The Manchester skyline is ever-changing, and there’s nowhere better to soak in the views of our city than up high in a rooftop bar or restaurant.
Our city used to be pretty terrible for outdoor drinking space full stop, and even worse for sky-high terraces, but there’s been a real switch in recent years.
Now, there are glamorous restaurants perched way above our heads, cosy pubs spilling onto their rooftops, and even hotels with secret terraces and gorgeous views.
Manchester recently gained a brand-new rooftop terrace in the form of Chotto Matte, which had us thinking about where else to head for a sky-high cocktail or three.
Have a read of the best rooftop bars, restaurants and terraces in Manchester.
ADVERTISEMENT
Chotto Matte, St Michael’s
Chotto Matte opens in Manchester on 10 OctoberCocktails with a view
The newest, shiniest addition to the city centre is Chotto Matte, a glamorous restaurant serving a Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei menu that includes sushi, robata, and plenty more.
This stunning new restaurant at Gary Neville’s St Michael’s development has 360º views of Manchester, and from its 348-capacity rooftop terrace, one of the best outlooks in town.
ADVERTISEMENT
The all-weather rooftop terrace overlooks Albert Square and the Manchester Town Hall, which is slowly but surely emerging from behind its scaffolding.
YES bar has one of the best rooftop bars in Manchester
YES has not one, but two amazing outside spaces – one a ground-floor terrace that’s weirdly just across the road, the other a gigantic rooftop terrace.
ADVERTISEMENT
There are cocktails on tap, great happy hour deals, and a few different food spots to order from like Pepperoni Playboy and the Trippy Chippy.
And back downstairs, YES hosts regular gigs and club nights in its iconic Pink Room.
20 Stories is Manchester’s highest rooftop terrace, and probably our city’s best-known spot for a sky-high dinner.
Perched way up above Spinningfields, you can see most of the city centre from up here, in a swanky setting.
Dining here at any time is a special event, with breathtaking panoramic views adding an extra bit of oomph to the equally top-tier food and drink offering.
ADVERTISEMENT
King Street Townhouse, off Albert Square
Spritzes on the King Street Townhouse terraceThe terrace at King Street Townhouse hotel
Tucked up on the sixth floor of the award-winning boutique hotel King Street Townhouse, you’ll find a rooftop terrace with beautiful views of the city’s skyline.
As Manchester buzzes along beneath you, you can tuck in to everything from full charcuterie grazing boards to seasonal snacks and small plates, all served alongside an impressive wine and cocktail list.
This often-overlooked local spot is a firm favourite of those in the know, thanks to its sheltered location that basks in the sun all afternoon, and when the Town Hall refurbishment is complete it’ll have the best view in town.
Big Hands, Oxford Road
Miles away from the glitz and glamour of the city centre rooftops is Big Hands, a cool, weird and wonderful bar that’s seriously popular with students and gig-goers, thanks to its proximity to the Manchester Academy venues.
With decent prices catering to those gigging on a budget along the busy university strip of Oxford Road, a lovely dimly-lit aesthetic complete with gig posters galore; a rooftop garden terrace adorned with twinkly lights and plenty of plants, it’s a pure vibe in here.
ADVERTISEMENT
The views might not be the best, but the vibes are right up there, and you can grab some amazing Italian street food from Rizzo’s – formerly T’arricrii) while you’re here.
Climat, Blackfriars House
Climat. Credit: The Manc GroupClimat. Credit: The Manc Group
Most of Climat is long and narrow, following the expanse of the open kitchen – and that happily means that almost every table gets a front-row seat to the views from this rooftop restaurant and wine bar.
Popped up high on Blackfriars House (but not so high up that everyone feels like an ant beneath you), it’s got a spectacular outlook over historic landmarks like the Barton Arcade, St Ann’s Church, and the Royal Exchange.
There are more than 250 different wines on the menu as well as a menu of ‘food you want to eat’, as if you needed any more temptation.
You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Manchester’s Deansgate
Daisy Jackson
There’s a brand-new menu of smokehouse-style BBQ dishes being served up on a sunny terrace on Deansgate.
Motley, the neighbourhood bar and restaurant on the corner of John Dalton Street, has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen.
That means they’ve got a whole load of new dishes, slow-cooked over hickory wood, that are bringing a taste of a Deep South BBQ to Manchester city centre.
The smokehouse-style meats are all seasoned in-house and cooked for hours, for a perfect fall-off-the-bone experience.
It might be an authentic American smokehouse menu, but it’s firmly British too, with most products locally sourced.
You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Deansgate / Credit: The Manc Group
Motley are calling on local suppliers like Althams Butchers (established since 1856) for their meat, plus greengrocers R Noone and Son, and Cheshire Farm for their real dairy ice cream.
Signature dishes on the new menu at Motley include slow smoked brisket, seasoned in Motley’s signature rub before being slow-smoked for more than eight hours.
There’s also a beef short rib with a chimichurri sauce, and a pork belly strip that’s seasoned with sage and onion and finished with a panko breadcrumb crust.
And for the veggies, there’s a vegan smoked veg kebab with courgette, mushrooms, bell pepper, sweet corn and red onion drizzled with homemade BBQ sauce.
Motley has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen / Credit: The Manc Group
Prices across the board start from just £16, served with beef dripping fries, rainbow slaw, pickles and homemade beef gravy.
As for small plates, you can expect short rib bonbons, homemade corn bread, spicy chicken wings, bang bang cauliflower, mac and cheese, and frickles.
House favourites like steak, vegetable hash, salads, and burgers will remain on the Motley menu.
Victor Gonzalez, food and beverage manager at Motley, said: “Our new signature smoked dishes are all crafted and seasoned in-house then slow cooked for hours over hickory wood to create rich and smoky melt-in-your mouth flavours.
“From our slow-smoked brisket to our home-made sides, everything has been carefully crafted to bring an authentic taste of the deep south to Manchester and we can’t wait for guests to try it.”
Motley can be found at 2 John Dalton Street on the corner of Deansgate in the city centre.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Eats
Legendary Hulme community pub The Old Abbey Taphouse to reopen
Daisy Jackson
The closure of The Old Abbey Taphouse was a real blow for Hulme – the community pub was a bit of a local institution thanks to its grassroots music and inclusive atmosphere.
But now it appears that the spirit of the venue will live on, under the new name of The Abbey.
Some of the city’s most experienced independent operators – who have been behind venues like YES and The Deaf Institute, and music promoters Now Wave – will be the new custodians of this beloved local landmark.
The pub, which closed early last year, is currently being carefully restored ahead of its big relaunch just next week.
The vision for its new chapter will be ‘Old Pub, New Music’, creating a new home for grassroots live music and emerging artists.
There’ll also be affordable, hearty pub grub including Pieminister pies, and a huge range of beers from local breweries and beyond.
The team bringing The Abbey to life are Ruth Hemmingfield, Wesley Jones, Jonathan Wickstead and Gareth Butterworth – Ruth, Jon and Wesley are co-owners of YES; Ruth previously launched and programmed landmark Manchester venues including The Deaf Institute, Gorilla and Albert Hall; while Wesley and Jonathan, through Now Wave, promote hundreds of independent gigs and live events each year; and Gareth is the founder of multi-venue festival Manchester Psych Fest.
The team behind The Abbey pub. Credit: Piran Aston
The rear of the site of The Old Abbey Taphouse will be extended to create a new dedicated live music and events venue, while the cherished beer garden is given a facelift with new decking and its own bar.
The Abbey has stood in Hulme since the 1890s, playing an important role in the area’s heritage – this is where activist Len Johnson managed to overturn the shameful ‘colour bar’ policies of the 1940s.
Its restoration and relaunch is part of the flourishing Manchester Science Park development.
Matthew Pazos, Senior Retail Commercial Manager at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Ruth, Wesley and Jonathan are the perfect custodians to breathe new life into The Abbey.
“Their reputation for running independent spaces in Manchester, alongside their live music expertise, will ensure this much-valued pub once again becomes a beating heart for Hulme and the wider neighbourhood.
Glimpses of The Abbey’s refurb. Credit: The Manc Group
“The reopening of The Abbey will create an inclusive new hub that welcomes everyone – from the Hulme locals who have looked after the pub over the years, to the Manchester Science Park community, university students, and the many residents and workers across the Oxford Road Corridor.
“We are delighted that such a culturally significant and important pub is set to open its doors once again.”
Ruth Hemmingfield from The Abbey commented: “We love a good pub. With The Abbey, we’re excited about bringing a brilliant old pub back to life, protecting what people loved about it, and creating something special: a great local, alongside a vital grassroots music venue for the area. Honouring the pub’s history while building its future.”
Daisy Jackson -
2nd October 2025 
