Science & Industry

Science & Industry sits on Thomas Street doing its own thing while the rest of the Northern Quarter plays it safe with craft beer and gin. The theme is laboratory – test tubes, beakers, periodic table references – but it’s done with enough restraint that it doesn’t feel like a theme park. The cocktails are where the science actually happens. Molecular techniques, smoke, foams, colour-changing drinks. Sounds like a gimmick but the flavours back it up.

The menu is divided into sections that nod to different scientific disciplines, and the bartenders can talk you through anything if you’re not sure what to go for. They’ll also make off-menu drinks if you tell them what you’re into. Prices sit in the upper range for NQ but you’re getting theatre and quality in the same glass.

The space itself is compact and moody – exposed brick, low lighting, bar seats if you want to watch the drinks being made. It gets busy on weekends so booking is a smart move, especially for groups. Walk-ins are possible earlier in the week. It’s not a place to smash ten pints – it’s somewhere you go to drink something interesting and actually taste it. Manchester needed a bar like this and Science & Industry fills the gap properly.