Up-and-coming Manchester bars you’ll want to try in 2023 – as named in Top 50 Cocktail Bar awards

Three Manchester cocktail bars have made into this year’s Top 50 Cocktail Bar list, and a fourth was named the One to Watch. Of the four, two have been open less than a year – suggesting the future is looking bright for the city’s bar scene.

The award-winning Scholfield’s was the highest ranking Manchester bar at number four, followed by Speak in Code at number eight and Blinker at number 41. The newest bar on the list, Project Halcyon, located in the old Granada Studios, was given an honourable mention as the up-and-coming bar to watch out for.

Unsurprisingly, it was the London bars that cleared up this year with 23 bars in the list and Satan’s Whiskers in Bethnal Green taking the top spot. Yorkshire and Scotland both had the second highest number of bars in the top 50 with five each.

But you don’t have to travel that far to get a good cocktail. Here’s what we know about the Manchester cocktail bars that have earned their place among the best in the country.

Schofield’s

Ever since it opened in April 2021, Schofield’s has been impressing both customers and industry experts alike. In 2022, Schofield’s became the first Manchester bar to make it into the top 100 bars in the world, thanks to the skills and creativity of the two owners, Bury-born brothers Joe and Daniel Schofield. Both are world-class mixologists in their own right, having worked at some of the most prestigious bars in the world.

Following the success of Schofield’s the brothers have gone on to open two more city centre spots, the “European drinkery” Automeca, located on Deansgate Square, and Sterling, based in the vaults of the swanky Stock Exchange Hotel. They also have their own cocktail recipe book full of “celebrated libations and other fancy drinks,” and their own line of Dry Vermouth.

Schofield’s, which is set in the art-deco Sunlight House in the city centre, offers all the classic cocktails, as well as their own twists on the classics and entirely new creations.

Cocktails there will set you back around £10-12. It is open Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm-1:30am. They take a limited amount of bookings each night, but it is mainly walk-ins.

Speak in Code

Speak in Code is a speakeasy-style bar located on Jackson’s Row. It opened its doors back in 2018 and has gone from strength to strength ever since. This year’s position as the eighth best bar in the UK is an improvement on last year when they made it to number 10. Last September they were also named Bar of Year at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival.

They make most of their ingredients in-house, including sodas, syrups and liqueurs. All their ingredients are also vegan. Their menu is designed like a vinyl sleeve, with each drink labelled as a numbered track – you won’t find any whimsical cocktail names on their menu –  and the bar’s music of choice is hip-hop. If this sounds gimmicky, think again. The small, intimate bar, with soft lighting and stylish decor is both classy and welcoming for anyone looking to enjoy an inventive yet well-balanced cocktail alongside some small plates, which the bar also offers. Cocktail prices here range between £10-12.

Blinker Bar

Blinker Bar, located in Spring Gardens, only opened in May 2022 and has already earned its spot in the top, ranking 41st in this year’s top 50. The bar gets its name from a lesser known cocktail that consists of rye, grapefruit and raspberry.

The menu here changes every month, focusing on seasonal flavours. For example, this month’s menu features almond, ginger, apple and pomegranate flavours, such as the Army and Navy (Plymouth Dry, Banana, Fino Sherry, almond and lemon) or the Trinidad Sour (Rye, Amaro Montenegro, Angostura, almond and lemon). They also have a dedicated Martini and Old Fashioned menus, as well as a snack menu.

Drinks here will set you back around £8-12. They are closed on Mondays. The full menu and opening times can be found on their website.

Project Halcyon

Project Halcyon only opened in November last year and has already made a name for itself, being named as the One to Watch bar. Innovation is what makes this place stand out, as they have their own laboratory, where they make their own spirits and tinctures. They also offer stillroom sessions, tasting sessions and cocktail masterclasses. If you want to go the extra mile, you can also book their Salon Vert, inspired by the golden era absinthe bars.

The bar is located in the old Granada Studios, next to the Science and Industry museum. Cocktails here cost around £11-13. Online booking is available and they are open Monday-Saturday,