The best: Independent wine bars around Manchester

A delightful little spot tucked alongside Ancoats Marina, Flawd is a neighbourhood natural wine bar that also serves up stellar small plates that go hand-in-hand with their bottles.

Since taking over an old gallery space, Ad Hoc has proved a wildly popular addition to the Northern Quarter. Industrial shelves cascade around the venue packed with an incredible selection of handpicked bottles to take away or drink in.

Erst’s ability to expertly match their natural wine offering with showstopping small plates has earned the venue a long list of rave reviews, with the cosy spot being recognised as one of the UK’s best on multiple occasions throughout its short life.

Monton’s Wandering Palate is a real labour of love and it shines through the minute you step in. They say their offering has been inspired by years of travelling and friendships made, and the shop—bar hybrid has proved a more-than-welcome newcomer to the rejuvenated Salford village.

Understandably perhaps best known for their £1 tacos, the folks at Wolf at the Door also boast an impressive selection of wines that complement their wallet-friendly food menu seamlessly.

In the heart of Didsbury Village, the easygoing yet achingly chic Juicebox specialises in meticulously crafted biodynamic fare while offering a vast array of ‘everyday drinkers’ and high-end heavy hitters to suit every taste.

Stop by and grab a bottle to take away, or select anything from the shelf to enjoy in store (£5 corkage, free on Fridays) with a variety of sumptuous snacks and refined deli produce on their small plates menu.

Reserve was born out of combatting intimidating visits to a local wine shop—the ones where you haven’t the foggiest what you’re looking at. Since then, alongside their Didsbury store, they’ve since established popular outposts at Altrincham Market, Mackie Mayor and Warrington’s Bents—so they must be doing something right.

Back in Ancoats, the immensely popular Blossom Street Social offers an eclectic slate of international and local wines sourced from renowned vineyards and small-batch hidden gems alike, curated with an ethos of artistry and innovation to deliver a ‘sensory journey’ with every sip.

Pair your glass – or bottle – with a dish or two from their irresistible British-Brazilian fusion menu, and stop by on Fridays and Saturdays to dance the night away to a vibrant mix of DJ sets during their Social Sessoins.

Salut are proper veterans when it comes to wine in Manchester and with more than 400 bottles on offer—an ever-increasing amount of which fall into the natural category—we’re fairly confident even the fussiest of drinkers will find a pour suited to them.

Isca combines natural wine with supreme deli goods, celebrating the connection with the source of their offerings and the person behind them.

Sustainability and transparency is at the forefront of everything they do—so whether you grab a bottle to takeaway, or sit in with a couple of small plates, you can do so with a clear conscience.

Another beloved Ancoats neighbourhood hangout, KERB have built their offering around the little guy, and an ability to suggest the perfect natty wine for any situation.

They sum it up better than we ever could though, explaining that they’re about “the freedom of the grape, the passion of the farmers, the experience of the drinker and connection between all three.”

Serving over 450 wines across its units in Heaton Moor and Sale, South Manchester’s beloved Cork of the North bars offer an unrivalled choice of exquisite vintages alongside delicious Mediterranean nibbles daily.

Guests can pluck one of the glinting bottles covering almost every square inch of the bar’s walls to sample in the warm, bustling inner sanctum or revel in the late summer sun on the alfresco terraces.