Food & Drink
The best rooftop bars in Manchester to visit this summer
Who’d have thought rainy Manchester would have so many options?
Let’s face it, this hot weather won’t last forever so we might as well make the most of it with a couple of trips to Manchester’s rooftop bars.
Rooftop bars?! I hear you ask.
Yes, it turns out that Manchester actually boasts an admirable selection of venues that offer a rooftop experience while you enjoy your drink.
Here’s some of our favourites…
@20storiesmcr / Instagram
20 Stories
Let’s start with an obvious one, shall we?
This venue is arguably one of Manchester’s most Instagrammable spots with stunning views of the city from, you guessed it, the twentieth floor. I wonder where they got their name from?
Anyway, 20 Stories offers impressive food and cocktail menus, a whole array of greenery and trees, an outdoor fire pit and, for a limited time only, an exclusive ‘Botanical sky garden’ courtesy of Tanqueray gin where guests can sit in their own ‘city nest in the sky.’
20 Stories, No 1 Spinningfields, 1 Hardman Square, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3EB
0161 204 3333
20stories.co.uk
YES
Believe it or not, one of Manchester’s most popular music venues has an actual rooftop bar.
If you make it past the suitably dark and dingy music basement, all the pizza and beer on the first floor and the pink room on the second (yes, this venue has an actual room dedicated to the colour), you’ll find yourself out on the third floor in their makeshift rooftop bar.
Though it doesn’t boast the views from twenty stories high, it makes up for it with beautiful decor, holiday vibes and, most importantly, £3 pints.
YES, 38 Charles St, Manchester M1 7DB
www.yes-manchester.com
@theivymanchester / Instagram
The Ivy
This up-market Spinningfields spot offers a unique twist on a rooftop bar with their ‘roof garden.’
Guests can enjoy food and cocktails amongst an abundance of florals, foliage and colourful fabrics, all creating an enchanting oasis in the heart of Manchester’s city centre.
And thanks to its retractable roof, The Ivy Roof Garden is open seven days a week, come rain or shine.
The Ivy Spinningfields, The Pavilion, Byrom St, Manchester M3 3HG
theivymanchester.com
Terrace NQ
It says it in the name, doesn’t it?
Nestled down the Northern Quarter’s Thomas Street, Terrace NQ offers a little solace to those desperate for a bev in the rare Mancunian sunshine.
Its secluded rooftop terrace is adorned with fairy lights, unique furniture and a fantastic atmosphere, so makes for the ideal spot to enjoy this month’s heatwave while it lasts.
Terrace NQ, 43 Thomas St, Manchester M4 1NA
0161 819 2345
@conclubrestaurant / Instagram
The Con Club
All the way over in Altrincham, The Con Club offers a fantastic sun spot complete with a tipi for those impromptu spells of rain – there might be a heatwave, but we still live in Manchester, folks.
The Con Club’s rooftop remains relatively unknown, and the restaurant is only accepting walk-ins, so your chance of getting a seat are high!
The Con Club, 48 Greenwood St, Altrincham WA14 1RZ
0161 696 6870
conclubuk.com
Atlas Bar
Okay, this Deansgate staple might not technically have a rooftop bar… but it has an outdoor bar around the back that’s suspended in the arches below the roof, so that definitely counts.
It’s easily one of the best terraces in the entire city centre, and with a choice of over 300 gins, it’s certainly one of the more desirable locations in town when the sun comes out.
Atlas Bar, 376 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4LY
0161 834 2124
atlasbarmanchester.com
@hatchmcr / Instagram
Hatch
Okay, we’re pushing it a bit with this one, considering that the Oxford Road food hall is literally plonked directly under Mancunian Way.
But we have to give it to the staff over at Hatch – they’ve been brilliantly creative with their use of space and have somehow managed to make a couple of rooftop bars that get a lovely dose of sun for most of the day.
Grab a few beers, order some food and enjoy.
Hatch, 103 Oxford Rd, Manchester M1 7ED
hatchmcr.com
Big Hands
Another unexpected one, this staple part of Manchester’s music scene actually offers a small and secluded roof terrace for guests to sit and enjoy the sun with a can of Red Stripe.
Expect naughties leather sofas, film posters and an epic dance floor if you fancy a few drinks in this haunt over the weekend.
Big Hands, 296 Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9NS
0161 272 7309