Eats

Manchester pub named among the very best beer gardens in the UK

You'll hear no objections from us.

Danny Jones - 17th May 2025

A Manchester favourite has just been named among the best beer gardens in the UK for 2025, and we couldn’t agree more, to be honest.

If anything, it should be even higher up.

We’re talking about the crown jewel of Castlefield, The Wharf, sitting pretty on the Bridgewater Canal and serving pints and superb pub grub for over a decade now.

A fair few of us here at The Manc spend a good chunk of our free time in here, so let’s just say we wholeheartedly approve this message.

@the.manc Manchesters best beer garden? You tell me… 👀 #themanc #manchester #beergarden #thewharf #cocktail #beerposter ♬ vlog, chill out, calm daily life(1370843) – SUNNY HOOD STUDIO

If you know anything about the history of The Wharf, you’ll know it wasn’t always the gem Mancs have been piling into since 2012; formerly carrying the Jackson’s prefix in its name, the beloved canalside boozer has changed a fair bit since then, incorporating brilliant gastropub, excellent service and more.

These days, it even has a dedicated outdoor bar and cocktail hatch dubbed ‘The Moorings’, which garners massive queues all of its own when the sun comes out.

So it’s not much of a surprise then to hear that the family and dog-friendly watering hole located just outside the bustling city centre landed itself in the top five beer gardens in the UK

This is according to Big 7 Travel, who placed The Wharf fifth best out of a total of 30 different brilliant boozers across Britain – the only local entry to break into even the top 10.

As they put it: “Another example of how beer gardens don’t have to be confined to rural country pubs, The Wharf in Manchester shows that despite its city centre location, a beer garden can still be the selling point of the pub for numerous guests.”

In fact, while the inside of the pub with its cosy alcoves and small rooms is excellent, it’s the outdoor parts which really make this worth visiting. From its bustling outdoor terrace, vibrant outdoor areas which sometimes feature live music performances in the summer, right down to its own boules court, this pub in the Castlefield area of Manchester is a must-visit when you next find yourself in the city centre.”

Hard agree.

As it happens, there were only two other local entries included on the list: Spinningfields’ The Oast House, which came in at number 11, and The Wharf’s neighbour on the other side of the canal, Dukes 92. Deansgate-Castlefield representing.

It may not have made the most recent best bars of the year list at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards, but we do think it absolutely dominates when it comes to the beer garden game.

Trust us, we spend a lot of time studying this, although it has been made rather easier by this helpful new app. You can find out more down below, and as you can see, The Wharf is front and centre once again. How fitting, eh?

What’s your favourite beer garden in Greater Manchester?