Bars in Manchester

Common Bar, 39-47 Edge Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 1HW - Visit now

Tucked away on the aptly named Edge Street in the Northern Quarter, Common is a favourite haunt of many in Manchester’s arts communities. The reason, essentially, is that everything they do is forward-thinking. From their top selection of beer to their rotating art exhibition to their array of poetry nights, musical performances and arts workshops, the bar do innovation well.

The Dressing Room Cafe Bar, The Edge Theatre & Arts Centre, Manchester Rd, Manchester, M21 9JG - Visit now

Flok, 5 Stevenson Square, Manchester, M1 1DN - Visit now

Flok is the kind of place the Northern Quarter was originally focused on – left-field, sophisticated and welcoming to all. It’s a sophisticated but unassuming space, with a wide selection of drinks and quietly excellent food. If you’re done with rowdy tiki bars and restaurants who care about Twitter likes more than food, then Flok is about to become your new favourite home from home.

Gorilla, 54-56 Whitworth Street West, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 5WW - Visit now

Gorilla is a good choice for breakfast, lunch or dinner. From a hearty full English to meaty burgers via good vegan and veggie options. It also hosts some of the best gigs and events in Manchester.

Terrace NQ, 43 Thomas Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 1NA

After a few years, Terrace is now firmly established as the new star on the Edge Street block. With high-quality drinks, well-priced food and friendly, charming staff, this busy venue is our must-go-to bar after a day’s work. Previous champ and near-neighbour, Common, has gone off the boil lately, with slow service, sub-par food and indifferent front-of-house, but fear not, Terrace has picked up the slack and then some.

The Alchemist, 3 Hardman Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M3 3HF - Visit now

Drinking at the Alchemist is an exhilarating experience. The phrase ‘with a twist’ is often overused, but it’s impossible to describe its selection of cocktails without it. Equally, it’s a wonderful looking space, full of high ceilings and intricate lighting that portrays both artfully-prepared booze and guests in the best light.

Cloud 23, 303 Deansgate, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M3 4LQ - Visit now

Cloud 23 towers above the city in more ways than one. Just off Deansgate, with stunning views over the city, this is where to wine, dine and wow your date for the evening. The drinks menu is both forward-thinking, with a long list of snazzy cocktails, and quite simply, straight-up fun. Live out your inner Del Boy and ask for a cocktail umbrella.

Salut Wines, 11 Cooper St, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 2FW - Visit now

With a staggering 44 wines by the glass, partly due to the regularly changing selection of bottles in its Enomatic wine preservation machines (or ‘wine jukeboxes,’ as they’re colloquially known), Salut is one of the best bars in the city for exploring new vintages. It has a lovely, wide-windowed feel and a small menu of tapas-style plates.

Sandbar, 120 Grosvenor Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 7HL - Visit now

Sandbar, just off Oxford Road in Manchester, is a well-loved watering hole, with a great selection of ales and some eccentric seating. A popular venue with students and academics, see their WiFi password for proof.