The best pubs in Manchester city centre

Opened in early 2024, Founder's Hall is a stylish, contemporary pub in Albert Square, offering a vibrant atmosphere with an interior featuring tiled floors, exposed bricks, and beer-themed decor. It specialises in a wide range of beers, including exclusive and craft options, complemented by a selection of spirits, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks. The pub serves a variety of food, from light bar snacks to full meals, with a focus on dishes that pair well with beer, and also hosts regular pub quizzes and private events, making it a popular spot in Manchester.

The Bay Horse Tavern, a classic Victorian pub in Manchester's Northern Quarter, blends its historic roots with a contemporary twist following its 2017 restoration, offering a unique mix of traditional pub ambience, modern style, engaging events, and appetising food and drink. The pub hosts a variety of events, including a weekly quiz, an open mic night, as well as a popular bottomless brunch on weekends. Fans of gin are sure to appreciate the Tavern's extensive range too.

Mulligans, a beloved and well-established Irish pub near Deansgate in Manchester's city centre, offers a vibrant, bustling atmosphere. The interior combines a cosy, traditional design with flags, sports memorabilia, and live sports and music, creating a space full of character and energy. Renowned for its award-winning skills in pouring the perfect pint of Guinness, Mulligans also offers a variety of drinks, including draft beer, Irish whiskey, and wine.

The Wharf is on the edge of Manchester city centre, but this quintessential British pub makes the trip worth your while with charming historical architecture, elevated takes on traditional British cuisine, rustic decor, and above all, its scenic outdoor seating with views of the Castlefield canals. This makes it highly popular in summer, but it also serves as a cultural hub hosting various events like live music and quiz nights throughout the year, adding to its community appeal.

Tucked just off Deansgate, The Britons Protection is one of those pubs that feels properly woven into the city. It's known for its tiled interiors, snug rooms and a famously vast whisky collection, but at heart it's still a straightforward place for a good pint and a quiet corner. The atmosphere is calm rather than buzzy, with a crowd that skews local and loyal. There's no chasing trends here, just well-kept beer, serious whisky credentials and the sense you're drinking somewhere that's been doing this a long time.

Situated beside the Rochdale Canal, The Peveril of the Peak is an idyllic pub, its striking yellowish-green tiled exterior a vivid contrast to Manchester's customary red brick surroundings, serving as an inviting landmark. This beloved local watering hole boasts a classic interior, equipped with a pool table and darts board, and is known for its friendly, familiar ambiance where regulars and newcomers alike are greeted like old friends.

Occupying a Grade II-listed Tudor building in central Manchester, Sinclair's Oyster Bar stands out for its budget-friendly drinks and the largest beer garden in the city, attracting crowds, especially in sunny weather. Steeped in history dating back to 1720, this pub has withstood major historical events and was meticulously moved brick by brick during the redevelopment of the city centre. Alongside its drink selection, Sinclair's serves unusual pub fare such as carpetbagger steak and angels and devils on horseback.

The Lass O'Gowrie is a well-liked pub in Manchester offering a variety of entertainment such as live music, sports broadcasts, and DJ sets. The venue provides an extensive selection of drinks, including non-alcoholic choices, alongside a food menu. Patrons can enjoy traditional pub fare including burgers, breaded scampi, and steak and ale pie, as well as a proper Sunday roast. This red brick pub also boasts a sizeable beer garden.

Situated in an impressive historic building in the centre of Manchester, The Fountain House is an elegant gastropub featuring eye-catching decor and a terrace that overlooks the city's lively scenes. Its kitchen presents a seasonal menu with a worldly flair, alongside a diverse range of beverages. The Fountain House also provides a chic backdrop for various private functions, including weddings and corporate events.

Situated in the Gay Village, The Molly House is an award-winning pub known for its authentic interior, inclusive atmosphere, and inviting outdoor seating. Adorned with a vibrant mural on its side, this traditional establishment offers an extensive selection of drinks such as craft beers, cask ales, and wines. For those with an appetite, there's an array of freshly-made tapas available to enjoy.

The Castle Hotel and Gullivers is a pair of sibling venues across the street from each other. The historic pubs are part of the live music backbone of the city, hosting regular gigs by up-and-coming act and helping nurture Manchester's creative talent. They also pour a mean pint while they're at it, with welcoming bar areas for pre or post-gig drinks, or just throwing back a few.

Located on Portland Street, The Grey Horse Inn may be one of Manchester's smallest pubs, but it compensates with abundant charm. In this cosy setting, the amiable staff expertly serve a selection of real ales and craft beers at reasonable prices. With its lively regulars contributing a true Manchester vibe and a soundtrack echoing the city's spirit, it stands as one of the most genuine places in the city for a pint.

The Old Wellington, set in a centuries-old, iconic building, stands out as a much-loved traditional pub with a distinctive timbered facade and a similarly historical interior. It also features a generous terrace area. The pub offers a comprehensive selection of drinks alongside classic pub fare, serving substantial meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including traditional fry-ups, pies, burgers, and a weekly roast.

The Circus Tavern in central Manchester is so modest and compact that it's easy to miss even when you're searching for it. Boasting the title of the smallest bar in Europe, not just Manchester or even the UK, it could well have been named The Flea Circus Tavern. Despite its diminutive size, it's a popular haunt for football fans on match days and a welcoming spot for anyone seeking a drink, offering a snug atmosphere, close-quarters camaraderie, and satisfying pints.

Port Street Beer House has built a solid reputation among Manchester drinkers for its wide-ranging selection of craft beers and real ales. There's a rotating line-up of modern craft brews and well-kept real ales, with plenty of choice across its many keg and cask lines, so it suits both hop hunters and more traditional drinkers. The room itself is simple, with wooden tables, bare walls and the odd bit of artwork. It's relaxed rather than rowdy, and regular quizzes and low-key events give people a reason to stick around.

The Marble Arch is a proper old-school pub, spread across two floors of a Grade II listed building just outside the city centre. Inside, it looks the part, with tiled walls, snug rooms, and plenty of original detail, while the outdoor seating is handy on warmer days. The beer range covers both cask and keg, including locally brewed options and a small but well-chosen cider selection. Food sticks to classic pub grub, with British favourites on the menu and a popular, generously sized roast on Sundays.

Hidden just off Oxford Road, The Temple is one of Manchester's smallest and strangest pubs, set inside a former public toilet. It's cramped, tiled, and unapologetically quirky, with barely room to turn around once it fills up, which it often does. The beer list is short but well chosen, covering local ales and a few classics. There's no food and little ceremony, just a steady flow of regulars, students and curious first-timers.