World Cocktail Day is upon us, a global celebration of cocktails in all their shapes, sizes, and flavours – as if we needed an excuse to celebrate cocktails.
The annual event on 13 May will see people across the globe raise a toast to the wonder of mixology, and the whole experience of going out for cocktails.
Whatever your taste, whether you like a short and bitter beverage or a fun and flirty cocktail, you’ll find something to love inside the Corn Exchange in Manchester city centre.
The Grade II-listed building is home to more than a dozen brilliant restaurants, cafes and bars, many of which are ready to show off their drink-making skills.
Each one is created with a focus on ingredients, presentation, taste and experience.
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So in honour of World Cocktail Day, here’s a guide to just some of the cocktails around the Corn Exchange.
Sit back and raise a glass to the creativity and innovation of bartenders and mixologists around the world, especially those here in our home city.
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Chilli Mango Margarita at Mowgli
The most popular cocktail in the world, the margarita, is given a refreshing and spicy twist by Indian restaurant Mowgli.
They’ve added fresh mango and chilli peppers to the smoothness of tequila, with the zesty kick of lime juice.
Orchard Daiquiri at Riva Blu
Down at Riva Blu, the authentic Italian restaurant that faces out onto Exchange Square, you’ll find the refreshing and delicious Orchard Daiquiri.
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It’s made with smooth El Dorado 3yr Demerara rum, and is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy with the addition of nectarine, apricot, green apple, and lime.
Eton Mess at Sixes
It just wouldn’t be summer without an Eton Mess – or without cricket.
And you can merge those two worlds at Sixes Social Cricket, who are serving up a drink that mixes Strawberry Havana Especial Rum, ginger foam, brûléed meringue, and fresh strawberries.
One of the best bits of cocktails is the theatre that comes with them, whether it’s a torched topping, a colour-changing liquor or – as in this case – a cloud of dry ice that releases a burst of aromatic flavours.
This is the Love Dose cocktail at Delhi House Cafe, considered one of the most Instagrammable picks on this list of the Corn Exchange’s best cocktails.
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It blends Bombay Sapphire Gin, lychee and lime.
Zucker Floss at Garten Bar
The Garten Bar, located right in the centre of the stunning Corn Exchange, has created a playful twist on a classic bubbly drink.
It’s made with prosecco and violet, served with a cloud of candy floss that slowly melts into your drink, adding both theatre and subtle sweetness.
The best bit? 2-for-1 deals are available every day.
Phojito at Pho
It’s all about delicious slurping at Pho, the Vietnamese restaurant that serves steaming bowls of noodle soup and a belting twist on a classic mojito.
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It’s made with white rum, mint, lime and soda, packing a punch of flavour that pairs perfectly with your favourite pho dish.
Black Raspberry and Vanilla Highball at The Cosy Club
Pitched as a ‘taste explosion in a glass’, The Cosy Club’s Black Raspberry and Vanilla Highball is made with Mount Gay Rum, Chambord, vanilla, apple, and soda.
The Cosy Club is always a popular spot for a cocktail in the Corn Exchange, with balcony views over the atrium lending for some excellent people-watching.
The Banyan Colada – Banyan
Fancy a trip to more exotic shores? Of course you do.
The Banyan Colada will whip you straight away to the Caribbean with its blend of Bacardi Cuatro rum, Discarded Banana Peel rum, coconut, kaffir, lemongrass, pineapple, and lime.
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Singapore Sling – Tampopo
One of the world’s most famous cocktails is given plenty of time in the spotlight from long-standing local favourite Tampopo.
Their Singapore Sling is made to the original Raffles Hotel recipe, using gin, cherry liqueur, Cointreau, grenadine, and pineapple juice.
Aperol Spritz – Salvi’s
The holiday vibes continue over at Salvi’s, who serve arguably the best and most authentic Aperol Spritz in Manchester.
You can sit out on their sun-soaked terrace sipping on Aperol, prosecco and soda water – if you shut your eyes, you can almost feel the Amalfi coast sea breeze on your skin.
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Please drink responsibly. If you feel that you are concerned about your relationship with alcohol, you can find information and advice about alcohol, learn about its impact on your health and wellbeing and get support to cut back on drinking via the Drinkaware website.
Featured image: Supplied
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MediaCity’s massive Vue cinema has had a comfort upgrade with new ‘Ultra Lux’ seats
Emily Sergeant
Manchester cinephiles are now able to enjoy the latest movie releases in ultimate comfort.
That’s because, over at the popular MediaCity Vue cinema complex, 75 brand-new ‘Ultra Lux’ seats have been installed across seven screens, offering film fans what is, quite literally, the chance to sit in the best seats in the house.
Each seat provides the very-best view of the big screen and comes with a host of premium features.
Some of these exciting premium features include extra-wide armrests and a personal table for snacks and drinks, your very-own beverage cooler, which is ideal for films with a particularly long run-time, and even a back and legs that recline independently, so you can find the most relaxing viewing position possible.
Vue currently has 93 state-of-the-art cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland, totalling more than 850 screens – and the Quayside cinema is the latest to benefit from upgraded seating.
Ultra Lux seats have arrived at Vue Quayside Manchester / Credit: Vue Gallery / Supplied
This means that anyone heading to the cinema to see some of the latest and upcoming releases like Avatar: Fire and Ash, Marty Supreme, The Housemaid, Fackham Hall, Wicked: For Good, and so many more, can experience comfort like never before.
“We have invested in bringing Vue’s best seating option to our venue and are excited for our customers to enhance their experience on their next visit,” commented Darren Tinsley, who is the General Manager at Vue Manchester Quayside.
“It is truly the best way to immerse yourself in a film and to have the most comfortable experience.”
Tickets for Vue Manchester Quayside start from £6.49, with upgrades to Ultra Lux from £3 on selected tickets.
January is a month where the temperatures are colder, the days darker, and the social batteries a little lower, so it couldn’t be a better time to lose yourself in the power of cinema – and treat yourself to an Ultra Lux experience.
You can book tickets to upcoming films online by visiting myvue.com.
Featured Image – Supplied
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A massive home and furniture store just outside of Manchester is holding its biggest ever winter sale
Danny Jones
You heard: a huge home, furniture and accessories store just outside Greater Manchester is holding its biggest ever winter sale, making the festive period and the New Year the perfect time to pop in.
Rather annoyed we got mum those nice cushions for Christmas before we saw this, now, but ah well – there’s always her birthday…
Anyone who’s been to Macclesfield or on a train heading in or out of the North West will have most likely been past this place on the train, but the multi-storey emporium that is Arighi Bianchi really is a must-visit for anyone looking to upgrade their interior on a budget.
The Macclesfield home furnishings store has something for everyone, from high-end luxuries to decorative accessories, with pretty much every price range taken into account – which is why landing some seasonal discounts is such a big win for the region.
A fairly iconic sight as you pass through the Cheshire town, Macclesfield‘s Arighi Bianchi was founded way back in 1854 by two Italian immigrants – both called Antonio – whose surnames give the long-standing retail destination its title.
Well over 170 years later, and it’s more popular than ever, so the bonus of them bringing never-before-seen in-store deductions and special seasonal promotions across all departments is an even bigger win.
It doesn’t matter whether you want to shop online or visit in-store (though we would highly recommend the latter), you can get up to 30% off items in what is their biggest event of 2025.
As well as discounts on everything from sofas, sideboards and dining tables to floors, mattresses and much more, they’re doing cut-price offers on top designer brands from around Europe, including Cattelan Italia, Calligaris, Ercol, Hypnos, Tempur, Vispring and Stressless, just to name a few.
Subject to the usual terms and conditions, customers can even get early flexible finance deals (24 months 0% APR*) on their purchases; after all, they know as well as we do how tight money can be around this time of year.
Better still, their early bird offers, which are on top of the standard winter sale, will see even more cost cuttings on the likes of the Britannia Sofa, Freja Dining Bundle, the Heritage Bed Collection and other premium accessories from 27 December until 18 January.
For instance, if you spend £1,200 in-store, you will receive an extra £50 voucher for the CASA Accessories Lounge; or, beyond that, spend £2.5k and earn yourself a £100 voucher.
So, if you’re looking to get a fresh living room suite for 2026, make the most of 10% off wallpaper and fabrics or 20% off mirrors, or even get four new dining chairs for the price of three, there’s a cheeky deal to suit just about everyone.
You can see the full extent of what’s on offer during the Arighi Bianchi winter sale right HERE, or go and peruse the four floors for yourself in the flesh on the famous Silk Road.
Happy holiday season shopping, folks – maybe bump into you around Caffè AB.
Daisy Jackson -
12th May 2023 
