Side Street Manchester unveils seventies-inspired lounge, new cocktail menu, and Friday DJ nights

Side Street Manchester has launched a new lounge area and cocktail menu as part of its latest expansion. The new space, known as Side Space, has recently opened at the venue’s location in the ABC Buildings in St. John’s, Manchester. The relaunch operation also includes a weekly Friday night DJ residency by local collective Good Custard, aimed at enhancing the venue’s late-night offering.

Open Wednesday through Saturday evenings, Side Space features a vinyl listening wall, velvet seating, and ambient lighting, designed to evoke the atmosphere of a 1970s house party. Guests can bring their own records to play on Wednesdays between 6 pm and 9 pm. The lounge is also available for private hire throughout the week and will host curated vinyl evenings later this year.

Complementing the new space is a 13-item cocktail menu that reinterprets classic drinks using modern culinary techniques. The menu comprises updated versions of well-known tipples such as the Sazerac, Penicillin, French 75 and Sidecar. These reimagined drinks incorporate ingredients such as apricot soda, mezcal with pear and ginger, and Calvados with coconut and mango.

Ant Everett, General Manager at Side Street, said: “Our new menu focuses on taking classic cocktails and reinventing them. We’re using homemade tinctures to deliver bold flavours in just a few drops – like our chilli tincture for spicy margaritas – and experimenting with sous vide techniques to create rich, deep infusions, such as our tonka bean syrup. We’re also exploring edible garnishes, like our house-made rose gel. It’s about rethinking familiar drinks in a way that’s accessible but exciting – something guests will remember.”

To mark the launch, Side Street has introduced two new happy hour slots. From Tuesday to Friday, 5pm to 7pm, selected cocktails including margaritas and Aperol Spritz are available for £7. A second “if you know, you know” happy hour runs from midnight to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, offering £7 Espresso Martinis.

The Friday night programme, Side Street Lates, features Good Custard DJs taking over the venue from 8pm to 3am, playing a rotating mix of funk, disco, house and dance music.

Side Street is part of the Shiko Group and is located on the ground floor of the ABC Buildings, a mid-century development originally constructed between 1959 and 1965. The site has since been redeveloped and now hosts a range of hospitality and retail businesses.

Food Desk

For further information and reservations, visit Side Street’s website here.