Common

One of the Northern Quarter’s original hipster hangouts, Common – bar, eatery, coffee spot – has been at its Edge Street address for 16 years. Having spearheaded the booths and booze with bright colours and bold murals trend, Common has since gone stripped back and muted, decor wise. The drinks menu has always been easy to navigate and carefully curated, and food now comes courtesy Nell’s Pizza.

NYC inspired, slices are available for the small of purse snack fan, or full pizzas come in 14 and 22 inches, with half and half an option in the bigger size. Nell’s is a family business operated by husband and wife team Charlotte and Jonny Heyes, who are all about the best produce and baking by hand. Using 100% British organic flour, Nell’s dough is slow-fermented over 36 hours to allow for a perfect combination of lightness but strength for folding. With nine non-meat options at the last count, ingredients include plant-based roast garlic cashew cream and vegan’duja, plus fior di latte mozzarella, ham from Littlewoods Butchers in Stockport and Cobble Lane Cured pepperoni.

Common has 10 beer lines, serving daily changing craft beers and signature Common Pale and Common Lager. There’s a not unimpressive wine list and a rotating cast of low intervention natural wines is available by the bottle (and some by the glass) from France, Italy, Spain and the New World. Gin is a thing, with six small batch serves paired with Sussex-based Folkington’s Premium Tonic, or check out the cocktail classics, from Aperol Spritz to Elderflower Collins

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