The Font

I’ve been here a few times for drinks and a couple of times for foods. To drink there is a decent selection of beers and some very reasonably priced cocktails. I had a wide range of them and found all to be very good for the price.
Last time I went for food we went for lunch and we both got sandwiches served on flatbreads. Mine was a butternut squash, re-​fried beans and mozzarella creation. It was pretty nice and came wth some very tasty wedges. The meal itself was very filling and large for a sandwich (not that I’m complaining about too much food. we just had planned to get takeaway later on and didn’t realise how big they were)
Overall I would say this place is good not great. I prefer it as a place to drink but that’s my opinion (and preference for eating greasy burgers). I will be going here again at some point, probably next time I feel like a few cocktails.

I’ve been to the Oxford Road Font once or twice with friends for a cheap cocktail or two (or five) before, but I didn’t realise they were a local chain or that they had other venues in Fallowfield and Chorlton.
I found myself in the Chorlton Font on New Year’s Day with a handful of friends, as we’d decided to go out for a drink or two then rather than NYE. We were able to get a table large enough to accommodate the six of us, and then set about perusing the cocktail list.
The venue itself is reasonably large, and looks like it would seat quite a lot of people with more room for further patrons if you’re not fussed about a chair. The sizeable bar runs most of the length of the room and has a staggering array of 16 draught and 6 or so cask beers on, which is a LOT for a place which I’ve only ever thought of as a student watering hole.
I only had the one drink, but for that one drink I opted for what seems to be my «usual» when it comes to cocktails: a bramble. The drink itself was nice, and at £3.50 certainly affordable. For the rest of our group, other popular choices were the espresso martini and the Aperol pistachio float; though one of our group elected to drink his way through all of the milk-​based cocktails on the list which was impressive.
I have to say that, if I lived in Chorlton, I could see myself frequenting The Font quite a lot as it’s got a good vibe to it and their beer range is certainly one which I think I would enjoy sampling my way along.
Why am I only giving it 3 stars, then?
That’s quite simple. The first reason is that, despite the cocktail list saying quite clearly that there was an offer of 2 Cocktails* for £5 Mon — Fri during a certain time, when I asked for two of these at the bar I was charged the full price. Admittedly the full price was only £7 so not the largest difference, but when I queried it with the bartender he gruffly informed me that the cocktail offer was only Mon — Thurs. Either he was wrong or the cocktail lists are wrong, but either way that was a little irritating.
The second reason is that the gents toilets were a bit of a mess. There were paper towels all over the place, some of which were either soaking up a leak from somewhere or were absorbing something a little less savoury. There was also no soap in the dispenser. Now, I know what you’re going to say — «blokes don’t wash their hands anyway» — but I do and the general state of the gents was disappointing.
That being said, this was the first time I’ve ever been to this branch of The Font and it was New Year’s Day so maybe it was an off day for them. I’d be perfectly happy to go back, and these aren’t the hardest problems in the world to fix.
All in, The Font in Chorlton seems like a good spot to go for some cheap cocktails and good beers.

Great choice of ale from Manchester breweries. Chilled music. Pricier than the norm, but the range is way more than norm. Good stuff

Great Modern Bar
What a successful launch! I watched them construct this place and utterly destroy the competition surrounding, one business has already closed and I can see others following suit. Though not perfect it consistently offers superiors choice compared to pretty much everything surrounding it.
A large rustic open plan room and with an incredible selection of booze and decent quality food with some vegan options yay! Ive always loved the Font franchise but this is by far the best one in the North. Why anyone holds on to traditionalist pub mentality when places like this are on offer is beyond me.
I’ve already had a few nice times here and it always feels easy to drop by and embrace the casual indie atmosphere. Staff seem decent and alert and using a comforting sense of manors including the lovely bouncer chap who often holds the door for people.
Overall its a great bar and its clear that’s were there expertise lies I just hope they continue to evolve there food and snacks menu. The main point being you cant really go wrong dropping into this place whatever your background.

I’ve never been to the city centre location, but now I would happily give it a try!
As prevous Unilocalers have mentioned, the big plus here is an extensive range of beers (on tap and bottled) and a long list of affordable cocktails. I opted for a bottled Belgian beer at a very reasonable price. Next time I will certainly try the cocktails which were pretty classic with some more original options thrown in.
The interior is a pretty decent size and the décor is nice. There is outdoor seating which is great for nice weather.
I can’t comment on the food this time other than to say that it smelled good!
I will definitely be back!

not a fan, the burger meat was dry and the interior is a bit grim. I have had better around the corner.

Cheap cocktails and good food, we’re on to a winner here.
I was in Font yesterday for a very reasonably priced cocktail. After paying £4.40 for a pint in a nice bar down the road I felt in need of something, well, a bit cheaper. In a good way. I got a sour cocktail which was well balanced and if it hadn’t been a school night I would have had another.
I’ve eaten here a couple of times too and it’s been tasty stuff. There’s plenty of space inside and an outdoors area at the front that’s good in summer. In winter there’s patio heaters for the smokers.
The only wrong note was the, frankly, broken sofa that I got sucked into. I had to execute a complicated rolling manœuvre to get out if it. Really Font, if it sinks that badly it’s time to invest in a new one. Otherwise good work!

Quite frankly any half decent bar that offers cocktails for £3.50 gets five stars from me. Even more so if it is based in one of South Manchester’s more expensive places to go out like Chorlton. Font is a really decent bar. It’s situated a good 10 minutes walk away from the main bars along Wilbraham Road but is well worth the trip and you can easily spend the night there. The place has a lovely laid back atmosphere. The décor makes you feel like you are in your grandma’s front room with chintzy sofas and old fashioned lamps. A mix of ages drink there and the place is very friendly. A good addition to the scene in Chorlton.

I’ve been to The Font in town but, given that I don’t often the leave the comfort of the city centre, it may come as no surprise that this was my first visit to the Chorlton branch.
An easy walk from the tram stop (even for someone with a bad sense of direction) and I noticed bus stops too (although I couldn’t tell you which numbers).
The reason for my visit was for a friend’s birthday. He reserved a table at the back of the bar. Maybe a point to note for anyone in Chorlton wanting somewhere to go with a group.
The place was really busy and had quite a wait at the bar. When it was my turn to be served, I ordered a couple of drinks so I didn’t have to queue again. Despite how busy it was, the place had a good vibe about it and really liked it.
My drinks of choice were a glass of prosecco (yes, if you have read my recent reviews, this is getting a bit of a theme since Dry January ended) and a Cherry Bakewell cocktail. At only £3.50 it was a bit of a steal. And, most importantly, very tasty. Usually something with brandy in absolutely kills me, but I felt ok with this.
Overall, very impressed and will visit here again, for sure.

I have recently frequented Font a fair bit and feel it’s about time it deserved a review. Jess H has got it spot on with the «It has a Chorlton feel to it» comment. Yes I agree Jess, that IS totally a thing.
Chorlton doesn’t even feel like Manchester at times. Ever since the BBC moved a large portion of its operations to Manchester, it’s become a safe haven for southerners. Which isn’t a bad thing, we’re welcoming bunch in Mancy town. Much like Pi, this is a bit of a local for creatives who live in the area. For the last two film projects I’ve worked on we held production meetings here, and each time discovered that we weren’t the only ones. The relaxed and laid back atmosphere is a stark contrast to the one you get in most city centre bars in the post work timeslot. Which is fairly refreshing. Suits are unofficially banned, smart casual seems to be the observational choice of clothing and whilst appearances mean very little, it actually feels nice not being surrounded by suited corporate drones moaning about work. Instead what you get is production meetings in which everyone is happy because the producer is buying all the drinks and only 20% of the meeting is about the work, the remainder spent talking about films.
The drinks menu is varied as is the case with the other Fonts and the mulled cider which I sampled last night was sensational. Places like Font and Pi are an ever present ringing noise in my head which translated says «move to Chorlton». I’m always extremely envious of the friends who just walk home after the meet up drink. Luckily, I’m not too far away but a short walking distance from Pi/​Font/​Barbikan Deli et al would be an ideal scenario.
In short, if you haven’t tried this place and think «Ah it’s just a Font bar innit? All the same right?» No they most certainly aren’t, not if you’re a devil is in the detail kinda person like me. Even if that’s not the case, you should still give it a go if you’re in these neck of the woods. If only for the fact it’s not full of after work suited drinking lards (and NO I don’t mean «lads». A word that’s massive room 101 contender for me. Utterly vulgar 90’s abomination) like the one in town.

Font Chorlton is a part of the small Manchester based chain which also has locations on New Wakefield St in the city centre and Wilmslow Rd, Fallowfield it however sets itself apart from these two locations as they are very focussed on the student population of the city, whilst Font Chorlton targets the demographic of ‘urban professional’. That might sound a bit arsey but it’s true, they don’t offer the cheap cocktails of the other two locations and don’t regularly employ a DJ on Friday/​Saturday nights. There is no attempt to hide that they are feeding a trend of bars in the area which are trying to appeal to the younger set of Chorltonites, however, and are moving away from the traditional pub archetype, but neither do they bend over backwards to appeal to the crowds.
They have a stonking 16 keg lines and 8 hand pumps which offer well sourced craft and cask beer, a surprisingly well stocked bottle fridge and serve food till quite late (10pm)
The food is honest and hearty and mostly comes in the form of stews, curries and sandwiches as they lack a kitchen (all food prep being done off site or in the small galley space at the rear of the bar) it doesn’t break the bank either which is a good thing. I’ve rarely paid more than £7 for a meal.
Font has quickly become a Chorlton mainstay and as such can be quite busy on a Friday/​Saturday night but it’s slight distance from Four Banks (corner of Barlow Moor and Wilbraham Rds) means it never seems as rammed as many on that main stretch.
The bar staff are always friendly, at least in my experience, and most are knowledgeable about their selection and will offer suggestions if you are at a loss to choose.
If you want to avoid the crowds I would suggest a mid week visit, but on a visit to Chorlton I would put this at the top of the list of bars to do.

After visiting for food I definitely have to write another review, upping my previous 3-​star rating to 4. The lack of an extra star doesn’t denote anything wrong with this place, rather that I just don’t like it quite as much as my 5-​star Chorlton faves.
We crawled along with slight hangovers at about 11am to get some breakfast. When we went to order we were immediately told that it would be a 30 minute wait due to a large party having just ordered. This didn’t bother us so we ordered coffee and orange juice and settled in.
The food turned up a lot sooner than expected. I had eggs baked in a clay pot with flat bread and he had a full English. Mine was excellent, great for something a little bit different than usual breakfast options. The runny yolks sealed the deal.
I’d love to head back soon to try the non-​breakfast options (and perhaps some more of the beer and cocktails).

I’ve got a real soft spot for the Font brand — they’ve just always been there for me when I’ve wanted a damn good beer at a fairly reasonable price. I mainly hit their Oxford road city centre branch as it’s basically the best place to drink around that end of town and its a pretty chilled place to hang out in, meet friends and just generally have a good time.
I’ve been to the Chorlton branch a few times now and although it’s a cool bar, it just doesn’t do it for me as much as the city centre one — everything just seems a bit too much polished and less inviting but saying that I’d happily spend an evening here.
Their beer range is pretty damn amazing really — all sorts of craft beers in bottles and on tap — plus they do ‘meet the brewer events’ here like the Magic Rock one I was attending last week — really good fun and is something a little bit different to do (so keep an eye on their Twitter stream/​website) about when their next one is on.
The cocktails list is also quite extensive (which my female friends have enjoyed — although again more expensive than the mainly student orientated city centre branch) — so a good spot for meeting all the refreshment requirements of all your friends!

Font is on the wrong side of the tracks for me, and when I refer to tracks I obviously don’t mean tracks I refer metaphorically to 4 Banks and how being a 4Banks Southerner I rarely venture North.
I’m glad I did though and I’ll have to remember that Fonts and alright drinking hole on a Saturday night.
For all Chorlton Vets, we are well aware that alot of Chorlton heaves early Saturday night but tends to drop off later into the evening as people often head into Town, this is good and bad as it means post 8pm you’re normally able get a table not queue for hours at the bar etc… However it also makes you feel like you missed the memo with quite how quiet it can get.
Font seems to stay reasonably busy throughout the night, still able to get a table, but not feeling like you missed someone shout ‘free booze at my place’ who just didn’t invite you.
The beer selection is good, so that keeps me happy enough

Like Font in the city centre? Then you’ll be just as happy with the Chorlton bar.
The cocktail list is just the same (if a touch pricier), the beer selection exactly as varied and 8 taps dedicated to cider is fantastic too — probably worth having with the outdoor seating area out front.

I’ve been to font a few times in town, but this was the first time i’d visited the bar in Chorlton. On arrival i was a little disappointed to find that although the bar has plenty of outside seating out front, it wasn’t the sun trap i’d hoped for. But as that’s an act of god and not their design i cant really hold it against them.
We headed inside to find a very spacious bar to find a mix of comfy settees and more traditional pub tables. It really is a large space and although we visited on a quiet Monday evening i can imagine there is always adequate seating and can accommodate much large groups without completely dominating the bar.
The menu looked quite good with a wide variety and something to suit pretty much every taste. To be the meze boards looked like a great option, but we weren’t there to eat.
I was delighted to see that The Font actually caters well for cider drinkers (with 8 traditional ciders on tap and more in the fridge), but i was having a cocktail day.
I’ve always loved Font in town for their extensive cheap cocktail menu and the Chorlton bar didn’t disappoint. I had 3 cocktails all priced below £5 (Cherry bakewell £3.50, amaretto sour £3 and a Bloody Mary £3.5).
What i like about Font is its non pretentious. Its not trying to be the latest trend or gimicky. Its a bar for friends to enjoy conversation and company, serving good drinks (including great ales which i hadn’t mentioned previously), and good food. A laid back friendly atmosphere.

Great cocktails at a good price.
I’m not sure how long its been since the change to Font from what was a pretty horrible previous Iguana bar but its a great improvement. Lovely interior and although it was fairly busy there were plenty of tables available even on a Saturday night.
There is a good cocktail menu and its priced very well, £4.50 for the delicious bakewell tart we were drinking. This bar is a little further out of central chorlton but for that you get the chance of a seat and better value for money so its a good option for a large group on a Saturday night.

I am really falling in love with this place. There are tons of sharing plates, snacks, and light meals on the menu. There is so much beer and cider to choose from, at every price point and adventurousness level. There is a good sized terrace, as well as a busier front section with a café vibe, and a relaxed area in the back, with couches and bigger tables for melting into with larger groups. Whatever I’m in the mood for, the Font has it. Service was helpful and prompt. I’m having trouble thinking of any criticism at all. If you wish there were more places to read a book, pick at some olives, and spend an couple of hours with a pint or three of handcrafted ale, this is the place for you. I’ll be back very soon.

Not the most interesting looking bar in the world and the DJ was so-​so but none of that matters because they have £3 cocktails here and that is not for happy hour, that is the actual price. I was excited. Granted, they are not the best cocktails you will ever have, but one is called the Dr Pepper (cola, cherry liqueur and amaretto) which is basically not open to criticism. I wouldn’t travel across town to come here but it’s a good stop off if you’re already in Chorlton.

Can I move to Chorlton now? Yesterday, I hopped on a tram to see an old workmate, and we headed into The Font.
Confirmed to be part of the Fallowfield/​NWS chain of Fonts by the lovely bartender, it didn’t feel the same at all — the atmosphere is much more Chorlton (which is totally a thing), relaxed and papered-​walls rather than the graffiti found elsewhere. The sofas are super comfy — watch out if you’re planning to leave after one drink because it’s not going to happen.
We were only staying for a few drinks, so we perused the pumps and cider blackboard, eventually opting for a ½ of Aspall and a ½ Fruli strawberry beer. Both were served in lovely shaped glasses and the perfect temperature. Beer is available in all sorts of measures, each with their own glass, so it’s challenging not to go crazy!
A final note is that food smells amazing. I mean, beyond anything the city centre could offer. We’re talking spicy curried stews, meat and cheese platters, summer salads and an array of tapas style side options. How we didn’t eat I don’t know!
With the tram opening up options like these, I’m sure to be back.