Eats
Gay village boozer The Molly House ‘thrilled’ as it’s named CAMRA’s Pub of the Year
A fixture on Richmond street for 13 years, The Molly House is certainly one of a kind.
Georgina Pellant -
28th April 2023 
A charming pub in Manchester’s Gay Village has been left ‘thrilled’ after it was named CAMRA’s Pub of the Year 2023.
Part bar, part hideout, The Molly House on Richmond Street shared the news about its win on Twitter this week, writing: “Thrilled to be awarded Central Manchester CAMRA Pub of the Year 2023”, accompanied by a championship cup emoji.
The decadent, alternative boozer in Manchester’s Gay Village – known for its dazzling choice of ales, craft beer, wines, spirits and tasty tapas dishes – is something of a favourite amongst locals in the know, split across two floors with a lovely upstairs terrace.
House in a former worsted tailors shop, it sits just off the main bustle of the area’s main thoroughfare Canal Street and has been a fixture here since opening in 2010.
Not just a boozer, it also serves twenty different styles of tea as well as coffee and specialist spirits, all in its post-Victorian ‘shabby chic’ settings.
Downstairs, the ‘Tea Room’ is where the kitchen is situated. Here you’ll find a cask ale bar and large wooden tables, chairs and benches for dining, whilst upstairs in the Bordello the decor is more intimate with low-slung sofas and armchairs and more of a focus on cocktails.
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On the tapas menu, served from 12-9pm daily, you’ll find the likes of prawns cooked in wine with paprika and chillies, mushroom croquetas and asparagus in tahini, alongside halloumi in harissa, John Dory with orange, artichokes and romesco, and chorizo on salsa.
As for drinks, the bar specialises in local brewers and the policy is to serve examples of many different beer styles – so you’ll find all sorts on offer here, ranging from Cloudwater craft beers to kegs and casks from RedWillow and Mallinsons.
Taking its name from a term used in 18th- and 19th-century Britain for a meeting place for homosexual men, the boozer keeps alive the history of those taverns, public houses, coffeehouses and even private rooms where men would often socialise in secret.
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At that time, Molly’ or ‘moll’ was a slang term used to describe gay men and sometimes also for lower class women.
To find out more about The Molly House and view its full menu, visit its website here.
Featured image – Geograph
