New bar: Cane & Grain on Thomas Street in the Northern Quarter

The Liars Club and Black Dog group hold a special place in the hearts of Mancunian drinkers, providing a haven whatever corner of the city you find yourself in – and whatever time of night. They’re now broadening their portfolio, with the announcement of new rum-and-ribs joint Cane & Grain, opening this month on Thomas Street in the Northern Quarter. Located where Thomas Restaurant used to be, the bar is set across three floors – the first of which carries an 1980s skater aesthetic, evoking the excess and flamboyance of that decade, while upstairs houses a cosier, more subtle speakeasy. The top floor contains their super-secret cocktail laboratory, the theme of which is still very hushed. Star of the show, however, is not Cane & Grain’s diverse drinks menu but its glazed ribs – developed by chef Barry Gamble – which it claims to be the best in the city. An ambitious statement, perhaps, but if you consider the accolades poured upon this team’s other ventures, you may find that their candour is not entirely unjustified.

Launches Mon 7 Jul, Cane & Grain, 49-51 Thomas Street, M4 1NA, 5pm, www.caneandgrain.co.uk, @CaneAndGrain