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Where to find a great pint of Guinness in Manchester city centre

We love a pint of Guinness, but sadly not all of them are up to par.

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 16th March 2023

When it comes to finding good pints of Guinness, it’s fair to say that not all Manchester boozers are created equal.

Some pints are thin and watery, some have a very bitter taste, and some are missing that all-important signature creamy head. All things you want to avoid. In fact, if you go into a pub and see any of this our advice is to run.

Any bartender worth their salt will tell you that there’s a certifiable art to pouring out a proper pint of the black stuff, starting with a two-part pour – a practice considered sacrosanct for literally hundreds of years.

Your pint should be properly poured with 3/4 of it filled with old stout, rested, then topped up with new, and when the glass is emptied a white, creamy residue should remain.

These, as we know them, are the basics but serious Guinness drinkers can likely reel off a whole list of other criteria that we haven’t even touched on. For now, though, that’ll do.

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Keep reading to find the best places to drink Guinness in Manchester.

Mulligans of Deansgate

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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

Widely renowned for having the best pint of Guinness in Manchester hands down, if it’s authenticity you’re looking for then Mulligan’s is a must.

An authentic Irish bar with live music and plenty of cosy snugs to tuck yourself away in, it’s typically packed to the rafters and bartenders pride themselves on never, ever leaving a bubble in your pint.

The Bay Horse Tavern

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Image: The Bay Horse Tavern
Image: The Bay Horse Tavern

This Northern Quarter boozer on Thomas Street is another favourite for those looking for a great pint of Guinness.

This St Patrick’s Day, lovers of the black stuff can get a pint for just £4 between 4-7pm. as well as £5 double Jameson and gnger and £2.50 Jameson all day long.

The Peveril of the Peak

Image: Adam Pester Photography
Image: Adam Pester Photography

A historic city centre boozer, The Peveril of the Peak is not just one of Manchester’s most beautiful but also one of its most unique public houses.

Run by one of Britain’s oldest and longest-serving landlords, come for its bold green tile-clad exterior and stained glass windows and stay for a creamy pint of Guinness.

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Read more: All the March Manchester restaurant deals, discounts and offers you need in 2023

The Castle Hotel

Image: Flickr

Another great Northern Quarter boozer, this time on Oldham Street, The Castle Hotel is another spot you can completely rely on for quality Guinness. Its pours have even been accredited.

The real ale pub boasts several cosy snugs, a small beer garden out back and a gig room where you can watch local bands whilst sipping on proper pints.

The Crown & Kettle

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Image: The Crown & Kettle
Image: The Crown & Kettle

This gorgeous Grade II-listed freehouse sits the border of Ancoats and Northern Quarter and dates all the way back to 1774.

Reopened in 2005 in cooperation with English Heritage, it has an incredibly fine and unusual ceiling and one of the best pints of Guinness in the neighbourhood.

Edinburgh Castle

Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

Whilst we’re talking about Ancoats, Edinburgh Castle also deserves an honourable mention for its Guinness pour.

This lovingly refurbished Victorian boozer not only boasts Manchester’s most elite chip butty and a stunning upstairs restaurant, but is also widely considered one of the best places for a pint of Guinness in town.

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O’Shea’s Irish Bar

Image: O’Shea’s Irish Bar
Image: O’Shea’s Irish Bar

Obviously, we have to talk about O’Shea’s. This Irish bar is widely considered a go-to fo a good pint of Guinness, with some even reporting they prefer their pints to Mulligans.

During Covid, the bar made a splash in Manchester by opening a giant outdoor Guinness garden. This year on St Patrick’s Day, it is opening from 10am for breakfast pints.

The Deansgate

Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

Another historic boozer reborn after two years of sitting boarded up on the busy Manchester stretch from which it takes its name.

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The Deansgate is now under the ownership of Greene King and serves a cracking pint of Guinness from its ground-floor and first-floor bars alongside a menu of hearty pub grub.

Feature image – The Manc Group