Slattery

Bury New Road, Whitefield, Manchester

Hello. My name is Matthew and I’m a chocoholic. Not only that, but I’m a proud chocoholic.

I’m lucky enough to live within walking distance of a chocoholic’s paradise. Slattery’s, ‘that wicked shop in Whitefield’, is one of the North West’s most popular chocolate and cake shops. It’s a real life Willy Wonka chocolate factory, a saccharine emporium full of coco creations as well as cakes and bread, all freshly baked on the premises.

Upstairs is The Masons Dining Room, named after the public house which frequented the building before Slattery’s moved in, relocating from its former home across the road in 2004.  

The ‘world famous’ Masons Dining Room has become my second home. It’s hands-down my favourite local lunch haunt. Reservations are absolutely essential, with Saturdays booked up months in advance. Generally, I book four to six months in advance. Yes, really! Never fear, though, if you do happen to fancy dropping in, they promise that you are guaranteed a table…eventually. They reserve a certain number specifically for walk-ins, so it’s a case of turn up and hope you get lucky. Only on one occasion have I called in without booking. It was a Saturday lunch time, there were two of us and we had to wait 40 minutes. You can easily pass the time wandering around the shop downstairs, so it could have been far worse.

So what is it about Slattery’s and The Masons that makes it so special? Well, a good magician never reveals his secrets and that’s certainly the case for John Slattery et al. They have that hidden quality, that certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ which sets them apart from the rest.

When you ascend the staircase from the shop to the dining room, you’re greeted by the dulcet tones of a grand piano, which takes centre stage in the centre of the opulent restaurant. The ivories tinkle themselves. As a kid, I remember being fascinated, watching the keys dancing. The walls and chairs are all adorned in Slattery’s signature milk chocolate brown colour: simple but sophisticated décor.

The menu is really rather simple. Breakfast is served until 11:30am, with everything from a Full English to cheesy crumpets. For lunch, there are hot and cold sandwiches, soups, salads and jacket potatoes.

On my last visit, I had the BBQ Chicken Ciabatta: delicious southern fried chicken with lettuce, beef tomatoes, cheese and smothered in tangy BBQ sauce. The chicken was succulent and tender and their homemade ciabatta was soft. Beautifully presented, it was accompanied by a colourful side salad and a little bowl of homemade spiced potato wedges. I would strongly recommend requesting some mayonnaise for your wedges. Their homemade mayo has a hint of lemon and is absolutely delicious. 

BBQ Chicken Ciabatta

I also sampled my friend’s Hot Beef Dip: a ciabatta with beef, melted gruyere cheese and onions, with a pot of gravy for dipping.

Hot Beef Dip

Make sure you judge your own appetite accordingly, because saving room for dessert is absolutely necessary, nay, essential. I have, in the past, witnessed people having their lunch and then leaving, which, frankly, should be illegal. For Slattery’s is all about the sweet stuff.

There’s a dessert menu as well as a selection of freshly made cakes. At this point, allow me to dispense some advice. The majority of the cakes found in the cake dome – a magnificent display in the corner of the dining room with a rising glass case – can be purchased downstairs in the shop at a cheaper price, so grab a couple to take home with you and use your opportunity in the dining room to indulge a little further.

Far and away, the best desserts on the menu are the Wicked Chocolate Sampler and Mrs Slattery’s Cake Sampler. Think of these as a show reel of Slattery’s greatest hits. They each consist of four bite-sized treats. Order them both, divide everything in half and you’ve got the best of all worlds. It’s sheer perfection.

The Wicked Chocolate Sampler consists of a chocolate orange brownie, a millionaire’s slice, a miniature chocolate sponge coated in Slattery’s signature milk chocolate and a white chocolate chip shortbread, half-dipped in white chocolate. These are accompanied by two edible chocolate pots: one filled with molten chocolate, in your choice of milk, white or dark, the other with fresh whipped cream. Another little tip: if you don’t like cream, or just want more chocolate, ask for it without, and they’ll happily double up on the chocolate instead.

Mrs Slattery’s Cake Sampler is my favourite thing in the entire world. There’s a square of fruit cake, Bakewell tart topped with almonds, lemon drizzle cake with lemon icing and carrot cake. You don’t get a choice as to the cakes you’re given, but luckily for me this will never be a problem, as these are four of my favourites! There’s no molten chocolate on this one, as standard. You get a larger chocolate pot filled with lashings of whipped cream, topped with strawberries. Generally, I ask for chocolate instead of cream and they’re always happy to oblige. 

Mrs Slattery's Cake Sampler and the Wicked Chocolate Sampler

Polish them off and you’ll be in sugar heaven, the happiest place on Earth. At £6.95 each, they’re superb value for money, as a slice of cake will set you back £3.95. Any you can’t quite manage, they’ll bring boxes for you to take them home. If you’ve got any liquid chocolate left, it’s worth letting it solidify to eat later in the day. Make a brew and let the chocolate pots melt in your mouth.

I have to say, I’ve never quite reached this stage. When there’s a plate of cakes and chocolate in front of me, I’ve simply got to hoover up the whole lot.

Make sure you finish off your Slattery’s experience with a wander round the shop. I can guarantee you won’t be able to leave without picking up one or two chocolatey treats to see you on your own way. The only problem is you won’t be able to choose.

Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or simple coffee and cake, Slattery’s is a dining experience not to be missed. Get checking your diary though, as you’ll need to book way ahead to avoid disappointment.