After the recent devastating closure of three award winning venues; The Chocolate Café, Levanter and Baratxuri, and the once excellent Hearth of the Ram rumoured to be up for sale, one might think that Ramsbottom is in danger of losing its status as a gastronomic destination. But that’s not true.
It is still a haven for quality food and drink shops and restaurants including bars like Grape to Grain, restaurants like Kimji, pubs such as Eagle and Child Inn and the excellent local neighbourhood eatery Colleen’s.
Owned by husband-and-wife team Thomas and Ellen Morgan and named after Thomas’ late Grandma, Colleen’s has been open for over a year offering a seasonally changing food and drinks menu, with a focus on local produce, quality ingredients and casual dining.
The neat, colourful high street restaurant welcomes everyone (and their dogs) whether its for a friendly catch up, a family meal or a special occasion.
Colleen’s is open six days a week and offers a variety of menus covering small spates and starters for sharing to larger dishes such as fish, meat and home-made pies. There’s a brunch menu on weekends, a lunch and a la carte menu Wednesday – Saturday and a Sunday lunch menu. There’s even a seasonal plant-based menu which changes weekly, and a tasting menu, which is offered at various times throughout the year.
The team have also just relaunched their Monday Club, which is a step away from their usual menu. Guests can enjoy American diner style dishes, along with live music and an offer of two cocktails for £10. Colleen’s has also just launched a new three-course menu for £18, available during weeknights from 5-6.30pm. The three-course menu will be available on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays for the next six weeks and will change on a weekly basis.
The contemporary British menu celebrates the best local produce, with meat from Penny’s in Accrington, fish from Bury Market and excellent bread from Zafroz, a micro-bakery in Burnley.
Colleen’s a la carte menu changes depending on the availability and seasonality of produce, while the Sunday lunch menu offers a roast dinner, with beef rib, free range chicken and potato, mushroom and onion Wellington served with all the trimmings for £15, alongside a range of other dishes.
Wine comes from Les Caves, with a majority of the wine list being organic. Prices range from a bottle of house wine from £26, up to the most expensive at £65.
Chef Patron Thomas Morgan said: “We wanted Colleen’s to be a neighbourhood restaurant that has something for everyone. Whether you want to nip out for a coffee and poached eggs with a friend on Saturday morning, head in for a well-deserved Sunday lunch after a walk in the countryside or enjoy a glass of wine and a date night with beautiful food, we have a menu to suit.
“Over the last 12 months, we’re proud to have created a fine dining offer which can be enjoyed in a relaxed informal environment. We want people to be able to enjoy Michelin-style dining without the expensive price tag and most importantly, we want the restaurant to be approachable for all.”
To find out more, follow @colleensramsbottom
Special event – Enjoy a taste of the Antipodes with an Australian Evening at Colleen’s on Friday 26th May.
Enjoy a five-course menu with accompanying drinks, each dish will give guests a flavour of Australia, starting with sourdough and whipped Vegemite butter and Four Pillars blood orange Tom Collins, followed by avo on toast, finger limes & caviar, served with a Jauma Pet Nat.
Barbeque prawns with tomato and peas make up the third course, with a Jumpin Juice Sunset, followed by lamb fillet, fried sea purslane & celeriac with Patrick Sullivan, Gippsland Pinot Noir. Dessert is a strawberry & mint pavlova and a McHenry’s Federation Gin Southside.
The Australian Evening Menu starts at 5pm and is £70 per person, including the drinks listed above. Dietary requirements can be catered for if advance notice is given.
Colleen’s, 76 Bridge St, Ramsbottom, Bury BL0 9AG
