Manchester’s new power pairing: Chicken and Crémant
A Manchester rotisserie is backing Crémant as the perfect partner to roast chicken, putting a new spin on high-low food and wine pairings.
A new food and wine pairing is gaining momentum in Manchester, with rotisserie chicken and Crémant emerging as a contender to follow in the footsteps of the widely adopted Champagne and fries combination.
At Butter Bird in Ancoats, the pairing has become central to the restaurant’s offer. The Blossom Street site, known for its dedicated Crémant bar and weekly Club De Crémant night, is positioning the French sparkling category as a natural match for roast poultry.
The concept builds on the same principles that drove the popularity of Champagne and fries. In that pairing, acidity and effervescence cut through salt and fat to create contrast. Butter Bird applies the same logic to rotisserie chicken, where richness and seasoning are balanced by freshness and fine bubbles.
Crémant refers to traditional method sparkling wines produced across France outside the Champagne region. Made using secondary fermentation in bottle and aged on lees, the wines typically show bright acidity, fine mousse and flavours ranging from citrus and orchard fruit to toasted brioche.
At Butter Bird, these characteristics are paired with rotisserie chicken cooked over open flame in a Rotisol Millennium oven. Each bird is seasoned and tea-brined in house before cooking, a process designed to retain moisture while producing crisp skin. As the chickens rotate, they self-baste, building what the restaurant describes as a deep savoury profile.
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Once carved, the chicken is finished with house butters including preserved lemon and thyme with cracked pepper, tarragon and wildflower honey with Dijon mustard, and Moroccan spiced chermoula. The richness of both the meat and butter is positioned as key to the pairing, with Crémant’s acidity cutting through fat while the bubbles lift herbal and spiced notes.
The food menu centres on rotisserie chicken served in quarter, half or whole portions, alongside sides such as rotisserie potatoes with chicken salt or smoked paprika and Parmesan, charred Hispi cabbage with burnt lemon and chermoula butter, and basmati rice with lentils and caramelised onions. Lighter dishes include an “almost Caesar” salad and fattoush.
The drinks list focuses on Crémant from regions including Bordeaux, the Loire Valley and Burgundy. Styles range from Chenin Blanc-led Crémant de Loire from Langlois Château to Chardonnay-driven expressions from Jaffelin and blends from Bordeaux incorporating Sémillon and Merlot.
A weekly Club De Crémant event has developed as a key part of the offer, alongside a cocktail list built around the sparkling wine. Serves include an Elderflower and Rosemary Spritz with St Germain, a Blood Orange Spritz with Aperol and blood orange, and a Bakewell Spritz with Disaronno and cherry.
The pairing is being positioned as an accessible alternative to Champagne-led combinations, offering what the restaurant describes as a similar sense of occasion with broader flavour compatibility and a lower price point.
As Manchester’s dining scene continues to explore high-low combinations, the focus on rotisserie chicken and Crémant highlights a shift towards more casual formats paired with traditional method sparkling wines.
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