Manchester is home to many Irish bars but this is certainly one that may just transport you across the Irish Sea, so go on pass us the Guinness! Located at the former Northern Quarter site of PLY and overlooking Stevenson Square in Manchester is The Salmon of Knowledge, an Irish bar with a difference.
Symbolising “the pursuit of wisdom and the transformative power of knowledge”, The Salmon of Knowledge also brings with it cracking Irish-inspired scran, top tier pints of beer and stout, plenty of atmosphere as well as more obscure items, such as a confession box. That’s right, you can confess your sins at the bar as opposed to your local church.
What also sets The Salmon of Knowledge is not only can the people of Manchester confess, but they can win prizes in the process. Depending on how scandalous your confession is you could win a prize, and unfortunately scribbling down that you’ve had too many pints or whiskey is not going to quite cut it…
Alongside the confession box, you’ll find a wide choice of drinks to choose from including plenty of Guinness lines, plus 50 distinct whiskeys as well as the full range of beer from Franciscan Well brewery in Cork including Chieftain, Rebel Red, Well Hazy, and Shandon Stout. The Salmon of Knowledge also serves up a selection of cocktails, with some having a little nod to the Irish influence such as Irish Coffee Martini, Jameson Orange Spritz and Irish Old Fashioned.
Food is served up by the crew behind Heaton Chapel’s The Last Stop, with the menu featuring desserts, fries, wings and burgers, one of which is topped with slow-cooked Guinness-braised brisket. And the Guinness doesn’t stop on draft, as you can munch on loaded Guinness fries, Guinness BBQ wings, Guinness gravy, Guinness cauli wings and a Guinness brisket boxty.
Described as an Irish-inspired folded potato pancake, the boxty features a range of fillings such as buttermilk chicken, bacon and eggs, and Beyond vegan meat. The boxty is soft and tender on the inside, yet ultra-crispy on the outside, and is definitely the comfort food you want going into the colder months.
Throw in live music including fiddle playing and sports such as hurling and Gaelic football on the big screen six nights a week, and you’ve got quite the atmosphere, so much so you may just feel like you’re in Ireland and not Manchester.
đź“ŤFind The Salmon of Knowledge at 26 Lever St, Manchester, M1 1DW.