We’re certainly not stuck for choice of places to grab a bite to eat across Greater Manchester.
But under Tier 3 rules as part of the UK government’s new three tier restrictions scheme introduced with the intent to curb the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), hospitality businesses in Greater Manchester that do not sell “substantial meals” – are not permitted to operate.
This sadly means that many of our favourite local hangouts have have had to close doors for the time being.
Luckily though, there’s still plenty of independent and Manchester-based eateries open right across the city centre and beyond that are in need of our support more than ever, and are ready to welcome us with open arms.
Some of them are even offering a range of discounts too – or “substantial meal” deals, shall we call them – and they’re worth making the most of when you can.
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Here’s a rundown of our top picks for places to head on over to in the coming weeks.
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Banyan
Spinningfields
You can still book a reservation for cocktails at Banyan, but in line with government guidance, you’re now asked to order something to eat with your drinks too, so the bar and restaurant has launched a new £3.50 menu, so you can have a great value meal without breaking the bank and still enjoy beautiful 2-4-1 cocktails.
There’s a great ‘Early Bird’ deal happening at The Pen & Pencil between 5-7pm on Tuesday – Friday, and you can order a delicious New Yorker Chicken and a drink for only £15, as well as so much more.
You can still keep the drinks flowing with the Three Course Bottomless Dinner at Revolucion de Cuba.
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For £39 per person, per two-hour slot on Monday – Thursday, you can start with tortilla chips & guacamole, then choose from a selection of mains and desserts, all whilst sipping on unlimited drinks, which include Prosecco, Mahou Lager, house wine, Cuba Libre, and Amour Cubana.
This must be booked in advance and reservations can be made here.
Hideout Lounge & Grill
INNside Hotel – First Street
Hideout Lounge & Grill’s new “substantial meal” deal means you can buy a bottle of prosecco for £29.95 and get yourself a two course meal for free between 5pm-8pm on Sunday – Thursday.
There’s still plenty of fun to be had at Roxy Ballroom and those with a gaming booking can also pre-book a pizza and a drink for the discounted price of £12 through the very same booking system.
The ‘Eat Out to Drink Out’ deal at Albert’s Schloss means you can order a range of ‘Bier Food’ items – which are slightly lighter versions of the classic Cook Haus dishes – all day from Monday – Friday and pair it with a drink for just £12, two drinks and a meal for £16, or push the boat out with three drinks and dinner for £20.
The Albert’s Schloss x Rudy’s Neapolitan Pizzeria Bottomless Brunch is also taking place every Saturday and Sunday throughout November.
YES is now serving its brilliantly-named ‘Doner Summer Kebabs’ for just £5 at lunch time, plus you can also take your pick from the wide selection of pizzas, either in full, or by the slice.
Despite serving up full 22″ pizzas and slices – the largest in Manchester, in fact – Nell’s Pizza in Common was originally told by authorities last week that its pizza slices alone were not “substantial” enough. Luckily enough however, the police has now made a U-turn on the decision, meaning slices do count as a meal.
Cult-favourite wing joint Bunny Jackson’s is now offering bottomless wings and fries – with booze – every single day, meaning you can feast on as many wings as you can manage (House BBQ; Buffalo; and Classic), with chips on the side and a choice of house lager, frozen cocktails and flavoured Lambrini.
There’s a great meal deal currently on offer at Cane & Grain where you can buy one dish with one drink for £6.50, two drinks for £10.50, or three drinks for £14.50, and on top of that, you can also grab yourself bottomless wings, ribs and booze for £25 per 90 minutes.
Another impressive 50% off food on Mondays is also up for grabs at The Bay Horse Tavern, as well as a bottomless brunch offer on Saturdays and Sundays where you can sip on Prosecco, Bloody Mary’s, Irish Coffees, Wine, G&T’s, or Beer along with your meal for £27.50 per person per 90 minutes.
If you don’t fancy a full feast, then there’s an excellent offer of a completely plant-based sharing board accompanied by bottle of wine for just £25 at The Allotment Vegan Eatery.
Another great “substantial meals” deal at The Shack Bar & Grill means you can grab a meal and drink for £10, or two drinks for £14, and three drinks for £17, including beer, wine and all your favourite cocktails such as Pornstar Martini, Vimto Daiquiri and Frozen Margarita.
Crazy Pedro’s alternative ‘Bottomless Brunch’ means you can tuck into unlimited slices of pizza, beer, Prosecco and Frozen Margs too for £25 per person when you book your 90-minute slot between 11am – 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays only.
No drinks are off limits in Turtle Bay’s ‘Bottomless Brunch’ deal, which means you can have your pick of the full cocktail menu to accompany your meal for just £27 per person at both Manchester venues.
There’s a bunch of different offers to make the most of at TNQ, including the Happy Monday & Thirsty Thursday £35 per person deal, the ‘Express Menu’ with the option to add bottomless house drinks for £10, and also the multi-course award-winning Sunday Roasts too.
Mecanica is open for all your “substantial meal” needs and is running Cocktail Beer Ramen & Bun food all night, alongside a fantastic range of deli meats and cheese boards, and dessert boards from Slattery too, which can be paired with a delicious cocktail, an expertly-selected bottle of wine, or even a pint of Guinness.
Opening hours have been until 10pm, but you just need to make sure your food is ordered before 9pm.
There’s an impressive selection of small dishes at just £7.50 to graze on as accompaniments to your choice of drinks at Dive Bar & Grill, which are all served until 9:15pm.
The fun doesn’t just stop in the city centre, so here’s some of our picks for places to hit up in the suburbs and boroughs of Greater Manchester this weekend too.
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KBK
Ancoats
Renowned health food kitchen KBK in Ancoats has an extensive small plates menu if you don’t fancy a full feast, and is also operating with extended evening opening hours too.
There’s plenty of mouthwatering dishes on the menu at Astoria Bar & Restaurant – as well as weekday Happy Hours and 2-4-1 cocktails – but if you just fancy keeping it simple, you can tuck into a sandwich or wrap with wine for only £9.
Folk in West Didsbury and Prestwich has taken “substantial meals” to a whole other level with specially-dedicated menu featuring a wide array of dishes available daily from 12pm – 9:15pm starting at just £4.75.
As well as an extensive small plates menu to take your pick from, there’s also a ‘Boozy Bao’ offer currently available at The Boiler Room, which sees you get Bao, Fries + Bottomless Cocktails/Beer for £25 per person per one and 1/2 hour slot.
You can take your pick from any pizza and a Peroni/wine for just £9.50, and any pizza and a pint for £11.50, or share any pizza and two cocktails for just £20 instead.
There’s a brand new Happy Hour deal on offer at Bario in Chorlton, where you can tuck into two tacos, a tequila and a beer for just £10, and it’s available every Monday – Wednesday from 5-8pm.
How does 50% off found every Monday sound? Not only that, but you can also grab yourself any burger and a pint for just £7.95 on Fridays too at Into the Woods.
There’s an incredible 20% off ‘curfew deal’ going on at Drip in Bury – which simply sees you get 20% off your full bill – and it’s there to take advantage of every day of the week, so it’s not one to miss. Not only that, but you can also make the impressive £19.95 Afternoon Tea bottomless too.
Reservations must be made in advance and you can book your table here.
Eats
The best cosy pubs in Manchester city centre to hide away on a winter’s day
Danny Jones
There’s no better feeling than being tucked up all warm and cosy in one of many wonderful pubs in Manchester on a cold day in Manchester, and we should know – we get more than our fair sharethroughout the year.
Wind, rain, sleet or snow, there’s nothing that a couple of pints in one of our many beloved boozers won’t remedy and when it comes to the festive season, especially, there aren’t many places that make you feel as welcome as you would in your own front room like a cosy Manchester pub.
That’s why we’re giving you a heads-up on some of the very cosiest and most classic Manc pubs for you and yours to pile into when it’s miserable out.
We’ll cheers to that.
The 20 cosiest Manchester pubs
Let’s start with a personal favourite of ours that’s rather handily just around the corner from our office:
1. The City Arms – Central
If you want to get out of the house and settle into a lovely little pub right in the city centre, then The City Arms is the perfect place to hide away from the weather whilst still enjoying the buzz of city life.
Calling all cask ale lovers, this place is your paradise, with some top-class ales on offer as well as some great meaty, veggie and vegan pies.
2. The Vine Inn – Central
Credit: Adam Fagen (via Flickr)Credit: The Manc GroupStumble out of one and straight into the other.
Just next door — and we mean that quite literally — is The Vine Inn: another Manc office favourite that gives you the perfect blend of ‘old man pub’ vibes but with the kind of mass appeal that sees countless punters piling into the pub and crowding outside on the streets, it’s that loved.
Luckily, you should be able to squeeze inside when the temperatures drop as it’s spread across three quaint, almost mini-floors (with two separate bars, by the way) that make it feel kind of like a beer bungalow, and that’s why it’s one of the cosiest pubs you’ll find in Manchester.
3. Lass O’Gowrie – Oxford Road Corridor
Credit: The Manc GroupSo long as you’re wrapped up properly, that little outside bit is one of the cosiest pub spots in Manchester (Credit: Lass O’Gowrie via IG)
“I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour”, so the song goes, and we wouldn’t be surprised if Morrisey was singing about the Lass when he wrote this; there’s always plenty of cheering, laughing and, most importantly, drinking in this popular city centre boozer.
Located just off Oxford Road, it offers everything from big screens showing the footy, hearty roast dinners perfect for this time of year, live comedy, music and more. What you’d call a traditional Manc pub kitted out with local memorabilia and filled with good people, you’ll hear no complaints from us.
4. The Circus Tavern – Portland Street
This is Manchester’s smallest pub and as if that wasn’t cool enough, it’s also one of the oldest pubs in the region, so it’s a must-see if you ask us. A perfect little Hobbit hole to cram in when it’s cold outside.
Built back in 1790, The Circus Tavern became a pub in 1840 and has been frequented by the likes of Georgie Best and many other famous Man United players down the years, many of whom you’ll see photos of on the walls. A tourist spot in its own right and, needless to say, very cosy indeed.
5. Mr Thomas’/Sam’s Chop House – Central
Just off Cross Street on the corner of Back Pool Fold, you’ll find what is, for our money, one of the ultimate cosy pubs you’ll find anywhere in Manchester city centre: Mr Thomas’ Chop House, a.k.a. ‘Old Tom’s’ — and then, head literally across the road and you’ll find its twin, Sam’s Chop House.
Set up by the Studd brothers of the same name, these two sibling boozers have been serving Mancs for over 150 years now and have grown a glowing reputation both for the beautiful condition of their historic bars and for their incredible food. If it was good enough for Lowry, it’s good enough for us.
Quite comfortably two of the cosiest pubs in all of Greater Manchester. (Credit: Mr. Tom’s Chop House via IG/The Manc Group)
6. The Marble Arch Inn – Ancoats
Heading over beyond Ancoats way and onto Rochdale Road, we have the birthplace of Marble Brewery and the company’s award-winning flagship venue, The Marble Arch. If you’re up for doing a winter’s day ‘the right way’, then The Marble Arch has to be involved.
With its gorgeous mosaic floors, ornate bar, nine hand-pull pumps serving brewery-fresh cask beer, eight carefully selected keg lines on rotation and a partridge in a pear tree, it’s simply one of the prettiest and most traditional pubs you could ask for. The food’s mega too.
Heading over to Salford now and we’ve got another beautiful boozer in The Kings Arms: a long-standing and simply sublime pub located not too far out of the city centre that’s well worth running into if you’re over that way and happen to get caught in the wind and rain.
Owned by adopted Manc musician Paul Heaton and made even more famous by live-in celebrity cat, Charlie, this real ale house with six curated hand pumps is a Manchester institution, not to mention great for live music and stand-up. Come on, what’s more cosy than a pub that comes with its own cat?
Sticking in Salford for a spell but down the road to Bexley Square, we always feel the lovely little spot that is The New Oxford never gets anywhere near as much credit as it should given its charm and incredible lineup of real ales and Belgian beers.
Situated on a scenic cobbled corner that could easily be mistaken for some rural road in a small Cheshire village, this place is always packed with footy fans and a few extra in its courtyard during the summer months, but the regulars always know what’s up — not to mention they do a decent pint of Guinness too.
In case you missed it, @thenewoxfordpub over in Salford has a lick of paint and then some! 🤩
With renovators working round the clock for three weeks straight, the beloved local boozer is back open and looking better than ever.
Described as having the ‘oldest pub ceiling in the world’, you can collapse into a comforting armchair by the fire and muse over The Crown Kettle‘s 286-year-old history, pint in hand and plenty of tunes filling the room for sure.
With live music and DJ sets, regular beer-centric events, bingo, the odd pub quiz and plenty more, it’s no surprise this almost statuesque Manchester drinking staple has been named one of the best in the region — and it’s plenty cosy too, believe us.
Not just a super cosy pub but apparently one of the best reviewed watering holes in all of Greater Manchester.
10. Peveril Of The Peak – Central
If you close your eyes and picture a proper English pub, there’ll be round tables, old tiles stained with decades of history, an unbeatable selection of beer, and a jukebox that’s regularly manned by loveable regulars who always make sure to keep the room filled with a warm and fuzzy atmosphere.
That’s exactly what you get with the Peveril Of The Peak: an iconic Manc boozer whose green exterior you can spot from a mile away. It’s only a small gaff but packed with plenty of history, all the best people and it’s still being looked after by the city’s longest-serving landlady to this day. A proper good old gaff.
Hallowed, cosy and homely – truly one of the most legendary pubs in Manchester. (Credit: The Manc Group)
11. The Briton’s Protection – Central
From one historic pub to another, you can head over to Great Bridgewater Street and channel your inner Tommy Shelby as you neck a neat bit of bourbon or scotch to warm the cockles and listen to the crackling flames of the open fires at The Britons Protection.
Another oldie but a goldie, the Briton was established in 1811 and has remained a local favourite snug pub ever since, showcasing over 300 whiskies as well as homemade pies and pasties at lunch. This piece of public house heritage has been under threat for a while now but us Mancs are keeping it alive.
Come on, as if we were going to leave out not only a contender for the ultimate cosy pub but possibly the very best boozer in all of Manchester. As well as serving comfortably the best Guinness in all the 10 boroughs and supposedly ‘the best outside of Ireland’, it’s also just everything you want on a cold day.
With live music every day, sport on the box pretty much 24/7; multiple lovely little nooks and more than enough bodies to keep the place warm even in the height of winter, not mention a whole new second floor, Mulligans of Deansgate is now twice the worldie it already was. Sláinte!
An award-winning music venue and a bloody good pub, ditch the open-air venues and stuffy bars this winter and dip into the cosy Eagle Inn instead and bask in its comforting warmth.
Combining a traditional pub that delivers a real sense of ‘old Manchester’ with live music and three small rooms off a central corridor with a central bar — historically known by locals as ‘The Lamp Oil’ — The Eagle can’t really be called Salford‘s hidden gem anymore: it’s a rite of passage at this point.
Heading over the other side of the Irwell and to the picturesque canals of Castlefield, waterside pub and restaurant The Wharf is undoubtedly one of the cosiest pubs in Manchester, with the ground floor feeling like one big lounge, the upstairs making for the perfect cost date night spot and the outdoor terrace just as much a dream in winter as it is summer.
With amazing pub grub, a massive and ever-rotating drinks menu, as well as a patio that feels just as warming as the indoors with its big tipi and overhead heaters come winter, plus live music, hosting local clubs and various other events throughout the year, this place has it all. Plenty of cute pups too.
Back into the centre now and toward Gay Village for what remains one of the most cosy feeling pubs we’ve ever been in full stop, let alone just in 0161. If you’ve never been to The Molly House then you seriously need to right that wrong.
With a name that harks back to a fascinating backstory, there’s nothing more welcoming than the sight of the open hearth, the waft of their irresistible tapas menu; the glow of their multi-coloured Tiffany-style lampshades and a drinks menu to suit all tastes. It’s even better at Christmas. Enjoy!
Just a couple blocks over and back onto Portland Street, you’ve also got the Circus Tavern’s equally pokey little neighbour, The Grey Horse Inn. Once again, it’s among the smallest you’ll find in Manchester but is much more than a mere hole in the wall.
This single-room pub is one of the oldest buildings anywhere in Manchester and is run by Hydes Brewery. Basically just one not-so-big living room plonked right along one of the busiest roads in the city, this place is another very thing slice of Manc hospitality history.
Credit: Grey Horse Inn (via Facebook)
17. Cask – Castlefield and New Islington Marina
Circling back towards Castlefield again, you’ll find the original Cask and its lovely owners who have been serving local crafts and fine Belgian imports for over two decades now. The staff are beyond sound and always happy to talk you through the lineup; they even let you bring in your chippy from next door.
With a nice little garden area tucked away in the back, cosy booths and board games to be enjoyed, it’s no wonder they wanted to replicate their success with the sister bar over towards Ancoats and the Marina — and that’s exactly what they’ve done. Two very welcoming spots all year round.
Not too far from there, you’ll find an NQ favourite in The Bay Horse Tavern: two floors of pure warmth, good vibes, proper food and a steady flow of the good stuff.
From its twinkly fairly light-draped interior to the perfectly dim-lit interior and variety or deals running throughout the week, the Thomas Street staple is busy no matter the season but there’s something very special about it in the winter. Top-tier Sunday roasts incoming.
Looks super pretty at this time of yearThey even still serve Boddies.Unreal food too.Credit: The Bay Horse Tavern (via Instagram)/The Manc Group
19. The Old Wellington – Exchange Square
Our penultimate stop is yet another historic site and cultural cornerstone that stood in Manchester for centuries — just not quite the same spot. Shambles Square feels fitting given how many times we’ve stumbled out of this place of a weekend.
Famously put up on stilts and relocated along with the attached Sinclairs Oyster Bar (also not a bad shout for this list), The Old Wellington might just be the closest you’ll get to feeling like you’re in Ye Olde England, stumbling across a tavern and bedding in on a rainy night with tankards full of mead. At least that’s what we always imagine when we’re in there, anyway. Long live The Old Welly.
Last but by no means least, no list of cosy Manchester pubs is complete without the always popular and music-filled Castle Hotel over on Oldham Street — another storied venue that only seems to get better with age.
Whether it’s live music or the jukebox, a solid Guinness or a pint of Robinson’s, this tightly-packed space is one of those where you’ll never leave without bumping into a familiar face or having a friendly chat with a total stranger. With multiple rooms, an upstairs and a simple but classic British pub aesthetic, you just can’t beat spots like this.
We hope that puts you in good stead for places to enjoy a cold one this winter, pardon the pun.
It goes without saying that lists like these are never going to every corner of Manchester justice and there are countless other cosy pubs that we would heartily recommend you settle in at when it’s baltic outside, but the list would go on forever if we did that and this should get you started at least.
The same goes for the rest of the 10 boroughs; we’re sure wherever you live in Greater Manchester you’ll know plenty more than us about the cosiest spots near you, but in case you’re looking to venture further out of the region, we’ve put together a list of a few corkers that are a bit more out of the way.
Featured Images – The Bay Horse Tavern/Kings Arms (via Instagram)/Amie Johnson (via Unsplash)
Eats
Tawny Stores – Inside the stunning canalside restaurant that’s Stockport’s loveliest addition
Daisy Jackson
There’s a tiny little opening on the outskirts of Stockport that’s so charming, with such delicious food, that we’re going to have to insist you all rearrange your plans to visit immediately.
This is Tawny Stores, a restaurant, cafe and deli where you can do everything from having a romantic candlelit dinner to scoffing a morning pastry to grabbing a loaf of bread to take home.
With a pretty canalside location, and windows that look out over the water, it’s already proving a fantastic addition to Greater Manchester.
Tawny Stores is in Marple Bridge, a picturesque village at the foot of the Peak District hills (which feels a million miles from Stockport, but the name on the wheelie bins doesn’t lie).
It may be a total pain in the arse to get to, especially with every-other train being cancelled, but getting stuck out here is far from being the end of the world.
From their tiny kitchen they cook an ever-changing menu that’s technical, but simple.
By the time you read this the menu will probably have changed again, but here we go anyway.
Rabbit pie at Tawny Stores in Marple Bridge. Credit: The Manc GroupA cheese toastie at Tawny Stores. Credit: The Manc GroupHomemade crisps and a glass of wine. Credit: The Manc GroupRoast squash and lentils at Tawny Stores in Marple Bridge. Credit: The Manc Group
We had a wild rabbit, cider and tarragon pie, with a crust that could win awards and a generous dollop of silky smooth mash.
There was a simple cheese and onion toastie, elevated by some top-quality bread and homemade chutney on the side.
A warming pile of lentils was then topped with roasted squash and a zingy and herby green sauce to zap it (and you) back to life.
And then there’s homemade focaccia, which you can order with olive oil or have it as a sandwich, where fillings are currently festive and include squash and stuffing, crispy sprouts and aioli, and pork Milanese and cranberry.
Inside Tawny Stores, Marple Bridge, Stockport. Credit: The Manc GroupTawny Stores in Marple Bridge. Credit: The Manc Group
Before you head out, take a moment to browse the shelves full of produce (and the display unit filled with homemade cakes).
You can grab a hot drink to walk down the canal and burn off some of that fuel, or do it in reverse and come in here to warm your cockles after a brisk winter stroll.
Either way, it’s one to visit – and soon.
You can follow them on Instagram HERE for their latest menus.