The best cocktail bars in Manchester

Sure, pubs and clubs are great. But sometimes, the call of your favourite cocktail is hard to ignore, so if you’ve found yourself asking where the best cocktail bars in Manchester are, you’ve come to the right place.

And, to be honest, you’re absolutely spoilt for choice. The city has serious pedigree, with bars like Schofields, Blinker, Speak In Code, and The Morris, all ranking highly in the UK’s Top 50 Cocktail Bars.

Plus, they’re dotted around some of the city’s best spots, so no matter whether you’re looking for cocktails in the Northern Quarter, Deansgate or a little further afield in Chorlton, you’ll find something to suit your tastes.

But enough from us; you just want to plan your next outing. So, without further ado, here are the best cocktail bars in Manchester.

Manchester cocktail bars at a glance

Not sure where to start? Here’s a quick rundown of the best cocktail bars in Manchester, where you’ll find them and what each one does best.

Bar	Area	Best For
Schofields	City centre	Classic cocktails in a polished setting
Speak in Code	City centre	Trying something new
Blinker	City centre	Seasonal cocktails
Stray	Northern Quarter	Creative cocktails in a laid-back setting
STERLING	City centre	Sophisticated cocktails
The Washhouse	Northern Quarter	Hidden-bar cocktails
Finders Keepers	New Islington	Inventive cocktails by the marina
The Morris	Northern Quarter	Retro-inspired cocktails
Henry C	Chorlton	Neighbourhood cocktails
Dusk Til Pawn	Northern Quarter	Quirky cocktails
The Fitzgerald	Northern Quarter	Cocktails and live music
Cloud 23	Deansgate	Cocktails with a view
Bar Shrimp	City centre	Cocktails and seafood

 

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Manchester's best cocktail bars

Schofields

Image: Schofields / Facebook.com

Best for: Classic cocktails in a polished setting

When: Tuesday–Sunday, 12pm–1:30am; Monday closed

Where: Sunlight House, 3 Little Quay Street, Manchester M3 3JZ

Like style, art and music, the classic cocktail never goes out of style. So, leave the gimmicks behind and get yourself down to Schofields, a bar opened by acclaimed bartending brothers Joe and Daniel Schofield.

Here, you’ll find sharp Negronis, sweet Old Fashioneds, and refreshing Daiquiris, which you can wash down with a selection of British cheese, charcuterie boards, nocellara olives, and salt and olive popcorn. It’s all served inside the gorgeous Art Deco setting of the Sunlight House, once Manchester’s tallest building and refurbished in 2023. A real all-rounder, Schofields ticks the box for a date, posh night out or an evening spent marvelling at some Art Deco architecture.

 

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Speak in Code

Image: Speak in Code / Facebook.com

Best for: Trying something new

When: Sunday–Thursday, 5pm–12am; Friday–Saturday, 5pm–2am

Where: 7 Jackson's Row, Manchester M2 5ND

Sure, sticking to what we know is a tried-and-tested tactic. But sometimes, you’ve got to break the mould a bit. That’s where Speak in Code comes in.

Tucked away on Jackson’s Row, it offers up a creative selection of drinks that go far beyond the typical classics, like their bourbon, miso, peach and vermouth amaro blend. The menu gives you tips on how each drink will taste, so you’re not picking from a load of quirky-sounding names and hoping for the best. Booking in advance is best advised for Speak in Code. So, get down, enjoy the hip-hop soundtrack and relaxed setting and maybe, just maybe, leave with a new favourite drink.

 

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Blinker

Image: Blinker Bar / Facebook.com

Best for: Seasonal cocktails

When: Tuesday–Wednesday, 3pm–11pm; Thursday, 3pm–12am; Friday, 3pm–12:30am; Saturday, 2pm–12:30am; Sunday, 2pm–10pm; Monday closed

Where: 64–72 Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 2BQ

Blinker knows its cocktails. After all, the cocktail bar is named after a classic cocktail made up of three ingredients: rye, grapefruit and raspberry.

This has influenced Blinker’s approach, too. Their menu rotates with the seasons, offering cocktails built around four in-season ingredients, as well as a Martini and Old Fashioned section that offers variations on well-loved classics.

 

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Stray

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Best for: Creative cocktails in a laid-back setting

When: Tuesday, 5pm–10pm; Wednesday–Saturday, 12pm–late; Sunday, 12pm–6pm

Where: 1 Eagle Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 5BU

Stray is great. You can sip on a drink made with late harvest Tokaji and feel cultured in a completely chilled-out setting. And that’s really down to atmosphere.

Found in one of Manchester's favourite food halls, Mackie Mayor, Stray is relaxed, welcoming and perfect for those times when a couple of cocktails just sounds like a vibe. You’ve got fruity tipples with limoncello or mango vodka bases, whiskey-based drinks and of course, all the classics should you want something a little more familiar. And how could we forget that massive, L-shaped window? Absolutely perfect for people-watching.

 

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STERLING

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Best for: Sophisticated cocktails

When: Tuesday–Friday, 5pm–12:30am; Saturday, 2pm–12:30am; Sunday–Monday closed

Where: 4 Norfolk Street, Manchester M2 1DW

Sure, it’s the 2020s outside, but in the old bank vault beneath the Stock Exchange Hotel, it’s the 1920s. STERLING is a cocktail bar headed up by the Schofields team, decking out the old vault with low lights, polished brass, wood furnishings and all the glamour and demure of the roaring 20s.

Drinks-wise, expect fourteen expertly crafted cocktails and top-class wine, washed down with snacks like salt and pepper squid. Throw in live piano players across the weekend, and you’ve got a cocktail bar that’s absolutely perfect for those evenings when you want to feel considerably fancier than you actually are.

 

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The Washhouse

Image: The Washhouse / Facebook.com

Best for: Hidden-bar cocktails

When: Monday, 4pm–1am; Tuesday closed; Wednesday–Thursday, 4pm–1am; Friday–Saturday, 12pm–2am; Sunday, 2pm–11pm

Where: 19 Shudehill, Manchester M4 2AF

You’d be forgiven for walking past The Washhouse and wondering why a laundrette that hasn’t been open for 25 years is operating in the city. But it’s all a ruse.

Behind the washing machine is a bar with low lights, secret doors and a rotating menu of cocktails that range from classic to cheeky, arriving with elaborate presentation and their own bespoke theme. Theatrical? Yeah. Fun? Absolutely. We’d recommend taking your friends without telling them what the vibe actually is, even if to see their faces upon arrival. Just don’t forget to book your slot in advance, as you wouldn’t want to turn up without an appointment.

 

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Finders Keepers

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Best for: Inventive cocktails by the marina

When: Wednesday–Thursday, 3pm–11pm; Friday, 3pm–12am; Saturday, 12pm–12am; Sunday, 12pm–10pm; Monday–Tuesday closed

Where: 7 Keepers Quay, New Islington Marina, Manchester M4 6GL

Neighbourhood bar Finders Keepers is found on New Islington Marina, which is absolutely perfect for a few relaxed drinks and a spot of people-watching. Squint just enough and you’ll feel like you’re in the heart of cosmopolitan Europe. At least when the sun’s out, anyway.

Jokes aside, Finders Keepers has earned its reputation as one of the best cocktail bars in Manchester for a reason. It pairs a stripped-back interior with a rotating seasonal menu and a friendly team who are always on hand with pleasant chat and plenty of advice if you can’t tell your Campari from your Vermouth. Sit back, relax with a marg and spend the weekend the way it should be: chatting with your nearest and dearest in a lovely setting.

 

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The Morris

Best for: Retro-inspired cocktails

When: Tuesday–Wednesday, 4pm–10:30pm; Thursday, 4pm–11:30pm; Friday–Saturday, 4pm–1am; Sunday, 4pm–10:30pm; Monday closed

Where: 57 Thomas Street, Manchester M4 1NA

After a day spent unearthing vintage gems in Afflecks Palace and trying on those Carhartt double knee trousers you’ve had your eye on, there’s only one thing left to do: park up in a cool bar.

Thomas Street is home to The Morris, and in the upstairs space is a bar with vibrant, 80s-inspired decor. It serves up all sorts of bright, refreshing and rich cocktails in a room that’s primed for a spot on your monthly Instagram photo dump. And if you don’t mind a recommendation from us, the Manchester Tart goes down a treat.

 

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Henry C

Image: Henry C / Facebook.com

Best for: Neighbourhood cocktails

When: Wednesday–Thursday, 4pm–11pm; Friday, 4pm–12am; Saturday, 2pm–12am; Sunday, 2pm–9pm; Monday–Tuesday closed

Where: 107 Manchester Road, Chorlton, Manchester M21 9GA

They say first impressions are crucial, and Henry C certainly makes a good one. Its pink and orange shopfront makes it hard to miss, and once you step inside, you’re welcomed into a warm hideout that’s perfect for after-work catch-ups, weekend chats and chilled-out evenings.

On the menu? A selection of signature concoctions with bases ranging from Cardamom and Thyme gin to Takamaka Koko rum and a selection of precision-engineered Negronis. Once you walk out of the door, you’ll be counting down the days until you can return.

 

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Dusk Til Pawn

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Best for: Quirky cocktails in the Northern Quarter

When: Wednesday, 4pm–2am; Thursday, 4pm–1am; Friday, 2pm–2am; Saturday, 12pm–2am; Sunday, 12pm–10pm

Where: Sevendale House, Stevenson Square, Manchester M1 1DN

What is it with Manchester and hiding bars behind things that definitely don’t look like bars? The front of Dusk and Pawn looks like, you guessed it, an old-style pawn shop, even down to the logo and guitars hanging in the window.

But when you step inside, you won’t be pawning that old guitar you first started learning on. Instead, you’ll be sipping on cocktails with some great names – ‘Pawn-O-Graphic’, we’re looking at you – and enjoying a chilled-out atmosphere. Happy hour is Wednesday to Friday and Sunday, and you don’t need to pre-book a table. Simply walk in and enjoy.

 

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The Fitzgerald

Image: The Fitzgerald / Facebook.com

Best for: Cocktails and live music

When: Friday–Saturday, 5pm–4am; occasionally opens on other days for advertised shows

Where: 11 Stevenson Square, Northern Quarter, Manchester M1 1DB

Ahh, The Fitzgerald. Tucked away in the Northern Quarter since 2014, this Manchester institution feels like walking into the speakeasies of the Prohibition era, with all the vintage decor and dark interiors, but none of the danger of getting your night out suddenly ended by a police raid.

Drinks-wise, we’d plump for the Smoked Rum. It’s been on the menu since The Fitzgerald opened, and it uses the bar’s own-recipe rum batch. And once it’s in your hands, soak up the jazz, blues and soul and enjoy a cracking night out.

 

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Cloud 23

Image: Cloud 23 / Facebook.com

Best for: Cocktails with a view

When: Monday, 12pm–10pm; Tuesday–Wednesday, 3pm–10pm; Thursday, 12pm–12am; Friday, 12pm–1am; Saturday, 11am–12am; Sunday, 11am–10pm

Where: The Manchester Deansgate Hotel, Beetham Tower, 303 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4LQ

What could you possibly add to make a night spent looking out at Manchester’s vast skyline? A cocktail, of course. Now, you could go to one of the many rooftop bars or terraces in the city, but we’d plump for Cloud 23.

For starters, the view is stunning. But the cocktail menu is even better, with drinks that reference Manchester’s storied history. Think botanical-inspired tipples, Alan Turing references and nods to Vimto and Heaton Park. For birthdays, dates or showing someone Manchester from up high, Cloud 23 is hard to beat.

 

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Bar Shrimp

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Best for: Cocktails and seafood

When: Wednesday–Thursday, 4pm–12am; Friday–Saturday, 2pm–1am; Sunday, 5pm–2am

Where: 7 New York Street, Manchester M1 4JB

Since opening in 2025, Bar Shrimp has had glowing reviews from both local and national media outlets. If you haven’t come across it yet, here’s a rundown: it serves up original and classic cocktails alongside oysters, seafood plates and snacks.

Bar Shrimp’s Espresso Martini uses coffee liquor from independent distilleries, so you can expect high-quality ingredients and a considered approach to cocktail making. Plus, the sound system is top-class, and with that plush red seating and warm lighting, you’ve got all the ingredients for a cracking evening.

 

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From classic cocktails in polished surrounds to quirky hidden bars, waterside drinks and late-night spots with live music, Manchester cocktail bars come in all shapes and sizes.

So, whether you’re planning a date night, catching up with mates or just fancy treating yourself to something a little fancier than your usual pint, there’s plenty to choose from. Work your way through our picks of the best cocktail bars in Manchester and find your new favourite spot for a tipple or two. 

And why not check out the best rooftop bars, food halls, beer gardens and record shops in Manchester, too? After all, you'll never know when you need the inspiration. 

 

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