While we’re all a little tired of every drinking den branding itself a speakeasy, Science & Industry at Cane & Grain is respectably true to the form. Accessed via a concealed doorway to the left of the main entrance, this shadow drenched Northern Quarter hideout is all about the cocktails. An experimental menu veers between crowd-pleasing classics and imaginative new inventions, conceived and perfected at the on-site “drinks laboratory’”. The table service is a substantial plus in a neighbourhood that often requires a bit of elbows-out orienteering on busier nights.

A craft-beer bar in a renovated former warehouse, Beatnikz Republic is an offshoot of the microbrewery of the same name, located less than a mile away. The relatively austere interior isn’t going to set your Instagram alight, but if the surroundings are simple, the offer is anything but. Special edition, small-batch brews take pride of place on a menu that changes frequently. The staff are thoroughly clued up and will, at the drop of a hop, take you through the tasting notes of your chosen tipple.

Matt & Phred’s is one of those destinations so interwoven into the fabric of the city that failing to catch a least one gig here would be like visiting Arizona and skipping the Grand Canyon. Over the years the likes of Jamie Cullum and Adele (pre-global) stardom have taken to the stage to showcase their musical chops. One of the country’s finest jazz bars, it’s open six nights a week and the Monday jam sessions are especially electric, as vocalists and instrumentalists alike vie for a spot in front of the amped up audience.

Manchester’s The Ivy Spinningfields is more than different enough from its counterparts to warrant a visit. Spread over four floors in the high-rise Spinningfields district, each level unveils a distinct concept – from the ground-floor brasserie with its gleaming onyx bar, to the garden-inspired rooftop with its fire pits and ostentatious flower displays. The drinks menus are equally diverse, so while the second floor Ivy Asia (the first of its kind) features mixes with the likes of sake and Hibiki whiskey, the Ivy roof garden keeps it polite with champagne cocktails, cosmos and variations of G&Ts.

While technically members only, with a little pre-planning (namely a call or email in advance) you should be able to nab a table at this basement cocktail bar. A hip co-working space for local creatives by day, the latter half of the week sees it open late, as martinis replace flat whites and DJs spin vinyl into the wee hours. Bathed in the pink glow of a wall-mounted neon daisy, it’s bijou but stylish, with black-and-white chequerboard tiling, cobalt velvet sofas and elegant mid-century cabinets.