By Janet Reeder
From sipping cocktails on a rooftop bar to eating Tex Mex and playing bowls the next, Manchester is a city where everyone can kick back and let their hair down.
Urban glam
You can find your tribe in every district of the city, like Spinningfields home to The Ivy, a magnet for celebrities and the uber glam and The Oast House where you can soak up a relaxed nightlife vibe. The Refinery, and the rooftop bar at 20 Stories restaurant are also popular places to enjoy drinks while listening to some beats and across the Irwell you’ll find Menagerie, another fashionable bar-restaurant that is as much about the experience as it is about the food.
Castlefield is the place to head for an al fresco drink. Join the crowds outside Dukes 92 or down cask ales at The Wharf or The Dockyard, then as the night progresses head to Deansgate Locks and Lola Lo.
Check out the iconic Ivy in Spinningfields
Cruising along Deansgate you can soak up the revelry at Dirty Martini, go clubbing all night at Chinawhite, play snooker at the Roxy Ball Room, ping pong at Twenty Twenty Two and darts at the Flight Club. Imbibe a cocktail at Grand Pacific on King Street, or at Panacea on John Dalton Street, then follow the crowd to bar/club Vanitas at the former Freemasons Hall on Bridge Street.
Playground on Whitworth Street is where you can release your inner (wild) child, while you can lose yourself in music at Club Liv and Uberfooty247. Make a beeline for Funkademia, Manchester’s longest-running club night at the Mint Lounge in the edgy Northern Quarter to get a taste of Manchester cool.
You can find your tribe in every district of the city, like Spinningfields home to The Ivy, a magnet for celebrities and the uber glam and The Oast House where you can soak up a relaxed vibe
Alternative and independent bars
The Northern Quarter and Ancoats areas of the city are where to meet a cool indie crowd at bars such as Dive Bar & Grill, Hold Fast and The Pen and Pencil bar, NoHo, Ply and Guilty by Association. Jazz aficionados can toe-tap at laid-back basement club, Matt & Phred’s, hosting live jazz, funk and soul acts, plus cocktails and a tasty pizza menu.
Sail away on one of The Liquorist’s cruises, or hit Apotheca and soak up its stylish Gothic pharmacy interior. Feeling peckish? Make your way through the underground tunnel to Dough Pizza Kitchen, head over to the speakeasy-style bar at Black Dog Ballroom where you can lounge until 4am or hit up Science & Industry, an eccentric and experimental hideaway with full table service.
Enjoy mouth-watering cocktails with friends in Manchester
Join the A-list at Bar 21, a movie and music-themed venue, knock back shots at Walrus, or join the in-crowd at The Liar’s Lounge at Cane & Grain. Hit the Washhouse or Stage and Radio, or head for The Font on New Wakefield Street and drink craft beers and cocktails while the DJ spins your favourite sounds.
