Fifteen real Manchester beer gardens and taproom patios, from a canalside garden in Castlefield to a beer garden built inside Victoria Station, each with what to expect, what’s on tap, and whether dogs are welcome.
The Wharf (Slate Wharf, Castlefield)
A canalside pub in Castlefield overlooking the Bridgewater Canal Basin, with a huge beer garden and an outdoor bar called The Moorings serving frozen cocktails, rose and pints through summer.
- Large canalside beer garden
- Outdoor bar (The Moorings) for cocktails and pints
- Views over the canal basin and Manchester skyline
- Log fire and Sunday roasts in colder months
Victoria Tap (Victoria Station)
An unlikely beer garden built right inside Victoria Station, with bean bags on artificial lawn and tram-track views, designed for use in all weathers.
- Located inside Victoria Station
- Bean bags on artificial lawn plus bench seating
- Views of the tram platforms
- All-weather covered design
New Islington Marina (Ancoats)
A waterside stretch of bars and cafes on the edge of Ancoats, facing the green lawns of Cotton Field Park, a favourite for a post-work pint or a morning coffee by the water.
- Waterside bars including Cask (large draught and bottled selection)
- Cotton Field Park lawns across the water
- Popular for early evening and weekend visits
Cloudwater Unit 9 Taproom (Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester M1 2NP)
Cloudwater’s own taproom right next to the brewery, with a short walk to Manchester Piccadilly, pouring the freshest cans and running its own on-site shop.
- Open Mon-Thu 2pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-10pm, Sun 12pm-8pm
- Right next to the working brewery
- On-site merchandise and bottle shop
- Short walk from Piccadilly Station
Track Brewing Co Taproom (Unit 18, Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester M1 2NP)
A dog and child-friendly taproom with 20 keg lines and 3 cask lines alongside wines and spirits, plus a Slice Culture pizza counter on select days.
- Open Tue-Sun (Mon summer only), 12pm/2pm-10pm/8pm
- 20 keg lines, 3 cask lines
- Dog and child friendly
- Slice Culture pizza served Wed-Sun
Runaway Brewery Taproom (Astley Street, Stockport SK4 1AW)
A Stockport brewery taproom with an outdoor beer garden and regular pizza from food truck Honest Crust, known for its American Brown and Smoked Porter flagships.
- Open Thu 3pm-9.30pm, Fri-Sat 1pm-10pm, Sun 1pm-7pm
- Outdoor beer garden with pizza food truck
- American Brown and Smoked Porter flagships
- Farmhouse and sour beers on rotation
Beer Nouveau Brewery Tap (75 N Western Street, Manchester M12 6DX)
A brewery tap in a railway arch, serving casks straight from the brewery on weekends only, in the tradition of American and New Zealand brewery taprooms.
- Open Fri 4pm-10.30pm, Sat 12pm-10.30pm
- Served directly by the brewers
- Housed in a railway arch
- Cask ales and small-batch beers
Mala (19 Lever Street, Northern Quarter)
A secret, walled-off Northern Quarter beer garden with ski-chalet booths and cable-car-style seating, dog friendly and non-smoking throughout.
- Walk-ins only, no booking
- Dog friendly, non-smoking throughout
- Ski chalet and cable car themed seating
- Cocktail-led drinks menu
Common (39-41 Edge Street, Northern Quarter)
A Northern Quarter bar with a small but well-loved outdoor terrace, popular with the area’s art and music crowd for an evening pint.
- Small outdoor terrace seating
- Popular Northern Quarter crowd
- Rotating craft beer and cocktail list
Gorilla (54-56 Whitworth Street West)
A music venue and bar near Oxford Road with an outdoor terrace area for pre and post-show drinks, a short walk from the university district.
- Outdoor terrace seating
- Also a live music venue
- Near Oxford Road station
YES Rooftop (38 Charles Street)
A rooftop bar near Oxford Road offering skyline views over Manchester, a good sundowner spot when the weather cooperates.
- Rooftop bar with skyline views
- Popular sundowner spot
- Near Oxford Road
Manchester Craft and Design Centre Courtyard (17 Oak Street, Northern Quarter)
A quiet courtyard space in the Northern Quarter’s design centre, with a handful of independent cafes and bars opening onto shared outdoor seating.
- Shared courtyard seating
- Independent cafes and small bars
- Quieter alternative to the main Northern Quarter strip
Marble Arch Inn (73 Rochdale Road, Ancoats)
A historic Ancoats pub and home brewery with a small beer garden, known among Manchester’s beer enthusiasts as one of the city’s classic cask pubs.
- Small beer garden
- Historic tiled Victorian pub interior
- Own-brewed cask ales
Sadler’s Cat (NOMA district)
Cloudwater’s own pub in the NOMA district, with a small outdoor seating area and the brewery’s full range alongside guest casks.
- Cloudwater’s own pub
- Small outdoor seating area
- Full Cloudwater range plus guest beers
Piccadilly Trading Estate Courtyard (Piccadilly Trading Estate)
A shared industrial courtyard between Cloudwater and Track’s taprooms, where visitors can move between both breweries’ beers in one open-air stop.
- Shared courtyard between Cloudwater and Track
- Move freely between two breweries
- Industrial estate setting, informal seating
Try an English Classic
If you want to try a classic English brown ale before you visit, we tasted Samuel Smith’s Organic Pale Ale, a Yorkshire brewery whose beers show up on plenty of Manchester’s cask lines.
More Beer Travel
See also Best Beer Gardens in London, Best Beer Gardens in Liverpool, Best Beer Gardens in Bristol, and the Beer Cities hub for 100 more cities to drink your way through.
FAQ
Which Manchester beer garden is best for dogs?
Mala in the Northern Quarter and Track Brewing Co’s taproom are both explicitly dog friendly.
Which has the best view?
The Wharf overlooks the Bridgewater Canal Basin in Castlefield, and YES Rooftop offers skyline views over the city centre.
Where can you try beer straight from the brewery?
Cloudwater’s Unit 9 taproom, Track Brewing Co’s taproom, Runaway Brewery in Stockport, and Beer Nouveau’s brewery tap all pour beer brewed on site.
