Lane 7 Deansgate

With its glowing neon graffiti, low lighting, and hip hop soundtrack, Lane 7 in the Great Northern on Deansgate looks more like a punky 1980s nightclub than a wholesome, All American bowling alley.

The vibe is part Blade Runner, part early MTV – it’s grungy, edgy and a little bit dystopian. But the experience is slick and professional with a well organised system for the eleven alleys, and fast, friendly service on drinks and food at the three bars.

Non-bowling entertainment includes just about everything that could possibly be construed as competitive. You can play American pool, ping pong, interactive darts, shuffleboard, arcade games. There’s even a shooting pod. If you must, there’s beer pong too. Oh, and karaoke booths.

Food is quality street eats-type messiness courtesy of Fat Hippo. The Gr8 White and The Swiss Tony burgers are good carnivorous choices and Five Lies is our plant-based recommendation. Good buns and good puns.