World Cocktail Day is upon us, a global celebration of cocktails in all their shapes, sizes, and flavours – as if we needed an excuse to celebrate cocktails.
The annual event on 13 May will see people across the globe raise a toast to the wonder of mixology, and the whole experience of going out for cocktails.
Whatever your taste, whether you like a short and bitter beverage or a fun and flirty cocktail, you’ll find something to love inside the Corn Exchange in Manchester city centre.
The Grade II-listed building is home to more than a dozen brilliant restaurants, cafes and bars, many of which are ready to show off their drink-making skills.
Each one is created with a focus on ingredients, presentation, taste and experience.
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So in honour of World Cocktail Day, here’s a guide to just some of the cocktails around the Corn Exchange.
Sit back and raise a glass to the creativity and innovation of bartenders and mixologists around the world, especially those here in our home city.
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Chilli Mango Margarita at Mowgli
The most popular cocktail in the world, the margarita, is given a refreshing and spicy twist by Indian restaurant Mowgli.
They’ve added fresh mango and chilli peppers to the smoothness of tequila, with the zesty kick of lime juice.
Orchard Daiquiri at Riva Blu
Down at Riva Blu, the authentic Italian restaurant that faces out onto Exchange Square, you’ll find the refreshing and delicious Orchard Daiquiri.
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It’s made with smooth El Dorado 3yr Demerara rum, and is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy with the addition of nectarine, apricot, green apple, and lime.
Eton Mess at Sixes
It just wouldn’t be summer without an Eton Mess – or without cricket.
And you can merge those two worlds at Sixes Social Cricket, who are serving up a drink that mixes Strawberry Havana Especial Rum, ginger foam, brûléed meringue, and fresh strawberries.
One of the best bits of cocktails is the theatre that comes with them, whether it’s a torched topping, a colour-changing liquor or – as in this case – a cloud of dry ice that releases a burst of aromatic flavours.
This is the Love Dose cocktail at Delhi House Cafe, considered one of the most Instagrammable picks on this list of the Corn Exchange’s best cocktails.
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It blends Bombay Sapphire Gin, lychee and lime.
Zucker Floss at Garten Bar
The Garten Bar, located right in the centre of the stunning Corn Exchange, has created a playful twist on a classic bubbly drink.
It’s made with prosecco and violet, served with a cloud of candy floss that slowly melts into your drink, adding both theatre and subtle sweetness.
The best bit? 2-for-1 deals are available every day.
Phojito at Pho
It’s all about delicious slurping at Pho, the Vietnamese restaurant that serves steaming bowls of noodle soup and a belting twist on a classic mojito.
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It’s made with white rum, mint, lime and soda, packing a punch of flavour that pairs perfectly with your favourite pho dish.
Black Raspberry and Vanilla Highball at The Cosy Club
Pitched as a ‘taste explosion in a glass’, The Cosy Club’s Black Raspberry and Vanilla Highball is made with Mount Gay Rum, Chambord, vanilla, apple, and soda.
The Cosy Club is always a popular spot for a cocktail in the Corn Exchange, with balcony views over the atrium lending for some excellent people-watching.
The Banyan Colada – Banyan
Fancy a trip to more exotic shores? Of course you do.
The Banyan Colada will whip you straight away to the Caribbean with its blend of Bacardi Cuatro rum, Discarded Banana Peel rum, coconut, kaffir, lemongrass, pineapple, and lime.
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Singapore Sling – Tampopo
One of the world’s most famous cocktails is given plenty of time in the spotlight from long-standing local favourite Tampopo.
Their Singapore Sling is made to the original Raffles Hotel recipe, using gin, cherry liqueur, Cointreau, grenadine, and pineapple juice.
Aperol Spritz – Salvi’s
The holiday vibes continue over at Salvi’s, who serve arguably the best and most authentic Aperol Spritz in Manchester.
You can sit out on their sun-soaked terrace sipping on Aperol, prosecco and soda water – if you shut your eyes, you can almost feel the Amalfi coast sea breeze on your skin.
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Please drink responsibly. If you feel that you are concerned about your relationship with alcohol, you can find information and advice about alcohol, learn about its impact on your health and wellbeing and get support to cut back on drinking via the Drinkaware website.
Featured image: Supplied
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A £1m health optimisation hub with breakthrough ‘brain health technology’ is opening in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A brand-new £1m health optimisation clinic is set to open near Manchester Airport this month, with a North West-first breakthrough ‘brain health technology’ offering.
Projuvenate will be a flagship 3350 sq ft medically-led clinic, with ExoMind™, offering non-invasive treatment for mental wellness.
The space will be bringing cutting-edge treatments to Greater Manchester that are normally associated with high-end private wellness clinics in London.
Projuvenate promises three key wellness pillars – health optimisation, physiotherapy, and aesthetic wellness.
Part of its health optimisation pillar will be ExoMind, a breakthrough treatment that uses targeted electromagnetic stimulation to deliver precise pulses to key areas of the brain linked to emotional regulation, focus, and motivation.
Early trials of this FDA-approved treatment show 88% of patients report improved mental wellness, with 78% experiencing better mood, sleep, and emotional regulation.
Other health optimisation treatments include HaloRed™ salt and red light therapy, longevity treatments, and intimate health solutions such as electromagnetic pelvic floor training.
There’ll also be elite physiotherapy as part of Projuvenate’s offering, with rehabilitation and injury prevention from experts in elite sport.
Advanced equipment patients will be able to access includes the R-Force™ anti-gravity treadmill, targeted cryotherapy, and more.
It’s open now at Manchester GreenThe new Projuvenate wellness centreProjuvenate is the first North West clinic to offer ExoMindProjuvenate will offer physiotherapy in a state-of-the-art gym
And the final pillar, aesthetic wellness, offers non-invasive treatments to enhance appearance, strength and confidence, from skin and face therapies to injectables, body sculpting, and hair vitality.
Projuvenate is founded by Dr Libby Artingstall, a former consultant psychiatrist, and her brother Rob Artingstall, an experienced performance physiotherapist and Head Physio with England Rugby League.
They hope to bridge the gap between healthcare, rehabilitation, and proactive wellbeing.
Dr Libby Artingstall said: “Throughout medical school and much of my career as a doctor, the focus was on what happens when the body or mind goes wrong. But I became increasingly compelled by the question: how do we help people stay well, not just now, but long into the future? That’s what led to Projuvenate.
“Wellness isn’t one-dimensional. At Projuvenate we bring together advanced aesthetic wellness, expert physiotherapy, and science-backed health optimisation to support the skin, body and mind in a fully integrated, medically led environment. ExoMind™ is the perfect example of this philosophy—giving people an evidence-based way to support clarity, focus, and emotional strength.”
She added: “This opening marks a new era for health in the North West. People no longer need to travel to London for these preventative therapies. We’re proud to be putting Manchester on the map for clinical excellence and proactive care that supports every dimension of wellbeing.”
A medical consultation is £75, redeemable against treatment within three months, is required before starting any treatment or programme.
Treatments start from £45 for HaloRed™ therapy, and a six-session ExoMind™ package is priced at £2,200.
Projuvenate will open on 18 September at Manchester Green.
A ‘saucy’ new Korean fried chicken restaurant is opening in the Gay Village
Daisy Jackson
A brand-new Korean fried chicken restaurant and cocktail bar is set to open on Canal Street this week.
CLUK is promising some big deals and amazing giveaways to celebrate its launch in Manchester, including free food and prize draws.
The newcomer in the heart of the city will specialise in Korean-style crispy fried chicken, but also warming ramen bowls, and salt & pepper classics.
Signature dishes will include Korean cheese-powder fried chicken, and Cheese Volcano Chicken.
CLUK will also serve dishes like kimchi cheese loaded fries, salt & pepper chicken, and huge sharing platters.
You can customise your Korean fried chicken order by size, choosing between wings and boneless and picking a flavour out of honey garlic, sweet and spicy, honey mustard, and honey and sour.
They promise it’ll all be ‘saucy, crunchy, and seriously addictive’.
That’s all washed down with ice-cold beers and creative cocktails, like martinis, spritzes and sours.
CLUK is now open in the Gay Village in ManchesterA spread of CLUK dishesInside CLUK ManchesterFried chicken with Korean cheese powderInside CLUK Manchester
The CLUK team are hoping to create a fun late-night dining option for this buzzing corner of the city centre.
To celebrate its launch on Thursday 18 September, CLUK have announced a whole heap of promotions.
This includes free chicken bao for the first 50 guests to visit during the first five days.
Over the two week launch period, visitors can spin the wheel whenever you spend £12 – spend £24 and spin twice.
And there are big prizes available – the top prize is a £100 gift card or £50 cash, with other prizes including free drinks, food and a £3 voucher as a consolation prize.
Plus, anyone who buys a gift card and tops it up with £100 will receive a free beer or cider.
When those two weeks are up, CLUK will run a £1,000 prize draw.
Daisy Jackson -
12th May 2023 
