Oh salut! First time…read moreI walked past this a few weeks ago and saw the enomatic through the window I let out a an actual GASP of excitement. Was pretty excited on the night too, so excited I left my card in the wine machine which made me look like a total amateur. It's much more spacious inside than I had realised, and there are also seats and heaters outside with a great view of the nearby row of traditional pubs with the town hall in the background. I enjoyed trying the various wines (the smallest amount is often £2-3 so you can try a good four wines on a £10 card pre-payment) and could even tell that some of them tasted different, so am basically going to be earning my MW in no time. They also do a few little snacks - my fave baba ghanoush and some rather tasty crisps, although the brown olives tasted too sour for me. Tap water came chilled in a delightful glass bottle. Btw I am not sure there are actually other drinks options here, maybe check that before you go. The staff were efficient and welcoming and I am sure I will be back here. A great companion to hanging ditch and Bakerie in terms of our city's wine bar scene.

I love wine. Big fan. You know how it goes, you open a book one day and you bite the apple and…read morewoooosh, there's no way back. Although I now work for an independent wine merchant in Didsbury and am considered a bit of a fussy geek by my friends, I have longed for a good wine bar in Manchester pretty much since I arrived in town over 6 years ago, well before wine was a big thing for me. A few places have attempted it, half-heartedly for some, but none had so far succeeded. Then came Salut wines, first baby business of a lovely couple who like me love good wine and thought it deserved proper representation in the City Centre. An ambitious project that was, not without hurdles. But tenacity paid off and behold, a superb, clean, warm and welcoming wine bar where odd ins once was. Enomatic machines a-go-go, 32 wines are available by the glass at any point in (opening) time. That's 16 whites and rosés and 16 reds. Thanks to these machines you can enjoy a vast variety of wines, all of which are way above your house plonk from most pubs/bars/restaurant. And that's not all. 3 measures are available: 50ml, 125ml and 175 ml. The first one is my favourite. I can play to my heart's content and try a lot of wine before it's time to call it a day. Most wines are between £1.20 and £5 for a glass but you can also try some of the fancier stuff that would NEVER be available by the glass otherwise. Risk-free. Whilst they do not cater, a range of nibbles and tapas plates are available and it's perfectly suitable for a light lunch or diner. Cheese, cured meats and Mediterranean veggie plates, all made with very good ingredients. Music is top notch, not your average lounge "elevator" type nor your bass-boosted frenzy. Blues, jazz, pop, electro... To sum-up, great atmosphere, best wine selection in town, excellent service. The bottle prices to take away are on the steep side of I'm honest but I'll put that down as the location.

This is such a lovely wine bar. When it comes to wine I don't pretend to know my stuff, I just…read moreopenly admit 'I know nothing about wine!' I do like wine, and it always has to be red, preferably a fruity one, but that's as far as it goes for me.. Names of wines? Nope. Flavours of wines? Nada. So I asked the bartender for a middle of the road, fruity, red. He recommended the Le Selezioni Cutaja, Nero d'Avola (confused face) and he looked like he knew his stuff, so with total faith in him that's what I went for. It was lovely. The bar itself is small but looks cosy. It wasn't particularly busy for a Tuesday evening but there was still a very pleasant atmosphere as I met some other Yelpers for pre-dinner drinks. As time goes on I can imagine this is the type of place I would like to sit for a few hours, order a meat and cheese board and try some different wines. This may have to involve building up my tolerance a little though, as usually 2 large glasses of red and I'm sloshed.

OH APERITIVI YOU SAY…read more Following my year in Bologna when I belatedly discovered Italian aperitivi culture (i.e. eating tiny free pieces of food along with your prosecco, negroni etc) I always get verrrry excited when I see it in the UK. Veeno apparently has a whole buffet on Wednesday, which I am excited to try. Meanwhile what we got was great - cheese and ham with excellent red wine (I got the "classic" which I really enjoyed). Will definitely be back here for drinks, it's a great stop off before, for example, Red's or Splendid Kitchen.

There is still some royalty left in Europe besides our beloved Queen, and to remind us of the rich…read morehistory of his country and his family (which has very close ties to our own House of Windsor) HRH Prinz Luitpold of Bavaria visited our fair city to teach us everything you could ever want to know about the family business, Kaltenberg lager. A group of esteemed Mancunians gathered in the Bier Haus, which is a delightful addition to one of Spinningfields latest hotspots, The Long Bar (owned by, you guessed it, Living Ventures). After a quick introduction to the charming prince, we were taken through a tale of the dizzying history of his family and their ties to the production of Kaltenberg, which is now brewed under licence and distributed by the award-winning Lancashire brewer, Thwaites. As Prince Luitpold explained, the company much prefers to set up local production of their fine ales to ensure the quality and freshness of the brews. Operations are expanding to Ukraine and Asia next year. We progressed through a wide variety of brews, each one getting a little bit darker and a little bit stronger. Before each tasting, the Prince imparted his considerable knowledge of the brewing process and flavour profile of the lagers and beers, including their impressive ABV%. In true Bavarian style, guests feasted on magnificent frankfurters the size of cricket bats in a bun (exaggeration but you get the point). After the tasting, the charming Prince fielded relevant questions about the brand, as well as the odd reference to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (don't ask). It was a truly unique experience, and we thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon in the cozy Bier Haus. We have a new found respect for Kaltenberg and The Long Bar.

I like The Long Bar's set up which maximises seating space around the bar with fairly comfortable…read morebacked high stools. We arrived just before last orders but received a friendly welcome and weren't rushed out. I enjoyed my Aperol Spritz (which thanks to our recent Yelp elite event is my new favourite aperitif), they also appeared to have some fancy beers on the menu including one relatively unpronounceable one which my friend I suspect deliberately chose as I was ordering. Music was good too and overall this was a much more chilled option than nearby Alchemist, which was rammed. Granted the selection of cocktails is severely limited, but really if you have a mojito on the menu that's essentially satisfactory, isn't it.

How delighted I was to stumble across this little basement by accident, strolling down Half Moon…read moreStreet just because it had a nice name. And there, opposite the fire escapes, and between the back doors and wheely bins...is Corbieres...a welcoming little rectangle of light luring you in and down its steps. And I really do mean 'luring' - my beau and I had said just 5 minutes ago that we didn't fancy a beer, and yet we soon found ourselves at the bottom of those stairs investigating the various lagers on offer! There wasn't a great selection on tap, certainly no names that I recognised, and the barman didn't seem too enthused about what was on, but I got to try a new Czech lager that I was quite pleased with. And there was a good selection of bottled goodies behind the bar as well. The room is rather small, but the atmosphere of the place is just great: exciting yet understated, the kind of place I could imagine both hipsters and die hard football fans could rub shoulders and neither would snigger at the other. That's my kind of place. The jukebox is wonderful. During our brief visit we were serenaded by a mixture of Happy Mondays, Stone Roses (we are in Manchester after all) and some other classic delights. In fact, one of the quotes on the walls (see photo) claiming to be from Ian Brown himself, is that it "always was, still is, the best jukebox in Manchester." High praise indeed. To sum up, my beau and I both left already plotting our return, this time with friends in tow, to show off the cool bar that we found!

Alison's is a pretty good review of Corbieres, covering all the main points. It definitely…read moredeserves a visit. However, she writes that the bar has managed to keep a low profile and that if you get there early, its all yours. In recent months its popularity has absolutely boomed if that used to be the case, and on Friday and Saturday nights, you've often got little chance of getting in, let alone sitting down, or accessing the Juke Box. The Juke Box is an absolute joke, no doubt, as it claims, it's the best in Manchester. The place is in a cool wine cellar which gives in a unique feel and it has a lizard attached to the bar (great idea). There isn't a focus on wine despite being a wine bar and the clientele are indeed much better than your average Deansgate set. Its genuinely one of the coolest bars around and I think its one everyone should try, so I do advise going, just make it a week night...

Well I think we can finally say we have a wine bar scene in Manchester…read more BistroVin is a peaceful space over the renowned Spirited Wines shop on Deansgate, with huge glass windows overlooking the street and classical music on the stereo. You can buy wine by the glass or buy a bottle from the shop downstairs (£4 corkage fee). There's also a fantastic looking selection of cheese, from which a French staff member selected the English Barkham Blue as her favourite. THE SHAME. (it looked great). She also recommended their new range of beers which features rose and jasmine flavours! Even I might like them! An equally delightful server suggested I try the Merlot which he promised was a strong wine and it was really delicious and at £4.50 a glass (others cheaper) I wouldn't hesitate to come back.

We should all hang our heads in shame, Yelp Manchester - BistroVin has been open since MARCH and…read morenot one of us realised. An unexplored wine bar. Totally unacceptable. Accessed via stairs within Spirited Wines, their large first floor bar is light, spacious and tasteful. A couple of Chesterfield sofas are sat in the corner by the large windows, with the rest of the wooden chairs and tables nicely spaced apart. Though it was raining, dreary and thoroughly miserable outside, the service was warm and welcoming. The bar man, Nicolas, explained that wine was available by the glass from the concise drinks menu, or you could pop downstairs and choose any one of the bottles to enjoy (with a £4 corkage fee - you pay for it at the bar). Two friends and I opted for a lovely Rioja and if we hadn't been going out for a meal afterwards, would have been very tempted to get a platter of cheeses. They have a counter of them with the French cheeses being delivered directly and the English cheeses from local producers. A charming and unpretentious spot to escape the busyness of Deansgate. Long may they prosper.

Called the restaurant an hour in advance and requested if they can seat 12 of us the same evening…read more They were able to accommodate us within an hour so that was awesome! They were so nice and gave the table a round of champagne! Someone got lucky with my extra one! This place was upright amazing! Our service was phenomenal thank you to Claudia and her team! We've pretty much tried everything on the menu from the cheeses to the tapas to the paellas and the desserts. I will list the dishes we had and rate accordingly! Asparagus and cheese 5/5 Eggplant dish 5/5 Octopus dish 10/5 Potato bravas 5/5 Seafood paella 3/5, potent odor and the rice wasn't well done Chicken Paella 4/5 Trip of cheese 4/5 Meatballs 5/5 Ham Croquette (per my friend) 5/5 Chicken confit 5/5 Torrija dessert 100/5 Rice pudding 4/5 Chocolate layers 3/5 Churros 5/5 This restaurant is a fancy establishment and I highly recommend to everyone out there if you want to enjoy a great evening with family/friends.. please make a reservation and definitely come here.

We found Iberica on Yelp, and we could not be happier. First, the neighborhood is the place to be…read more Lots of people, things happening, good music. We sat inside, upstairs by the window. They first brought a dish of some of the best olives I have ever had. We had s bottle of rosé sparkling wine to start, along with tomato toast and a board with 3 meats and 3 cheeses. The flavors were incredible. For shared plates, we ordered 3 off the special Galician menu. The white asparagus was wonderful, a little of the sea asparagus on top gave just enough salt for the creamy sauce and crumb crunch. The octopus was also incredible. The potatoes were perfectly cooked, with tender pieces of octopus on top, all swimming in butter and topped with paprika. Finally, the scallops were served in the shell, with a crunch, spicy, peppery topping. The service was awesome, with a special shout out to Claudia, she could not have treated us better. Thanks for the digestif! A definite recommendation.

The Cheshire Cheese Company has finally made it to City Centre! I've been a fan of their cheeses…read morefor quite some time, but always had to make the trek to the Trafford Centre to get a taste, or order online. Now they've got a setup smack dab in the middle of the Arndale, and I couldn't be happier - though I'm certain my midsection is going to get puffy fast. I can never resist buying in bulk to get a bit of a discount, and usually go for the spicier varieties. My favourites are: El Gringo Chili Lime & Tequila; Caramelised Rioja & Onion Cheddar; Jamaican Jerk Spicy Gourmet Cheddar; and the classic Black Bob Extra Mature Cheddar. Those are just the standards for me, but there's always something new to keep you coming back for more. They come out with new flavours on a monthly basis, and with about 12-18 cheeses available to taste test, you're bound to find something you love. They've also got a large selection of wines and chutneys to pair with the cheeses you get. I've had some tastings of the chutneys and they're quite flavourful, but the cheese is what keeps bringing me back for more. If you see me walking out of here with 5 wheels of cheese, just try not to judge me...and help me find some crackers.

Delicious food, buzzing atmosphere, what more can you want?…read more I love the R&A in Soho and was curious how it would work here IT IS BRILLIANT The seafood is extraordinary: squeaky fresh, so-so-delicious. Some of the tastiest oysters I have had in UK, absolutely yummy scallops/ The atmosphere is great: stylish, buzzing, glamourous without being brash or too noisy. The cooked food is delicious too: pork belly was incredible, sea bass fresh & cooked just so, one of the best tomato salads I've had outside Greece. Apparently the rotisserie chicken is great (according to the very friendly man on the table next to us, but he wasn't quite friendly enough to share it!) Staff were lovely too: friendly without being cloying Highly recommended (and good value for the quality)

Excellent food. Good service and ambiance. I will be back!read more

Went here last night and it was great food. We went for a set menu which was tapas and also paella…read more Not sure about all the names of the tapas dishes but they included meatballs, seafood salad, potatoes with tomatoes/salsa, diced pork, sautéed mushrooms, breaded crabclaws and paprika chorizo. About 12 tapas dishes into total plus the paella. Set menu was £16.50. If you don't want paella, its about £2 cheaper. The only problem with tapas is that there are so many dishes, you always run out of space quickly. You have to quickly eat dishes so you can make room for others. The food came very quickly. Good job as we were all hungry. The paella came about 40 minutes after we ordered - a good sign that it was cooked from scratch. Overall a very good evening. It was very busy and a group were actually sitting on the tables situated in the sort of "lobby" area at the bottom of the stairs near entrance (and near the entrance to toilets). I assume they were given the option if they wanted to sit there. I have heard El Rincon is very popular and you always have to book a table. There is quite a bit of football memorabilia on the walls and, as Emma-Louise H has also mentioned, I have heard that Manchester United have visited in the past. El Rincon is actually not situated on Deansgate as it has been mentioned on some places. Its actually on a small dark street parallel to Deansgate - which you could argue looks a bit dodgy especially when it was all dark and wet last night - typical Manchester rainy weather!! El Rincon is not the easiest place to find and I would imagine doesnt get much passing custom.

The 2014 winner of the 'That's not how I expected it to be inside' award definitely goes to El…read moreRincon. Had it not been for the trusty map app we'd probably have struggled to find it, (it's on the corner of Longworth Street, which is off St Johns Street, which is off Deansgate...). Head through the doors and you descend stairs that resemble a London Tube station's with a central hand rail. At the bottom, a small replica of Picasso's 'Guernica' painting is high above you, with a traditional-looking tiled restaurant sign on the back wall. Turn a corner and you're met with a cavernous space, double height ceilings and a huge bar (where you can sit and eat at as well). I'm certainly glad I booked as it was very busy and throughout our meal there was a constant stream of customers (some 'winged it' and were seated where they could find space, one small group ended up sitting in the entrance area!). We could tell it was a popular place so were looking forward to getting stuck in. As a group of seven we didn't need to trawl through the menu as we had a choice of two set ones (opting for the slightly more expensive, but we got two extra tapas dishes plus a paella; and it was only £2 per person extra). Jug of sangria poured, the first of fifteen dishes started to arrive (I'm not going to list them all so don't worry), but lots of tapas faves were included, as well as some I hadn't heard of before. I thought pretty much everything was delicious (though still not convinced by artichokes...). As I've said a few times now I love shared dinners, so tapas is perfect. We all really enjoyed our time here and I'll certainly be back again for more.