Worth the Walk Ancoats, Manchester

Ancoats. Proper mint.

Once the cotton-spinning heart of the world, now the best place to eat and drink in Manchester. A Michelin star, the city's favourite bakery and a canal-side beer hall, all within a few minutes of your door.

Drink

Victorian boozers, a beer hall run by seven brothers and a pink natural-wine bar. Something for everyone.

Swipe for more

Eat

Most of the best restaurants in Manchester are within a two-minute walk of Cutting Room Square. Book ahead at weekends.

Swipe for more

Coffee & bakeries

A roastery inside an old mill and a bakery people queue round the marina for.

Swipe for more

See & stroll

Where the Industrial Revolution really got going, now full of canals, murals and music.

Swipe for more

The map

Tap a pin to see what it is and how far it is from the front door.

You're here

The dark pin is Cutting Room Square, the heart of Ancoats. The Rochdale Canal and the old mills are to the south, New Islington Marina to the east, and the Northern Quarter and Piccadilly to the west.

A simplified map. Walking times are from Cutting Room Square and rounded to the nearest minute.

Getting here & about

Ancoats is right on the edge of the city centre, so most of Manchester is walkable from here.

From Piccadilly station: walk it

It's about 12 to 15 minutes on foot, and flat all the way. Taxis from the rank outside take around five minutes, traffic allowing.

  1. Manchester PiccadillyLeave by the main exit and head down the approach
  2. London Road and Ducie StreetPast the old warehouses
  3. Great Ancoats StreetCross at the lights into Ancoats
  4. Cutting Room SquareFollow Blossom Street to the square

Metrolink tram

New Islington stop is about seven minutes' walk away, by the marina. Tap in and out with a contactless card on the platform readers.

From Manchester Airport

Trains run from the airport to Piccadilly in around 20 minutes, then walk or grab a cab from there.

From Victoria station

About 15 to 20 minutes on foot through the Northern Quarter, which is a good introduction to the city.

Buses

Manchester's yellow Bee Network buses cover the whole city. Tap on with a contactless card; many routes run through Piccadilly Gardens, 10 minutes' walk away.

Taxis and ride apps

Uber and Bolt work across Manchester. For a black cab, head to the ranks by Piccadilly station or Piccadilly Gardens.

Bring a brolly

It doesn't always rain in Manchester. But it might. Every good day out here has a pub plan B.

Further afield

The rest of Manchester, and one day out beyond it.

Talk like a Manc

You'll hear most of these before your first pint's half gone.

MintBrilliant. The highest praise available.
Our kidYour brother. Or your mate. Or anyone you like, really.
Buzzin'Absolutely delighted.
DeadVery. As in "dead good" or "dead busy".
BarmA bread roll. Don't call it a bap round here.
MitherBother or pester. "Stop mithering me."