‘I’ve been to hundreds of bars in Manchester and these are 15 of the best'

Manchester is a city known for its pubs. There truly is a drinking den for every mood, whether it’s an afternoon pint tucked away in a quiet corner, after-work quick one, or a seemingly never-ending beer crawl.

But while we all have our own cherished boozers, the city is catching the attention of national critics for another kind of drinking spot - our award-winning bars.

It’s fair to say we really do have a world-class cocktail scene emerging here in Manchester. Earlier this year, the family-run Schofield’s Bar was named the best in the UK, beating out competition from London, Edinburgh, Leeds and Birmingham.

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The Top 50 cocktail bars in the UK also featured a number of heavy hitters from across the city. Blinker on Spring Gardens, which has an entire list dedicated to martinis landed a spot, as did the speakeasy-inspired Speak in Code with its top-notch vegan cocktails, and Project Halcyon, which is tucked away under the cobbles in a converted warehouse.

But really that’s just scratching the surface. And, as well as cocktail bars, Manchester is also home to an enviable number of bars, from rooftop terraces where you can take in the constantly evolving skyline, to subterranean drinking dens in the Northern Quarter and dive bars that are held close to Mancunians hearts.

Despite recently deciding to have a break from alcohol over the summer months, I’m lucky enough to have tried out a number of Manchester’s crème de la crème. So, while I may not be drinking right now, I’ve rounded up some of the best in the city centre, with everything from date nights and post-work drinks accounted for.

Schofield’s Bar

It’s hard to overstate