September 2026. Manchester.
Catching up with Mrs RM in Manchester after our respective trips I really wanted a proper meal, on a plate, with a pint, in a glass, in a pub.
Sometimes pub food in Manchester can mean pizza or bao buns or crisps, which is why the Abel Heywood is such a gem.
The local family brewers have gone upmarket since the smoking ban, a subject Pub Curmudgeon could always talk eloquently about.
Hyde’s Northern Quarter flagship* has a nice hotel, local styling (top), fancy seating,
and a fixed price lunch that would be seen as good value in most towns outside of Stafford or St Helens.
All pointless without good beer, and I reckon this is your best bet for Hyde’s Original and Lowry since they closed the Jolly Angler (boo !).
Cool, crisp, chewy pints (VERY GOOD),
expertly matched with comfort food of the highest quality.
And the place was packed, in a rare day Manchester itself was quiet. There’s a lesson there.
*I haven’t been to the Founders aka Dutton by the Town Hall since the refurb. Should I ?
Surely the halloumi Cobb salad would have been a worthwhile variation on your normal diet? (Conscious of my highly dubious recent diagnosis of high cholesterol).
Here in South Cheshire there are a couple of Hydes pubs flying the flag, Lowry can be a great pint.
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There is huge money to be made in statins hence the push and there are side affects. Maybe check out the list of foods that bring down high cholesterol.
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The Abel Haywood wasn’t open when I walked past it at about 11am eight days ago so I started in the Millstone before the Hare and Hounds opened at 11.30am.
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£15.95 for two courses, £17.95 for three is outstanding value, plus you get Hyde’s to wash it down with. My envy knows no bounds.
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The set price lunch isn’t quite as good as their main menu (pies recommended) Bill, but it’s very good value without being in any way pretentious.
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I believe I was in Manchester that same drizzly day, and followed a similar route between Piccadilly and Victoria (on a dog-leg-shaped train trip to York to fetch MIL). Believe it or not I’d never been for a drink in Manchester, so was determined to try a Holt or Hyde. Opted for Holt, and Hare & Hound over Lower Turk. Just two pumps, Holt Bitter and White Rat, a sensible choice of two IMHO. Loved the Bitter, especially at £3.70 a pint. Having passed a few busy bars en route, the pub was extremely quiet and stank of disinfectant, which might of been a blessing! The Abel Haywood wasn’t on my radar, but might try there next time if in that sort of area.
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I’ve only been for a drink in Manchester once too. Started in the Piccadilly Tap where my first pint was a bit meh (much to my disappointment as I was breaking my Shetlandic real ale drought) but the next was spot on. Went on to check out Sinclair’s Oyster Bar but it was heaving inside and out so I didn’t bother and went to the Crown & Anchor (Holts) instead. All good. Finished off in the Spoons on Deansgate. They’ve stopped the direct flights from Shetland to Manchester now, so that might be it for me and that place near Salford.
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Rhys, I think the Hare and Hounds is Manchester’s best pub, so it was Holts Bitter there ( before using the Circus Tavern and Grey Horse ) between Victoria and Piccadilly on my way back from North Yorkshire in June and one of my ten Manchester pubs earlier this month.
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