The term 'gastropub' was coined in the 1990s in the UK but it wasn't until 2012 that it made its way into the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. We now live in a time where traditional boozers can offer food that rivals the best restaurants in town, allowing us to pour over extensive menus that have unexpected dishes using local ingredients chosen by esteemed chefs, all from the comfort of deep sofas and armchairs. Explore the very best of them here with our guide to gastropubs in Manchester.
Last edited by Scarlett Welch
Last updated on 4th September 2024
If you've got a hankering for good old-fashioned British pub grub, this is the place for you. Offering a menu of elevated gastro goods, The Old Wellington will bring you interesting flavours, seasonal ingredients and some seriously tasty beers to wash everything down.
With cosy seating indoors and a great terrace available for summer drinks, The Oast House has a great setup for lazy afternoons. Food and drink are the crowning glory here, with ale and beer served alongside homemade pies, hanging kebabs, deli boards and droolworthy steaks.
Looking for a cosy pub with a modern dining experience? The Black Friar in Salford fits the bill with a traditional boozer in the front and a sleek restaurant out the back. The all-day menu includes familiar, hearty dishes such as burgers, as well as elevated classics thanks to chef Ben Chaplin.
Found inside historic Manchester building The Portico Library, The Bank is a traditional pub decked out in rustic wooden furnishings, gold-gilded ceilings and elegant chandeliers. You'll find this spot on Moseley Street, dishing out the likes of grilled seabass fillets, cured ham, egg and chips or garlic chicken schnitzel, paired with all sorts of great beers and wines.
Established in 1804, The Oxnoble is a gorgeous gastropub dishing up some excellent grub. It offers a cosy interior with low-hanging lights to enjoy hand-picked wines and cask ales in. The food features British classics such as grilled gammon with a modern twist, plus fish and chips.
The Woodstock Arms is a charming spot that serves up restaurant-quality dishes. Renowned for their bloody marys, this Didsbury local is well worth visiting for its boozy weekend brunches, sumptuous Sunday roasts and a hefty selection of mouthwatering burgers.
The Angel is a Northern Quarter gastropub featuring a cosy bar area downstairs and a dining room more akin to a restaurant. With log fires and local artwork lining the walls, this place will have you sipping on beer from independent breweries while enjoying European-style dishes.
Overlooking the canal in the Castlefield area, The Wharf is a stylish two-storey venue with a gorgeous beer garden that offers views of the water. Whether you're dining in their cosy interiors or out in the sun, you can tuck into delicious international eats such as curried lentil cottage pie, steak burgers topped with grilled pancetta or smoked haddock and salmon fishcakes, with a rich dark chocolate fondant for dessert.
Mr Thomas's Chop House is one of Manchester's best gastropubs. Serving up a classic British menu that has a few modern updates, this cosy restaurant and bar has a top wine menu to match and provides a unique dining experience.
A favoured gastro pub in Manchester and a well-known name among the Chop House clan, Sam's Chop House is a must-try for those headed to the city for indulgent rustic eats, British meat and classic dining plates.
Not your average watering hole, Edinburgh Castle is a pub, restaurant and bar in Ancoats. Split between multiple levels, this low-key pick is home to classic pub dishes and elevated brunches on the ground floor, alongside more formal seasonal food in the restaurant upstairs.
The Fountain House can be found on Albert Square, fronting cosy leather booth seating, exposed brick walls and wooden furnishings. You can sip on all sorts of top-quality British ales and premium wines here, paired with a delicious, hearty menu. Think Scotch flat iron steak, dry-aged double cheeseburgers or a heritage beetroot and goats cheese salad, as well as a selection of filling pies.
