The classy new Manchester cocktail bar tucked inside the UK’s best food hall

Manchester’s constantly evolving bar scene has long been the envy of fellow Northern cities, but in recent years it’s also caught attention from further afield. In May, Schofield’s on Little Quay Street was named the best bar in the UK, while four of the five nominees in the Best Bar in the North category hailed from Manchester.

Whether you’re on the hunt for an upscale roof terrace, underground drinking den or simply a quiet nook for a swift one, Manchester’s roster of watering holes is stronger than ever. It’s something that the owners of a brand new Northern Quarter bar are well aware of - and extremely excited by.

“I think now is a great time to open something like this because people in Manchester are really appreciative of good cocktails,” says Ben Reilly, who is opening Stray, with his friend and business partner Fran Cruse. "There’s so many more great bars popping up now compared to three years ago and everyone has been so supportive of what we’re doing - from bartenders and operators to spirits brands and suppliers.”

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Opening this weekend, Stray takes on the corner plot of Mackie Mayor, the food hall that was recently called ‘exceptional’ and named the best in the UK. Taking up the unit formerly occupied by Atkinsons Coffee on Eagle Street, they’ll be bringing their own take on some well-known cocktails.

Housed within the 1858 Grade II-listed market building on the edge of the Northern Quarter, Stray’s owners have been conscious to preserve as many of the original features as possible like the towering pillars and exposed brick walls.