New three-storey NQ bar and kitchen Wilderness reveals concept and opening date

The faces behind popular Manchester venues including Crazy Pedros, Liars Club, Cane & Grain, Junkyard Golf Club and Bunny Jacksons have just revealed the opening date for their new Northern Quarter concept, Wilderness Bar + Kitchen.

They will officially open the doors on 15th August, taking over the old Folk & Soul unit (prior to that, the home of Odd bar) – a key Northern Quarter location.

The new three-story Wilderness Bar + Kitchen will, as its name suggests, cater to those who fancy a drink or a bite to eat with a modern European menu from ex-Manchester House chef James Lord.

Offering ‘innovative dishes, cooked over coals,’ it certainly sounds promising. 

And downstairs, in the basement, will lie an ‘Innovation Room’ – a creative space for menu development to take place, within the venue’s working kitchen.

Here, guests will soon be able to book in for a private chef’s table-style experience and dine from a tasting menu served by head chef James Lord himself. 

On the ground floor, things will be kept easy breezy with a bar serving pre-batched highball cocktails on tap alongside a carefully considered selection of craft beers. No need to book, walk-ins will be welcome.

And last but not least, the first floor will play host to an intimate cocktail lounge with a seasonally shifting cocktail menu, designed to reflect the twists and turns of nature and incorporate seasonal flavours.

Put together by well-respected Manchester bartender Adam Day, it will pair homemade ingredients with quality spirits and seasonal produce in an endeavour to create a wholly natural cocktail list.

There will also be a mix of low ABV cocktails and natural wines to choose from here, alongside a choice of small plates perfect for picking at over a drink or two.

Mof Gimmers, resident record buyer for the venue’s Withington sister site, will be curating an in-house DJ roster as well as coming through himself to drop some of his own hot selections. A man of great taste and occasional writer for VICE, we have no doubt the music offering here will be on point. 

The news follows the opening of Wilderness Record Store in Withington earlier this year, by all accounts a big hit. 

Get Thursday 15th August in your diary – we’re looking forward to this one. 

Wilderness Bar + Kitchen will be open from 11.30am until 12am Sunday – Wednesday, 1am on Thursday and until 2am Friday and Saturday as of Thursday 15th August. Food served 12pm – 10pm daily.