Step away from the takeaway menu! If you’re craving Chinese food, here are eight Manchester restaurants that are definitely worth going out for.
Blue Eyed Panda
Head to Ancoats, Manchester’s hottest foodie neighbourhood, for a Chinese feast at Blue Eyed Panda. The decor may be simple but the food will blow you away – literally, in the case of some of the spicy Sichuan dishes. Roast meats, like the honey-glazed char sui pork, are a highlight but there’s plenty of choice for vegetarians, too.
Hunan
As the name suggests, this George Street restaurant specialises in Hunan cuisine, known for its bold flavours and liberal use of chilli. If you can handle the heat, the seafood dishes are especially good here. Try the spicy Hunan-style lobster or the velvet crab with preserved vegetables and chilli.
The Rice Bowl
A stone’s throw from Manchester’s busy department stores, The Rice Bowl is the perfect place to catch up with friends or feed a hungry family. It’s been a local favourite since it opened in the ‘60s and is now run by the niece of the original owner. The menu covers everything from dim sum (served all day) to familiar favourites like crispy chilli beef and sizzling chicken in black bean sauce.
Sweet Mandarin
A Northern Quarter institution run by three sisters, Sweet Mandarin has earned itself a loyal local following. You might remember them from Gordon Ramsay’s F Word back in 2009, where they beat 10,000 other restaurants to be named the nation’s Best Local Chinese. Their home-style cooking is just as good a decade later. Popular dishes include Beijing pork dumplings, sweet and sour chicken, and sizzling fillet steak with a fruity Cantonese-style sauce.
Pinwei
This modern Chinatown restaurant is perfect for date night dinners and birthday feasts. You’ll find all your favourites on the extensive menu, from salt and pepper prawns and lemon chicken to Beijing roast duck carved at your table. If you’re into seafood, the steamed sea bass with ginger and spring onions is well worth splashing out on.
Red Chilli
With two restaurants in Manchester – one in Chinatown and one on Oxford Road – Red Chilli is the place to go if you’re craving Sichuan spice. Don’t be put off by the abundance of dried chillis and Sichuan peppercorns – you’ll soon find yourself addicted to the tongue-tingling heat. If you’re not sure what to order, Sichuan classics like mapo tofu and gong bao chicken are a good place to start.
Tattu
Slide into a booth and dine under a canopy of cherry blossom at this modern Chinese restaurant in Spinningfields. The menu is just as impressive as the decor, with dishes given a luxe upgrade thanks to ingredients like Wagyu beef, lobster, and truffle. Round up your most glamorous foodie friends, order a round of Cherry Blossom Negronis, and share small plates like teriyaki beef gyoza and chilli salt squid.
Yang Sing
A Princess Street institution since the 1970s, this family-run restaurant serves some of the best Cantonese food in town. It’s also a top spot for dim sum – don’t miss the delicate prawn and Chinese chive dumplings or the baked char sui pork pastries. The restaurant also hosts regular cookery classes, so you can bring a little restaurant magic home with you.
Out of town, but worth the trip: Pacifica Cantonese in Eccles and Yu in Alderley Edge.
Honourable mentions: One Plus, for its authentic Chinese hot pot experience, and Wing’s, for celeb spotting and classic Cantonese cooking.
Visit OpenTable to discover more restaurants in Manchester.
