Gin and steak is the hot new pairing at this new Manchester speciality restaurant

One of Manchester’s newest restaurants has revealed the secrets behind its unique steak and gin dining concept and it’s set to get city diners talking.

Alston Bar & Beef has opened its doors to the public at the Corn Exchange, bringing the highest quality steaks in the UK to the city, alongside a selection of gins from all over the globe.

It’s the first opening south of the border for award-winning Scottish restaurant Alston Bar and Beef and represents a £2m investment from owners Glendola Leisure.

The 160-cover restaurant offers diners a menu which features eight different cuts of beef including a chateaubriand and 500g T-Bone, as well as classic fillet and sirloin cuts.

Each cut has been selected from the top 1% of Scottish beef and dry hung for 35 days for optimum flavour and cooked to perfection in specialist Montague ovens.

The menu also features dishes such as crab linguine in a bisque sauce and a beetroot and goats cheese risotto.

Alston’s bar is one of the first in the city to produce its own cold-compound gins, which have been created to accompany the steaks and dishes on offer, as well enjoyed on their own.

With a unique blend of plants and botanicals – many of which have been foraged from in and around Manchester – each gin has a distinct flavour profile, ensuring the bar offers a gin for every palate.

Up to ten cold-compound gins will be available on rotation at the bar, including a British Hedgerow Gin, with sloes, haws, rose hips, rowan and blackberries all foraged locally and a Wild Horseradish Gin, which has also been picked from the local area.

The bar boasts a selection of 58 gins from around the world, including several local brands such as Manchester Three Rivers, Thomas Dakin and Manchester Gin.

“We have invested a great deal of time and effort into securing the best quality steak for our customers, as well as handpicking the range of gins from around the world, with a focus on delivering the perfect accompaniment to our food,” says general manager Riki Bennett.

“We are breaking the age-old myth that only red wine should be served with steak or that gin is just an after-dinner drink.

“From our menu, there are obvious pairings such as the rainbow pepper and wild horseradish gin infusions which lend themselves well to the rich flavour of our steaks. Stripping it right back, a simple serve with any of our gins offers a crisp, refreshing drink that cleanses and resets the palate for each bite of steak.”

The restaurant, which is accessed via the Cathedral Street entrance of the Corn Exchange, has undergone an extensive transformation with interior design by architects Jestico + Whiles.

Guests enter via a feature staircase and are greeted by a bespoke stylish bar centred around the venue’s extensive gin offering.

The restaurant space draws the eye to a 10m wide mural feature wall, which has been specially commissioned by Manchester-based street-artist Tank Petrol. The space is completed by a high spec show kitchen and private dining room catering for up to 12 guests.

“The Alston brand prides itself on attention to detail and our food and drink will centre on the perfect presentation and taste,” says Glendola Leisure managing director Alex Salussolia.

“We have invested heavily in our staff to ensure they recommend the perfect cut of beef or perfect serve of gin to best cater for our customers. We are looking forward to bringing our unique offering to the city of Manchester and welcoming new faces to our restaurant.”

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