The Oxnoble, Manchester

Very food orientated place. Only a small area for drinking to the left of the bar with the rest given over to mainly eating. 5 handpumps with 1 used for cider. As it was half term it was full of whingeing kids who'd been to the museum thingy over the road. Even of an evening its not really a "let's stay for a few" place.

I have to admit that I've never liked this pub. It's always seemed to me to be pretending to be something it's not. It currently calls itself a hotel & gastro pub. It's more towards pub grub than gastro really. It's all one large room now but with several distinct areas, two of which are for diners. Around the outside of the room it's all dark wood and photo's but it's got a pretty modern feel. 5 handpumps on the bar dispensing the sort of mainstay and boring beers that this sort of place thinks is cutting edge. Deuchars, Spitfire, Copper Dragon Golden Pippin are the only three I can remember they were so unremarkable. They do have a real cider though which was from Westons. The Copper Dragon was OK without ever having the clean, hoppy fresh taste it usually has. I got here just as the Friday night post work suits were arriving, so I had to put up with a lot of false work banter whilst supping my very average pint. It's an average pub doing an average job. What a shame it thinks it's brilliant.

Named after the Oxnoble potato!