The 2026 edition of the UK’s best-selling beer and pub guide has been revealed, featuring top watering holes around Manchester.
The Good Beer Guide, which surveys 4,500 pubs, is considered to be the ‘definitive beer drinker’s guide’ for those seeking the best pints in the nation’s pubs and is published annually by The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
To celebrate the release of the latest ‘drinker’s bible’, we have chosen ten fantastic Manchester pubs that feature in the 2026 guide. Take a look below and let us know your favourite ‘proper’ pubs.
1. Salisbury Ale House, Wakefield Street, Manchester M1
CAMRA said: "Hidden away in the historic ‘Little Ireland’ area between Oxford Road Station and Oxford Road, this brown-tiled pub is popular with rock fans. The interior has lost a lot of its original features, but the bar has some interesting features. There are usually up to six real ales available, including the relatively rare Theakston’s Old Peculier. There is a beer garden at the back of the pub. Pizza is served. Payment by card only." | Anthony Parkes, CC BY-SA 2.0
2. The Old Monkey, Portland Street, Manchester M1
CAMRA said: "Joseph Holt’s first new-build pub in the city centre stands on the site of the Queen’s Arms beer house. It is set on two floors: the more basic downstairs bar is usually busy, while the much comfier upstairs is opened when the downstairs get too full. There are always four Holt’s cask beers on, including the increasingly rare Mild, which is sold all year round. It is popular with tourists from the nearby hotels." | Tripadvisor
3. Fell Northern Quarter, Dale Street, Manchester M1
CAMRA said: "Owned by Fell brewery, this bar is in a converted Grade II-listed office block. Entrance is via steep stairs into a long, narrow space with mixed seating. The bar offers 14 keg lines, four handpumps, and a range of ciders. Wheelchair access (with staff assistance) and a disabled toilet are available via the rear. Payment is by card only and it is dog-friendly." | Google
4. Cask, Liverpool Road, Manchester M3
CAMRA said: "Entering this ex-motorbike workshop via the listed saloon-style doors, the first view is of the four handpumps, which feature a good range of styles. There is a traditional feel about the bar, while further in are bench-seated booths and access to the garden. There is also an impressive selection of specialist beers, both local and imported. Real cider is available in bottles. Customers can bring in their own food, as long as they dispose of the rubbish responsibly." | Robert Wade via Wikimedia Commons