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.
Manchester’s first banana pudding bar has opened in the city centre
Clementine Hall
Make sure to save room for pudding…because one of the city’s most-talked about dessert brands has found a new home.
Buttercup launched last summer, creating little pots of the hit US dessert made famous by the iconic Magnolia Bakery.
Each dessert features vanilla custard whipped with cream, soft sponge, and fresh banana, which you can then customise with rotating flavours and toppings.
And after a brief disappearance from the Manchester foodie scene, Buttercup is back with a bang with their beautiful new home on Deansgate.
Images: The Manc Group
And when we say beautiful, we really mean it.
Glossy burgundy tiles, butter yellow walls and sleek chrome furniture make up the space beneath the huge arched window, and there’s even a few seats for you to enjoy your pud and watch the world go by.
Open daily from 10am til 10pm, the menu includes three puddings on rotation ready to scoop.
Images: The Manc Group
Choose from the classic banana, indulgent tiramisu and an ever-changing seasonal special, alongside a wall of toppings for you to customise your own pud.
Each recipe has been perfected in-house and the proof really is in the banana pudding…because it tastes just as good as it looks.
Since launching, Buttercup has served around 50,000 puddings, hosted sell-out pop-ups across the city, collaborated with some huge brands, and built a loyal following around its signature build-your-own pudding bar.
Image: The Manc Group
With this new standalone space, you’ll of course be able to indulge in its signature banana pudding, as well as breakfast yoghurt bowls, coffee and matcha.
Officially opening tomorrow Saturday 26 September, the first 50 customers will get a free topping and sauce with the purchase of any pudding, plus a free lip gloss from Manchester-born beauty brand REFY.
‘Remember to support genuine independents’ – Manchester’s rotisserie chicken bistro Tartuffe announces closure
Emily Sergeant
Rotisserie chicken bistro Tartuffe has called final orders on its time at popular city centre hangout, Side Street.
Serving some of the best rotisserie chicken in Manchester – ‘sexy chicken’, if you will – Tartuffe first landed at Side Street inside the ABC Building back in the later summer of 2024, and quickly became known and loved by critics and customers alike for not just their rotisserie options, but also their stylish bar snacks and standout sides.
But despite being a roaring success these past two years, Tartuffe took to social media this week to announce the end of the ‘longest pop-up ever’, with its final service being tomorrow (25 September).
Tartuffe will be leaving Side Street this Friday / Credit: The Manc Group
Announcing its closure on Instagram, Tartuffe wrote: “That’s right, our time at Side Street has come to an end and our final service here is this Friday.
“It’s been an incredible two and a half years cooking for the wonderful people of Manchester and we’re hugely thankful to everyone who’s been to see us whilst we’ve been here.
“Another big thanks to the staff at Side Street who we’ve loved working with. We’ve made some great friends and worked with some absolutely brilliant people.
Daisy Jackson -
11th October 2024 
