It’s no secret that we haven’t been travelling abroad much this year – and it’s no secret as to why that is, either.
The good old summer holiday has taken a bit of a beating, but we are still just as ready for a break and a change of scenery as ever, if not more so (OK, definitely more so) this year.
But there are thankfully a few options available for us to leave the worries behind for a bit.
1) Buy a tent, and brave the great outdoors, along with weather that’s about as unpredictable as ‘them in charge’.
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2) Book an apartment out of town somewhere, running the risk of rule changes while you’re away – potentially ending up room-bound in an unfamiliar town or city (there are only so many times you can check the mini-fridge after all).
3) Save yourself the travel and find somewhere local – where the destination is so beautiful and comfortable that you won’t have any need to leave until it’s time to make the short journey home.
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We went with option 3, and booked into the Stock Exchange Hotel, which threw its grand doors open to the public last year.
The hotel occupies the former Manchester Stock Exchange on Norfolk Street (between King St and Market St) just a minute’s walk away from the madness of Manchester’s main shopping district.
Stepping into the high-ceiling reception hall feels like walking into another world.
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There are neat references to the building’s history throughout the hotel – which has been lovingly restored to a magnificent standard with original marble, brass and exquisite woodwork. The hotel is part of the Relais & Châteaux portfolio and has 40 rooms, including two signature suites and a stunning 3,500 square foot penthouse.
We were warmly welcomed by the concierge, who had a short checklist to run through during check-in to ensure that we understood the new Covid-secure practices; it was professional, friendly and reassuring.
Once that was done, we were shown up to our room and given a mini history lesson along the way from the very attentive Aiden. He pointed out historic documents and old menus, whilst telling us (among other facts) that the Stock Exchange was built in the early 1900’s in what was then the 9th most populous city in the world.
Our room was grand but super-comfortable. Every inch had been thought through and just screamed luxury. The huge bed dominated the room, and hidden at the foot was a pop-up TV, which also rotated(!) – giving us the choice between lazing in bed, or using the remote to spin it round and sit on the sofa.
By far the highlight though, was the bathroom.
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It was just incredible: white marble throughout, with stylish black and gold fittings. This, coupled with underfloor heating and a bath so big it borders on obscene, really drives home the super-luxe feeling.
Once we had fiddled with all the settings, spun the telly round a few times and warmed our feet on the bathroom floor, we headed down to the Bull and Bear restaurant which boasts having chef Tom Kerridge at the helm.
We headed down slightly earlier than our reservation to grab a drink at the bar and take in the extraordinary voice of Yemi Bolatiwa as part of The Soul Carousel for the recently launched Soul Sundays and it was just perfect, the most gorgeous Sunday afternoon vibe. But the best was yet to come.
We were seated right in front of the open kitchen at one of the huge booth tables – giving us plenty of space, but not feeling like it was forced. The vibe in the dining room was great, and watching a well-tuned kitchen work away is always a pleasure.
I dined at the Bull & Bear when it first opened, and I feel like it has really evolved since then. The big wall-mounted TVs are still on for evening service but display digital works of art (instead of news/sport) to complement the decor – much less intrusive than I remember from my first visit, and a really smart addition.
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The Sunday set menu changes weekly but the staples I imagine stay the same. The offering was varied and interesting but everything you would want from a Sunday roast.
To start, I went for Potted Cornish Crab with Smoked Paprika Butter and Cucumber Chutney, while “he” opted for a Ham & Chicken Terrine, served with a slab of toasted sourdough and “Puckalilli” – a zingy, smooth twist on of the nation’s most underrated condiments. We followed with Rotisserie-cooked Dovecote Top Rump, Roast Potatoes and Horseradish Cream, and Roast Pork Belly with Apple Sauce and Roast Potatoes.
You can tell the quality of the produce with every bite – nothing is compromised here – and while the starters were delicious, it was the roasts that were the real winner.
We decided to order pretty much all the sides too, because y’know – it’s the weekend, and the whole meal was just an utter joy to eat. Shout out to the B&B chips with the Gerkin Ketchup; an absolute revelation and the most perfect accompaniment to the already delectable roast beef and pork belly.
What really made the experience was the service. The staff were all so lovely and seemed to really enjoy what they were doing, often they would pop over to check in and have a little chat, with nothing feeling at all forced.
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Our evening was made all-the-more special by sommelier Raff, who along with being thoroughly knowledgeable and very charming, allowed us to try a 1971 dessert wine served through a Coravin pourer: A real, rare treat. His passion for wine was palpable and clearly showed – we got the feeling he would be equally excitable upon finding any guest with similar interests.
Bull & Bear Restaurant
After our enthusiasm with the sides, you might assume dessert was off the cards – but no. The Beef Suet Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream was heavenly – rich and flavoursome without being cloying, and the Colston Bassett Eccles Cakes with Chutney are an absolute masterpiece. Little bites of shortcrust pastry packed with delicious stewed currants – alongside the perfect amount of creamy blue cheese and chutney.
The roast is priced at 2 Courses £34.50 or 3 Courses £39 and even though it may seem at the steeper end of the pricing scale, it’s well worth it. The whole meal was faultless – and with live music in the background and wonderful service, I can’t think of a better way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Being right in the heart of the city is a real treat – we were close to some of our favourite bars, so felt obliged to nip out and support them by buying some post-dinner drinks. Having to be “home” by 10pm was almost a benefit as well, giving us the perfect reason to retire to our comfortable and cosy room and be up for a breakfast (which was just as impressive as our evening meal).
We went a little lighter this time round – Manchester-smoked salmon and eggs, served atop sourdough from Pollen bakery in Ancoats, and Staffordshire Oat Cakes with rotisserie bacon and cheese. Both were a triumph, and complimented by a couple of beautifully-presented and delicious coffees.
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If you want to really treat yourself like we did, The Stock Exchange have added a Soul Sunday package to their list of “Exclusive Experiences”, which includes a 3 course meal from the set menu as well as overnight accommodation (with a complimentary room upgrade, subject to availability) and a hearty breakfast in The Bull & Bear to get your Monday off to a flying start too.
I urge you to leave your Covid worries behind and support local by staying local, check out all that Stock Exchange and Bull & Bear have to offer here and I can assure you, you will love every second as we did.
Eats
Cosy pubs near the Manchester Christmas Markets where you can avoid the madness
Daisy Jackson
The Manchester Christmas Markets are in full flow for another year, and they are BUSY – so we’ve picked out the top pubs providing refuge from it all.
Once again, thousands of people are pouring into the city centre every weekend and evening to browse the massive range of food, drink and gifts being sold from the village of wooden huts that have appeared in town.
And there’s no denying that the markets do bring plenty of festive cheer to town, with toy town mugs in every hand and people munching on sausages as they walk.
But when the hustle and bustle and the cold all gets a bit much – and if you’re anything like us, one or two drinks at the Christmas Markets is plenty – you’ll be looking for respite.
And by respite, we mean a pub.
So here are the best pubs that are very near the Manchester Christmas Markets without actually being in the thick of it.
North Westward Ho, Chapel Walks
Beers at North Westward Ho. Credit: The Manc GroupNorth Westward Ho’s traditional interior. This pub is near the Market Street and King Street Christmas Markets
This stunning pub has been created by Pomona Island, the much-loved local craft brewery, and it’s handily located within staggering distance of the Albert Square, Market Street, Piccadilly Gardens AND King Street Christmas markets hubs.
Pomona Island has taken on a chunk of the former Chaophraya restaurant, turning the grand arch-windowed red-brick building into a pub serving their own craft beers – from the easy-drinking Factotum, to the excellent Phaedra pale ale.
And boy is it cosy – North Westward Ho feels like a proper Manchester pub that has been styled with dark wooden details, ornate tiling, wall sconces, oil paintings, dark green ceramic brick times, and loads of cosy corners.
It’s opened in a former bin store at Victoria StationThe Victoria Tap is one of the cosiest pubs near the Cathedral Gardens Christmas Markets
The Victoria Tap is a beer bar that’s completely transformed a corner of the station that was previously home to a bin store, and it’s a perfect place to pause between the Cathedral Gardens Christmas Markets and your train home.
You won’t miss your train either – on the wall inside the pub is a departures board that advises how many pints you can fit in before your train leaves.
Northern breweries on the taps at Victoria Tap include Brew York, Blackjack and Runaway, plus a good selection of European beers from the likes of kostritzer, Bitburger and Schremser.
Inside there are traditional parquet floors underfoot and a dark green bar running almost the whole length of the micropub.
This bar is at complete odds with its location – the sight of its cosy, calm interior at great odds to the madness of Market Street it sits behind.
Like an oasis in the desert, Cafe Beermoth is one of those pubs that provides serious Christmas Markets salvation when you need it most.
The Belgian-style beer cafe champions drinks from across the UK as well as further afield into Europe and America, though it has a strong bond with Manchester’s own Runaway Brewery.
It’s one of those places you can visit solo or with a massive group and still be welcomed with the same open arms.
You wouldn’t think that the place to escape the madness of the Manchester Christmas Markets would be the Manchester Arndale, aka the biggest shopping mall in town and one that is RAMMED with shoppers in December.
But wedged into a corner of the Arndale Market is Micro Bar, a teeny tiny pub with a good selection of German and Belgian beers on keg plus hundreds of bottles and cans in the fridges.
If you’re quick and lucky, you can get a seat overlooking High Street and feel extra smug that you’re on the quiet side of the glass.
Formerly known as The Pilcrow, this shed-like pub on Sadler’s Yard is now in the very trustworthy hands of Cloudwater Brewery.
The space itself was built by local people through a series of workshops, with members of the public creating everything from the tabletops to the lampshades.
There is, of course, Cloudwater beers, but also plenty of others to choose from, a menu of natural wines, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails.
The pub is also stumbling distance from Cathedral Gardens – you can practically skate here from the Christmas Markets ice rink.
Disappear from St Ann’s Square – where you can barely move for gluhwein and tinsel – and down into the cave-like wine bar that is Corbieres.
Something of a Manchester institution, this brilliant bar has a jukebox loaded with great music, and a decent range of wines and beers.
It also does free pizza with any drink purchased, Tuesday to Friday 4.30pm to 7.30pm.
AND, as they’re advertising themselves as an escape from the markets, they’re even happy for you to bring the food you buy at the markets into the bar.
Any of the Chop Houses are guaranteed to be maximum cosy, with their Victorian interiors still largely in tact and menus full of massive stodgy food.
There are two that are both right near the King Street batch of Christmas Markets – Sam’s is beneath the previously mentioned North Westward Ho, while Albert’s is within that iconic tall skinny building on Cross Street.
At this time of year they’re extra festive thanks to soft white fairy lights and candles.
52 Cross St, M2 7AR
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The Rat & Pigeon, Back Piccadilly
The Rat & Pigeon is a lovely cosy pub near the Manchester Christmas Markets
It will come as a surprise to precisely no one that the so-called ‘Winter Gardens’ at Piccadilly Gardens are possibly the most hectic spot of all in town.
Which is why we’d highly recommend slipping away to The Rat & Pigeon, where the Crown & Kettle team have transformed the former Mother Macs pub into a three-storey pub.
Each floor provides you with a different vibe, whether your evening involves a pint and a dartboard or a cocktail and a giant disco ball.
If you really want to get away from the crowds trudging the streets of the Manchester Christmas Markets, you need to get underneath the streets.
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Welcome to The Gas Lamp, a subterranean, tiled-wall haven where local craft brewery Pomona Island dominates the taps and fridges (alongside plenty of other great pints).
It’s also a paradise for whiskey drinkers and is just a quick dart beyond the King Street markets.
50a Bridge Street, M3 3BW
Mulligans of Manchester, Southgate
Mulligans. Credit: The Manc GroupMulligans. Credit: The Manc GroupMulligans is one of Manchester’s top pubs and a good escape from the Christmas Markets
Is Mulligans a quiet pub? Absolutely not. But if you can get yourself a seat in one of its cosy corners or snugs, with a steady stream of Guinness in front of you, it’s one of those places you won’t want to tear yourself away from in a hurry.
This legendary Irish boozer just off Deansgate makes for a perfect escape in winter, where there’s live music seven days a week and top-quality Irish stout on the taps.
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Last year they opened up a brand-new bar upstairs, but it’s still the cosy original pub downstairs that we try to cram into when the Manchester Christmas Markets are too much to bear.
V.Goode Pies – Michelin-recommended Manchester restaurant to launch new pie shop
Daisy Jackson
A new pie shop is set to open in Manchester this month – and it comes from the same team behind a Michelin-recommended restaurant.
Chefs Shaun Moffat (of Winsome fame) and Sam Grainger (Madre, Belzan, Doug’s and loads more) will be joining forces for V.Goode Pies.
The Oxford Road pie shop promises to serve ‘the kind of pies Manchester’s been waiting for’ that won’t cost the earth.
Shaun and Sam dreamed up the idea following the success of the pie offering at Winsome, which are a highlight of its proudly British menu.
Set to open on Oxford Road, you’ll find four core individual pies as well as breakfast pies.
There’ll be the option to have your pie served in a barm, Wigan kebab-style, or have it as it comes with a pot of gravy to dunk it in.
The pies at Winsome. Credit: The Manc GroupV.Goode Pies will open on Oxford Road in Manchester
As well as traditional fillings, V. Goode Pies will have more out-there bakes like a lasagne pie, where layers of pasta are packed into a pie crust.
You can also expect rotating specials and collaborations.
V.Goode Pies – or, to use its government name, Valerie Goode’s Pies – is inspired by co-founder Tom Fastiggi’s dinner lady grandmother and pie connoisseur.
V.Goode Pies will take over the old Loaf store on Oxford Road and is set to open on 18 November, with a pop-up also planned at Freight Island this winter.
The pie shop will be open Monday to Saturday, from 7am until they sell out.
The Manc -
29th October 2020 
