Alston Bar & Beef, ‘Manchester’s first speciality steak and gin restaurant,’ is set to open in the Corn Exchange this autumn
The latest newcomer to the Corn Exchange food and drink complex is set to beef up its offering, quite literally, promising the UK’s ‘highest quality’ beef and ‘a selection of the world’s finest gins’ on opening this autumn.
Work on Alston Bar & Beef - which will occupy a 6500sq ft space below the Grade II-listed edifice on Exchange Square - begins this week, representing a £2m investment from London-based owners Glendola Leisure (who also own the nearby Waxy O’Connor’s).
First opened under Glasgow’s Central Station in 2014, this will be the brand’s first foray onto English soil.
Alston Bar & Beef’s trademarks is its Tweed Valley steak, which they say is 'selected from the top 1% of Scottish beef and dry hung for 35 days for optimum flavour' and available nowhere else in Manchester (Confidential looks forward to seeing how it stacks up against the likes of Hawksmoor and Blackhouse - full review to follow).
Mother’s ruin is another speciality, with an initial selection of 58 gins both local and international. Local brands will include Manchester Three Rivers and Manchester Gin, while a selection of ‘bespoke gin-infusions’ will also be on offer using botanicals foraged from the Manchester area.
Designed by Jestico + Whiles - the practise responsible for the original Glasgow venue - Alston Bar & Beef Manchester will reflect elements of its Scottish counterpart, alongside the Corn Exchange’s Edwardian heritage.
Highlights of the 160-cover venue include a feature staircase, a ten metre wide mural commissioned by local street artist Tank Petrol, a high spec show kitchen and a private dining room for up to twelve guests. It will be accessed via a dedicated entrance on Cathedral Street
Riki Bennett, General Manager, Alston Bar & Beef Manchester said: “We are looking forward to launching our second Alston Bar & Beef venue here in Manchester. Our Glasgow venue has had great success and has built a reputation for the best steak and finest selection of gins.
“Whether it is our stunning venue, the top one per cent of Scottish Beef we will have on offer, or our huge range of bespoke gin-infusions and gin-based cocktails, Alston Bar & Beef will offer something for everyone and it is great to be one step closer to our official launch."
