The Handbook Reviews: Manzi’s, Soho’s Instagrammable Seafood Spot
There’s a new fish restaurant in town, and if it seems familiar, that might have something to do with the fact that there was a Manzi’s in Soho previously. A fixture from the 1920s, it had a great run before dwindling, entering its ‘you should have seen it in its day’ era, and eventually closing in 2006. Now, almost 20 years later, it’s back. Such a gap means this feels very firmly like a new venture rather than a re-opening, but still granting the crucial ability to tap into a nostalgia the restaurant clearly covets.
What sets it apart
There is something almost intangibly old-school Soho about it, like the kind of 60s vibe Edgar Wright attempted to replicate in Last Night In Soho. Manzi’s achieves it more successfully and, even though that nostalgic view of the past harkens back to something that may never have even existed, it does feel authentic, and slips seamlessly back into the scene.
Long ago, Manzi’s was a bit of a melting pot. Billing itself with the dubious title of ‘London’s oldest fish restaurant’, the slightly maverick venue drew all sorts of Londoners through its doors. Celebrities, tourists, locals alike were attracted by fresh food, late night drinks and even the handful of conveniently placed hotel rooms above.
The relaunch has done remarkably well in retaining that melting pot energy – big family groups, birthday parties, business deals, double dates and clandestine romances were featured all around me.
Our experience
When a restaurant opens in Soho, there is one thought that springs to mind. “Would it be a good pre-theatre place?” you will inevitably ask, irrespective of whether you’re a regular West End attendee or haven’t set foot in a theatre since pre-Covid, and still say you have been “meaning to get to” The Book of Mormon. With a potential two-course meal for £19.50 before 6:30pm from Tuesday to Saturday, the answer is it’s a pretty perfect pre-theatre venue.
Located in one of those atmospheric back alleys in the middle of Soho, just off the square, this nostalgia is immediately present. This is fun dining – the kind that includes a bar or two both before and after, in one of the buzziest night-out spots in the world.
The dining area is huge, with upstairs and downstairs as well as a bar area available, and is elaborately decked out, including a full-sized mural of the marlin from Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, and an alabaster Poseidon hovering over a booth at the back. The environment is eclectic and knowingly playful, and what could veer into tacky instead feels chic.
What we ordered
When it comes to the food however, the opulence of the interior design is something of a red herring, instead replaced by the very serious business of the food. To start, I had the aromatique version of the mussels, which came in a sweet, slightly spicy coconut and lemongrass broth. It was delicious, the kind that makes you eat far too much bread desperately trying to mop up the flavour.
For mains, the grilled Cornish mackerel was equally nice – flaky, sweet with just the right amount of ocean tang you’d want. They know how to do fish well here. The dessert was the least impressive part of the meal – not a disaster by any means, but forgettable. The good news is that the cocktails are great, so I suggest you have an aperitif instead.
For vegetarians, vegans, or those that don’t like fish, the following advice is given. If you happen to be the odd one out in a party of seafood enthusiasts, then you will be able to take your pick from a number of thoroughly decent options while your friends and family gorge themselves on prawn cocktail, monkfish wellington and haddock soufflé. But seafood is kind of the point, so showing up with a table full of vegetarians is not the wisest choice.
Verdict
For a quick, delicious and affordable pre-theatre meal Manzi’s fits the bill perfectly, and instantly becomes a welcome Soho entry because of it. Where it stands out is it could work equally as well for a post-theatre cocktail or two. Nostalgia is easy to do wrong, but a great sell when done right, and Manzi’s has definitely made a splash on its return.
website: manzis.co.uk
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