The Gas Lamp

The Gaslamp - on Bridge Street off Deansgate - was once a soup kitchen and a mission that helped out the unfortunate. The down-to-earth atmosphere has been retained in the Victorian cellar's new, more upbeat incarnation, with its rustic interior, friendly and helpful staff, roaring fires in the winter and ageing photos of the building's proud past. Manchester is awash with quirky bars, but this secretive basement bar somehow seems distinctive, humble and unique.

Their selection of drinks range from international beer, ale and cider selection, and with their "classic with a twist" cocktail menu and "weird and wonderful" wine list, they have enough variety to keep any bar patron happy. They also have a few well-kept and well chosen ales from local microbreweries, in keeping with the theme of supporting local people and industries that the building is so well known for.

The Gaslamp has live music and DJs on weekends among its narrow archway corridors, but has a quieter and more relaxed atmosphere midweek. The open mic and folk music evenings are especially atmospheric, with all but one of the lights down and the performers shadows projected on the scrubbed tile walls. The Gaslamp is at its greatest, when, surprisingly, there's are no gas lamps on.