Veronica J.

Lovely little indie cafe in the quaint Barton Arcade in the heart of central Manchester. The breakfast menu is to die for, although a little pricey. Tea comes on a wooden tray adding a nice touch to the meal. The stuff is super friendly despite the place being busy. Although the atmosphere is fairly relaxed, in my case the service was quick, so I have nothing to complain about!

Eric B.

I have always heard of this place but I have never visited today was day and I was not disappointed. The decor is really nice and subtle excellent for chilling out with a coffee- and these guys take their coffee very seriously - I had my new favourite coffee drink of a piccolo this came with a small glass of water and a biscuit stick all serve on a mini silver tray I think all the drinks come this way and I must say I am impressed. I wouldn't say I am an expert at coffees but I do enjoy a quality taste and this is by far one of the best coffees I have tasted I will be visiting again!

Chris T.

After reading the amazing reviews on here about this new and exciting Coffee shop i had to give it a try, Pot Kettle Black is based in the beautiful Barton Arcade which is just off Deansgate, I love the style of what they have done to the place from what it used to be like when it was the Circle Bar and Club. The Interior is lovely and it has a industrial but classic style at the same time, theres quite a few tables and chairs to go around and a table in the middle. There is also a raised area with high stools which seems to be the place to sit, there's also power points scattered everywhere so dont worry about charging youre Macbook up or your iPhone, PKB has lovely big windows as well for people watching! This place is quite stunning for a coffee shop! I had a beautiful tasting large Latte it was smooth tasting and you could just taste the coffee for a while after and at £3 which wasn't a bad price considering the elegance of this place it also comes on a cool silver tray with a small water and a biscuit, nice touch! The staff are super friendly as well and the whole place had a great feel to it. This is a really cool coffee shop and I'm sure its going to get really busy when people get to know about it and I sure am a fan!

Jonny Q.

I'm very excited about the potential of 'Pot Kettle Black' - a new coffee shop that's opened in the Barton Arcade just off Deansgate. First off they have it down in terms of the style of the building and the fresh minimalist approach to decor - pretty much all glass walls and a feeling that's open and inviting. With plenty of room at the actual coffee counter, I can't see there being a crush for takeaway, while the middle bench can probably seat 15, with scattered tables and chairs all over. This is great because let's face it, a lot of the best places in the NQ for coffee (NTP, Fig' and Eastern Bloc) are always rammed and it can be a bit of a fight for a table. The coffee was nice (the sample I tried was from the fantastic Workshop coffee in London) and due to me having a billion coffees already I went for a large pot of Assam tea (good value at £2). They also do a selection of sandwiches and cakes but they'll have to be for a return visit. Fast wifi, good music (definitely an 80's soul vibe when I was in yesterday) and friendly staff/owners ( I got chatting to John and Mark yesterday who were very passionate about coffee and deserve to do well) it's the perfect place to hangout at all times - especially with them opening till 7pm, meaning it's a good choice for after work if the boozer isn't on your agenda. Make sure you check it out - soon!

Angelo E.

I didn't want to go to Starbucks like I usually do when I wanted to do work today so I got on Yelp and looked for a cafe to check out. I saw a review of Pot Kettle Black and while the reviews were pretty positive, what got me interested with the place was the pics of the hot chocolate. So I got my book and walked over... The place is on deansgate and not that hard to find. The place is super cool, has an industrial feel with the wooden floor with a mixture of metal furniture. There's a lot of comfy seats to the place so it's not uncomfortable. There's a big table in the middle and plenty of power sockets. They have the typical coffee offers and three different types of hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was only £3. They all have food and sweets, but didn't try any of it. I got the orange hot chocolate and it came with water, a chocolate wafer biscuit, and of course the chocolate. The hot chocolate was not too rich or too sweet and had a nice orange flavour. The only thing I wanted was a hotter cup of chocolate. While I like the place a lot, it was really cold so make sure you have a coat or scarf to stay warm. The staff was really nice and welcoming. Overall the place was cool and will come back and try the other hot chocolates and drinks.

Belinda A.

Having walked around town and in need of something hot to drink me and my shadow headed for pot kettle black coffee shop in deansgate barton arcade. inside the interior is nice with some comfy chairs at the sides and a longish table in the middle, theres softly played music in the background and i found it quite relaxing and peaceful and could easily get lost in my own thoughts. I Ordered my usually latte which came in a glass rather than a cup, was also given a complimentary biscuits and a glass of water all on a tray staff were very polite and asked me if i wanted anything else? If i wasnt in a rush i could of easily sat another half a hour or so in this beautiful coffee shop away from all the hustle and bustle of town. mybe next time i will!

William L.

I'm keeping it short today. Great service, delicious cakes, well-roasted beans and well-made drinks (smooth without the burnt/bitterness taste) AND great presentation and atmosphere. I can see myself sitting here comfortably doing work on my laptop. They even provide power outlets near most of their tables. A plus for people who likes to work at a coffee shop (like me).

Rebecca G.

I love Barton Arcade, I think it's such a cool space. It's the perfect location for a new quality coffee shop - far from a drab chain cafe. During PKB's first week of opening I went two or three times, it simply is a splendid and comfortable place to have a pause and enjoy a quality brew. PKB use the famous London roaster Workshop's coffee- and I'm sure that the longer this place is open the better the coffee will get. Not to say that PKB aren't already providing some top notch coffee- it's just the place is so new and already so popular, I can only see it getting better! There are some nice touches at PKB that aren't necessarily found in Manchester's other quality coffee shops. The staff are really friendly, in particular there are a couple of lads working their that are seriously handsome. Beautiful men aside, the presentation of the coffee is spot on. The small plate with the water, the coffee and a little wafer twirl biscuit (there's probably a name for these) - make it more of an occasion (which it should be when you're paying that amount!). Good coffee ain't cheap these days. The barber shop nearby is so cool I always feel I'm missing out a tad (it's men only). PKB has provided me with an equally cool pad to hang for a while in one of my favourite corners of town. The interior of PKB is so trendy, and its not all look - the big chairs are so comfy. They are pretty big too- I feel like an evil scheming villain or a princess- depending on my mood. Also, the carrot cake is good. I have also heard positive things about the chocolate tiffin. Treat yourself.

Aaron S.

I've heard alot about Pot Kettle Black over the past 12 months or so, and have desperately wanted to try here for a while now, luckily my search for a barbershop brought me to the Barton Arcade, and hence Pot Kettle Black. PKB is an independant coffee shop, surrounded in Deansgate, close to St Anne's Square and the Arndale Shopping Centre, by so many big brand coffee companies, PRET, EAT, Starbucks, Costa, all have stores within minutes of a walk away from here, so Pot Kettle Black must be doing something right to be able to afford, what I guess is a high rent in the Barton Arcade, and being able to stay open, and I agree that they are. They is lots of plug sockets here, with one at near enough every table, and with the main central table being flooded with them, which is especially good to sit and work for a few hours, if you can work on your computer, and it is a nice, relaxing atmosphere to be able to do that too. The staff here seemed a little poor, I was waiting for a minute or two at the till, while the staff carried on their conversation, and I even talked like I was being served, only to be ignored. When I was served, the staff seemed a little quiet and it was hard to here them, having not offered any flavouring syrups, I decided to go for a plain latte. My drink was £2.80, which I find pretty pricey considering the size, and that it is an independent chain, but I do understand they can't do it too cheaply, as I'm sure rent is high at the Barton Arcade, and simply they need to do that to pay for all the plug sockets! The coffee was quite strong, but still I did enjoy it, and it was good quality, I do understand why they didn't want to offer flavouring syrups, as it would "make people not appreciate the coffee" as my barista pointed out, it cost £2.80 as I said, and was served with a biscuit (sadly not gluten free) and a glass of water. I was a little upset to see that PKB had wasted an opportunity to offer gluten free, they claimed to me to offer gluten free brownies, but they were not separated, and they was a high chance of cross-contamination, so I had to avoid that. They told me they would not be able to offer it anyway due to having a small kitchen, but they plan to make the kitchen bigger in the future, and they may offer it. In my opinion, they could clean the surfaces down (as they should anyway) and simply bake the gluten free first in the morning, and put them in plastic bags, that could result in minimum cross-contamination, and seem more inviting for coeliacs to visit, as it is really nice to have something with your coffee, which isn't a prepackaged and non-fresh wrap or brownie. They do have a couple of signs in the surrounding areas of Deansgate and St Anne's Square, which let you know it is nearby, with a few humorous messages, and free wifi is also available here, which I feel is great as it adds to the place being great to work from, and it also requires no long sign-up, which makes it not worth connecting to the wifi at all, and with codes on every table, you don't need to worry about bothering the staff for the password, hence can connect easier and quicker. I was a little disappointed with the service here, especially to warrant paying £2.80 for a drink of that size, and it also would have been nice if they did remove the biscuit, knowing I'm gluten free for health reasons, but the coffee is quite nice here and good quality, and it is a nice place, so I do feel 3 stars is a fair rating for Pot Kettle Black. UPDATE: A recent visit here left me leaving both disappointing and hungry, It started off so well offering gluten free soup and bread, however I was quite upset that is appeared to be overpriced, even being charged £1.50 for an extra two slices of bread for food that was barely average. I also ordered an iced coffee which sadly was terrible, to the point I had to send it back and I mentioned this to my waitress, however one thing which annoyed me was that she still tried charging me for it. I was upset to have to order a drink and send it back, let alone had to kick up a fuss as they tried to force me to pay for something, which is unacceptable and poor customer service so sadly I feel the need to demote Pot Kettle Black to a single one star due to poor levels of drink and food quality and service and pricing issues.

Hugo F.

Polite and calming atmosphere, I keep coming back here, particularly at the end of the day. The staff are lovely, and know their stuff, even seem not to irritated with small children ringing the service bell on the counter constantly (unlike me). Enjoying the summer fruit smoothie, free WiFi (come to expect it these days, but I like it here because it is fast. Also a good crowd using the place for a mixture of work, meeting, and play.

Katie H.

When I was at my hairdressers a couple of weeks ago, she happened to mention that she had heard from a client that a rugby player had opened a coffee shop in Barton Arcade. I didn't need to hear any more and promptly added to my 'need to visit' list but due to being extremely busy wasn't sure when I'd get the chance. Then earlier in the week I noticed reviews popping up on Yelp as well as a Manc Confidential review, I decided that I would make Sunday (i.e. today) a 'me day' and as part of that decided I would pay this place a visit. I put a book in my bag but really with no intention of reading it should the fit rugby player owner be there. I found the place ok and went to the counter to order my drink. Went for a hot chocolate and was offered four different varieties. I went for a classic but will be back soon to try the raspberry, white and orange flavours. Went for an almond cake to accompany the hot chocolate. Overall paid £4.50 which is good for this kind of place in the city centre. One thing I like is the big table in the middle which is ideal when on your own , rather than taking up a whole table. It has a nice communal feel with the Sunday papers available for perusal. They brought the hot chocolate over and I thought it was a nice touch that it comes with a little glass of water. I often order a glass of tap water when having hot chocolate. so it''s a nice (and unique) touch that it automatically comes with one. One of the highlights of my visit was when the fit rugby player owner asked me if I wanted a top up of water. Being a rugby union fan, as opposed to league, I'm not sure who he played for or his name, but I recognised him from his photo on Manchester Confidential. That is definitely a winner and I am sure will help bring in the punters. As a service to my fellow yelpers, I decided to stay and breathe the same airspace as the rugby player and have another drink. I went for tea and had a pear and vanilla rooibos on the recommendation of the waitress. It was very nice and just light enough after the hot chocolate. Overall I am already a big fan and will be back. The staff were friendly, even asking my name, which is a nice touch. the drinks and cakes good and a really relaxing atmosphere. It wasn't very busy but I think it has a bright future ahead of it because it is a bit different than others and is the only independent place in the vicinity, so it will definitely get trade. Definitely recommend others trying this place out.

Laura F.

I have genuinely found my favourite coffee shop in Manchester. Pot Kettle Black, found in Barton Arcade just off either Deansgate or St Annes Square, is a unique little cafe that served me one of the best coffees yesterday evening. The inside of PKB is very homely and welcoming. There were plenty of people already sat enjoying their coffees - some were families, friends couples and a few people were working away on laptops which was also good to see. It's a place for everyone. They have plug sockets around the main island-type table, which is a huge plus for me as my phone battery tends to let me down very often. The menu was great and boasted all the best coffees. Their little Christmas menu caught my eye though as I saw they served some boozy coffees - Disaronno coffee to be precise - so I opted for that. Tim C. went for a mulled wine. The coffee took a while to make, but it was well worth the wait. Served to me on a little silver tray, the Disaronno shot was in a separate glass so I decided to try the coffee on it's own first - and it was so so good. After plonking the Disaronno into my coffee and chomping on the little wafer biscuit you get as a freebie I was over the moon. Try it. I'll be back to Pot Kettle Black.

Natalie W.

Pot Kettle Black is situated in the beautiful Barton Arcade and itself has a great interior as well as delightful staff and good background music, plus wifi. I ordered a hot chocolate which came with water and a bolero wafer stick biscuit - good accompaniments. However the hot chocolate itself, although beautifully presented, was not great - not sweet but not pleasantly bitter (i.e. made of dark chocolate) either, basically no real flavour. I'd say Java is still my top choice for hot chocolate in Manchester, thanks to its love of the marshmallow.