When choosing somewhere for a weekend away, there are three questions I ask. One, is the food amazing? Two, can I get there without having to hire a car? Three, have Topjaw done a YouTube guide I can study in forensic detail before we go?

Usually, two out of three is enough to sway me, but in Manchester’s case, it’s a big fat yes across the board. Because – on top of the football and the music – the city’s food scene has quietly become one of the most notable jewels in its cultural crown. Throw in the fact that it only takes a little over two hours on the train from London (tickets start from £32 with Avanti West Coast), and you’re in elite citybreak territory.

You only have to walk a couple of minutes from the station before being seduced by the smell of freshly baked sourdough wafting out of Pollen, one of the city’s best bakeries. The toasted sandwiches here are next level (think pastrami, gruyere and sauerkraut) and well-worth stopping for enroute to your hotel. Fortunately, ours was just around the corner – the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, a gorgeous boutique number housed in a sprawling industrial building, right in the centre of town.

Rooms are stunning across the board, with double-height ceilings and thoughtful nods to the city dotted throughout – think an in-room record player with vinyl from the likes of The Smiths and Hacienda Classical. Not only that, the in-house bar is consistently a vibe, and there’s even an ongoing partnership with Anthropologie, offering guests the chance to borrow from a collection of uber-chic accessories during your stay, totally free of charge.

Why Manchester is probably the best foodie weekend away in the UK right now