Finders Keepers
Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor
Finder Keepers, as the name suggests, is something of a hidden gem that’s sure to become a fixture in your must-visit Manchester bar line-up. And that’s largely thanks to the expert team behind the bar.
They aren’t just well-versed in mixology, they’re doctorate-level (albeit doctors prescribing delicious drinks that make you merry). You’ll find some of the most intriguing and exciting flavour combinations this side of The Fat Duck, without ever feeling gimmicky.
Case in point, Sharon’s Picante, the team’s take on a picante (think spicy margarita, but elegant). This contains some of the most fascinating ingredients in any cocktail in the city: the brilliantly-named Sharon fruit (a sweet and dainty orange-coloured fruit), plus chilli crisp oil with the faintest hint of garlic and a nice thwack of Szechuan pepper, which permeates the smooth yoghurt wash. On paper, it shouldn’t work but it well and truly does. We recommend a special visit to try this concoction. Even more astonishingly, this smooth, savoury beauty is vegan – as is everything on the menu.
Another memorable creation is the Champagne On Ice, made with pear and vanilla ice cream, Haku, Calvados and Laurent-Perrier. It’s a miracle that something so creamy can be all plant-based, but creamy it is, not to mention enormously moreish.
Or there’s the Forest Fruit Sbagliato – it might mean “mistake” in Italian but nothing could be further from the truth. It’s a fruity, damson and gooseberry-heavy drink, containing a giant sculpted oblong iceberg that slowly melts into the glass, with a surprise inclusion of Lambrusco, giving a nod to those carefree student days. But in truth, you could jab at the cocktail menu blindfolded and find something that excites both mind and tastebuds.
Manchester isn’t known for being an especially pretty city, but this location, by the waterfront in New Islington Marina is a great place to kick back and people-watch. The highly-regarded Flawd is just next door, Pollen is around the corner and the geese race by at breakneck speed. It’s a wonderful place just to hang out, whether you’re in the city for an event or want a night out at a bar that defines this new, forward-thinking era of Manchester.
As a final flourish, there are various bar snacks, from plump Gordal olives to delicate basil and garlic-seasoned picos, or the staff favourite, the balsamic snack mix, all different shapes and crunchy textures, coated with a thirst-inducing sea salt and balsamic vinegar flavouring.
Manchester has seen a wealth of clued-in, stylish cocktail bars in recent years, including Blinker, Stray and Three Little Words to name but three. Judging by the quality and attention to detail that goes into their drinks, Finders Keepers is up there with the best.
