Cocktails in Manchester

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor

Looking for the best cocktails in Manchester? You have a wealth of choices, from high-end – and high-up over the city – bars, to down and dirty raucous venues. You might pay a premium for the view, but that’s often part of it – a great cocktail is more than just a glass of sugary brightly-coloured liquid, right?

Manchester has more than enough excellent bars and restaurants offering up delicious alcohol-heavy cocktails, whether you’re looking for a big weekend night out or romantic midweek drinks with your beau.

Whether you want to live the high-life with a glamourous cocktail alongside your wagyu beef, or eat cut-price pizza alongside your drink of choice, here’s our insider’s guide to the best places in the city for cocktails. Get your Alka-Seltzer ready.

Here are our picks

  • 1. Hawksmoor

    Hawksmoor, 184-186 Deansgate, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M3 3WB - Visit now

    Hawksmoor keep it classy, all ornate wood panelling and classic drinks served up by bar staff who well and truly know their stuff. Mine’s a fuller-fat old-fashioned.

  • 2. 20 Stories

    20 Stories, No. 1 Spinningfields, 1 Hardman Square, Manchester, M3 3EB - Visit now

    Twenty stories above Manchester you’ll find some of the best cocktails around. Never gaudy but always delicious, the knowledgable bar staff can put together pretty much any concoction your heart desires.

  • 3. The Liars Club

    Martin Kevill

    The Liars Club, 19A Back Bridge St, Manchester, M3 2PB - Visit now

    Liars Club is widely known as one of the city’s best party venues. Put aside the cheap lager for a night and work your way through the lengthy list of cocktails on offer.

  • 4. Superstition Bar

    Superstition Bar
    Ian Jones

    Superstition Bar, 14 Newton St,, Manchester, M1 2AF - Visit now

    A welcome new addition to the Northern Quarter, this independent bar offers up a great range of cocktails, including plenty of on-trend gin options.

  • 5. Randall & Aubin Manchester

    Randall And Aubin Manchester
    Ian Jones

    Randall & Aubin Manchester, 64 Bridge St, Manchester, M3 3BN - Visit now

    Not just about seafood, this classy restaurant have a huge range of gins, meaning a smart range of high-end cocktails to match. Well worth a drink, or two, or three…

  • 6. Cane & Grain

    Creative Tourist

    Cane & Grain, 49-51 Thomas Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 1NA - Visit now

    On the right nights, this Northern Quarter venue is more of a dark and dingy party venue, but that doesn’t mean the staff can’t put together a whole range of classic cocktails, and a few unique ones to boot.

  • 7. Tattu

    Tattu, Gartside Street, 3 Hardman Square, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M3 3EB - Visit now

    One of the city’s most impressive looking venues have cocktails to match. The Skull Candy might seem a little daft with smoke billowing from a fake skull, but if you’ve got a sweet tooth the bubblegum flavours make this one of the finest cocktails in the city. A must try, if you haven’t already.

  • 8. YES

    YES

    YES, 38 Charles Street, Manchester, M1 7DB - Visit now

    Not content with programming some of the finest live music in Manchester, YES also offer some pretty sweet cocktail deals too. Enjoy them on the roof terrace pre-gig while the roadies tune them guitars.

  • 9. The Alchemist

    The Alchemist

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

    Flashy cocktails in Manchester city centre’s flashiest area, Spinningfields. You can also find a branch of The Alchemist over at MediaCity.

  • 10. Over Under Deansgate

    Over Under Deansgate
    Over Under

    Over Under Deansgate, 111 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2BQ - Visit now

    Coffee by day, alcohol by night. This cafe-slash-bar reminds me of someone…

  • 11. One Eight Six

    One Eight Six

    One Eight Six, 186 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3WB - Visit now

    One Eight Six is a classic cocktail bar and late-night club venue, hidden away underneath a high-end barbershop in Deansgate