The Manchester taprooms serving up the freshest pints in the city centre
Manchester's definitely earned its title as the second best place in the country for craft beer - and we're absolutely spoilt when it comes to choosing a taproom. Words by Alice Gerrard.
Manchester knows its way around beer, with some of the world’s best breweries right here in the North West, and we’ve got some serious top taprooms to prove it.
From the tiny spots serving colourful cans of ale to the giants spotted in pubs across the nation, there’s a lot going on.
And if you’re looking to sample some of Manchester’s freshest beer, look no further than the city‘s almost intimidatingly high volume of taprooms.
Each attached to a local independent brewery, you can experience a whole new way of drinking – separate from the city centre bars. In the promised land of taprooms, beer pretty much flows straight out of the tanks into your awaiting pint glass.
The trade-off? Typically, taprooms offer a slightly more industrial setting but still, if you want to drink straight from the source and try the newest brews, there really is nothing better.
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The top 10 taprooms in Manchester city centre
Whether you’re a fan of craft ale on tap, lager or a traditional cask hand pump, there’s plenty to discover in Manchester to suit all beer drinkers’ tastes.
Keep reading to discover our top Manchester taproom picks.
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1. Track Brewery Taproom. – Unit 14, Piccadilly Trading Estate
Once the new kid on the block and now a local favourite, Track Brewing Co. is a mainstay on the drink-in indie brewery scene springing up near Piccadilly.
There are more than 20 beers to choose from here, including three lager taps, 17 draught taps, and 3 cask pumps on offer. An integral part of Track’s 10,000 sq ft home on the Piccadilly Trading Estate, the taproom seats 80 people and also has room for a DJ.
2. Cloudwater Brewery Taproom – Unit 9, Piccadilly Trading Estate
Cloudwater Brewing Co. is one of the most esteemed in Manchester and the UK, having won multiple awards including the second-best brewery in the world. Its cosy taproom in the same complex as Track has over 20 draught taps of their own beer to showcase and you’ll struggle to find a bad one.
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There is also a shop selling cans and bottles to take away directly from a walk-in cold store and it’s worth noting that the Sadler’s Cat (formerly known as The Pilcrow) at NOMA has been spreading the good word of the lord through their Cloudwater stock.
While not attached to an actual brewery, there’s enough beer flowing at North Brewing Co’s first Manchester bar to keep you occupied.
Saved from closure by Kirkstall founder Steve Holt, the stylish, Scandi-inspired space at North Taproom is kitted out with plywood and plants, with seating for up to 100 punters at a time plus outside space. Then there are 24 draught lines, flanked by glowing fridges filled with cans to take away.
The team behind this Green Quarter brewery previously worked at Beatnikz Republic – now reborn as Pelican (see below) – under the very same arches and it’s one of our favourite additions to Manchester’s taproom scene.
They’ve created a welcoming space with real New York vibes, with ivy climbing the walls and there’s a great range of flagship ales to nurse your way through.
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5. Pelican – Northern Quarter
Speaking of the big bird that’s taken Beatnikz’s place, Pelican is the first and only taproom from Squawk Brewing Co. and while the company itself might have sadly shut down after a decade, their gorgeous little bar will thankfully remain.
Located on the corner of Dale and Tariff Street, this colourful, floral and ornithological little spot serves up incredible independent craft beers, stouts, rubies and more, not to mention deals such as a pint and a pizza slice for £9 as well as a great monthly pub quiz. Give it a try if you haven’t already.
6. The Sureshot Tap – Unit 5, Piccadilly Trading Estate
Next up is The Sureshot Tap from the brewing company of the same name which is always sure to deliver an absolutely lip-smacking tipple. Part of the ‘Beermuda Triangle™’ (very good) alongside Track and Cloudwater, their reputation precedes them and we’re big fans of the Piccadilly space.
With dreamy and juicy pales, perfectly punchy porters and an ever-renewing lineup of other clever creations, they’re genuinely up there with some of the best brewers in the game at the minute.
Set up by seven real brothers, the now legendary brewing company’s beerhouse in Ancoats offers amazing craft beer and some seriously good scran. In truth, their main taproom is over in Salford but with an empire now stretching into Kampus, MediaCity, Middlewood Locks and more, you can take your pick.
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The menu is updated regularly, with a beer for every season and mood. If you’re not sure what to go for, just ask for a sample and the team will happily oblige. Seven Brothers Brewing Co. is and always will be one of the GOATs.
8. Balance Taproom – Unit 10, Piccadilly Trading Estate
Back over to Sheffield Street and what is effectively the central hive of activity for city centre taproom culture, the Balance Brewing and Blending‘s Taproom is a little less rough and ready than some of its neighbours, not to mention an irresistibly cosy and welcoming little space.
They’ve not been open long but it’s already starting to feel like a community over here – they’ve even started a cycling club recently. Oh yeah, and their carefully curated selection of wide fermentations of beers, sours and ales is stunning.
Our penultimate pull comes from Northern Monk, the popular Leeds brewing company whose Manchester taproom over on Tariff St is another one of our favourites. Thanks for keeping us in the know, The Hoot.
With a brilliant main room with an even better lineup of northern crafts, plenty of outdoor benches for when the sun comes out, a cool cellar bar that’s perfect for private events and a great rotating lineup of food residencies, this place is the complete package in our books.
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10. North Westward Ho – City Centre (kind of…)
Consider this 10th and final suggestion a bit of an honourable mention as although it isn’t technically a taproom, it is comfortably one of the best pubs to have opened up in Manchester over recent years and it is from the team behind beloved Manc brewery, Pomona Island.
Delivering a classic and almost old London boozer-like feel, North Westward Ho has quickly become one of the most packed-out post-work pubs and watering holes most weekends. We can’t speak highly enough of it.
We’ve sadly had to say goodbye to legends like the Alphabet Brewing Company (ABC Taproom was always a great go-to) Wander Beyond, Carbon Smith and others, but we’re glad that the Manc brewing climate at large is still going strong.
It, of course, goes without saying that there are plenty more around Greater Manchester to get stuck into; we’re a region of beer lovers and craft ale connoisseurs, and we look forward to many more breweries establishing their reputation across the ten boroughs and beyond.
Michelin guide Prestwich restaurant Osma announces heartbreaking closure
Daisy Jackson
Osma, a beautiful, Michelin-recommended restaurant in Prestwich, has announced its closure next month.
The Scandi-esque restaurant has been a front-runner of Prestwich’s ever-growing food and drink scene since it opened in 2020.
Fronted by Manchester born Danielle Heron, who you might recognise from the Great British Menu and MasterChef: The Professionals 2024, alongside Sofie Stoermann-Naess.
Osma has been a favourite among Prestwich locals over the last five years, famed for its inventive small plates and delicious Sunday roasts – but now its time in the suburb has come to an end.
In a statement shared online, Osma said that they have ‘struggled to find experience staff, leaving us with little to no personal life’.
The restaurant has teased a move into the city centre, where it’s hoped the business will be more sustainable and ready to grow.
“This is by no means the end of Osma,” they wrote.
Their kitchen at Exhibition in the city centre will remain open even after Osma in Prestwich closes on Sunday 9 February.
Osma in Prestwich has announced its closure. Credit: Instagram, @osmakitchenbar
Other food and drink businesses in the village have all been sharing farewell messages, with The Pearl commenting: “Prestwich’s foodie foundations will be very wobbly without the OG cornerstone that welcomed the ‘foodie neighbourhood’ accolades. Good luck in town both, we’ll definitely come and visit the new place.”
Whole Bunch Wines, formerly known as Grape to Grain, said: “Absolutely devastating news for Prestwich. A HUGE loss but a sign of their quality that they’re forced to move.”
Osma’s full statement reads: “Neighbours & Friends. We’ve spoken with some of you already, but it’s time to make it official. It’s with a heavy heart, but excitement for the future, that we have decided to close our Prestwich restaurant ahead of a move to the city centre.
“Being fully transparent – we’ve struggled to find experienced staff, leaving us with little to no personal life. We have made the decision to move on to what we hope will be a more sustainable business that can grow, and allow us more time to follow our dreams. This is by no means the end of OSMA.
“We’re optimistic, but it’s bittersweet. After (almost!) five years we have met so many amazing and incredible people, who we’re proud to call our friends and OSMA family. So many of you have kept coming back week after week – we feel honoured and so grateful for your company. There have been hard days over the years and your kindness, patience and good moods have made such an impact on us to keep pushing forward. Thank you! 🙏🏼
“Of course, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our one-of-a-kind staff. Your efforts make OSMA what it is. Even when so understaffed, you all keep moving and help each other get through the day as a team. There’s not many of you, but what you guys can achieve is incredible!
“Lastly, we want to thank our landlord, Tony Freeman, for taking a risk on two 26-year-old girls wanting to open a restaurant. OSMA wouldn’t be here today without him believing in us. You will live on in our memory forever.
“Our last day of service will be Sunday, 9th February. Bookings are open now and we’d love to see as many of you as possible before we go. Stay tuned on our socials as we’ll be throwing a leaving party, too.
“A little housekeeping… gift cards bought after the 9th of Feb 2024 may be refunded to the original payment method, or extended to use at our new site (to be valid for one year after the opening date). Our Kitchen at Exhibition on Peter Street will also remain open as usual, so please don’t be a stranger.
“We appreciate every single one of you… and we’ll be back before you know it! Love Dani & Fie x”
Quiet Corners: The Fox and Pine – Oldham’s proper good pub that feels like someone’s front room
Danny Jones
Our search for Greater Manchester’s cosiest pubs is never-ending, especially when it’s cold and grey outside as it often is around these parts, and we recently stumbled across a corker over in Oldham.
Let us introduce you to The Fox and Pine: a brilliant little boozer sat quietly on the corner of Greaves Street, an otherwise unsuspecting road just a block over from the main high street.
You’ll first spot it by the old-school lantern and hanging baskets placed outside, then by the door itself which bears the pitch-perfect British pub name pressed into a metal plate across what we assume (and certainly hope) is a pine door.
Its decorative but modest frontage is just a teaser of what’s to come as once you open that front door, you enter into a world of knick-knacks, bric-à-brac, sports memorabilia and more fox-related ornaments than you could possibly imagine.
The Fox and Pine pub in Oldham has all the charm as its name would suggest. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Opened in 2020 by Michelle and Chris Riley, the distinctive Oldham pub was named in honour of their two beloved football clubs, with Michelle born in Leceister (The Foxes) and Chris an Oldham Athletic fan (who were once known as Pine Villa), but the story behind the site itself gets even more interesting.
Although it is now an award-winning watering hole – having been voted CAMRA’s Greater Manchester ‘Pub of the Year’ three years on the foxtrot, among a number of other accolades – the location was previously used for local AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings.
Now, while we obviously fully support anyone’s journey to sobriety, we’ll confess we’re quite pleased that it’s now become somewhere that not only serves alcohol but champions real ale, specifically, with an ever-rotating lineup from around Greater Manchester, Lancashire and beyond.
Better yet this isn’t a place that gives off binge-drinking but rather one that proudly embraces the undeniable sense of community that a really good, welcoming pub can give small towns like this.
Spanning two floors, both of which are decked out like a warm and quintessentially British family home, the Latics blue glow of the bar quickly catches your eye as you scan the various pumps of cask ale, stout, cider and lager – all of which the staff and customers alike have a good knowledge of.
A brûlée-flavoured number appeared to be the favourite on the day we popped in and it’s nice to see a genuinely friendly, engaging exchange between pourer and punter rather than just a transaction. The longer we lingered there the more nods to the local footy and rugby culture we found too.
A luminous sign reading ‘Yeds’ looms above the bar, referring to the local rugby supporters club that gathers there on matchdays; jerseys, scarves and more adorn the rest of it and much of the surrounding walls, but turn your head to the right and the vibe shifts from pub to what feels like a front room.
Twinkling with fairy lights and soft candlelight on each table is the main seating area, complete with framed pictures of local dogs (we’re talking dozens), a telly for the sport and a faux fireplace but one that still effectively serves as the hearth of the room for people to gather around and be merry.
Credit: The Manc Group
Once again, the whole room feels more like someone’s house than it does a pub and the same goes for when you head upstairs, where you’ll find two more seating areas. Between the fox-themed wallpaper, general decor and another mantlepiece, the only things that feel pubby are the tables and a dartboard.
In fact, we think it’s the little creature comforts and personalised touches that really set this place apart. Be it the hair gel, aftershave and even beard oil left free to use in the bathroom, or the various homemade pasties being served on tiny chopping boards downstairs, it feels delightfully intimate.
Not only were locals keeping a tab of whose round it was from across the room even if they weren’t sat together, but there was even a sign seemingly left out to reserve a corner table for their oldest regulars who seemed to know everyone – and we get the feeling they don’t have to book.
There are live music and comedy nights throughout the week too, should you desire some entertainment beyond good company and whatever game’s on the box, but we’ll be honest: we were quite happy just nestling up in the corner, nattering over a proper pint and getting to know the familiar faces.
When the air does get a bit warmer outside, there’s also a garden area waiting out back and they even turn space out front into a small beer garden terrace as well.
That being said, it is the undeniably cosy interior that we fell in love, so much so that we ended up spending pretty much the entire day there.
It’s been a minute since we’ve been truly swept up in the effortless magic of a pub like this and those who already frequent in don’t need reminding that it’s got a real gem here – they’re proud of it and we dare say a lot spend the majority of their time in here.
So, the next time you’re over Oldham way and in need of a quiet corner to cosy up in, or just fancy a decent pub to whet the whistle, you won’t go far wrong with The Fox and Pine.
The Manc -
6th April 2024 
