Manchester is a place full of independent bars on every corner and we’re lucky to call a city with such a vibrant variety our home.
If it’s a cocktail you’re after sipping in a socially-distanced setting this Bank Holiday weekend, then there’s plenty of local hangouts worth adding to your list.
The popular #EatOutToHelpOut scheme might be drawing to a close on Monday, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop supporting our city’s hardworking independent bars at a time when they still continue to need our help more than ever.
The list of places worth mentioning here is endless, but we’ve narrowed down a few of our favourites so, in no particular order, here’s our picks for some of the best independent bars to sip a cocktail at this weekend:
At first glance, Dusk Til Pawn might not be quite what you think it is, but hidden behind a pawn shop storefront in the heart of the Northern Quarter, this “prohibition-chic lounge” is serving up some of the best craft cocktails, wine and beer that the city has to offer.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Dusk Til Pawn website here.
Sitting on the first floor of popular Northern Quarter hangout Cane and Grain, Science & Industry is Manchester’s most “experimental” cocktail bar.
The focus of this eccentric hideaway is to provide customers with a new and exciting style drinking, and a dedicated drinks laboratory has been created within the bar for experimentation with flavour and scientific techniques, which allows it to develop unique cocktails.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Science & Industry website here.
It may be tucked away underground on South King Street – just off Deansgate’s main thoroughfare – but with an extensive menu of drinks and cocktails prepared by some of the city’s most-knowledgeable artisans, Arcane really isn’t one to be missed.
This is one of Manchester’s most eclectic, bold and inspired bars on the scene.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Arcane website here.
Speak In Code is an award-winning bar in the heart of the city centre that prides itself on focusing on quality, service and an imaginative offering of cocktails.
There also looks to have been quite a few new additions to the ever-expanding cocktail menu over this past month too – from martinis and negronis, to mojitos and gins – so there’s sure to be something for every taste if you’re heading down there over Bank Holiday weekend.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Speak In Code website here.
Behind Closed Doors is the home of “sex, rugs and funk ‘n’ soul”.
A good time is pretty much guaranteed at this self-proclaimed “debauched cocktail bar” in the heart of the Northern Quarter, playing boogie, soul and up-beat funk all night long, with an extensive and varied drinks menu that only adds to the fun.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Behind Closed Doors website here.
Another popular underground South King Street hangout, Wood & Company’s eclectic range of spirits are constantly being updated and added to, making it the perfect place to grab a cocktail in the city centre over this Bank Holiday weekend.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Wood & Company website here.
Fancy stepping back in time for a cocktail this weekend?
If that answer to that was yes, then just a bit further out of the city centre in Ancoats is Sammy’s – a completely retro 1970s-themed cocktail bar. Sure, it might be hidden in plain sight with no on-street signage, but once you step inside, it isn’t somewhere you’re going to forget.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Sammy’s Cocktail Bar website here.
Nestled in the historical arches beneath Manchester Central and sitting next to the Spirit of Manchester Distillery, Three Little Words is staffed by bartenders who “obsess over the perfect ingredients and yearn for a creative concoction”. You can settle in for an hour or an evening to enjoy immaculate drinks, intimate corners and an atmosphere you’ll want to “take home with you”.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Three Little Words website here.
Alvarium is the neighbourhood bar with “Manchester at its roots”.
Not only is this popular Northern Quarter hangout a real gem for cocktail lovers – with an extensive menu of both classic and signature tipples – but it should also be top of your list if you’re a dog-lover too as pups are always welcome here.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Alvarium website here.
The Whiskey Jar is a “whiskey bar with a cocktail focus” and it has undoubtedly become one of the Northern Quarter’s favourite spots.
Currently stocking 350+ whiskies, this old textile mill has been beautifully restored with it’s upstairs bar playing host to a range of popular nights over the years, and the fully-functioning basement event space also complete with bar, seating and a fantastic sound system with DJ equipment.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via The Whiskey Jar website here.
One Eight Six is one of Manchester’s most exciting cocktail clubs, music venues and barbershops hidden away on the main stretch of Deansgate. Whether it’s a traditional cocktail you’re after, or something a little more unique, you’ll find it all on the menu here.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the One Eight Six website here.
Cottonopolis really knows what it’s doing when it comes to cocktails.
If the selection of drinks on offer wasn’t already as extensive enough as it is, there’s now a brand new summer cocktail menu just launched and it couldn’t be more perfect to try out this Bank Holiday weekend.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Cottonopolis website here.
Welcome to your “friendly neighbourhood convenience store”.
Convenience Store is another Northern Quarter gem where everything isn’t initially as it seems. Although it may not look like it, but masked inside this typical corner shop exterior is one of the city’s most original cocktail bars.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Convenience Store website here.
Wolf At The Door is often top of the list for tacos in the city centre, but don’t discount its cocktail menu either, which features a selection of the classics and a couple of originals too.
There’s something for everyone.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Wolf At The Door website here.
Affleck and Brown really is one for cocktail lovers.
With an extensive menu boasting an array of signature cocktails, a collection of the classics, and even a full selection of different Espresso Martini variations too, you just can’t go wrong.
You can find drinks menus, booking details, opening times and more information via the Affleck and Brown website here.
___
The COVID-19 pandemic may have taken its toll on industries of all shapes and sizes over these past few months, but supporting local/independent business has never been more important than it is right now.
The Manc is #BuzzingToBeBack – find out more about eats in Manchester here.
Eats
Some of best Oasis-themed offers, deals and specials happening in Manchester right now
Danny Jones
Now, just in case you weren’t getting enough Oasis stuffed down your throat this month, their homecoming reunion gigs have seen a flurry of Britpop-themed deals, offers, event day specials and promotions spring up all over Greater Manchester.
You can move for ‘Champagne Supernova’ puns, lookalikes, lasagne and all the rest of it.
However, while there are simply too many for us to keep track of, let alone list in full, there are some pretty good ones here in the city centre that have caught our attention.
Let’s get cracking then, shall we? Here are just 10 of the best Oasis-related deals and offers we’ve seen in central Manchester so far.
10 top Oasis-related deals in Manchester city centre
Once again, this is by no means a comprehensive list, but let’s get stuck in:
1. The Liquor Store is hosting Oasis parties, plus travel to Heaton Park
First off, we can’t start anywhere else than the music-loving bar that’s hosting some of the biggest pre- and post-Oasis parties in Manchester, not to mention offering coach travel to the concerts themselves: The Liqour Store.
Having popped our heads in on opening day to see what it was like, we can confirm the tunes were turned up to 11, the rays were beaming down on the Manc gig-goers, and let’s just say that their atmosphere is a woman, ‘She’s Electric.’
2. Diecast are also hosting big Britpop pre-drinks
They are, of course, not even close to being the only ones hosting special pre-drinks and after parties for the Heaton Park homecoming, and another one that caught our eye was the even bigger suntrap and beer hall over at Diecast.
Not only are they doing a ‘Champagne Supernova’ bottomless brunch for just £35 per person, which includes bottomless pizza with endless Prosecco, frozen daiquiris and lager for up to 90 mins, but the Britpop tunes will be pumping non-stop.
A simple but satisfying one next; how does a pretty mint Mexican meal deal sound? Liam Gallagher might not speak Spanish, but we know a little and all we have to say is this: ‘Si, por favor’.
It might sound daft compared to just a few short years ago, but barring a basic meal deal, it can sometimes be genuinely hard to find a really good, filling, properly tasty and affordable lunch offering in the city these days, but with a jam-packed burritos and pack of tortillas, Zambrero’s isn’t bad.
Don’t mind if we do.Hat not included. Gutting, we know.Credit: The Manc Group/Zambrero (press shot)
4. An Oasis x Deliveroo fork helps ‘keep things fresh’
Now, this is undoubtedly the most random and ridiculous, not to mention the funniest on the list. Deliveroo are celebrating quite possibly one of the most hilarious things that both Noel and, more importantly, Liam have ever said. Yes, EVER.
In order to get your hands on a limited-edition and strictly decorative fork, all you have to do is order a pint of milk using Deliveroo HOP, and you could be in with a chance of getting your hands on a very humorous collectors’ item. If you know, you know – but if you don’t, well…
Still cracks us up every time…
5. 15% off Hello Oriental for Oasis fans
We’re at the halfway point now and getting peckish once again, so it’s a good job that Hello Oriental don’t just lend the first part of their name to the Live ’25 reunion tour setlist opener but are also offering a pretty decent discount on food for Oasis fans.
For those gig-goers heading to Heaton Park for one of the three remaining Manc dates this month, you can get 15% off your bill when presenting your concert ticket. That’s your pre-show scran sorted then.
There are multiple kitchens inside the subterranean food hallSpice bagCredit: The Manc Eats
6. Complimentary bucket hats with your meal at Tampopo
From one Asian food favourite to another, if you head to Albert Square instead of Circle, you’ll be happy to know that Manchester-founded Tampopo know how big a deal it is to the Burnage boys home.
With that in mind, anyone who spends more than £20 at any of their Greater MCR locations will receive a free Tampopo x Oasis bucket hat. Say no more.
🎸🍜 What do Tampopo & Oasis have in common? We both kicked off in 90s Manchester! To celebrate Oasis coming home, spend £20+ at Tampopo & get a FREE bucket hat!
As we come to the business now, we do realise that plenty of us are still without tickets, and while we completely understand your pain, we can’t help you with spares or anything like that.
However, what we can do is point you in the direction of Printworks, who are hosting a free Oasis karaoke event for all those of you still hoping to cry your hearts to, well, ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ and all the other bangers. Find out more down below.
Since it’s absolutely sizzling at the moment, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the pre-Oasis BBQ Britpop brunch (say that three times fast) that’s taking place at cult favourite Fairfield Social Club.
Not only will there big set of classic indie tracks from local legends Clint Boon and Dave Haslam, but if you pre-book, you can even get your hands on their ‘Champagne Super Saver’ deal – see, told you there was loads of them – which will score you BBQ meats and beer for a tenner.
Our penultimate pick is a bit of a different one and not one we expected, we’ll admit, but it may just get you zipping over to Heaton Park faster than you can name the most overplayed Oasis song of all time.
Yes, for anyone with a ticket for one of the Heaton Park shows, you can secure 20% off a trip to Zip World Manchester, which you’ll find in the very same place as the sea of Manc gig-goers this summer.
10. A special buy one get one free at Malmaison Deansgate
Last but not least, if the sun and the festival season vibes have you thinking ‘give me gin and tonic’, you’ll be glad to hear that a city centre hotel and bar is currently offering buy one, get one free on the classic summery drink to celebrate the Oasis fans flooding into Manchester.
We’ve seen them handing out the vouchers on the front doorstep all day, and with plenty of people staying over for the shows – not to mention making use of the main restaurant and stylish rooftop spot, Sora – enough footfall almost guarantees them keeping it up for every single date.
Malmaison has one of the most simple but effective Oasis deals in Manchester, for our money.BOGOFCredit:The Manc
Have you seen others? Let us and the good people of Greater Manchester know down in the comments.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Press shots (supplied)
Eats
Hundreds of FREE iced drinks are being given out in Manchester city centre next week
Emily Sergeant
A popular coffee shop in Manchester will be giving away hundreds of free iced drinks to people in the city centre tomorrow.
Sure, it looks like that classic rainy Manchester weather may be making itself known this week, after what has been a month of glorious sunshine so far, but that isn’t stopping independent cafe brand, 200 Degrees, from ‘turning up the heat’ and seeing in summer in style with a refreshing giveaway this week.
To celebrate the launch of its new summer menu, the first 200 people through the doors of its central Manchester cafe will be able to get their hands a freebie.
Happening next Tuesday 22 July from 7am, the lucky city centre visitors will be given the choice of sipping on one of five new speciality iced drinks, all without having to spend a single penny.
The coffee chain says each new menu item has been curated especially for the summer, and there’s a flavour combination ‘for every palate’ – with unique creations like the Iced Pink Guava Matcha, and the Cold Brew with Vanilla Cold Foam being just a few of the freebie options set to be on offer next week.
Customers are being advised to ‘get down early’ to 200 Degrees’ site in Manchester city centre on Mosley Street if they want to stand a chance of claiming the ice-cold offer.
As well as the five new iced drinks, there’s also a bunch of new food items that’ve just been added to 200 Degrees’ menu for the summer too, so if you’re feeling a bit peckish, you can grab a seasonal bite to eat while you’re at it too.
200 Degrees is giving out hundreds of free iced drinks in Manchester next week / Credit: 200 Degrees
New food additions include a summer falafel salad packed with fresh greens, crunchy veg, and sweet potato falafel, alongside a selection of new breakfast and lunchtime offerings including the whipped feta and roasted pepper sandwich, and a bacon and brie croissant.
Sweet treats include a lemon and pistachio blondie, passionfruit ripple cake, and a vegan raspberry Bakewell.
Emily Sergeant -
28th August 2020 
