With its pretty wharf, close proximity to beauty spots like the Roman Lakes and Goyt Valley, Marple is certainly up there with the most charming villages in Greater Manchester. The architecture, a mixture of stone-built cottages, terraces and outlying farmhouses, only adds to the appeal. Hidden away in one unassuming terraced row of historic dwellings is The Fisherman’s Table, which has quite the reputation as one of the top tier seafood restaurants in the area. Given this is just 20 minutes by train from the thick of things and Piccadilly Railway Station, that’s some claim to fame.
Once inside, the feeling of heritage only becomes more pronounced via stonework and beautiful hard woods, not to mention the statement timber beams overhead. The establishment also has a sister company, Marple Fish, which is responsible for sourcing produce directly from fishermen at Fleetwood Dock, on the Lancashire coast, so everything here is straight off the boat every morning. That does mean all items may not always be available, but also that there’s a wonderful, revolving and evolving range of specials to go at, making each visit different.
The menu at The Fisherman’s Table is split into three, so let’s take them in order. A La Carte ranges from preambles lie prawn, hoisin relish and garlic mayo, and rock oysters, to starters of Shetland king scallops in garlic butter and prosciutto with crispy roe, panko crusted monkfish goujons, and charred Spanish octopus. For mains, think Scottish hake with coconut, coriander, beurre blanc and tempura samphire, smokey fish pie, and paella. An evening set menu of two or three courses is also available for a fixed price on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, while lunchtime Thursday to Saturday offers a tapas menu. And there’s an option to bundle this with drinks as part of a deal. Desserts come in the form of things like citrus and strawberry posset or homemade churros dusted in cinnamon. It’s also worth noting meat lovers are well catered for, and Monday is £5 corkage bring you own bottle. Not that the excellent wine list isn’t good enough already.