The Manchester Gin bar under the arches selling chocolate-topped espresso martinis
In celebration of the big reopening, Three Little Words is serving up an intriguing-looking spring menu - with new additions among the drinks and dishes.
Manchester Gin’s bar and restaurant under the arches is back with a bang.
After months of closure, Three Little Words is flexing its culinary muscles as the team revamp their small plates and cocktail menus for the new season.
The swanky little spot, which is tucked inside the Grade-II listed building between Deansgate and Great Northern, also acts as the sister site to the Spirit of Manchester Distillery – a venue renowned for its ‘gin experiences‘ (where you can make your own bottle to take home).
In celebration of the big reopening, Three Little Words is serving up an intriguing-looking spring menu – with new additions among the drinks and dishes.
The fresh cocktail list includes recipes like the Bonnie & Clyde, a blueberry flavoured vodka-based drink made with house vanilla and honey syrup, and a house twist on a Pina Colada served with rum-soaked toasted pineapple wedge skewer and pineapple leaves
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But our must-try? A salted caramel chocolate-topped espresso martini called (wait for it) 99 Problems (but this drink ain’t one).
Not only does it sound delicious, it perfectly sums up the year (and then some) that Manchester’s hospitality has just had. Made with Manchester Gin’s own signature house blend, amaretto, freshly brewed espresso, dandelion and burdock, it’s then topped with a slab of salted caramel chocolate.
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On the food side of things, new small plates include pork popcorn with juniper and fennel salt, red onion and chilli bhaji with sumac and yoghurt, and asparagus & dolcelatte arancini.
We also really like the look of the new pork belly bon bons, served with apple, maple bacon and lambs lettuce.
Reopen Wednesday through to Sunday, with a live DJ on Friday and Saturday evenings, Three Little Words serves until late with weekend close times of 2.30am.
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Thursdays and Sundays feature live band entertainment, with doors shutting at 1am.
Inside Voyeur, a mysterious new post-punk 80s-inspired cocktail bar
Daisy Jackson
A brand new cocktail bar is set to open in Manchester this week, with dark and mysterious interiors, 80s inspiration, and a raunchy theme.
Voyeur is opening in the heart of the Northern Quarter, and here it’s all about modern drinks in a post-punk 80s setting.
The walls are decorated with beautiful voyeurism photography from the 80s, including artists like David Hockney, Nick Taggart, and Malerie Marder.
Even the menus celebrate the artistic side of voyeurism, with drinks presented within a book of photography.
Those drinks include creative twists on drinks dating back more than a century, from the Kaleidescope of Lies (a two-in one cocktail inspired by a pina colada, with a strawberry daiquiri foam top) to The Voyeur (made with coriander-infused tequila for a savoury punch).
There’ll be monthly themed specials, kicking off with The Breakfast Club, where seasonal drinks take inspiration from Lucky Charms cereal, chai latte and an acai bowl.
Cocktails inspired by The Breakfast Club at VoyeurCocktails at Voyeur in the Northern QuarterInside Voyeur, a new Manchester cocktail barInside Voyeur, a new Manchester cocktail barVoyeur on Oldham StreetThe cocktail menu is presented as a photography book
The dark space is lit by marble table lamps and a glittering green disco ball (and not much else), perfect for an evening spent sipping cocktails into the early hours.
Between Thursdays and Sundays, Voyeur will have DJs spinning vinyls.
Voyeur is opening this week on Oldham Street and will be open from 5pm to 2am between Tuesday and Sunday.
A brand-new dessert, ice-cream and doughnut shop in a former Manc food spot
Thomas Melia
Sweet lovers and dessert connoisseurs alike, a brand-new dessert, ice-cream and doughnut shop is opening in Manchester city centre this month.
Titled ‘Baby Mayhem’, this sweet-filled shop has been teasing its arrival for the past month with videos showcasing everything from new instalments to their graffiti-style logo.
This brand-new opening will be located on Radium Street, not too far away from Chinese superstar Wing Yip and fellow sweet treat specialists, Flat Baker, right in the heart of Ancoats.
The interior has been given a very nice and bright facelift too, going from an all white four-walled site to a bold and distinctive baby pink-covered site.
Manchester seems to have quite the sweet tooth at the moment, as it was only last month that our Northern Quarter was christened by cake gods, Get Baked.
As for this new dessert shop, they’re starting from scratch, with a temporary wooden window frame with their branding spray-painted onto it fitted ahead of their soft launch later this week.
Baby Mayhem is taking up residence in the much-loved Lazy Tony’s Lasagneria shop, and it really is out with the old, in with the new, as the familiar neon ‘No Lasagne’ sign has been traded for a sweeter read of ‘Fresh Donuts’.
It may be Yank spelling, but this still feels Manc through and through.
Case and point: all their signage, stamps and stencils have been done by local laser cutting service and neighbours, Drawn By The Light – also on Radium Street.
Enough salt, let’s have a serious amount of sugar. (Credit: Baby Mayhem via Instagram)
Baby Mayhem are taking sweet treats to the complete extreme, serving up everyone’s beloved combo of coffees and cakes, while also creating our soon-to-be-favourite indulgence: doughnut sandwiches. 10/10, no notes – genius.
There really are no complaints here; what’s not to love?
Baby Mayhem is taking up residence in the former Lazy Tony’s site, 23 Radium Street in Ancoats, and will be serving up their sweet treats for all to try from this Saturday, 26 April.
Georgina Pellant -
21st May 2021 
