Prawns, beef, salt and pepper tofu or chicken boxes are £7.50 served up generously with a side of chips.
Each option oozes with sticky goodness – try their Asian Tacos stuffed with beef, fresh salad, pickled slaw, toasted sesame, crispy shallots smacked between a soft toasted flatbread.
The local business is located inside the Arndale food market, as well as in the kitchens at Black Dog in the Northern Quarter.
The best Indian street food in Manchester – hands down.
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Vegan, veggie and sure to warm you from the inside out – Bundobust is one of Manchester’s prize restaurants.
There’s an express lunch menu of two dishes for £8.50, including the classic Bundo Chaat, a street snack of broken samosa pastry and puffed rice, peas, onion, pomegranate, and tomato in tamarind chutney.
The tarka dhal is one of the most warming, filling and hearty pots of food you’ll find outside your nan’s kitchen.
Found on the edge of Piccadilly Gardens, the interiors are simple but cool – a perfect place to impress for less on a first date.
Manchester’s best curry house is tucked down a little side street in the Northern Quarter.
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Delicious and very affordable, This n’ That will become everyone’s new favourite lunch place – if it isn’t already.
All the food is homemade and prepared using fresh whole spices with curry options changing daily.
Their menu works as follows – rice and three veg is £4.50, rice with one meat and two veg is £5 and rice with two meat and one veg is £6.
A fresh, homemade, bursting with flavour, steaming pot of curry almost spilling over – that could be your lunch every day.
Head to the Northern Quarter armed with a map – its location down an alley full of bins might throw you off, but once you find it, you’ll never forget it.
The Arndale food market will satisfy any craving you throw at it, no matter how niche.
In recent years the market has welcomed some of Manchester’s most exciting and talented chefs – so quality is a given.
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Our list promises affordability to and the Arndale food market deserves a place on this list.
Stalls including Wholesome Junkies (the vegan equivalent of dirty burger), Viet Shack, Piazza (pasta with burrata on top), Market Point and many more are class lunch spots and won’t put you out of pocket.
Whether it’s mid-shop, mid-hangover or just mid-day the Arndale market is sure to sort you out.
Finger licking chicken wings for 20 to 50 pence – a Bunny bargain.
The First Street restaurant is home to the ultimate hot wing challenge, just ask your server and see if you can handle the heat.
For those who can’t, not to worry a glass of milk is helpfully placed on the menu.
The menu boasts some juicy burgers and bar snacks such as Jalapeno Poppers – we were intrigued to – they’re crispy coated, fried jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese.
Get down and dirty with these unbeatable prices but wash your hands before you return to the office.
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Go Falafel
Deansgate, Piccadilly, Rusholme
Credit: Facebook (Go Falafel) We love the build-your-own aspect
The falafel lover’s failsafe when it comes to a decently priced wrap.
We love the build-your-own aspect to this popular lunch spot and who can’t appreciate a customised falafel wrap.
Or if falafel doesn’t float your boat, grab a vine leaf or some tabouleh and top it off with a fresh juice or smoothie.
Health is wealth and it comes cheap at Go Falafel.
Food & Drink
Eccles pub says it’s ‘a dream come true’ as it’s named the best pub in Britain
Daisy Jackson
The Good Food Guide has named its best 100 pubs in Britain – and it’s a local Eccles boozer who’s come out on top.
The guide has travelled the length and breadth of the country to single out the best pubs the nation has to offer, from community atmosphere and great drinks to top quality kitchens.
Greater Manchester is well-represented in the top 100, with the Marble Arch placing 36th and The Trof 76th, plus The Pack Horse (just outside the region in Hayfield) came in 16th.
But showing the country how it’s done is The Queens Arms in Eccles, a fantastic Victorian red-brick pub with an unexpected yet authentic Japanese izakaya-style menu.
This is a pub where you can get an eel rice bowl or a pork cutlet katsu alongside a pint of pale ale, or a Japanese Sapporo lager.
Since October 2024, the historic pub has been under the steer of Mr. Lo and Mr. Anthony Sit, and their efforts have meant that The Queens Arms has now been named the number one pub in Britain – something they said is a ‘dream come true’.
The Good Food Guide said: “Expect the unexpected. Rarely does this well-worn phrase ring truer than at this historic Victorian pub in an obscure part of Eccles.
“The small, red-brick tavern has a significant claim to fame in the annals of industrial heritage: built in 1828 and ranked as the oldest passenger railway boozer in the world, it has been sympathetically preserved in all its Grade II-listed glory. That might be reason enough to visit, but it doesn’t prepare the first-time visitor for the culture shock inside.
“Under Hong Kong ownership, and with an authentic Japanese izakaya-style menu, the result could be an aesthetic car crash – a cultural pile-up that does no favour to either tradition. Instead, the Queens Arms is as packed with Asian diners and Chinese tourists as any eatery in Manchester’s Chinatown – even on a dull Monday lunchtime.
“And the unlikely combination has been a great success, as much for the novelty as the excellent quality of the cooking and speedy service (as many repeat customers testify).
“The menu is short but expertly executed: best-selling dishes include pork cutlet katsu, a teriyaki ox-tongue rice bowl, eel rice bowl and teppanyaki mixed vegetable udon. The tempura batter on our visit was outstanding – meltingly light, fresh and crisp.
“Somehow, the whole thing fits together: etched ‘snug’ windows, comfortable padded booth seating, tiled fireplaces, wooden bar fittings and Victorian knick-knacks. One room still functions as a local drinking den with a dartboard – so you can practice your throws with a glass of cold Sapporo on draught.”
Sharing the news today, The Queens Arms wrote: “A DREAM COME TRUE – WE ARE THE WINNER
“We are incredibly proud and delighted to announce that The Queens Arms has been named the overall WINNER of The Good Food Guide Britain’s 100 Best Pubs 2026! What an incredible moment for our little pub in Eccles!
“When we first took over The Queens Arms, we had a dream of bringing new life to this historic 1828 pub, combining the charm and heritage of a traditional British pub with our passion for Japanese cuisine.
“It has been quite a journey, and this recognition means so much to us.
“A heartfelt thank you to our amazing team, whose hard work and dedication make everything possible, and to all our wonderful customers, friends and local community for your continued support. You have been part of our journey from the very beginning, we couldn’t have done it without you.
“Our sincere thanks to The Good Food Guide for this incredible recognition and for continuing to celebrate the great British pub, independent hospitality and the people who work so hard behind the scenes.
“This is not just our achievement – it is something for our whole community to celebrate!
“Thank you for believing in us. We can’t wait to welcome you and celebrate together!”
You can see the full Good Food Guide top 100 pubs in Britain HERE.
Full list of Manchester restaurants set to add an extra £1 to bills to tackle homelessness this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
A handful of local restaurants will be adding an extra £1 onto every bill over the festive season to help fight street homelessness.
As November arrives, the temperatures begin to start dropping, and the nights set in a little earlier, people in Greater Manchester are once again able to give back while they dine at some of the best restaurants the region has to offer in the run up to Christmas, as the successful StreetSmart fundraising initiative is back for another year.
This year, 15 fantastic restaurants have come together to support local homeless charities as the campaign launches today (1 November).
Manchester independents such as Proloco, Erst, Ezra & Gill, Stretford Canteen, and Blue Eyed Panda are among those taking part in the campaign this year, alongside several city centre chain restaurants such as Lina Stores, Tampopo, Banyan, Manahatta, and San Carlo.
Now in its 29th year, StreetSmart works by each participating restaurant adding an extra £1 to every bill they deliver throughout November and December, with all of the money raised going directly to local homeless organisations, thanks to StreetSmart’s official sponsorship from LandAid.
Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas / Credit: Supplied | Rifqi Ali Ridho (via Unsplash)
Since launching in 1998, the campaign has raised over £16.2 million to support charities across the UK, providing practical help, from meals and emergency accommodation to healthcare, training, housing advice and routes towards finding a permanent home.
The StreetSmart team says it’s determined to deliver another record-breaking year in 2026, and provide much-needed support to the services that help some of the most vulnerable people in the city.
Manchester restaurants taking part in StreetSmart 2026
Proloco
Hache MCR
Bar Posie
SAMPA
Blue Eyed Panda
Ezra & Gill
Erst
Little Seeds
Lina Stores
Stretford Canteen
Hawksmoor
Manahatta
San Carlo Bottega
Tampopo
Banyan Bar & Kitchen
“The festive period can be an incredibly tough time for the vulnerable people in our community,” explained Glenn Pougnet, who is the Director of StreetSmart.
“StreetSmart provides a simple way for people to help some of our city’s most in need. Giving back whilst dining out at Christmas is what StreetSmart is all about, and we’re thrilled to have so many restaurants already taking part.
Dolly Busby -
19th November 2021 
