Mary & Archie, Manchester

This is one of two Mary & Archie café bars, with the other larger version being up the road in Chorlton. They both have much the same formula of café by day and bar by night, although I found the beer quality to be better in this one. There is seating outside and then inside tables with cushioned benches run up the left and right to the small bar counter at the rear. I counted twelve fonts that were pouring premium and craft keg; I went for Liquid State Brewing’s Pilsner which was good. The £2.90 per half price tag I suppose is standard for craft in these parts, which is why I’m now a fully-fledged cask ale drinker. On the food front the burgers are £14, which again is about average for this well-heeled area. I do prefer a proper boozer, but these sorts of places are nice for a change of scene. That said, I’ll probably not return now that I’ve been.

A small cafe bar. Quite pleasant to sit in though its a bit too cafe like of an afternoon. A small main room to the front with an even smaller room at the rear. 3 handpumps on the bar with beers from Track Brewery and Cottage today.

Opened up in 2008 and originally called the Silver Apples and it's name in 2011 to Mary and Archie after the owners parents.The bar is to the right on entry and a small 'snug' room beyond this which houses 2 round tables with 4 chairs to each and can easily be mistaken for a living room.There was a varied menu which includes as much local produce as possible and 3 cask beers one of which was a Ginger pale Ale from the Little Valley Brewery at Hebden Bridge,which was a decent drink although at the time did not realise it was an organic beer.