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Once upon a time, as all good stories begin, there was a dark and dingy district of Manchester known to all who lived there as Angel Meadow.
As big a misnomer as any in existence, Angel Meadow was far from angelic and, in fact, during the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century it garnered renown as one of the worst places to find yourself situated in the whole of the country, characterised by neglect and despair.
Writing in his book Angel Meadow: Victorian Britain’s Most Savage Slum, Dean Kirby observed: “New arrivals to Angel Meadow were forced to sleep naked with strangers in dingy lodging houses, cockroaches were welcomed because they ate the bed bugs and skulls were kicked around during games of football in a graveyard packed with the bodies of 40,000 paupers.”
Fast forward a century or two and Angel Meadow has been transformed into what we now know as the Green Quarter, home to all sorts of fine establishments that are certainly worth a visit… everything from Sadler’s Cat and Brewtap to Runaway, The Sparrows and, of course, stellar street food venue GRUB.
If you’re bored here, you’re not doing it right!
But there’s one absolute must-visit to include on any tour of Manchester (one that we always make sure we take our guests to) and that’s the Marble Arch.
A pub, yes, but a pub like no other, the Marble Arch is a stunning grade II-listed building known to locals simply as The Arch.
Just a short stroll away from the Northern Quarter, you’ll find this award-winning watering hole, which not only serves brewery-fresh cask beer from nine hand pulls and eight keg lines, but which also serves as the flagship venue and original home for the Marble Brewery itself!
In fact, you might well recognise the gorgeous red brick building and the sloped mosaic floor, as the venue has been used as a film shoot location many times, including for acclaimed Channel 4 series It’s A Sin and BBC drama World on Fire… and once you set foot inside, you’ll instantly see why.
Built in 1888 as a McKenna’s Brewery project, the building features statement chimneys and a truly imposing arched entranceway (hence the name!), you’ll find the famous mosaic tiled floor inside, big, bold and bright with colour.
The walls are glazed brick and brought to life with a tiled frieze above - and the end result is something warm, welcoming and utterly unique. Much like Manchester itself, you might say!
Outside, there’s a tucked-away beer garden just behind the pub so you can enjoy an al fresco pint or two. It only rains 273 days of the year in Manchester, so there’s at least some opportunity to not get wet… but Mancs never let a little rain stop play. Just don’t forget your brollies and you’ll be just fine!
It’s not all delicious cask beers and artisanal ciders on offer, we’ll have you know… and there’s some amazing food to be discovered too, whipped up in an open kitchen and featuring all the classics, from steak and stout pie to fish and chips, burgers and, naturally, superb Sunday roasts.
What’s more, music events take centre stage on a regular basis, as well, such as the super-fun vintage vinyl set Dr Sid’s Prescription on the first Friday of every month!
But beer, food and tunes aside, you do need to make sure that you have time to visit the Marble Brewery and Tap Room, as well.
The brewery first started off life in the grand old Arch back in 1997, brewing top-notch tipples for 12 years before moving down the hill to Williamson Street to increase capacity and meet growing demand.
For ten years, the brewers worked away beneath two railway arches before moving once again to their current home in Salford in 2019, led by head brewer Joe Ince and producing amazing beers including Manchester Bitter, Lagonda and Pint, as well as new offerings like the Hop Forward range.
And it’s here that you’ll find the brewery’s new Tap Room, which is fast becoming one of the most popular hotspots to enjoy a super-fresh Marble beer… made right in front of your very eyes!
But it’s not just beer you can find here and you can satisfy your hunger cravings while exercising your beer arm, with a pizza oven onsite, as well. Can’t say fairer than that!
So, as you can see, the Marble Arch and brewery has everything that any discerning foodie and beer connoisseur could possibly want.
If you want to find out more about the venue, its rich and illustrious history and, indeed, Manchester itself, give us a call to book yourself on a walking tour of the city today!
🎟️ Book a food tour, sip something spiced, and fall in love with Manchester (and each other) all over again.
📞 07507 706520 | 📩 info@flavoursofmanchester.com
