Manchester Pubs
Dining and drinking in Manchester City Centre

• The Bridge Street Tavern
  58 Bridge Street, Manchester.
  Tel: 0161-834 0242.
  The Bridge Street Tavern (formerly The Pack Horse) was first licensed in 1808. Its original name probably derives from having been used by the drivers of the pack horses from the nearby tannery. An old and traditional pub with original fireplaces, oak panelling and leaded windows. Serves real ales, a selection of premium lagers. Special area for smokers. Home-cooked pub meals with vegetarian dishes. Specialises in large French baguette sandwiches.
  
  
• The Circus Tavern
  86 Portland Street, Manchester. Tel: 0161-236 5818.
  Reputedly, this is the smallest pub in Manchester, and has one of the smallest bars in Britain. Small, unsophisticated, little changed since its earliest days. Built around 1790, when Portland Street attracted performers, travelling entertainers and artists due to the nearby Circus at Chatham Street - hence the name of the pub. No food or music. An authentic "old" early 19th century pub, where atmosphere, good ales and conversation are the order of the day.
  
  
• Mr Thomas's Chop House
  52 Cross Street, Manchester M2. Tel: 0161-832 2245.
  Another traditional Manchester Pub, with a most unusual aspect - tall and thin and squeezed into a narrow plot. Exceptionally good examples of English Art Nouveau style in the ceramic cladding on the exterior and the profusion of green tiles inside. Excellent bar food available. Real Ales available, including Timothy Taylor's, Boddingtons and various guest ales. Lunchtime food is reckoned by many to be the best traditional British food in the city centre. Waiter service to all tables, and an extensive quality wine list.
  
  
• White Lion
  43 Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester M3.
  Tel: 0161-832 7373.
  An old established ale house adjacent to the Castlefield basins opposite the Museum of Science & Industry in Liverpool Road, offering real ale and live music. Frequent jazz bands. This pub gets very busy at holiday and carnival times. Food available. Real ale available including Timothy Taylor's, Boddingtons and guest ales such as Pheonix, quite apart from over 30 whiskies and 20 cognacs.

The Bridge Street Tavern

The Circus Tavern

Mr Thomas's

The Ox Hotel

The White Lion

• The Ox Hotel (formerly the Oxnoble)
  71 Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester M3. Tel: 0161-839 7740.
  Named after a famous type of potato (the 'Oxnoble') popular in Victorian times, but now virtually extinct, when barrow boys, known as Oxnoble men, unloaded potatoes (and other vegetables) from the nearby potato wharf in Castlefield. The pub was a favourite drinking house of these workmen. Reputedly the second oldest licenced pub in Manchester, it is a very traditional English tavern, and though many changes have taken place in it, the original timbers and cast iron pillars can be seen inside. Traditional pub meals and bar snacks are served during the day, and children are welcome - there is a family room showing popular children's programmes on a giant TV screen. Real ales, guest ales on tap. Monthly entertainment and Blues music by local bands and occasional discos. Popular with boaters from the nearby canal moorings and very busy at Carnival times. Regular art exhibitions with work for sale adorns the walls.
  
  
• The White Lion
  43 Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester. Tel: 0161-832 7373.
  First licenced in 1813, the White Lion is one of Manchester's oldest pubs. Situated in the heart of the Castlefield Urban Heritage Park, it is a traditional pub of great character with a collection of displayed 19th century photographs and artefacts (most dredged up by the landlord from the nearby canal basin). Food available at lunchtimes from 12noon-2.30pm and evening meals from 6.00pm-9.00pm from Mondays to Thursdays. Good menu, with vegetarian and children's dishes, including steaks and curries. Busy at Carnival time. Real Ales served, with guest ales and a selection of wines. Discos on Friday nights and live bands on Saturday and Sunday nights. Open air jazz sessions when weather allows. Popular with celebrities from nearby Granada Studios.
  
  
• Mother Macs
  33 Back Piccadilly, Manchester M1. Tel: 0161-236 1507.
  Hidden away behind Piccadilly Plaza and the Piccadilly Hotel is this small pub serving Whitbread ales. Curious atmospheric pub with a long and ancient history.
  
  
• The Pot of Beer
  36 New Mount Street, Manchester M4 4RE. Tel: 0161-834 8579.
  A small recently refurbished pub serving Boddingtons Beers as well as several guest ales.Specialises in modern British food using only fresh produce from UK producers. Menu changes seasonally. A pub committed to supporting
  British farmers.
  
  
• Rain Bar
  Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester. Tel: 0161-235 6500.
  Opened in 1999 and met with instant popularity, as this is a pub with a café upstairs. J. W. Lees beers served. Excellent food on offer with a speciality fish and chips made with beer flavoured batter !! Facing the Rochdale Canal, popular summer haunt for beautiful people.
  
  
• Hare & Hounds
  46 Shudehill, Manchester M4. Tel: 0161-832 4737.
  Open Mon-Sat 11.00am-11.00pm and Sunday from 12noon - 10.30pm. A rather forbidding green tiled exterior belies the warm greeting ambience of the interior of this pub. Tiles, wooden panelling and etched window glass, and the remnants of a once thriving market culture still abound here, even though the market has long since gone. Sing-along pub songs every Wednesday between 7.00-8.00pm. Light snacks and sandwiches available.