Flawd

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor

Last Updated 25 May 2023

Flawd, 9 Keepers Quay, Manchester, M4 6GL – Visit Now

Flawd is a wine bar based in that hazy Ancoats slash New Islington area of Manchester. It’s a relatively new venture from the team behind Higher Ground, who have been responsible for some of our most memorable dining experiences over the years. In fact, Higher Ground at Kampus was the final meal we ate before Lockdown 1.0 back in March 2020, when the city was eerily deserted. Then our first meal back was part of the always-excellent Manchester Food and Drink Festival, like two superb culinary bookends to a very weird time.

Flawd is one of the city’s most exciting new venues

And now, this once-roving crew have found their forever home in Ancoats. A true neighbourhood venture, they source their bread from the nearby Pollen and other ingredients such as herbs and vegetables from the owners’ private garden. The kitchen is actually a small corner just behind the bar, that somehow manages to put out awe-inspiring mini dishes such as the powerfully flavoured Bath blue cheese rarebit, which included pickled garlic stems and Step Up stout in the delicious mix.

You can also try cheese plates and charcuterie, all of incredibly high quality. All of which is unsurprising considering Joseph Otway, former head chef at Stockport’s Where The Light Gets In, is at the helm. Of course, the other main focus is natural, low intervention wines and local beer, showcasing small-scale producers and aiming to make natural wine approachable and away from the gatekeepers.

Flawd is one of Ancoats’ most exciting young venues, offering beautifully prepared small plates alongside a range of drinks unmatched anywhere else in Manchester. If you consider yourself a gourmand in any way, shape or form then a visit isn’t just recommended, it’s essential.