With Manchester Pride here it would be foolish of us not to introduce you to the delights of The Molly House. Nestled on Richmond Street, just a few streets away from the hustle and bustle of Canal Street, you will find this vintage-style gem of a place with food and drink to die for.
Chill out in the tea room with an impressive platter, drink a pint of real ale in the upstairs bordello or sip a cocktail on the veranda, The Molly House welcomes everyone with open arms and a unique charm that will have you coming back for more and has recently launched an innovative new cocktail menu.
The cocktail selection has been designed by the incredibly talented and award-winning bartender Susie Wong who has taken her love of delicate yet powerful flavours and unique decoration to a whole new level. The Ruby Slippers featuring home made magical syrup, Bacardi Superior, raspberries, egg white and lemon juice is light and fruity whilst the Coco Not Chanel is heavier with Stoli salted karamel vodka, Mozart white chocolate liqueur, Briottet creme de banane and Coco Pop rinsed milk. Yes it is sweet but the addition of milk rather than cream makes this a real hit.
Lastly, you simply need to try a Ginger Rogers with Bacardi Superior, ginger juice, egg white, lemon juice, mandarin and tangerine syrup. The gentle spice of the ginger compliments the sharp yet fruity notes of the syrup beautifully.
If that is not enough there is an array of guest ales, a mean collection of gin and some impressive whiskeys to get your teeth into - and a tapas selection if you want something to nibble on.
The sharing platters offer Spanish and South American tapas with crunch coated brie and a sweet yet spicy sauce, creamy mushrooms and beautifully seasoned Spanish omelette featuring on the vegetarian version.
The patatas bravas were also a highlight with roasted until sweet potatoes topped with a hot and spicy picante sauce cooled with a touch of sour cream. The albondigas feature the same sauce covering juicy meatballs to make the mouth water. Add in some chunks of bread to mop up all that leftover sauce and you'll not be leaving hungry.
Cakes change depending on what has been made for that day but this gluten-free carrot and walnut cake was deliciously soft and moist with the sweetest frosting to balance out the heavy nut and carrot flavours.
The Molly House has something for everybody and a must-visit during Pride - don't just take our word for it.
See Time Out's guide to Manchester's best gay bars.