11 Central

You're heading down to the Quays on a Friday night and you want somewhere that feels a bit more refined than your average boozer, but not so buttoned-up you can't relax. 11 Central hits that sweet spot. It's got floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the water, the kind of lighting that actually makes you look decent, and a drinks list that clearly someone's put proper thought into. The cocktails aren't trying too hard—they're just well-made—and the bartenders actually know what they're doing. It's the sort of place you'll see people from Spinningfields and Deansgate mixing with the MediaCity crowd, which tells you something about the calibre of what's happening here.