The top 25 places for the best breakfast and brunch in Manchester
From bacon naan rolls, to your classic loaded avocado smash, full English fry ups and more, these are some of Manchester's best breakfast and brunch spots.
It’s often called the ‘most important meal of the day’, and we’d have to agree, especially when Manchester has some of the best breakfast and brunch spots around.Yeah, you heard us.
Whether you’re an early morning riser in need of a hangover cure in the form of a full English, or just want a fun, filling brunch date, your belly’s guttural call for some proper decent scran is not to be ignored.
That said, the breakfast debate can be a heated one; sugary pancakes versus a big, greasy fry-up, or even a simple but refreshing granola with yoghurt, fruit and a glass of OJ?
No matter which camp you fall into, this list of the best places for breakfast and brunch in Manchester has a little of everything, meaning you don’t have to pick sides — unless if by sides, you’re referring to an extra portion of hash browns. Anyway, let’s stop messing about, we’re starving. In no particular order…
The best Manchester brunch and breakfast spots
1. Federal — Northern Quarter, Deansgate and Oxford Road
Federal has three sites in Manchester serving brunches. Credit: The Manc GroupFederal has three sites in Manchester serving brunches. Credit: The Manc GroupCredit: Federal (via IG)
A Manc favourite and multiple-time winner at the Manchester Food and Drink Awards, Federal always provides top-quality coffee and delicious Aussie-inspired food from its NQ, Deansgate and Circle Square sites. Listen, we know those queues can be crazy sometimes, but so is that absolutely class bagel and a brew deal. Don’t even get us started on the steak and eggs.
2. Another Heart To Feed — Northern Quarter and Burton Road
Smashed avo on toast with a runny poached egg. Undefeated.Cinnamon brioche French toast. Lordy.Credit: The Manc Group/Another Heart To Feed (via IG)
Strictly walk-ins only, Another Heart To Feed has two locations: one in the NQ and one on Burton Road in Didsbury, but both are just as good as each other. Not only is it another Antipodean offering but the smashed avocado, feta, and beetroot hummus is the stuff of legend and probably one of the most Instagrammed brunches in Manchester. The Turkish eggs with dill labneh on sourdough are unreal.
Well, of course, Dishoom was always going to be on the list of the best breakfasts in Manchester because it’s literally god-tier. From their epic bacon naan rolls to spicy scrambled eggs and chilli cheese toast, Dishoom’s breakfast menu takes inspiration from Irani cafes and plonks it right in the middle of one of the city’s most beautiful settings: the old Masons’ building alongside Manchester Hall.
4. Fress — NQ
Fress is one of the most popular spots for breakfast and brunch in Manchester. (Credit: Fress via Facebook)
An incredibly popular place for breakfast and brunch in Manchester, dishes at Fress are served from 9am-4pm and it’s strictly walk-ins only. The Brekkie Beast, Posh Beans on Toast, Dunkin’ Brekkie Tacos’ and ‘What Hangover’, Chicken Waffles are our top picks, and, if you’re feeling boozy, you can make it a bottomless one for 90 minutes — but that’s a whole other list entirely.
5. Evelyn’s — NQ
Evelyn’s in the Northern Quarter serves one of Manchester’s best brunches
A strong NQ favourite, Evelyn’s is a great place to go with family and friends for a cosy and relaxed morning. Open from 10am in the week and 9 on weekends, brunch here is served right up until 5pm, so you’ve plenty of time to enjoy. You can’t go wrong with the shakshuka or buttermilk pancakes, but the more adventurous small plates like pineapple-cured seatrout and Taiwanese fried chicken are also dynamite. Better still, you can always come back in the evening for a nice date night at The Daisy.
6. Pot Kettle Black — Barton Arcade and Angel Gardens
The PKB: sausage patty, streaky bacon, egg and cheese in a homemade pretzel bun.Just look at them all.Credit: PKB/Deliveroo
Originally a coffee bar, Pot Kettle Black also has its own micro-bakery which provides all the tasty cakes, pretzel buns and more that you can enjoy on their menu. Brunch is served here from 8am-3pm with their brekkie buns and the Monte Cristo cheese toasties being two of the biggest staples. PKB also serves a cracking vegan brunch featuring bircher muesli, coconut porridge, chai-soaked fruit and Asian scrambled tofu on sourdough toast. Another Australsian-inspired and all-time classy spot, this one.
7. The Koffee Pot — NQ
Koffee Pot in ManchesterKoffee Pot in ManchesterPure, simple, delicious. (Credit: Koffee Pot via Insatgram)
Shoutout to all the greasy spoon lovers, this is your haven. Koffee Pot has been proudly “creating and curing hangovers since 1978”. For full English lovers, vegan breakfasters, veggie fanatics, pancake connoisseurs and eggs benny bros, this is your spot. Proper, proper scran and easily one of the best breakfast places in Manchester.
For our money, Idle Hands is comfortably up there with one of the best breakfast and brunch places in Manchester. In fact, our very own Sophey picked this as her absolute favourite. The ‘Cowboy Beans’ have ruined all other beans for us, the ‘Divorce Eggs’ tacos are as tasty as they are amusingly named, not to mention there are always banging cakes on offer if you want dessert for breakfast.
Next up is Takk, one you’ll be plenty familiar with if you’re a student or spent any time in Hatch over the past few years. Known for top-quality coffee, solid cakes and baked goods, as well as some tasty butties over at the Dale Street venue, there’s plenty to like about this place but, if we had to pick a favourite, it’d have to be the honey glazed oregano chicken sandwich served on Uni Green. My goodness.
10. Kong’s — NQ
It was a bittersweet moment saying goodbye to CBRB earlier this year, as although we lost one of Manchester’s best ramen and restaurants, in general, it did give way to the latest iteration of Kong’s Kitchen. Known for popping up in the likes of Hatch and Dog Bowl, they’ve gone from making mint sandwiches to pancake tacos (yes, you heard us) and fried chicken French toast. Every cloud…
Comfortably one of the best Manchester brunch, breakfast and food spots full stop, Ezra and Gil‘s consistent quality and ever-improving menus saw them open up a second location on Peter St not long ago and they’re now bigger than ever. We’d happily eat here any time but from brekkie, it’s got to be the ‘nduja scrambled eggs or the brioche french toast for us. This just so happens to be Bella’s fave too:
Again, when you ask someone to tell you the best places for brunch in Manchester, the answer is quite often Elnecot. Boasting a brilliant evening reputation as it is, this Ancoats go-to also makes for a great late-morning/early-afternoon eating experience, and they also do it differently than most other spots. We’re talking crispy pork belly, hash browns and kimchi, pulled harissa lamb shoulder with goats curd, slow-cooked coconut seasonal greens in white miso, potato brioche breakfast buns and so much more.
13. Pollen — New Islington and Kampus
Pollen Bakery at Kampus. Credit: The Manc GroupPollen at Kampus. Credit: The Manc Group
From a slightly bougie pick to a vibe that we simply can’t find any faults with, it’s Pollen. We feel like we’re saying this a lot already, but not only is it one of the best Manchester brunch spots around but the bakery itself has quickly become iconic. It’s no wonder they’ve expanded into Kampus and as for what to eat, we’d seriously vouch for it all, just make sure you go on a Saturday and grab a cruffin for the road. If there’s any left, that is.
Along Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter, you’ll find the cutest little caff called the Fig + Sparrow and if, for some reason, you’ve never had the urge to nip for a coffee or sit outside with a breakfast butty, then you haven’t truly lived a Manchester experience in our books. All that being said, you have to order the beans on toast, simply because it comes with a tiny little cheese grater. Adorable.
15. Lucky Ramen – Ancoats
Lucky Ramen in Ancoats brunch menuLucky Ramen in Ancoats brunch menu
One of Manchester’s best ramen spots has branched out into brunch, and it is already phenomenal. Rocketing immediately onto our list of the best brunches in Manchester, Lucky has a morning menu filled with Asian influences, like Korean fried chicken on French toast, a miso and shiitake mushroom carbonara (yep, pasta for breakfast), and a take on eggs Benedict that includes Indonesian pork belly bacon and spicy hollandaise.
Let’s mix things up. For those of you who haven’t had Hong Kong-style breakfast before, let alone knew there was even a place in Manchester to do so, let us clue you in. Hong Kong-style French toast is gorgeous, they do spam and eggs that would make your grandparents proud and their all-day breakfast option comes with tea, toast and… noodles. Trust us, it works — it all works.
From an out-of-the-box option to something so familiar and reliable it’s been just as good when we’ve had it in Leeds and Liverpool, Moose Coffee is one of the best when it comes to Manchester breakfast. Bringing Canadian breakfast to Mancs right on the doorstep of Piccadilly Station and over on York St, it is literally impossible for us to tell you just one thing you should eat here. There’s simply so much on the menu and it’s all so different — just be glad we sent you there.
A lesser-known spot of sorts as we continue to find people who didn’t get the memo, this little artisan café is from meat masters, The Butcher’s Quarter, and is based out of the Manchester Craft and Design Centre on Oak St. Breakfast butties on Holy Grain! buns and fresh pastries in the morning; hot roast sandwiches, soups, charcuterie boards and cocktails in the afternoon. You best find this hidden gem like yesterday.
19. Albert’s Schloss — Deansgate
Now, no list of the best Manchester breakfast and brunch places is complete with the old faithful, Albert’s Schloss. We’re usually drunk when we’re in this place but we promise, before the bottomless part starts and the usual late-night drinking and dancing on benches begins, they serve up some of the best pancakes, filled croissants, sausages and some absolutely addictive spritzes.
Arguably the greatest and certainly the busiest lunchtime spot of all time, Katsouris‘ legacy is unparalleled. Starting out over in Bury all the way back in 1969 and going on to become one of the most legendary locations for all things breakfast and brunch, it etched itself into the best of Manchester’s food history a long time ago. Grab yourself a breakfast ciabatta or one of their massive fry-ups and then come back later for your dinner. We can’t tell you how many times we’ve done that and left no room for tea.
21. Trof — NQ
We will never stop loving Trof and it serves up some of the best breakfast and brunch items in town from 9am to 3pm. It’s got all the usual suspects — breakfast baps, eggs your way, avo on toast etc. — but it’s also a serious contender for one our favourite brunches in Manchester city centre. The weekly brunch club where you can grab a coffee and a butty from £7 from 9am-12 noon speaks for itself.
Heading just up the road to the edge of the Northern Quarter and onto Shudehill, you’ll find Cafe North, an independent spot that’s been serving up some of the best full English breakfasts in Manchester, fresh sarnies and salads, various loose-leaf teas and much more for ages now. Gun to our head, though, we’d have to pick the Oreo French toast and we could probably eat two lots of it. Yum.
We’re getting to the tail-end of things now but the hotspots just keep coming. As you wander back into NQ, you’ll stumble upon the somewhat unassuming 19 Cafe Bar, just next to Chapter One Books (also a lovely little cafe, by the way). Head inside, however, and you’ll find amazing pancakes, more sumptuous French toast and one of the best Irish breakfasts you’ll find in Manchester. It’s always the quiet ones.
24. Acai & the Tribe — Deansgate Mews
It’s the penultimate stop on our tour of the best breakfast and brunch places in Manchester, and we’ve found ourselves up on the Deansgate Mews and Acai and the Tribe, i.e. a breakfast spot that doesn’t leave you feeling like you’ve doubled in size on the way out. Beyond the obvious health bowls of acai, porridge, granola and so on, their smoothies are next level and, try as we might, we don’t think we’ll ever bake anything as good as their chocolate banana loaf.
Last but not least, we have one of the most uplifting local hospitality stories. Feel Good Club looked like it might close before it even got going during covid but has since expanded and looks set to stay for good. This place wears its positive physical and mental health ethos on its sleeve, with £2 ginger shots, a hugely popular vegan selection and this slice of heaven called mac and cheese on garlic toast. Oh. My. Days. That dish alone makes it one of the best breakfast places in Manchester.
Despite suffering yet another setback after being broken into last year, this place just keeps getting stronger and more popular by the day. It also doesn’t hurt that we really like the merch, not that we just fill our wardrobes with garms from random food spots in town or anything… You always feel good after you’ve eaten here and you’re part of the club you second you step in the door. It’s a lifestyle, not a brand.
And that’s it, that’s your lot: those were our best breakfast and brunch places in Manchester and although there were obviously too many to put in order (we’re not that good at playing favourites), that should be more than enough for you and you to get started.
It goes without saying that there are countless other great spots all around the city and across Greater Manchester, but we just simply couldn’t include them all otherwise we’d be here all day — this is already a long enough list as it is.
Now, go away and have the best weekend full of breakfast, brunch and good vibes.
Featured Image — Another Heart to Feed/Koffee Pot/Dishoom (via Instagram)
Eats
Mélange by Red Hall is a jewel in the crown of Bury’s burgeoning hospitality scene
Danny Jones
We recently had the pleasure of staying at the understated and most definitely underrated Red Hall Hotel over in Bury, and got to try their stunning new Mélange restaurant while we were at it.
Now, we say underrated not because it hasn’t received glowing reviews in the past; the AA-star hotel has enjoyed plenty of plaudits over the years and currently averages 4.5/5 from over 900 reviews.
However, what we will say is that the food now being served from this quaint little outpost located in the tiny hamlet of Walmersley, just on the border of Ramsbottom (regularly voted one of the best places to live in the UK), is well worth more than the hotel’s three-star rating on it’s own.
Not only did we have the pleasure of staying in this charming little village getaway, but we were treated to a whopping 11 courses, followed by a morning meal, for a truly wonderful bed and breakfast vibe with all the added luxury of a Kayak Awards and 2021 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice-winning destination.
The Mélange restaurant at Red Hall HotelSuch a striking room when you first walk in.Credit: The Manc Group
The first thing that struck us about the local favourite venue is that, despite being located beside Manchester Road, once you’re inside, it’s a quiet, tranquil and calming little escape from what is already a nice out-of-the-way escape from the bustle of the city and even Bury town centre.
Even if not, how inviting the actual Mélange restaurant itself is definitely will; the golden sign glistening from the soft white dangling bulbs immediately catches your eye, and then you walk in to see the big conservatory and almost orangery-esque windows, with sloped ceilings and lots of light.
You get just as warm a welcome from the staff as well, which is a feeling maintained throughout your entire dining experience, as they really do communicate that sense of comfort whilst “drawing from mamma’s childhood memories and unforgettable holidays” through the food.
Speaking of which…
Mélange – which quite literally translates to ‘a mixture’, often even hinting at things that don’t usually fit together – promises a fusion of British and Mediterranean cuisine, and delivers both familiar flavours but with plenty of contemporary punch and visual appeal.
We may have begun our meal with something as simple but satisfying as a mini round loaf of bread freshly baked in a cast iron pot with some acidic, tapenade-esque chutney, along with a couple of very refreshing and lemon-forward spritzes, but it didn’t take long before we dove headlong into indulgence.
See, the trouble was the mezze: we wanted to try a little bit of something from each section of the menu, but we couldn’t help but be drawn in by starting with three selections from what was advertised as ‘small plates, big flavours’.
In actuality, what happened was a board featuring our trio of choice appeared, and the bowls that sat upon it were pretty filling on their own. It’s a good job we didn’t spring for the eye-catching charcuterie board as well, otherwise we really would have struggled to finish this feast.
We went for these naughty ‘nduja arancini, some ever-so-smoky chicken wings in a slightly spiced aioli, and quite literally the best halloumi fries you’ll ever try; we don’t know if it was the light fried batter, the perfectly tearable texture of the cheese, or the subtle hot honey dip, but they were incredible.
We also opted to try two more delicate, lighter bites to somewhat cleanse the palate – the corn and duck salad, both of which were fantastically balanced and still not skimpy on the portions either.
The point being is that, at this stage, we started to worry this, plus our main courses of maple-baked salmon (paired with the most impressively smooth and sweet potato purée imaginable), gambas al ajillo (giant black tiger prawns in garlic) and a stuffed, herbaceaous, rolled pork number might be overkill…
Perfectly soft, gooey arancini with a slight heat to them.You could see the quality of the prawns before tasting it.That tweal on top alone was packed with flavour.Light, seasonal and yet more than a few mouthfuls.
Having said that, we still found time/room for another round of cocktails – again, sticking with the spritz theme (’tis the season, after all) – and just about managed to squeeze in two desserts.
The lemon posset was just tangy enough without being too tart and was devoured within seconds, while the cheesecake with an extra dusting of pistachio on top was superb. Topping each with a thin, honeycomb-design biscuit felt like a nice little Manc finishing touch as well.
We’ll confess, a fair few belt notches were loosened throughout the duration of this meal, but we kept persevering for a number of reasons: we wanted to get a comprehensive sweep of what’s on offer, we didn’t want to waste a morsel of food if possible, and most importantly, it was stunning.
Honestly, there wasn’t so much as an average mouthful of food all night. We can’t believe it’s taken us this long to try what’s being served out of the Mélange kitchen; pair that with a brilliant breakfast and relaxing stay at Red Hall itself, and it’s up there with one of the best hotel packages in the area.
Plenty of food and drink spots help, but the great in Greater Manchester, and we can’t say where exactly we’d rank this amongst all 10 boroughs, but we firmly believe you won’t find many better all-round hospitality offerings in Bury – if, indeed, at all.
There are plenty of lovely day and evening walks nearby.Or you can just curl up content on the sun-soaked terrace.
A total of 20 Greater Manchester pubs have been named among the best in the UK
Danny Jones
A new round-up of the so-called ‘best pubs in the country’ has been published online, and you’ll be glad to hear that 20 different pubs from the Greater Manchester area have made it onto the list.
We’d argue a bunch more should have made it on there, personally, but we’ll take it.
Shared by The Telegraph this week, the list doesn’t include Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, but nevertheless, it does go on to name a whopping 500 UK pubs, of which 20 of those are here in our particular part of the world. Proud.
So, breaking the collection up into areas ordered alphabetically, here are what the outlet considers some of the best pubs in the nation.
The Great-er Manchester boozers that made it into ‘The 500 Best Pubs in England’
1. Fletcher Moss – Didsbury
Up first on our list is a south Manchester favourite: Fletcher Moss pub down in Didsbury Village, which may just have one of the best gardens in all the boroughs. Noting the refurb that’s taken it from another traditional pub to a local classic, they’re not wrong.
You have to head up to the reaches of Rochdale to find this testament to old Lancashire tucked away in the rolling hills – a proper old school, country-style pub.
“This brick-built former coaching inn has a predictably sublime view, and attracts diners by the dozen as a result, but the beer is pretty reliable too”, according to the outlet.
Once a forgotten pub on a quiet corner sat frustratingly close to an otherwise busy part of town, The Angel Pub reopened back in 2019 after nearly seven whole decades away from the Manc boozing scene.
As per the paper: “In a city that rarely forgets to tell you how it does things differently, The Angel charts its own course.”
4. The Britons Protection – Manchester city centre
Moving into the city centre now, and we have the legendary Britons Protection, which is also one of the oldest and most iconic pubs we have to our name.
The Telegraph said, simply: “Come for the tiled corridor, with its vivid images of the Peterloo Massacre, stay for the atmosphere.” We’d also wager it happens to be one of the best cosy pubs in all of Manchester city centre. We can’t afford to lose it.
People are rallying behind them, but they’re not out of the woods yet.
5. The Castle Hotel – Manchester
Now just down the road to NQ and to a place known for great Guinness, live music in an intimate setting, a joyous jukebox selection and a close-packed but pretty interior. They said that “Northern Quarter is not short of places for a drink, but few are as effortlessly comfortable as the Castle Hotel.”
We couldn’t agree more, and as a bonus, it’s also a place where things like this happen:
Famed as the smallest bar in Europe (by which we mean the actual bar, not the size of the pub itself, which is a common misconception), The Circus Tavern on Portland Street is a little gem in every sense.
You can find out more about the cool history behind it down below:
7. The City Arms – Manchester
Not too far away from there in the city centre, you’ll find the stunning City Arms, which – alongside its next-door neighbour, The Vine Inn – has one of the best ‘punters spilling out onto the street after work’ communities you’ll find in Manchester.
The Tele writes: “The City Arms sits in the middle of a Mancunian pub one-two-three on Kennedy Street, sandwiched between The Vine and The Waterhouse. It’s the best of the three, in my opinion, largely because the beer is so good.”
A great little lineup. (Credit: The Manc Group)
8. The Marble Arch – Manchester
Ok, up next is ‘r Daisy’s favourite pub in central Manchester and maybe of all time: the marvellous Marble Arch, which is a gorgeous Grade II-listed building over on Rochdale Road.
They described it as having played arguably “a bigger role in Manchester’s brewing renaissance over the past thirty years” than perhaps any other boozer.
Literally spitting distance from the aforementioned Circus Tavern, The Grey Horse Inn has a lot of similar charm, as well as plenty of Manc, and more specifically, Manchester United memorabilia plastered all over the gaff.
“The Grey Horse is run by Hyde’s, one of Manchester’s four traditional family breweries. It might be the best place in the city centre to try their beers; it’s certainly one of the cosiest, with a wood-panelled bar and plenty of comfortable seating.”
In at number nine is what they sell as a “city-centre classic that hums with Mancunian warmth”, and while it may be one of what feels like countless Hare and Hounds up and down the UK, this one can be over on Shudehill.
Situated right near The Lower Turks Head – another boozer we believe should have been on this list – it may not be the biggest, most different or most eye-catching from the outside, but inside is a proper pub.
“It fulfils all the pub cliches: warm welcome, good beer, cosy atmosphere. The tiled exterior is a delight, too.” To be honest, this doesn’t nearly do it justice. That glistening green institution not only boasts the longest-serving landlord in the city but also some of the best Guinness in Manchester.
There’s something special about joining the crowd leaning against its walls or sitting on the benches in the shade of its solitary tree. We can’t quite explain it, but it’s always been loved and always will be. It has a cool history behind it, too.
Now this one gets a hard agree from us. The Salisbury over on ‘Little Ireland’ is a truly brilliant boozer, and the steps leading down to it are possibly some of the most photographed in the entire city.
With a legendary albeit very loud playlist, it’s a regular haunt for both before and after gigs, even serving up pizza from their in-house brand ‘Dough161’ (very good), which is best enjoyed out back in their little back-alley beer garden.
Back to Northern Quarter now and just on the edge of Ancoats, where you’ll find Smithfield Market Tavern. We firmly believe the neighbouring Rose and Monkey rivals it too, but we can certainly see why it made it onto The Telegraph‘s list.
As they put it: “The pub itself is modern but not jarringly so, with sofas, low tables and pub games, plus plenty of excellent beer, much of it produced at Blackjack’s brewery less than half a mile away.”
Ok, that’s us done with the city centre; we’re heading out back Rochdale way now to what has been described as a ‘hidden gem’ here in Greater Manchester, even if that term is being thrown around at will these days. Here’s what The Telegraph had to say:
“This place is as pubby as it gets, all dark wood, hand pumps and Victorian beer vessels above the bar (although there is a brighter, conservatory area at the back). Food is a big part of the Baum’s business: when I visited recently, I had rag pudding, a tasty Lancashire dish not unlike steak pudding.”
Onto Salford now, and a cult favourite watering hole that also happens to serve as a rich hub for the independent music and arts scene. It may be surrounded by ever-more cranes and skyscrapers, but that pretty little piano and backroom are still perfect.
The Tele says, “It’s a little tucked away, certainly, but for good beer and interesting music, you’d have to go a long way to beat it.” Pretty much nail on the head, to be fair.
Quite possibly one of the prettiest refurbishments that’s taken place in Greater Manchester in recent times, and most certainly one of the best pubs in Salford full stop, backed by an Irishman who knows his stuff and has even had fixtures from the ‘Emerald Isle’ shipped over to make a statement.
The brilliant little boozer on Bexley Square has a fantastic range of beer, ales, whiskey and more from all over, and when the sun’s got his hat on, you won’t find many better places to sit and soak it up.
17. Stalybridge Station Buffet Bar – Stalybridge
It can seem odd sometimes to see odd to see broadsheet covering quiet corners like this one in Tameside, but anyone who really knows there’s stuff is confident that Stalybridge has an up-and-coming scene all of its own – which is why this is seen as one of the best pubs in Greater Manchester.
“High-class station pubs are relatively common across the North and Midlands now, most of them based in revitalised and repurposed station buildings. None of the others, though, is quite like the Stalybridge Station Buffet Bar, which is both authentically Victorian and has a genuine pub flavour.”
As we approach the end, we arrive in familiar territory, as it isn’t the first time we’ve written about the underrated and what was an unsung public house, but has steadily become a name that’s used to getting accolades from various directions.
Here’s what they say about it: “This sturdy whitewashed pub located by the clattering, humming Wellington Road is one of the best places to drink beer in England.”
Nearly done, just two more and the penultimate pick by the paper is the final one in SK: The Northumberland Arms up in Marple Bridge, a community-owned treehouse which is, indeed, nothing short of a belter.
The Telegraph said the following: “‘The Thumb’, as locals know it, is a freehouse with a traditional feel, offering pop-up food options, social clubs – from darts to running – and, of course, high-class beer.” The clue’s in what natives consider its full name: community pub.
20. The Swan & Railway Hotel – Wigan
Last but not least, we pop over to another old bastion where Lancashire meets Greater Manchester and what The Telegraph believes is one of the best in Wigan and in England altogether, adding: “There are so many marvellous details inside the Swan and Railway that it is hard to pick just a few.”
It’s fitting that we end on one that we haven’t yet had the pleasure of trying because we promise that, just like you should, we’re going to make it our mission to try it for ourselves.
Dolly Busby -
9th August 2023 
