Expert guide to Manchester
Manchester has a hard-earned reputation for its wild nightlife, from the heady Hacienda days to its live music venues where many big names have cut their teeth. And while there are plenty of places to party all night in the city “that thinks a table is for dancing on”, there’s also a huge selection of cosy historic pubs, cool cocktail bars and trendy music venues. Whether you’d like to see an up-and-coming band in an intimate back room or find the coolest hidden spots, our list of the top 10 bars and pubs is an excellent starting point.
Northern Quarter
Science & Industry
Accessed through a secret door hidden in a wall inside the Cane & Grain bar (look for the neon Science & Industry sign to the left as you enter), Science & Industry is one of the best cocktail bars in Manchester. It’s styled to look like a speakeasy, with wooden panelled walls, leather studded booths, copper tables and taxidermy lights. The mixologists know their stuff and have a “lab” with equipment to create the perfect drink. Order an Insect Hinges cocktail, with bee-pollen Bols Genever, to embrace a Manchester theme and relax with bluesy music playing in the background.
Contact:0161 839 7033; caneandgrain.co.uk/science-industry
Nearest Metrolink station: Shudehill
Prices: ££
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Castle Hotel
Regular live music and spoken word events are held in the back room of this popular Northern Quarter pub which dates back to 1776, while in the bar area there’s an excellent jukebox. From its brown tiled exterior and mosaic flooring as you enter, to its wooden bar with padded leather stools, it feels like time has stood still here (although it was actually renovated and re-opened in 2009). If you’re not attending a gig, order a pint of Robinsons Unicorn and plonk yourself on a padded banquette in the snug parlour.
Contact: 0161 237 9485; thecastlehotel.info
Nearest Metrolink station: Market Street
Prices: £
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Oxford Road
The Refuge by Volta
One of Manchester’s best-looking bars is in the Principal Manchester Hotel. Its vast, grand public bar with original tiled pillars and moulded ceilings feels special but has a laid-back atmosphere, while its Winter Garden, with trees wrapped in fairy lights, is the place to slip off to with your date. There’s a fantastic selection of cocktails – try The Glamour of Manchester which combines champagne and rose gin – and, as you’d expect from a venue run by two DJs, there’s an upbeat soundtrack such as disco and boogie on Saturday nights. Special events are held in its basement club.
Contact: 0161 233 5151; refugemcr.co.uk
Nearest Metrolink station: St Peter’s Square
Prices: ££
Getting in: Book tickets for basement events
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Gorilla
Under railway arches off Oxford Road, Gorilla’s white-tiled bar is a cool place to enjoy drinks or a casual meal. Its regular live gigs and club nights are popular, with up-and-coming bands performing as well as established acts looking for a more intimate venue. Interiors are industrial chic – think exposed brick, a wooden arched ceiling and silver insulated pipes proudly on show – and there’s a gin parlour on a mezzanine level directly above the bar. The cocktail menu has illustrations by local artists – try I Think Her Name is Deborah made with local Four Sisters lime & thyme gin.
Contact: 0161 826 2998; thisisgorilla.com
Nearest Metrolink station: St Peter’s Square
Prices: ££
Getting in: Book tickets for stage and club events
Petersfield
Briton’s Protection
A Manchester institution, this traditional pub has been on the corner of Great Bridgewater street since 1806. It has an extensive whisky collection – apparently the north west’s largest – and a great selection of ales (try the Peterloo Pale ale). There are paintings of the Peterloo Massacre in the corridor, tiled walls and a red and gold moulded ceiling. The shiny mahogany bar is well stocked and, handily, there’s a serving hatch at the back for its snug and lounge. Open fires keep things cosy in the winter and there’s a small beer garden when the sun makes an appearance.
Contact:0161 236 5895; Facebook page
Nearest Metrolink station: Deansgate
Prices: £
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Albert’s Schloss
You may end up dancing on the benches of this enormous Bavarian “bier palace” – or could, alternatively, enjoy a more relaxed drink with lunch during the day. In an enormous former Wesleyan Hall, below the Albert Hall concert venue, there’s no other bar quite like it in Manchester. It will certainly make an impression, from its elaborate floral displays and OTT cabaret and live music shows, to its huge copper barrels above the bar. Pilsner Urquell is the obvious choice while socialising at one of its long wooden tables but there’s also schnapps and a range of hearty Alpine dishes.
Contact: 0161 833 4040; albertsschloss.co.uk
Nearest Metrolink station: St Peter’s Square
Prices: ££
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Central Retail District
Café Beermoth
Between the shops on Market Street and King Street, Café Beermoth is an independent beer specialist. You’ll see kegs behind glass windows at the bar, there’s hops hanging from geometric wooden screens, and lightshades are made out of oversized beer bottles. Seventeen changing beers are on draft, while there’s a huge menu containing rare releases by 3 Fonteinen as well as vintage bottles and other options arranged geographically. Perch at the bar quizzing knowledgeable staff or socialise in a leather booth while sipping a bottle of Augustiner-Bräu Lagerbier Helles from Munich’s oldest brewery. Upbeat indie music creates a lively atmosphere.
Contact: 0161 835 2049; beermoth.co.uk/cafe
Nearest Metrolink station: Market Street
Prices: ££
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Mrs Sarah’s Chop House
The historic Chop Houses are firm favourites in Manchester and Mrs Sarah’s (also known by its previous name, Mr Tom’s Chop House) is slap bang in the middle of the city centre; perfect for a cosy drink before a show at the Royal Exchange Theatre or a post-shopping pint of Tom’s pale ale. In a narrow townhouse, the traditional pub, which dates back to 1867, has retained its Victorian charm, with green and cream tiled walls, tiled arches and a dark wooden bar. Traditional dishes are served in the dining area at the back and there’s live music every Wednesday.
Contact: 0161 832 2245; tomschophouse.com
Nearest Metrolink station: Exchange Square
Prices: ££
Spinningfields
20 Stories
You can enjoy some of the best views of Manchester’s skyline from 20 Stories. At the top of the No. 1 Spinningfields Tower, the cocktail bar and rooftop terrace are places for special occasion drinks or simply to mingle with some of the city’s well-heeled residents with a soundtrack of cool, chilled-out music. Order a Manchester Gin Negroni, which you’ll see pre-mixed at the bar in an enormous 4.5-litre Manchester Gin bottle, then relax on the terrace under trees and extravagant floral displays while spotting sights. There are heaters and plastic domes to shield you from Manchester’s often chilly weather.
Contact: 0161 204 3333; 20stories.co.uk
Nearest Metrolink station: St Peter’s Square
Prices: £££
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St John’s
Project Halcyon
The first bar to open in the new St John’s neighbourhood, Project Halcyon is in the basement of the former Granada Studio’s building. Sit in a comfy turquoise leather booth in the bar area, next to its baby grand piano, listening to jazz, blues and soul music, and order a drink made with the on-site distiller’s Zymurgorium gin. There’s also a green snug room dedicated to absinthe, a collection of exclusive spirits on caged shelves, and a stillroom. Décor is sumptuous, with Manchester bees on sparkling hexagon floor tiles, kingfishers on trendy distressed wallpaper and art deco glass wall lights.
Contact: 0161 414 0133; projecthalcyondistillery.com
Nearest Metrolink station: Deansgate
Prices: ££
Expert guide to Manchester
Source: Telegraph Travels
