When Manchester City are at home, the Etihad isn’t the only cathedral of craft and chaos in town. The city centre — that roaring grid of glass, grit and good beer — is a playground for the faithful, a place to toast the brilliance of De Bruyne, dissect Pep’s tactics, and forget you’re about to spend £6.80 on a pint that’s so good you won’t even care.
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If you’re flabbergasted by how many options there are before a Manchester City match, don’t panic. From the industrial arches of Piccadilly’s “Beermuda Triangle™” to the timeless green glow of the Peveril of the Peak, these are the seven best bars and pubs, Man City pubs, to hit before or after a game.
Whether you’re chasing hazy hops, Victorian tilework, or somewhere to argue about Rodri’s pass completion rate, this is your guide to Manchester’s matchday soul.
🍺 The Sureshot Tap – The New Wave of Piccadilly
Tucked under a railway arch at the Piccadilly Trading Estate (M1 2ND), The Sureshot Taproom hits with the same shock factor as Aguero’s 93:20 moment — unexpected, explosive, unforgettable. It’s the rebellious younger sibling of Manchester’s beer scene, a few stops from the Etihad and a perfect pre-match launchpad for fans who like their IPAs bold and their football dramatic.
Walk in and you’ll feel it instantly — skateboard-style branding, graffitied walls, and staff who actually like talking about hops. The vibe? Laid-back, industrial, and effortlessly cool. You could be in Berlin or Brooklyn — if Berlin had better crisps.
Their beers are outrageous. Dreamy pale ales, juicy IPAs, and punchy porters — most clocking in between 3% and 6%, meaning you can still find your seat without falling over the steward. Don’t miss their double and triple dry-hopped specials, or the low-ABV bangers that still taste like victory.
🕒 Wed–Sun, generally till 11pm. 5-minute cab to the Etihad.
🍕 Track Brewery Taproom – Hazy Heaven
If Sureshot is the punk, Track Brewery is the poet — a cathedral of stainless steel and soft light. Also based at the Piccadilly Trading Estate, it’s a few doors down and probably already packed with City shirts.
The 10,000-square-foot taproom has that Pep Guardiola balance — all about space, structure, and rhythm. There’s room to breathe, room to think, and still enough energy pulsing through to make you feel part of something meticulous yet alive. The huge beer garden is dog-friendly, DJ-ready, and dangerously easy to lose an hour in — the kind of place where even Pep would probably start diagramming passing triangles on a napkin.
With 20 taps on rotation, including a trio of lagers, hazy pale ales, DIPAs, and the occasional cask gem, Track’s lineup reads like a love letter to modern brewing. Pair it with Slice Culture pizza, and you’ve got the holy trinity — beer, food, and football talk that could fuel a thesis.
🕒 Tue–Sun, roughly 2pm–10pm. 26-minute walk or quick tram to Etihad Campus.
🍻 The Peveril of the Peak – Manchester’s Emerald Heart
🍻 The Peveril of the Peak – Manchester’s Emerald Heart
Then there’s The Peveril of the Peak, the pub you’d draw if someone asked you to sketch “British charm.” Located at 127 Great Bridgewater Street, this green-tiled Victorian beauty stands defiantly against time, trends, and TikTok culture.
Inside, it’s all wood, tiles, and whispered stories from drinkers who’ve seen a few title races too many. The pub has several rooms, each with its own mood, and it’s always humming — darts, pool, laughter, the kind of pub noise that feels like home.
The ale selection is a nod to Manchester’s roots — cask bitters, porters, and perfect Guinness, poured with the same precision you’ll see from Keira Walsh splitting Brazil’s midfield. There’s no food here — just crisps and conversation — but that’s how the gods of pubcraft intended it: simple, sharp, and ready-made for fans gearing up to watch the Lionesses bring steel and swagger back to the Etihad on October 25.
🕒 Open daily till late. 48-minute walk or 9-minute cab to the Etihad.
🍴 The Marble Arch Inn – The Cathedral of Cask
Step inside The Marble Arch Inn (73 Rochdale Rd) and you’ll think you’ve wandered into a Victorian time capsule — all mosaic floors, curved ceilings, and ceramic perfection. Built in 1888, it’s the kind of pub that makes architects and ale lovers weak at the knees.
What makes it special is the juxtaposition — this timeless slice of old Manchester sitting in the same city as the Etihad Stadium, that shimmering symbol of modern football engineering.
This is one for the purists. The cask ale range is legendary — think rich stouts, blackcurrant infusions, and crisp bitters, poured with care and reverence. It’s loud (the acoustics bounce off the tiles), but it’s Manchester loud — warm, welcoming, and gloriously unpretentious.
If you’ve got time to kill before kickoff, Sunday roast or fish and chips here will set you right. You’ll also find quiz nights, chatty locals, and a garden that somehow feels like a beer sanctuary in the middle of the city.
🕒 7-minute cab or 38-minute walk to the Etihad.
☁️ Cloudwater Brewery Taproom – The World-Class Option
Cloudwater isn’t just a brewery — it’s a Manchester institution. Once ranked second-best brewery in the world, this spot at Unit 9, Piccadilly Trading Estate has earned its reputation through obsessive craft and a quietly stylish taproom.
Expect over 20 taps of meticulously made beer, plus a cold-store takeaway section that feels like a candy shop for adults. Upstairs, the mezzanine bar overlooks wooden barrels like some beer-monk monastery.
Food trucks rotate — one week it’s Japanese street food, the next it’s tacos — and the place fills fast with football fans who know a good pint when they see one.
🕒 Tue–Sun, open late. 4-minute tram or 25-minute walk to Etihad Campus.
⚡ Northern Monk Refectory MCR – Leeds Meets Manchester
Across the Northern Quarter at 10 Tariff Street, Leeds’ finest brewery sets up shop with Manc swagger. Northern Monk Refectory MCR has become a pre-match magnet — a cross-Pennine peace treaty sealed in hops.
Inside, it’s red brick, neon, and faith — literally, their flagship pale ale Faith (5.4%) anchors the tap list. There are around 20 draughts on rotation, from juicy IPAs to experimental collabs. The crowd is a lively blend of locals and travellers; plenty of City shirts, but everyone’s welcome if you keep it respectful.
Food residencies rotate — past highlights include lasagna pop-ups and loaded toasties — and the outdoor benches are ideal for warm afternoons before a big European night at the Etihad.
🕒 10-minute walk from Piccadilly. Often open Monday nights too.
🍔 The Pen and Pencil – The All-Day Kicker
Sometimes you want brunch, sometimes you want beer — sometimes both at 10am. The Pen and Pencil (57 Hilton Street) gets it. Inspired by mid-century New York and the “Mad Men” bar of the same name, it’s Northern Quarter cool without the attitude.
Perfect for early kick-offs, this place opens at 10am, serving strong coffee, bottomless brunch, and pints for those who’ve already started the pre-match mental prep. Their burgers are near-mythical in Manchester food circles — juicy, messy, and made for beer pairings.
The cocktail list hits hard too, so if City win and you fancy celebrating like Jack Grealish on a 48-hour bender, this is your stage.
🕒 Early open (10am), 10-minute cab or tram to Etihad.
⚽ Final Whistle: Where City’s Soul Drinks
Matchday in Manchester isn’t just about football — it’s a pilgrimage through the city’s evolving beer culture. From the railway arches to the tiled temples, from hazy hop bombs to porter perfection, each stop tells part of the story: a city that knows how to drink, think, and celebrate its football heritage properly.
So whether you’re marching to the Etihad or drowning your post-VAR sorrows, do it right — one pint, one story, one bar at a time. Because in Manchester, football might be religion, but beer is communion.
🧭 Quick Guide for Travelling Fans
Closest to Etihad: Sureshot / Track / Cloudwater
Best for Traditional Pub Feel: Peveril of the Peak / Marble Arch Inn
Best for Food & Brunch: Pen and Pencil / Northern Monk
Tram Route: Piccadilly → Etihad Campus (10 mins.
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