SHAKEDOWN

Head down to Withington and you'll find Shakedown doing the whole American diner thing without the irony or the pretence. It's the kind of place where the menu makes sense, the portions don't mess about, and you won't feel like you've mortgaged your flat for a meal. Walk in and it feels like somewhere locals have claimed as their own—casual enough that you'll see mates grabbing lunch, proper enough that you won't feel out of place taking someone on a date. The milkshakes are genuinely class; they're thick, they're properly flavoured, and they arrive looking like they cost a tenner each (they don't). Burgers are the thing here, built with actual thought rather than just slapped together. It's become a proper fixture on Wilmslow Road, the kind of spot where regulars know their order by heart.