Simon Shaw to open Canto in Manchester’s Ancoats district

Simon Shaw will open the restaurant in the Fairborn building in Manchester’s Ancoats district.

Canto will serve modern Portuguese cuisine, overseen by El Gato Negro’s Portuguese head chef Carlos Gomes, who has previously worked at London restaurants including Barrafina and Koya. 

The restaurant will be inspired by the feel of Lisbon, which Shaw describes as a “cool place, raw, but great”.

Shaw has chosen to turn his attentions to Portuguese cuisine because he says its presence in the UK is “in its infancy”. He says it will create more of a challenge and a journey than if he were to open another Spanish restaurant. 

Shaw’s first restaurant, El Gato Negro has earned a reputation as one of Manchester's best restaurants since relocating from Ripponden, West Yorkshire, in 2015.

It has won several awards including, most recently, a Michelin Bib Gourmand; and taken home the best restaurant prize at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards and CityLife Awards.

Shaw has previously said he would like to expand his restaurant portfolio to other UK cities, and has discussed plans for a Spanish, North African and Middle Eastern influenced concept, a site for which has not yet been found.