This week hidden Manchester cocktail bar Speak In Code was announced as one of the very best in the UK, rankingat an impressive number 10at the Top 50 UK Bars awards.
The prestigious list, released annually, has put the small Manchester bar on the map in a whole new way – and suffice to say, the team is absolutely thrilled.
Seemingly still in shock, they released a statement to their followers on social media yesterday saying they were “completely speechless”.
Clearly overjoyed with the huge accolade, they continued: “We’re still processing this even today like, is this real?”
It’s been a difficult time for the tiny cocktail bar, which has struggled throughout the Covid pandemic with constantly having to shut and then reopen as their small team tried to keep the operation running.
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Last summer, just as they reopened and launched their new menu, three out of their team of five was hit hard with Covid and the bar was forced to close again.
Still, if anything this proves that good things really do come to those who wait – with the team absolutely overjoyed to have made the Top 50 list, after receiving the news at the beginning of the year.
“No matter what the position was, we felt nothing but happiness and gratitude to just be in the same room as some of the best bars on the planet, let alone stand amongst them on this list.”
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Image: Speak In Code
Saying that making it to number ten was “beyond our wildest dreams”, they continued “we’re just a small team of people who are super passionate about flavour exploration and hip hop”
“You all know the love we have for you guys who’ve seen us go on a difficult journey and been there to support and show us the love back, and we really do this for you.
“We’re even more motivated to get back to it and keep improving what we do. Big thank you to everyone who has supported us.”
The bar also shouted out their fellow Mancs who took home awards or made it into the shortlist, as well as nodding to the many bars north of London that received recognition this year.
Image: Speak In Code
Whilst London did dominate half of the list, there were still a large number of northern drinking spots included this year.
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In Manchester, Schofield’s Bar made it into the top 20 – ranking at number 16 – whilst Three Little Words, the bar and restaurant from Manchester Gin, took home the Bar Team of the Year award.
Newcomer Mecanica also got an honourable mention, shortlisted for the Best Newcomer award.
In total, ten of the Top 50 Cocktail Bars this year are found in the north of England.
Over in Leeds, four bars made the list with Jake’s Bar & Still Room, Roland’s, Below Stairs and Hedonist all getting a well-dseerved mention.
Further afield, Liverpool’s Present Company, Sheffield’s Public and Newcastle’s Mother Mercy are also featured, with four more – Bramble Bar & Lounge, Panda and Sons, The Absent Ear and Hay Palu – getting a shout out up in Scotland.
The full statement from Speak In Code read: “Wow! What a 24 hours it’s been…
“We started off the year with the news that we’d been voted into the official @50cocktailbars top 50 in the UK.
“No matter what the position was, we felt nothing but happiness and gratitude to just be in the same room as some of the best bars on the planet, let alone stand amongst them on this list.
“Then something happened beyond our wildest dreams. We were announce as No.10 on that list of the top 50 in the UK. I mean, we’re all completely speechless, we’re still processing this even today like, is this real?
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“You all know the love we have for you guys who’ve seen us go on a difficult journey and been there to support and show us the love back, and we really do this for you.
“We’ve always said, first and foremost we’re just a small team of people who are super passionate about flavour exploration and hip hop… If you dig that too then it’s a vibe.
“We’re even more motivated to get back to it and keep improving what we do. Big thank you to everyone who has supported us.
Northern bakery with Greater Manchester pop-up fires back perfectly at ‘bigots’
Danny Jones
All of us were no doubt hoping to start off 2026 on a completely positive footing, but we were gutted to see some of the messages and comments received by cult Northern favourites, Finch Bakery – still, at least they responded in a pitch-perfect way.
Who doesn’t love a good comeback?
In case you haven’t seen the story yet, Lancashire-born independent business Finch Bakery were met with a series of what they have quite rightly dubbed as “ill-educated, bigoted conversations” with a number of users on social media over flagging that lots of their food is halal-friendly.
Surely just a bonus and therefore a good thing across the board, right? Well, you would think so, but unfortunately, the beloved indies were still somehow met with backlash.
Sharing their reaction in the caption to this post, sharing a glimpse at some of the remarks they received, Finch Bakery wrote: “Just in case anyone was wondering why we’re halal-friendly: we have Muslim friends. We want to be inclusive.
“Everyone deserves to be able to shop where they want based on dietary requirements, whether that’s for religious or cultural reasons, allergy or intolerance purposes, sensory reasons, or digestive disorders.
“And we will continue to try and provide a selection for all of these people as long as it’s safe for us to do so (like our lack of a GF kitchen means we cannot provide gluten-free items). It also makes business sense to try to cater to as many people as possible.
“If you’re going to slide into an inclusive business’ DMs and then immediately block them, don’t think I won’t come for you. Yes, I’m 34. Yes, I’m a mum of 2. Yes, I’m a grown-up (apparently).”
The response to the messages, which left the team and countless others among their customer base ‘rolling their eyes’, continues: “You don’t have to agree with something to respect someone’s choices. Especially when we’re not adding any meat products into our brownies.
“We will and always will be inclusive for a wider group of people, and we are proud to be halal-friendly. If you don’t like it. Please unfollow.” Well said, guys.
The bakery itself was founded by two twin sisters, Rachel and Lauren Finch, who are now approaching more than a decade of success since opening their first proper location in Great Harwood near Blackburn. They now have pop-ups as part of the Selfridges chain.
We also enjoyed how they used it as an opportunity to simply show more of their stunning menu, which – while not fully Halal Certified – has extensive disclaimers and signposting towards what is appropriate for different diets.
Many of those individuals in question are said to have unfollowed the brand on Instagram; however, their hundreds of thousands of fans across the North West and online have sent plenty of love and praise for how they handled the situation, not to mention respecting other cultures and life choices.
If you want to show your support for a brand doing things right, which also happens to be bloody delicious, go and try some of their brilliant bakes at their site in The Trafford Centre.
Featured Images — Finch Bakery (via Instagram)/The Manc Group
Eats
A restaurant dedicated to all things truffle is opening in the Northern Quarter
Daisy Jackson
A new restaurant and takeaway with a menu dedicated to truffle-infused dishes is opening in the Northern Quarter.
Mother Truffler is set to open on Tib Street, taking over the former Kingfisher chippy (which we didn’t even know had shut down).
Signs have appeared in the windows of the corner unit, which will count venues like Siop Shop and Ad Maiora as neighbours.
Mother Truffler has been successfully operating as a dark kitchen with glowing reviews on delivery platforms, but is now venturing out into its first bricks and mortar site.
Based on their delivery menu, Mother Truffler will be serving a menu of different burgers, each one featuring a truffle-infused sauce.
And there’s a gap in the market for burgers in the Northern Quarter since the closure of Super Awesome Deluxe.
Founder Youssef Taha has been sharing updates of the renovation of the space, as work gets underway to transform the old chippy into a truffle restaurant.
The new website states: “Proudly crafting truffle-rich food in the heart of Manchester. Rooted in quality. Inspired by truffle.”
And menu items are set to include smash burgers with truffle mayo, chicken burgers with truffle ranch, truffle parmesan fries, and a range of other mouth-watering sides.
Georgina Pellant -
3rd February 2022 
