There was a time a couple of years ago where ‘secret’ bars were all the rage – except they threw big launch parties and had queues outside and weren’t very secret at all.
But one new cocktail bar in Manchester has done such a good job of flying under the radar that even we, who live and breathe local food and drink, have only just discovered it.
And it’s been open for months.
This particular hidden cocktail bar has brought a little taste of Tokyo’s underground bar scene to Manchester, in both the decor and the drinks menu.
It’s a bar that’s flooded with red lighting and synth music, with a carefully thought-out drinks menu showing off Japanese whiskeys and other spirits from the continent.
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Kodo has done a good job of avoiding too much attention, even though it’s not gone for the usual ‘secret bar’ tactics that most venues use.
It’s not hiding behind a launderette like The Washhouse, or a pawn shop like Dusk Til Pawn, or a completely blank door like Behind Closed Doors.
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Instead, it’s hiding behind a huge, bright red door painted with a mysterious, anime-style eye, with black wisps of hair across it. Oftentimes, there’s dry ice pouring out from underneath the door.
So once you track it down there’s no mistaking that you’ve found it.
Kodo might be a ‘secret bar’ but once you work out the location, the big door makes it pretty obvious. Credit: The Manc GroupInside secret bar Kodo it’s an ode to underground Japan in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
On arrival, you have to ring the bell beside the door, ready for a letterbox to fling open and a pair of eyes to peer out at you.
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Then you need to show an image on your phone to the mystery figure behind the door (the image changes every week) before you’re granted access to this clandestine cocktail bar.
Kodo is worth the effort though.
Inside it’s smoky and sultry, with modern red light installations overhead, a blue-lit bar, and brick walls painted with more anime-style art.
A delicious Pomelo Paloma at Kodo Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupInside secret Manchester bar Kodo. Credit: The Manc Group
Kodo is serving some of the city’s most exciting drinks, from old fashioneds infused with shiitake mushrooms to martinis made with marmalade and yuzu sake.
It’s been open for about four months and has been busy the whole time, with word-of-mouth helping to pull in a steady stream of curious punters.
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It’s working so well because all those customers who have visited have bought into the secret element – as far as we can see, no one has actually slapped the location online anywhere. That’s a bit of a miracle in this day and age.
We’ve been sworn to secrecy on the location – but check out @kodomanchester on Instagram for clues.
Legendary landlady of The Peveril of the Peak pub has passed away
Daisy Jackson
Nancy Swanick, the legendary landlady behind Manchester’s much-loved Peveril of the Peak pub, has died.
The pub shared a statement today to confirm that Nancy, 96, who was the pub’s landlady for more than 55 years, passed away earlier this week.
She’s become something of an icon across the UK and was the oldest and longest-serving landlady in the country.
The Peveril of the Peak – or simply The Pev, to most of us – had just been named the best pub in the UK earlier this week.
The Pev has now assured fans that the pub will remain in the Swanick family, even without Nancy at its helm.
They said in their touching statement: “We will continue to cherish it as we did Nancy.”
In their full statement, The Peveril of the Peak wrote: “We are sad to say that our beloved Nancy, landlady for over 55 years, passed away peacefully on 28th July.
New croissants-by-day, pizza-by-night cafe and bar opens in Altrincham
Daisy Jackson
A new food and drink concept is opening its doors in Altrincham today, serving perfect personal-sized pizzas by night, and coffee and croissants by day.
The much-loved Irish Deli has sadly closed its doors, but the team are immediately rolling in a brand-new concept for the town.
Under one roof, Paddy’s will be the new home of Flakey (famed for their enormous, filled sweet and savoury croissants) as well as a pizza and cocktail bar.
The two concepts will share the cosy space beside Kennedy’s Irish Bar, right in the heart of Altrincham.
Customers will be able to pop in Monday to Sunday to pick up Flakey’s stuffed croissants, along with speciality coffee and matcha.
There’ll be savoury fillings like the Buff Italian (vegetable caponata, buffalo mozzarella, and pesto) and the New Yorker (Emmental, pastrami, sauerkraut and pickles), plus sweet options like the Sticky BC (vanilla Basque cheesecake and Biscoff).
Speciality drinks and stuffed Flakey croissantsThe team outside Paddy’sAn individual pizza with Paddy’s Punch frozen cocktail
By night, Paddy’s will take the stage, named after the former Irish terrier of the owner’s grandmother.
These individually-sized, handcrafted pan-pizzas will be loaded with toppings like the Paddy’s Pep with chilli and burrata, and The Dubliner with Irish sausage and pickled red onion.
During opening week (30 July – 2 August) Paddy’s is offering 50% off all pizzas for guests at Kennedy’s between the hours of 3pm-5pm.
Owners, Dan Mullen and John Kennedy said: “We’ve designed it to evolve throughout the day – start with coffee and croissants, come back for pizza, and stay for a pint or a cocktail. It’s one site, two distinct food experiences, and neither compromises the other.
“Two brands sharing one building with completely different moods, and we think Altrincham is going to love both. Our goal is to create a venue that’s full of life from open til close.”
Ahead of opening, Paddy’s is hosting a pizza hunt, where twenty branded Pizza-Pan boxes will be hidden around Altrincham, each containing a voucher, t-shirt, drinks voucher or – for the lucky few – a “pizza for life” keyring. Clues will be revealed daily on Instagram, with finders posting under #PaddysPizzaHunt to claim their prize and a free pizza on opening night.
Daisy Jackson -
11th October 2024 
