Manchester MA500: a city united
While football may split this city into two halves, Manchester certainly comes together with its hospitality scene.
From dedicated sports bars to cool and quirky secret speakeasy venues, the city caters for everyone throughout the day and night.
Its food and drink culture is thriving with new restaurants, bars, gastropubs, microbreweries and cafés opening weekly, meaning the city is establishing itself as one of the UK’s most exciting foodie destinations, according to Visit Manchester.
Options cover all bases, including fine dining and afternoon tea alongside pop-up markets and humble street food, Greater Manchester is packed with opportunities to suit any mood, offering any and every cuisine possible.
Multiple operator Arc Inspirations started in Leeds but has branched out to Manchester with its brands Banyan Bar & Kitchen, in the Corn Exchange and Spinningfields, and Manahatta, in Deansgate.
Arc CEO Martin Wolstencroft said: “After a lot of deliberation and research, we identified Manchester as a fantastic demographic fit for the openings of Manahatta and Banyan.”
Fellow multi-site business, the New World Trading Company (NWTC), also operates in the diverse city with two venues from its Botanist brand (one in Media City, Salford, and one in Deansgate) as well as the pub group’s flagship site, the Oast House venue in Spinningfields.
The Oast House opened in November 2011 at a cost of £750,000 in the middle of Spinningfield’s office development.
One of NWTC’s Botanist sites is in Deansgate, which sits alongside Revolucion De Cuba, Slug & Lettuce and Dirty Martini.
Located at the top end of the city, Deansgate, a mile-long road that runs through the city centre, is surrounded by the designer department stores and shopping streets. It is also a stone’s throw from the Manchester Arena and Royal Exchange Theatre.
Scottish multiple operator and brewer BrewDog has two venues in Manchester – one in Peter Street and its recently opened site in Oxford Road.
Located on Barton Arcade is Be At One, on the former Circle Club site. The venue has a late licence, meaning cocktails flow until the early morning.
Manchester’s Northern Quarter prides itself on housing some of the city’s best independent bars and pubs.
Situated around the revamped high street and ‘the original Northern Quarter’ on Oldham Street, it is next to the Arndale Centre and Piccadilly Gardens.
The Northern Quarter is host to venues such as Science and Industry, which is hidden behind a secret door and decked out with wood-panelled walls, antique glassware and taxidermy squirrel lights.
Crazy Pedro’s also opened its second branch in the quarter in November 2016 where guests can enjoy a huge mezcal and Tequila range, pizzas and nachos, all served until 4am daily.
While the city has a diverse food offering, drink isn’t something that is forgotten about it.
Manchester Beer Week takes place during the summer in the city and is dedicated to celebrating the continuously growing beer scene.
With more than 80 breweries around Manchester, the event aims to not only show Mancunians what is right under their nose but to also draw people in from other cities and show them what Manchester is really about.
An estimated 12,000 visitors attended 102 events at venues across Greater Manchester during the festival in 2017.
