Hip Flask scours the globe to bring the best craft beers direct from brewers to your doorstep.
It’s as simple as that.
But perhaps ‘simple’ is not the word, as without a great deal of passion and drive to make it work, this finely-tuned operation founded right here in Greater Manchester would fall short, but after two furloughed friends started the company with ambition and the intent of selling to a couple of people they knew, Hip Flask has since flourished.
The craft beer delivery company has taken hundreds of Mancunians on “a journey of beer discovery” since the start of lockdown, and it’s all done through expertly-selected picks with the perfect blend of flavour, character and strength to please the palate.
A Pub In A Box, you could say – which also happens to be the name of its first collection.
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Hip Flask is the brainchild of Sam and Phil – childhood friends with a mutual love for all things craft beer – who after finding themselves, like many others, with a few extra hours on their hands at the start of April this year, started chatting about what they could do to fill the time.
“We’re both into our beer and we’d compare notes on any new and interesting beers we’d tried since we last met.” Sam explained to us.
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“We subscribed to a couple of craft beer delivery companies, but we found them a bit lacking,
“There didn’t seem to be any context to the beers we were drinking or any information on who produced it [and] we know the passion and the artistry that goes into making craft beer [so] we wanted to show this to other people.”
The Manchester Box by Hip Flask
It wasn’t all smooth sailing though at the start.
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Sam continued: “We naively thought it would be a case of buying the beer and start selling.
“It turned out we needed a couple of licences before we could do that, but eventually, we’d licensed a spare bedroom in my house in Manchester to sell craft beer and Hip Flask was born.
“We started selling a few boxes to friends and we’ve slowly grown from there”.
And it’s fair to say that a pretty significant part of that growth is the city in which it was born, or more specifically, a hand-picked collection of beers that pays homage to and celebrates everything the city is loved around the world for.
So, what exactly is The Manchester Box then?
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The Manchester Box by Hip Flask
Well, every proud Mancunian knows that Manchester is a city with a rich and iconic history, right?
Think the Haçienda, L.S. Lowry, Paul Scholes, Emmeline Pankhurst, Franny Lee, Liam & Noel, Caroline Ahern, Anthony Burgess, Shelagh Delaney, FAC51, and not forgetting Vimto, of course – but Hip Flask wants to show the world that beer needs to be added to that list too.
The Manchester Box is designed to “highlight the unique identity of Manchester” and is filled with some of the best beer this city has to offer.
“Pubs and breweries have been some of the hardest hit financially throughout this year, particularly in Manchester,” said Sam, “[and] we wanted to do what we could to help, so we created The Manchester Box,
“A celebration of Manchester’s brilliant independent craft breweries.”
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“We wanted to capture the spirit and the vibe of Manchester and the city’s continual defiance in the face of adversity. Manchester has a history of pulling together in dark times and that’s what we wanted to achieve with this box.”
Say hello to the Manchester Box! Featuring 12 beers from our favourite Manchester breweries.
Manchester is iconic for football, art and music. We want to show the world that beer needs to be added to the list.
An ideal Christmas gift for any beer lover, or even just someone with a special place in their heart for the rainy city, The Manchester Box is filled with a diverse range of lagers, pale ales and IPAs created in breweries across the region.
Each box contains a total of 12 specially-selected beers (5x 440ml cans and 7x 330ml cans).
Beers from beloved Greater Manchester breweries Alphabet, Beatnikz Republic, Brightside, First Chop, Seven Bro7hers, and Shindigger all proudly feature.
It also comes complete with tasting notes on all of beers featured in the collection as a way to enhance the drinking experience, as well a map with details about the breweries that each of the beers have been crafted in, adding depth to each sip.
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And crucially, the purchase of each box directly contributes to small and independent local businesses at a time when they truly need the support more than ever before.
The Manchester Box by Hip FlaskThe Manchester Box by Hip Flask
The Manchester Box will set you back just £35 for the full collection.
Hip Flask is currently offering free local delivery to households within eight miles of its premises, and national delivery of £4 or free on orders above £50.
All boxes are expected to be delivered within three working days of the order being placed.
More information can be found via the Hip Flask website here, and you can also keep up to date with Sam, Phil and the Hip Flask team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The tiny Lake District village that’s home to FOUR Michelin Stars – one of which is surprisingly affordable
Daisy Jackson
Cartmel has long made a place for itself on the map with its food scene, which spans everything from its world-famous Sticky Toffee Pudding shop, all the way up to its three-Michelin star restaurant L’Enclume, widely considered to be the best restaurant in the UK.
For such a tiny dot on the map, just on the edges of the Lake District, they cram in an awful lot of gastronomy, and boast four Michelin Stars on a single street.
This is the home of some of the best produce – whether that’s a mallard or a marrow – on the planet, and a lot of that reputation is thanks to chef Simon Rogan’s enterprise.
The Cartmel Valley is the home of Our Farm, where produce for his group of restaurants is carefully grown and harvested before being prepared and served to diners. The level of care that is taken at every single step of the process is outstanding.
And while L’Enclume is many people’s first thought when they hear ‘Michelin’, especially here up north, there’s a more modest and accessible little sister restaurant just next door, which acts as an incubator for all those shiny accolades.
Rogan & Co has a Michelin star of its own making, and chefs who have passed through its doors include Tom Barnes, who is now chef patron of Skof, his very own Michelin star restaurant in Manchester city centre.
The village of Cartmel. Credit: The Manc Group
One of the best things about Rogan & Co is that it acts as a gateway introduction for the magic of L’Enclume (which is a big treat for most people at £265 per person for the tasting menu).
You’re still eating the same great produce, and experiencing the same level of service, just in a more laid-back, neighbourhood restaurant setting.
And you don’t have to go the whole hog – there’s a set lunch menu where you can get three courses for just £49.
The restaurants that fall within Simon Rogan’s group are always proudly local, and never shy of shouting out their suppliers.
But this hits its stride in a really special way twice a year, when Rogan & Co celebrates Local Heroes week and crafts special menus to show off local artisans, craftspeople, growers and suppliers.
Inside Rogan & CoThe Local Heroes menuThe cheddar scone snacksCredit: The Manc Group
Dining here during Local Heroes Week means that your menu will highlight where everything is sourced, and I don’t just mean the veggies on your plate. I also mean the plate.
Each menu lists the people who have been integral in its creation – Northern Wine filling your glass, Lake District Farmers supplying the beef, Winter Tarn on the butter.
Rogan & Co also shouts out its chefs and floor staff, even crediting Beth and Kayleigh for ‘the tunes’ (and the music is local – they were playing a playlist inspired by Kendal Calling headliners through the years).
So onto that menu – it begins with a dinky cheddar scone made with cheese from Torpenhow Cheese Company just down the road, sliced in half then sandwiched back together with a pickled allium cream.
It’s like no scone I’ve ever tasted before, and yet the ritual of eating it (pulling apart the two halves, spreading the cream evenly, admiring the little shower of crumbs that falls down) feels so familiar and comforting.
Then comes a tangle of brassicas offset by some tangy preserves made by ‘The Pickle Prince’ (that’s Liam, the head chef at Our Farm).
BrassicasCartmel Valley Game mallardParkerhouse rolls
I always find bread to be one of the highlights of any tasting menu – will it be a tiny sourdough loaf, or a fluffy brioche roll?
Here, it’s a neat row of glossy buns inspired by a Parkerhouse roll, made fresh in the village bakery and glazed in Our Farm honey. They’re springy and sticky to the touch and are quickly demolished via a few pats of butter.
I expected a reduced set lunch menu to be on the simpler side, but the main course still consists of an impressive number of elements.
Romney’s mint cakeDamsons and caramelised rice pudding
There’s the leg of a Cartmel Valley Game mallard, its skin audibly crispy, a tiny copper saucepan of shepherd’s pie on the side, along with a snarl of leeks and a wedge of soft celeriac. I’m absolutely delighted with all of it.
And for pudding, damsons sourced from nearby Witherslack are cooked all the way down to a tangy jam, layered into a caramelised rice pudding and then topped with ice cream and homemade toffee popcorn.
To cap things off, there’s a Romney’s mint cake – imagine if an After Eight and a fudge took a tumble in the sheets and produced a top-class after-dinner treat. That.
Pound for pound, Rogan & Co has to be one of the best-value Michelin experiences in the country. So get in the car immediately and head up to Cartmel.
This year’s Local Heroes Week is taking place between 4 and 8 November, but it’ll be back again twice next year.
All the Greater Manchester restaurants included in the Michelin Guide
Daisy Jackson
Our city’s thriving food scene really does span all budgets and appetites, from Michelin star fine-dining to award-winning street food.
And the quality of our city’s higher-end establishments is evident with just a glance at the Michelin Guide, where esteemed judges have selected 18 Greater Manchester spots of note.
A few establishments have quietly dropped off the Michelin list in the last year, with Canto in Ancoats, Tast on King Street, and the now-closed Habas and Ramsbottom’s Levanter no longer featured.
But there are new entries too, including (so far) a new Bib Gourmand for Higher Ground plus plenty of new additions to the wider guide.
Keep reading to discover the full list of restaurants in Greater Manchester included in the Michelin Guide.
Simon Martin’s ultra-high-end Ancoats restaurant Mana is the only restaurant in Greater Manchester to currently hold a Michelin star, breaking a 40-year dry spell for Manchester city centre.
What the Michelin guide says: “The personality and experience of chef-owner Simon Martin shine brightly at this stylish, modern restaurant, where every one of the well-spaced tables has a view of the kitchen.
“British produce leads the way, including plenty of seafood because, as Simon puts it, ‘we live on an island’. There are many Asian techniques on display and the cooking marries complex flavours with a pure, natural approach, in dishes such as a superb roasted hogget with white miso sabayon.”
Skof, NOMA
Inside Skof, Manchester’s newest restaurant
This shiny new restaurant from Tom Barnes and Simon Rogan’s UMBEL Group has been justifiably making waves since launching in May 2024, scooping itself a Michelin Star within its first year (and only the second star Manchester has had in decades).
What the guide says: “Located in an old textile warehouse, this restaurant from former L’Enclume Executive Chef Tom Barnes gives a nod to Manchester’s industrial heritage with its exposed brickwork and girders.
“The cooking skilfully blends measured international flavours with those from the restaurant’s doorstep; for dessert, you’re just as likely to get amakase sorbet as you are Manchester honey ice cream. The meal ends with a scoop of “Barney’s Tiramisu”, touchingly inspired by Tom’s late father.
“A relaxed atmosphere is encouraged, with the chef’s hand-picked playlist and the chattering diners combining for a brilliant buzz.”
Higher Ground, New York Street
Rick Stein named Higher Ground as one of his favourite restaurants in the UK. Credit: The Manc GroupHigher Ground received a Michelin Bib Gourmand this year
When Michelin announced a raft of new Bib Gourmands (which celebrate more affordable but high-quality restaurants) ahead of the main awards, it was no great surprise to see Higher Ground on the list.
The guide says of this newcomer: “What started life as a pop-up in 2020 is now a permanent spot in the heart of the city, owned and run by three friends who also operate wine bar Flawd and a market garden in the Cheshire countryside.
“The latter provides much of the top quality produce found on the menu, in dishes that are designed for sharing and packed with flavour. Sit at the large counter to see the chefs putting care and pride into every dish, like the terrific malted barley pudding with stout caramel. The whole team, led by the owners, are charming and cheery.”
Another restaurant that’s earned itself a Bib Gourmand is Simon Shaw’s El Gato Negro, the brilliant, multi-storey Spanish restaurant right in the heart of King Street.
What the guide says: “‘The Black Cat’ is a buzzing tapas restaurant split over three levels: the ground floor is home to the bar and outdoor tables in the pedestrianised street; the first floor boasts great counter seats in front of the open kitchen; and the third floor includes a fabulous roof terrace that’s ideal for private events.
“The cooking is as enjoyable as the atmosphere, offering great value across the wide selection of recognisable Spanish dishes, including meats from the Josper grill.”
The Sparrows, Green Quarter
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Comfort food heaven, The Sparrows really captures the magic of Alpine food right beneath a Manchester railway arch, and is the third Manchester Bib Gourmand restaurant in the Michelin Guide.
What the guide says: “Nestled under the railway arches in Manchester’s Green Quarter is this somewhat hidden restaurant where you have to ring a bell to enter. Its name is (almost) the English translation of the word ‘spätzle’ – which gives some clue as to the style of food on offer here.
“The dumplings and assorted pasta dishes are all made in-house and include excellent pierogi. The focus on Eastern Europe carries through to the wine list, which has a leaning towards Polish wines.”
This incredible restaurant over in Stockport earned itself a ‘green’ Michelin star a couple of years ago, recognised for its sustainability practices. Could it be the next to get itself a full Michelin star?
What the guide says: “This large, loft-style restaurant is located on the top floor of a Victorian coffee warehouse and its open kitchen forms part of the room. The surprise menu is formed from whatever they have foraged that day and beasts are brought in whole and fully utilised. Matching wine flights focus on natural wines.”
Stow, Bridge Street
Stow is a brilliant new restaurant on Bridge Street where everything – even the desserts – is cooked over fire. It’s technical and utterly brilliant and has received rave reviews across the board since its launch.
The Michelin Guide said: “With its winning combo of cocktails and cooking over fire, Stow feels like a restaurant for our times. Start (and end) your visit with a drink in the front bar, before taking your seat at the counter in the tucked-away dining room.
“The small size gives it the feel of an intimate secret supper club, as you watch the chefs close-up, extracting maximum flavour from their ingredients.
“Prime cuts of meat, including ex-dairy beef, are a feature, but don’t miss the imaginative vegetable dishes too. Finish with the smoked cream tart, its gentile smokiness coming through in every mouthful.”
Three more restaurants have been added to the Michelin Guide. Credit: The Manc Group
Next up for the Michelin Guide in Manchester is Bangkok Diners Club, a fantastic Thai restaurant tucked up above the Edinburgh Castle pub in Ancoats.
It’s headed up by Chef Ben Humpheys – formerly of the futuristic Thai restaurant District – and his wife Bo, and fuses his 20-year obsession with Thai cuisine with a ‘new-found love for low-n-slow cooking’ inspired by the BBQs of Miami.
The Michelin Guide says: “A taste of Thailand has arrived, of all places, above a Victorian pub in Ancoats. Sitting on the first floor of the characterful Edinburgh Castle inn, it’s a lively, deservedly popular place with a cool rustic-meets-retro vibe.
“Despite the name, the cooking takes inspiration from all over Thailand, including several dishes from the northeastern Isan region, such as raw bass with calamansi nam jim or a classic papaya salad. Each plate looks neat and vibrant, delivering an array of well-balanced flavours and the occasional hit of creativity.”
Climat, Blackfriars House
Climat is a sky-high restaurant famed for its vast wine collection and fabulous views across the rooftops of Manchester city centre, which has now caught the eye of the Michelin Guide.
Here’s what the Michelin Guide had to say about Climat: “You have to be in the know to come across Climat, tucked away on the eighth floor of a city centre office building. You arrive at a dedicated entrance and make your way up to the chic penthouse, where stunning city views await you.
“An open kitchen is the focus of the room, with its aromas filling the air, and the concise fixed-price menu includes well-executed dishes such as halibut with spinach and sorrel velouté, where the ingredient quality shines through.
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“Wine is a feature with one side of the room acting as a bar and the carefully curated list deftly mixing traditional and modern styles.”
Winsome, Princess Street
Winsome, one of the newest restaurants in Greater Manchester, is now in the Michelin Guide
Winsome is a restaurant from former Chef of the Year award-winner Shaun Moffat, a modern British bistro where dishes are playful and classic.
The Michelin Guide said: “Manchester’s industrial history feels like it’s had an overt influence on this buzzing brasserie with a large kitchen counter and a stripped-back look.
“The cooking has an admirably gutsy, straightforward quality to it, with hints of nostalgia. Think cold cuts, whole fish, hearty homemade pies and a mixed grill. It’s all executed with skill and the ingredients are of obvious quality, resulting in no shortage of flavour.
“The young and enthusiastic service team are a perfect fit for such a fun place.”
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Pip at Treehouse Hotel
Pip has been added to the Michelin GuidePip has been added to the Michelin Guide
Pip is a new spot from acclaimed local chef Mary-Ellen McTague, offering up seasonal, proudly local dishes, and receiving glowing national reviews as a result.
The Michelin Guide says: “Forming part of the Treehouse Hotel, Pip provides a calm oasis in the heart of the city. Like the hotel around it, the restaurant is decorated with a blend of repurposed materials and vintage pieces, with eye-catching pops of colour, wooden furnishings and a rustic touch.
“The kitchen is headed up Mary-Ellen McTague, a champion of the region who uses local produce and whose menu includes a satisfyingly rich and flavoursome take on the Lancashire hot pot.
“The service team are brimming with positivity and clearly love what they do.”
Cantaloupe is an achingly stylish new local restaurant for Stockport, with a frequently-changing menu built around the best produce they can get their hands on.
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The Michelin Guide wrote of Cantaloupe: “There’s a fresh, clean feel to both the décor and the cooking at this welcoming little wine bar and restaurant. The concise but appealing wine list will appeal to traditional oenophiles, with quality established growers to the fore.
“The menu has a Mediterranean leaning, so whilst it changes daily, it will likely include a pasta dish and possibly some whole fish. This is cooking that relies on simplicity and skill, with immense care poured into dishes like peri peri octopus and duck fat crisps, so that the natural flavours shine.”
Adam Reid at The French, The Midland
Adam Reid at The French could nab another Michelin star for Manchester this yearAdam Reid at The French could nab another Michelin star for Manchester this year
For almost a decade, people have been predicting that Adam Reid at The French would be the next in Manchester to get a Michelin Star, seeing as it’s one of the city’s best fine-dining restaurants. It’s not happened yet, but it’s still exceptional.
What the guide says: “This famous hotel was first built to herald the arrival of the Midland railway in Manchester, and its restaurant was created in the Belle Époque style to evoke the luxury of the day.
“Whilst its name remains in homage to its historical past, today, chef Adam Reid’s multi-course menu is very much a homage to his Northern roots, with dishes having names such as ‘A Warm Northern Welcome’, ‘Yesterday’s Dinner’ and ‘Today’s Tea’. Personable chefs explain and finish each course off tableside, and dishes are richly flavoured with the occasional playful touch.”
Erst in Ancoats is Michelin-recommended restaurantErst in Ancoats is Michelin-recommended restaurant
Easily one of The Manc’s personal favourite restaurants, Erst has become a neighbourhood restaurant of which Ancoats is very proud, and is another worth addition to the Michelin Guide for Manchester.
What the guide says: “A modern, industrial-style wine bar run by a group of friends, laid-back Erst offers something refreshingly different in the city. It specialises in natural, low-intervention wines – many of which you can buy to take home – accompanied by a selection of flavoursome small plates.”
The newest entrant to the Michelin Guide is Orme, which offers a seasonal and affordable tasting menu concept.
The Michelin Guide says: “You will find a pleasantly welcoming quality at this small restaurant run by three young owners. There’s a distinct Nordic touch to proceedings, yet British produce is at the heart of the appealing tasting menu – which gives you the option to add supplementary courses for a more bespoke experience.
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“Attractively presented dishes offer bold, vibrant flavours with a mix of the classic and the modern in their influences. Wine flights are also available, including a particularly interesting British themed option.”
The White Hart at Lydgate, Oldham
Image: The White Hart
Image: The White Hart
Country pubs don’t come much better than The White Hart, which has far-reaching views all the way back to Manchester’s city centre skyline.
What the Michelin guide says: “This 18C stone pub on the moor is a place that constantly evolves. It’s usually busy but the staff have everything under control and there are comfy bedrooms for those wishing to stay. Dining takes place in the cosy Tap Room or smart brasserie; the appealing menu has a British heart and global influences.”
Maya, Canal Street
Maya is a new restaurant and bar on Canal Street in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupDesserts at Maya, which has been added to the Michelin Guide
Maya in the Gay Village managed to earn its place in the Michelin Guide just two months after opening, with judges noting its ‘elegant, beautifully appointed’ decor.
The guide says: “In the heart of Manchester, close to the famous Canal Street, sits this impressively renovated basement restaurant. It’s an elegant, beautifully appointed place, with an art deco feel and a large cocktail bar that feels appropriate for an area of the city known for its party scene.
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“The dishes often have a modern make-up but the kitchen’s classical skillset is evident in finely executed elements like a well-made sauce bonne femme to accompany top quality turbot. Four smart bedrooms are attached if you’re visiting from afar.”
Despite being wedged in on the most hidden street in Manchester, Another Hand has become one of the city’s stand-out restaurants – as evidenced by their inclusion in the Michelin guide.
The Michelin guide says: “This 24-seater bistro offers an appealing array of sharing plates which champion produce from local, ethical growers.
“The eye-catching, vegetarian-led dishes are served one at a time and their flavours are punchy and pronounced. Craft beers and low intervention wines accompany. Service is bubbly and the atmosphere, buzzing.”
Emily Sergeant -
4th December 2020 
