If you consider yourself something of a gin lover and you’ve not yet been to Atlas Bar in Manchester city centre, well, prepare yourself for a ruddy great time.
This Deansgate institution has been a fixture on the edge of Castlefield since 1996 and is described by some as a Manchester icon, for good reason.
With a gorgeous outside terrace area overlooking the Manchester skyline, and a warm and inviting atmosphere inside, come rain or shine you’re guaranteed a warm welcome at Atlas Bar.
A longstanding favourite of gin lovers, the team has over 570 bottles of gin on its back bar at its last count – and you can try them all.
There’s a flavour style for everyone – whether you like London dry, a big American wet, a fruity gin, a pink gin, an old Tom or a genever – and the staff are incredibly knowledgeable, should you get overwhelmed by the extensive list.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
A good way to get stuck in is to sample their gin tasting flights, priced at £10 each for a selection of three handpicked gins, perfectly paired with garnishes and tonics selected to highlight the unique botanicals in each bottle.
Highlights on the menu include Spanish gin 5th Gin Fire, a traditional London dry with a soft pink hue and highly aromatised flavour delivered by red berries with a touch of balsamic, and the Four Pillars Rare – a gin that is really close to Atlas owners’ Mark and Elaine’s hearts.
Launching in the UK first, here at Atlas, the owners and distillers of this amazing Australian gin, have become great friends of the team here.
Distilled in the beautiful Yarra Valley, wine region, in a still named Wilma, the Four Pillars Rare gin is made with some wonderful local botanicals including Tasmanian Pepper berry and Lemon Myrtle.
Other gin must-tries include Guernsey based gin Unit 6, small batch gin Solway, premium small batch gin Kuro and Divine Raspbery, the latter distilled by Ray Woolhead in nearby Holmfirth.
Of course, it’s not all about the gin here as Atlas also stocks a vast range of draught and bottled beers, ciders, spirits, Champagnes and wines, as well as serving up a solid all day menu of breakfast dishes and tasty bar snacks.
You can also order unusual bottles of gin to collect at the bar or for delivery from Atlas, as well as some fabulous home gin experiences.
For gin lovers looking for something new in the city, there’s really nowhere better.
Featured image – The Manc Eats
Eats
Nostalgic ready-to-drink Breezer makes UK return after a decade
Daisy Jackson
An iconic ready-to-drink favourite has launched back into the UK – oh yes, Breezer is back.
First launched in the 1990s, Breezers – then pitched as an ‘alcopop’ – were a staple on dancefloors and at barbecues right across the UK.
And now Bacardi has decided to bring these delicious, fruity, easy-drinking bottles back to British shores.
There are three new flavours to try as Breezers return to your fridges – Zesty Orange, Zingy Lime, and Crisp Watermelon.
And Breezer launched back into Manchester last night with a suitably memorable party, turning a spot in the Northern Quarter into a corner shop.
The ‘local Cornerbop’ was stacked with your usual essentials, plus shelf after shelf of these colourful glass ready-to-drink bottles.
Inside the Breezer ‘Cornerbop’ corner shop in ManchesterBreezer is back, in three new flavours
The Breezer relaunch party saw Tarsza and Rennie Peters spinning nostalgic anthems with a modern twist at a pop-up party in a corner shop.
Steve Young, business unit director for Bacardi in the UK & Ireland, said: “We know there is a lot of love for Breezer in the UK, and we are confident a new generation of consumers will fall in love with the new Breezer.
“RTDs are booming, however, the Flavoured Alcoholic Beverages category could do with a bit more excitement. By bringing back Breezer we’re definitely putting the fruity taste into FAB.”
The iconic ready-to-drink classic is back – and better than ever.
Drinks prices for Manchester Oasis gigs announced – and you’ll be pleasantly surprised
Daisy Jackson
The prices of drinks at Heaton Park for the five huge Manchester Oasis shows have been released in advance.
With the Gallagher brothers reuniting on stage in their hometown for the first time this weekend (and then again next week), it’s a huge moment for our city.
Those lucky enough to snag tickets have already forked out a small fortune to witness this moment in history (still scarred from the dynamic pricing debacle).
And most of us were probably bracing to spend another small fortune on beers at the Oasis Manchester gigs.
But you might be pleasantly surprised at the drinks prices up at Heaton Park for Oasis Live ’25.
It’s now been confirmed that pints of lager and cider will be just £6.50.
Before you turn your nose up, remember that pints at our two arenas – the AO Arena and Co-op Live are now sitting around the £9 mark.
Prices for other drinks, like wine and spirits, we’ll have to wait until Friday to see.
Heaton Park will also be the home of the ‘largest beer garden’ and the longest bars in the city for the Oasis reunion.
With a major heatwave predicted for the first shows, fans are being encouraged to stay hydrated (on WATER, not beer, please).
Ticket-holders will be allowed to bring a sealed bottle of water up to 500ml in with you, but it must be collapsible plastic.
Solid plastic and metal containers will be rejected on safety grounds.
There’s a free water point on site where you can fill up your bottles again.
Oasis will perform at Heaton Park in Manchester on 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20 July.