When the sun finally makes an appearance, Mancunians are guaranteed to flock to a handful of trusty and reliable city beer gardens - it’s just the natural order of things.
However, if you don’t fancy hovering over someone's table in the hope they’ll finally take the hint, you might be interested to know there’s some spots that have remained relatively undiscovered. Some are hidden in plain sight, others are tucked away on trading estates, and some are more rooftop terraces, but boast enough house plant life to warrant a honourable mention.
So, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve rounded up some of our favourites across the city centre and a little further afield, should you want to beat the crowds, impress your friends visiting town with your hidden gem recommendations, or simply sup a pint in peace and quiet.
Sadler’s Cat
A stumbling distance from Victoria Train Station, you might at first think we're talking about The Printworks, but in fact this hidden square, which is now also home to the rejuvenated New Century - and its outside terrace too - is home to Sadler’s Cat, a contemporary community pub at the heart of the NOMA neighbourhood. The pub, formerly known as The Pilcrow, boasts one of the city’s best beer gardens, where punters can enjoy a selection of top-class beers from Cloudwater, a glass of natural wine and non-alcoholic serves.
Hanover St, NOMA, Manchester, M4 4AH
Track Brewery & Taproom
Located on a trading estate in back Piccadilly, Track Brewing Co spills out onto a courtyard outside - ideal for those long and hazy summer days. Track joined an already well established trail of breweries - including Cloudwater - around back Piccadilly in 2021, and is offering up 20 keg lines and three cask lines of fresh beer with some guest brews in rotation too. Food wise, its current foodie resident, Charlie Macs, is serving up the perfect accompaniment to West Coast pales or hazy IPAs in the form of loaded fries, fried chicken and corndogs.
Unit 18, Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester M1 2NP
Big Hands
Look, if you frequent Manchester Academy often enough you’ll certainly have had one at Big Hands, but for the uninitiated, let's recap. Smashing glasses and records since 2021, this Oxford Road institution is big on dive bar vibes, vinyl, and live music, and lives by the motto ‘drink, dance, fall over!’ - and maybe you should too. But first, choose a beer from the bar’s top flight of Belgian beauties and head up to the secluded homegrown beer garden, with its twinkly fairy lights.
296 Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9NS
Mr Thomas's Chop House
They certainly know a thing or two about pub grub at Mr Thomas's Chop House, whether it's lamb hotpot, steak and kidney pudding or corned beef hash. However, this drinking institution is also home to one of the city’s most overlooked beer gardens. Tucked away behind the Chop House and backing onto St Ann’s Square, you’re just minutes away from the mayhem of Market Street, but somewhere totally removed from the hustle and bustle. Admire the beauty of St Ann’s Church while you tuck into some pub classics and wash it back with a cold one.
52 Cross St, Manchester M2 7AR
Society
Until recently, the space tucked away by Bridgewater Hall lay empty for almost a decade. Then, in spring 2021, a £1m waterside food hall took over the former Pitcher & Piano site at the foot of the Barbirolli Square steps, and Mancunians were given a new spot to soak up the sun and grab a pint. Society features kitchens offering a mix of street food, a cocktail bar and a craft beer taproom - and, ideal for a summer, a terrace area that sits on the edge of the Rochdale Canal. Inside, Vocation Brewery handles the beers - an impressive 44 lines - and even runs tasting workshops for aficionados and novices alike.
Basement, 100 Barbirolli Square, Manchester M2 3BD
The Deansgate
This historic Manchester pub in the shadow of the Beetham Tower turned its famous festoon lighting back on last November, following a huge makeover including the transformation of the venue’s two existing floors, and the addition of a third-floor space. After closing during the first lockdown in 2020, the pub, which began its life in the 19th century, was eventually brought back to life by brewers Greene King. It now boasts a two-storey outdoor terrace overlooking the ever-changing Manchester skyline.
321 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4LQ
The Fletcher Moss
If you're familiar with the Didsbury Dozen pub crawl you’ll most certainly have stumbled into The Fletcher Moss. It's Didsbury's own hidden gem - an excellent watering hole tucked away just off the main road from the Village. While we remain hopeful about the chances of decent weather this summer, we’re realistic too, so while the beer garden is well worth heading out onto, the covered canopy at the back gives you that insurance policy, just in case. It’s also one to bookmark if you appreciate a perfectly poured pint of Guinness.
1 William St, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6RQ
The Britons Protection
One of Manchester’s oldest and finest pubs sits on the corner of Great Bridgewater and Lower Mosley Street, and is the first port of call for the city’s whisky drinkers - it has over 300 varieties and runs regular tasting sessions. In the winter months its best to bed down inside where you can expect a chain of snug rooms, all meticulously tiled or panelled, as well as open fires, but come summer its well appointed beer garden round the back is just the ticket.
50 Great Bridgewater St, Manchester M1 5LE
Mala
During the pandemic, an under-used patch of land in the city centre was transformed into a ‘secret garden’ bar and proved to be a big hit. Mala, an open-air venue just next to Chapter One bookshop and café, on the corner of Dale Street and Lever Street, was once a notorious drug den and is now surrounded by hoardings and filled with twinkling fairy lights, cabins and greenery. Picnic benches and long tables are dotted around the garden, where visitors can perch and grab a summer spritz or, for after hours, there’s a frozen espresso martini.
8 Dale St, Manchester M1 1JA
The Old Abbey Taphouse
Functioning as a pub, music venue, catering kitchen, radio station, work space and youth training centre, it’s no surprise that this social enterprise was named the country’s Community Pub of the Year by CAMRA - and that’s even before you take into consideration all the the free meals it gave out during the pandemic. The taphouse is the last remaining building on what was the Greenheys Estate, and its beer garden is on what was formerly the Victorian Road. It’s a great spot to enjoy live music from local DJs, bands and guest labels as well as food and drink events - all within the local community.
Guildhall Cl, Manchester M15 6SY
Marble Arch
Out there on its own on the road to Rochdale, The Marble Arch is another one of those excellent British boozers with its own hidden beer garden. As the flagship pub of the Marble Brewery, the watering hole, with its remarkable interiors - think Victorian tiling and fireplaces - is a must-visit on any self-respecting Manchester pub crawl, and along with its back terrace - with some very fancy sheds to sit in - it's hard to think of a better place to soak up the sun and enjoy one of the brewery's many beers.
73 Rochdale Rd, Manchester M4 4HY
The Rose & Monkey Hotel
It's been known by many names over its long history; the Glasgow Tavern, The Grapes, and more recently The Burton Arms. Now it’s the Rose & Monkey, and in its current guise it's become that dependable spot at the end of town - and a night out - where you can enjoy a great beer with a jukebox, regular music events and even a beer garden out back.
31 Swan St, Manchester M4 5JZ
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