restaurant in a Grade II listed building definitely has some masculine design going on with its dark woods and industrial style fixtures. But then again we are there to eat lots of meat, so you can’t really expect Instagrammable Afternoon Tea vibes can you?

I’d heard of Flat Iron from my days living in London but had never visited and therefore hadn’t really grasped the concept.

The reality is that 13 years ago, a pop-up in Shoreditch was started up by Charlie Carroll. His idea? To make the tastiest steaks available to the masses and not just reserved for those who like to spend a fair whack on expensive food. Learning how to expertly butcher the meat from the shoulder blade of the cow (featherblade cuts), means it has good marbling and excellent flavour with a velvety texture. And because they’re secondary cuts, they can be sold at a cheaper price. Back in 2012, Charlie was staggered to see queues out the door as Londoners quite rightly, went crazy for it!

Roll forward to 2025 and there are now 14 Flat Irons across the UK and an actual dedicated herd of Flat Iron Wagyu cattle in Thirsk – raised by British farmer Charles Ashbridge. Wagyu cattle as you may or may not know are raised differently to traditional beef cattle, raised in stress-free environments and on a different diet – all which contribute to the superior flavour.

So, when we’re presented with the menu to mull over while we snack on beef fat flavoured popcorn, it’s not surprising to see that the offering is concise. The Flat Iron steak is £14 and that’s the only one on the menu. But the specials board offers further cuts, and there is a burger and a steak bavette on the menu… But really, you don’t need a list of extra choices when this is all about the main event.

I go for the Wagyu Denver and it is amazing. Juicy, tender and saliva-inducing-from-the-moment-it’s-brought-out-on-the-butcher-block. There’s creaminess to the meat, a subtle sweet flavour, and it’s oh so soft… (Dare I say ‘melty’.)

You don’t really need sides with Flat Iron’s steaks because they do all the heavy lifting when it comes to flavour. But if you do, then you won’t be disappointed. One of the best things I ate last year was Flat Iron’s side dish of bone marrow mash with crispy garlic. I didn’t even really like bone marrow until I tried this. A rich buttery umami delight which adds to the enjoyment of the meat, complimented by nuggets of rich crispy batter, a sprinkling of chives and sooooooo much garlic butter. I’d go back to Flat Iron just to eat this!

The truffle mac ‘n’ cheese is pretty darn tasty too, and the parmesan salad is absolutely laden down with cheese – which is always a good thing in my book!

Added to this the meat cleaver on the table with my cutlery, the mini butcher’s knife you get as a charm with your bill (which you can trade in for an ice cream), and some of the friendliest staff I’ve ever had the pleasure to chat with, (we actually asked our server if he’d like to pull up a chair – he declined – work etc.), then you’re most definitely onto a winner!