Veeno Manchester

My boyfriend and I visited Veeno on a Wednesday evening prior to a concert. This place had been on our radar for some time as we liked the concept of the Wednesday buffet and the little snacks (sputini) that are served with the wine.
Veeno is located just off Albert Square which is a nice central location for meeting people. When I arrived at about 6 PM there were very few tables left. I would recommend reserving if you want to be sure to get a table. Unfortunately there was no Wednesday buffet as a few reviewers mentioned below, but there was an event focusing on a particular region of Italy where, for a certain price, you could taste varous wines and foods from that region that were brought out one after the other by the waitress. We instead opted for a bottle of the house wine and the Italia platter with the most popular meats and cheeses. The platter was pretty large so we were filled up by the end and it made a tasty dinner. However, we found the price (£23.90) rather steep for what was included. The house wine, however, was quite good for the price — we were both pleasantly surprised.
The table layout was not the best. I had to move my chair around our table three times to allow for servers and people to pass as our table was kind of stuck out in the middle of the traffic lanes and frequently jostled by passersby. Also, there was live music — good music might I add — but just way too loud given the small space. I was sitting right next to my boyfriend and we had to practically shout into each other’s ears to be heard.
The food and wine were good, but the atmosphere was just a bit off.

One of my absolute favourite bars in Manchester. The bottles of house red, white and rose wine are all around the £10 mark and delicious for that price. The staff are always friendly and cheerful and can assist you with choosing your wine if you’re not sure what you’re after. The décor is very ’ wine’ heavy (cork decorated table tops, etc) and this isn’t the largest space but it’s quite quaint and cosy and plenty big enough to get a seat (I’ve never had an issue). I’ve been to the wine tasting here which was brilliant and a really great experience. For around £20 per head you get six wines to try and a large plate of aperivino snacks (cured meats, bread, cheeses, etc) and a comprehensive description of each wine from a staff member who comes to your table to explain each bottle. The food is delicious, like being back in Italy, and the wines are such good value. As other reviews have mentioned, the toilets aren’t great but we’ll let them off that because it’s a small place and they haven’t got much room. The location is fantastic and central (close to loads of bars and restaurants and the Christmas markets) and every time I’ve taken someone here they’ve been impressed. It’s now me and my friends’ go to bar in town due to value for money and quality of the wine. Keep doing what you’re doing Veeno! Now I just need to head back on Wednesday for the £7 buffet and drink deal!

As promised I headed back to Veeno, however with the bonus of an italian buffet on a Wednesday it wasn’t long before I dragged my friends here after work one evening!
Between 5 and 8 it is £7 for a glass of wine and unlimited food from the buffet and I’ve got to give it to them they did it for me!
Value for money for wine and real fresh delicious food it is so different to anything else in Manchester. Having arrived at 6pm we bagged a table (after booking over our lunch that day!) The layout inside is fab with cork tops under the glass of the tables — it has some really great touches.
Now down to the food. There isn’t a huge amount of food on choice however this is perfect for a quiet catch up and some nibbles — although having said that there is definitely enough to fill you up!
I started with a selection of pastas and some tomato and black olive bruchetta. The staff are consistent with replenishing and the options were replaced with different pastas, tasty meats and cheese even too. Washed down with some of the fruity house white it was a great atmosphere although the music was a tad loud on occasions (this wouldn’t stop me coming back!)
To complete our evening were the desserts which were brought out just before 8pm. The little cakes served in cupcake cases are like a little bite of tiramsu. With a crunchy base and creamy top it was amazing!
I cant fault this place; for £7 you get everything AND more! I will be back again soon Veeno!

It’s only about 150 sf big, and they did hold a event for 200 people, and the food is like shit. I swear I Would never go there again!

I’ve ‘wined’ at Veeno a few times now, most recently because Salut frustratingly aren’t open past 18:30 on Mondays and Tuesdays as they host a wine school (note to self: register for aforementioned wine school).
Not meaning to be anyway unkind but Veeno just isn’t as enjoyable as Salut is for an evening of wine appreciation, but beggars (or should that be boozers?) can’t be choosers. Plus, these guys specialise in wine from just one region, rather than from around the world, so the comparison isn’t really fair.
This one on Brazennose Street, under the arcades right off Albert Square, is one of three in the north of England (the others being in Leeds and York). They offer family produced wines from Sicily and Italian spuntini (appetisers) so you can order a dish for lunch or with a glass (or bottle) of wine, or choose a few and stay for dinner.
Given how close Veeno is to a fair few decent restaurants, it’s still a good spot to all meet up for a glass beforehand.
Tip: every Wednesday from 17:00 to 20:00 they offer an unlimited Italian buffet with your drinks.

I came here directly from Salut, and unfortunately Veeno is not a patch on Salut. But that said, I really enjoyed it here. It’s cosy and welcoming inside. The man who served me seemed a bit aloof at first but was friendly when talking to me. I like how their menu is set out with names for wines such as the smoothest, the richest, the elegant, the classic. Prices are reasonable at between £4−10 for a large glass. The wine I chose (the smoothest) was great.
On a Tuesday you get a free snack snack with your drink, which I didn’t actually claim but Natalie W did and I helped her eat it (because I’m kind like that). It was really nice with meat, cheese and breadsticks. On a Wednesday you get a free buffet with your drink which I am already planning to go back for.
The toilets are not great — although they’re clean they are freezing and remind me of toilets in school gyms, kind of spooky.

This is such a lovely wine bar. When it comes to wine I don’t pretend to know my stuff, I just openly admit ‘I know nothing about wine!’
I do like wine, and it always has to be red, preferably a fruity one, but that’s as far as it goes for me. Names of wines? Nope. Flavours of wines? Nada.
So I asked the bartender for a middle of the road, fruity, red. He recommended the Le Selezioni Cutaja, Nero d’Avola (confused face) and he looked like he knew his stuff, so with total faith in him that’s what I went for. It was lovely.
The bar itself is small but looks cosy. It wasn’t particularly busy for a Tuesday evening but there was still a very pleasant atmosphere as I met some other Unilocalers for pre-​dinner drinks.
As time goes on I can imagine this is the type of place I would like to sit for a few hours, order a meat and cheese board and try some different wines.
This may have to involve building up my tolerance a little though, as usually 2 large glasses of red and I’m sloshed.

Quick stop off here as a meet-​up and pre dinner drinks spot. Very casual place — with an O.K. wine list and I believe tapas selection. Staff were very friendly, I think probably all part of the family business, as it were. The sort of place that I imagine will come into its own in the Summer months.

OH APERITIVI YOU SAY.
Following my year in Bologna when I belatedly discovered Italian aperitivi culture (i.e. eating tiny free pieces of food along with your prosecco, negroni etc) I always get verrrry excited when I see it in the UK.
Veeno apparently has a whole buffet on Wednesday, which I am excited to try. Meanwhile what we got was great — cheese and ham with excellent red wine (I got the «classic» which I really enjoyed). Will definitely be back here for drinks, it’s a great stop off before, for example, Red’s or Splendid Kitchen.

Tiny little bar close to the Christmas market. Hosted a Manchester Travel Massive meetup here and it was a nice little spot. For £7 I got a glass of house wine and could help myself to the buffet which was great! Felt like I was back in Italy again with aperitivo (till 8pm). In places like Milan the idea of aperitivo is basically like a Happy Hour with free food served up along the bar.
At Veeno they hand you a paper plate and then you help yourself to whats available. There was cold pasta salad, salad and various other options. Had a nice big glass of rose and then another, followed by a port. As Ian M. said I didn’t really learn much about the wine either but did drink copious amounts of it. Great spot to meet up with friends for a chat over wine and a snack.

Hmmm. I was neither impressed or unimpressed by Veeno. We went on a very sunny day and ordered a bottle of wine. The wine itself was nice enough and the waiters pleasant enough, but there was nothing to make me sing and dance about Veeno. The décor made me feel like i was in an 80’s yuppie wine bar and considering the wine is all Italian (aside from the Italian waiters) there seemed to be no essence of italy in anything else.
I will go again as i believe they do some good platters to go with the wine.
So maybe i just hadnt chosen the right Veeno experience on this occasion.

On a lovely sunny Saturday whilst walking through town looking for somewhere for a glass of wine we stumbled across Veeno on Lincoln Square, seconds from Albert Square.
Veeno is the sort of place you feel like your parents might have gone to in the 80s if they were going for a posh night out. You don’t often hear the term ‘wine bar’ and Veeno don’t want to remind you of it, it’s a ‘wine café’ & don’t you forget it!
The décor feels a little dated, not quite 80s, but definitely 90s, glass tables on wine casks and mood lighting, it’s quite nice actually, but not exactly cutting edge.
As we were just dashing around town for drinks we plumped for their cheapest bottle of red, a bargain at a tenner, which I really liked as it was not too heavy, had plenty of fruit and wasn’t overly tannic. My wife would have preferred something bolder and oakier, but it’s not the sort of thing you want as part of a drinking session (which is exactly what we were doing).
The staff were formal & smart, very European, but didn’t make us feel uncomfortable.
I’d like to return for a go at a few more wines and there’s plenty of offers including buffet deals and wine tasting menus, so it’s definitely worth a revisit

Something different & exciting here people. Plus they have a Unilocal check in offer!
I was meeting JQ and Mike B pre B&P when I spotted this little gem just off Alberts Square. Its an Italian wine bar with a nice interior and a great concept.
I only had time for one drink so ordered an Aperol spritzer. You order and pay at the counter then they bring things to your table. Mike joined me and also ordered the spritzer. These were presented in huge round wine glasses and made me feel like I was on holiday for a few minutes. Great stuff, just what you need to perk you up after work. Without us ordering they brought over a really delicious small platter of cheese, meat and bread sticks for us to try. Just a few bites of each but they obviously know their stuff as each element was perfect. This wasn’t charged for but they are savvy marketeers as it had the right affect, I wanted more!
I’d definitely go back to try more of the food they have on offer. This place is something really different, nice staff and excellent quality food and drink. The interior is a bit cheesy for my liking (glass topped tables full of corks for example) but this doesn’t affect how much I enjoyed it at all.

Veeno is a little wine bar that also serves food located on Brazennose Street (not Albert Square as I know it) just off Albert Square.
The bar is small with intimate tables candle lit. We popped in briefly for a drink before a night out to be the only people in here which, is a real shame. They have a great wine list at ridiculously reasonable prices. On a Wednesday they also have a free buffet when you buy a drink. I was slightly gutted it wasn’t a Wednesday when I visited as the kitchen, despite no one eating in the bar, smelled fantastic!
We were welcomed by the staff who asked if we had visited before and when advised not, explained the menu and the style of wine on offer.
I tried a glass of white and a glass of rose (I can’t remember their names but there is only one rose on offer) with both being slightly dry yet fruity.
I’ll definitely call in here again, on a Wednesday hopefully!

What a great addition to Manchester this place is!
Having walked past Veeno last week, I wasted no time in suggesting that me and my friends check it out when we next had our weekly catch up.
Veeno offers an extensive range of Italian wines — served by the glass and bottle. The bar tenders are very knowledgeable and more than happy to talk through the different types on offer. You can also try before you buy — the mark of a true wine bar, just like you find in Italy and France.
Food wise, the bar (or should that be bistro!), has a good range of options on offer, including cheese and meat boards, hot meals and breads. These are pretty reasonably priced.
I went for the cheese board and a mixed bread basket with oils. Both were excellent and well presented. The portion size was also ample.
Veeno has a nice relaxing ambience — being quite spacious (but not big) with a mixture of table and stool seating the place hits the mark in terms of being not too formal but equally it’s not too laid back.
In summary, as a massive wine fan I will certainly be going back again and again! With perfectly matched food /​wine it’s a great place to spend a couple of hours or the entire evening, be it with friends or a first date. My only slight concern is that if you go quite late in the evening you may struggle to get a table as it’s not the biggest of places.
Also, as it’s off the beaten track in terms of the general nightlife hub of Manchester I just hope the place survives as word of mouth will be its main form of getting people in as opposed to passing footfall.
Anyway, if you love wine go, go, go and keep going as we should embrace cool indy places like Veeno!

Went to Veeno last night and really enjoyed it. The wines were excellent and the food was good. They do a variety of small plates to accompany the wine. The bar has a nice atmosphere and lots of candles to give it a romantic cosy feel. Definitely worth a try.

Veeno is a new Italian wine bar situated dangerously close to my workplace. We were all, understandably, very excited when we saw it was opening — there’s only so many times one can drink in the Rising Sun.
It’s rather romantic inside, with plenty of candles and corks (seriously, so many corks!), and large tables that promote nibbly eating as opposed to 3 course dinners. The food looks very special, with plenty of people pressing their noses against the large glass windows and peering in. I believe one lunch offer is lasagne and a drink for around £6.
We, however, only went in for some wine before attending a networking event. Sitting down at a corner table, we perused the menu and a waitress came over promptly. My manager asked her which were their dry whites, to which her response was «they’re all dry.» Hmm. The waitress then went to ask her manager and he told her what she needed to know — by which I mean started talking at length about their wines to her, rather than seeing to us.
The wine we eventually got to drink was lovely, but the timing was just completely out. I’ll happily go again, especially for the food, but there’s only so far good feeling and the benefit of the doubt can get you.

Nice little bar that’s an escape from the crazyness of the xmas market.
Plenty of choice of Italian red wines — my preferences, and genuine Italian staff.
We were their for a networking meeting which they’d kindly reserved a long table for. I’d say the place is mostly used as a venue for dating couples.
Need to check out the full menu sometime, but if you go on a Wednesday, then until 8pm there’s a buffet. Simply pay a few extra quid and have what you want from buffet. I think it was £7 for a small glass of house wine and the buffet.
I’m not sure I learnt much about the different types of wine available, but I probably did learn to eat more before consuming a few large glasses of wine. Soo tasty at the time.
Mmm wine.