The best restaurants and bars near Co-op Live

Malmaison Manchester Piccadilly Bar & Grill isn’t just for overnight guests, its reputation for cocktails, quality beef and a buzzing atmosphere mean it’s respected as a restaurant in its own right.

If you feel it’s time to spice up your life, look no further than this Northern Quarter indie, where the main offer is ‘kebabs worth sitting down for’. Yep, BAB by name, ‘babs by nature, but that’s not doing the menu full justice – there are also meze small plates to mix and match, skewers and shawarmas, and non-babs such as an epic surf & turf spread.

The Pen and Pencil is the Northern Quarter’s cool all-day hangout, modelled on the New York bar of the same name popular with the city’s journalists and ad men in the 1950s and 1960s. It has a reputation for great cocktails, quality food and an atmosphere that makes it stand out from nearby imitators.

Food hall meets music festival is how we’d describe Freight Island to anyone confused about what they’ll find at this regenerated rail depot beyond Piccadilly Station. 

This bar on Cutting Room Square from the Seven Bro7hers Brewery clan is perfectly placed to cater for the craft beer drinkers of Ancoats.

The Beeswing is named after a tartrate sheen which forms on the surface of port and some other wines that have been hanging around for a while, also seamlessly encompassing Manchester’s famous worker bee emblem. Wines are carefully chosen by Anna with a combination of natural and conventional bottles on offer that changes regularly.

If you’re at Piccadilly Station wondering where you can get something nutritious and fresh to take on your train journey, this spot at nearby Kampus is worth the five-minute walk. Bondi Bowls takes healthy fast food to another level with its macro-measured salads, soups, smoothies, and shots.

Diecast is a party venue and ‘creative neighbourhood’ five-minutes’ walk from Manchester Piccadilly station.

Finders Keepers, a quayside bar at Islington Marina is the perfect sunny day spot. Its thoughtful seasonal cocktails are the main draw with interesting ingredients, such as pear and vanilla ice cream and kumquat, that set them apart from the million Porn Star Martinis doing the rounds.

Flawd was the first permanent space for the team behind Higher Ground. Sat waterside at Islington Marina in New Islington, it’s a specialist wine bar and bottle shop, with an outdoor terrace as well as indoor seating space to sit and sip before making off with one of the many takeaway natural and low-intervention wines.

A National Fish & Chip Award winner, the Manchester street food heroes opened up their first bricks ‘n’ mortar outlet in trendy Ancoats late in 2018, following a hard fought crowdfunding campaign. A kicked-back dining experience with proper comfort food, cool artwork and a cracking soundtrack, the HHCS collective have reworked the national dish with inventive additions like Jerk batter, Louisiana spiced crab cakes and their chilli battered sausage. Obviously the traditional fish ‘n’ chips are bang on too, livened up by their trademark flavoured salts and vinegars.

This Brooklyn-style pizza joint was born out of a love of using the best ingredients with care and attention. Nell’s is known for its 22-inch pizzas with fresh, crisp bases and toppings that range from bright and fresh to classic and meaty.

You’ll find Manchester’s Madre near KAMPUS on the Chorlton Street side of the complex. It’s the kind of place you’d visit with a groups of friends to enjoy good Mexican food, music and mezcal.

Track Brewing Co may be a bit off the beaten track but it’s worth the trek for craft beer aficionados.

You’ll find three cask ales as well as 20 keg lines showcasing the finest efforts of Track Brewing Co, plus guest beers and collaborations.

Unit 9 Cloudwater Taproom is right next to the brewery which, incidentally, takes up units seven and eight.

Despite the slightly unprepossessing location, the Cloudwater taproom is industrial in a good way. Large, light and spacious but with blonde wood, greenery and pretty artwork on the walls. Trading estate chic never looked so good.