Manchester always comes alive each winter for the Lunar New Year celebrations, which are right around the corner again, and Chinese restaurants across the city are gearing up for a busy one.
With the upcoming celebrations firmly on the brain, we thought now as good a time as any to point you in the direction of some of Manchester’s best Chinese eateries so, if you are planning on popping in, you’re not left with hungry bellies.
Of course, Chinatown is probably the first place you think to head – and for good reason, but there are also some cracking spots further afield we’ve included here too for posterity.
From dim sum to roast meats, hot pots to hand-stretched noodles, here’s where to eat when you’re craving Chinese food in Manchester.
Whole roast ducks hanging in the window at Happy Seasons, the most famous spot for roasted meats in Manchester/ Image: Happy Seasons
Where to eat in Chinatown
More than 60 years since the first Anglo-Chinese restaurant opened in Chinatown, chefs here are still putting a modern British twist on traditional recipes and cooking methods – but the scene has changed a fair bit since the 1940s.
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Once dominated by Cantonese cooking, today the area’s offering is more varied with dishes from provinces like Beijing, Shanghai, Hunan and Szechuan growing in popularity.
Happy Seasons
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Happy Seasons is renowned locally for its roast meats, which range from fatty cuts of pork belly to rich, lacquered whole ducks. Go early, though, as these start selling out from as early as 12pm.- they’re that popular.
For seriously good dim sum, a staple at any good Chinese restaurant, try Mei Dim – a nondescript-looking basement canteen with massive laminated, pictorial menus.
Ignore the grumpy naysayers online, the fact that the customer base here is 99% Chinese speaks volumes as to the true quality of the food.
A relatively new addition to the famous Faulkner street, hot broth steams at the centre of your table – ready for you to cook whatever you like in it. Options for veggies and vegans are numerous, as are traditional choices like tripe, ox tongue, mutton and prawn mash with bamboo fungus.
Spicy crayfish, one of the top three dishes at Hunan restaurant above Woo Sang Supermarket, / Image; Hunan Restaurant
Hidden on the first floor above Chinatown’s Woo Sang supermarket. Hunan restaurant is the only one of its kind to serve traditional Hunan cuisine from the mainland – not just in Manchester, either but in the whole of the north west, according to its owner.
Chinese restaurants further afield
Glamorous restaurant, Ancoats
A selection of dishes from Glamorous restaurant. / Image: @amberosehe via Instagram
Found above the gargantuan Wing Yip, this no-frills dim sum spot is all about the food – not the service, nor the decor. Very much nose to tail, the menu is extensive – spanning roast meats, seafood, sizzling dishes, a bakery and more – including all those delicacies hardcore foodists like to order, from chicken feet to intestines and tripe.
Chef Diao, Northern Quarter
Relatively new to the Northern Quarter, Chef Diao opened on Oldham street inside the former Penang space in October last year. Its online presence is almost nonexistent, but we have it on good authority that the dim sum here is not to be messed with.
One Plus, Charles Street
Image: One PLus
Another great place for hot pot in the city, One Plus is loved by all who visit. You can cook your own dinner from a conveyor belt (not as chaotic as it sounds), or opt to dine from either the Chinese BBQ or rice and hand-stretched noodle and rice menu.
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Live Seafood, Beswick
Image: Live Seafood
Described by Guardian critic Jay Rayner as both “utterly, delightfully nuts” and “a parade of the best and freshest Chinese dishes’, Live Seafood specialise in seafood that is, well, alive. A former Victorian boozer, today it’s filled with tanks of live fish> Customers handpick their meal, straight from the water. Not for the faint of heart.
Salt and Pepper, Northern Quarter
Having relocated to a new home across the road from its original Arndale market, Salt and Pepper offers a modern take on Chinese favourites. As the name suggests, everything gets the patented salt and pepper treatment here served either stuffed into wraps or atop rice, salad and/or chips.
Blue Eyed Panda, Ancoats
Blue Eyed Panda Chinese restaurant in Ancoats, ManchesterBlue Eyed Panda Chinese restaurant in Ancoats, Manchester
Highly rated by diners in Ancoats and further afield, Blue Eyed Panda is run by the same pair that once operated popular takeaway Chop Chop.. Favourites here include crispy chilli beef and salt and pepper chicken, but you’ll find everything from roast meats and dim sum to Szchezuan dishes on the menu.
Hea Toast and Dessert, Prestwich
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
If you’re a fan of milk tea and thick, white sandwich bread slathered in condensed milk, peanut butter and lashings of golden syrup, Hea Toast & Dessert is the place for you.
Opened by owner Jack Lau in June, here you’ll find butter-drenched toast, Hong Kong’s famously silky milk teas (inspired by our very own British cuppa) and Yeun Yeung – an iced drink that’s typically made from two-parts milk tea and one-part black coffee.
If you love a bottomless brunch, this could be for you. WowYauChow is the home of “the first Chinese bottomless brunch in Manchester”. Prices start at £23 for an ‘endless lunch’, for which you’ll get 90 minutes of endless bao buns, ‘salt n pepper’, cocktails, wines, and beers – including gin fizz, blushing dragon and prosecco.
Yum Cha, Kampus
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Specialising in dim sum, roast meats and flavourful big plates, Yum Cha first opened in Liverpool in July 2020 and made its way over to Manchester last year. As its name suggests, dim sum is a big thing here – all made by hand by a specialist chef who trained in Hong Kong.
Unlike many of its competitors, Yum Cha sells its bite-size dim sum (which loosely translates to “touching the heart”) all day and all night – and has built up quite a following as a result.
Elsewhere, large plates (and trust us, they really are large) can be bought for around a tenner. Fiery dishes like Singapore vermicelli and king prawn or char siu firecracker sit alongside the likes of sweet and sour chicken,, dan dan noodles and grilled chicken satay.
Housing an Asian-inspired bakery and cafe, a Vietnamese restaurant, a Chinese supermarket, and a huge food hall serving East Asian street food, this multi-storey ‘super-venue’ beneath Symphony Park on Oxford Road introduced Manchester to something entirely new in 2022.
Inspired by dining destinations like Bang Bang Oriental in London, and 1800 in Miami, at its heart is Downtown Oriental, a vast market hall with a fast-paced open kitchen where diners feast on everything from Chinese roasts to dim sum, baos to noodles, and fried rice to seafood.
Get your cameras ready, because the whole interior at Tattu screams “Instagram me”. Its huge pink sakura trees undeniably help draw a crowd, but the food’s not to be sniffed at either. Fans rave about its Singapore noodles, lobster, short ribs and prawn toast.
Scouting For Girls announce two massive anniversary shows, including one in Manchester
Danny Jones
Long-standing indie-pop act Scouting For Girls have just announced two new very special and very big 20th birthday shows, including a stop right here in Manchester.
In fact, their Manc show will be their biggest headline show to date – and by that we mean in the group’s entire history.
Known for the chart-topping ‘Heartbeat’, ‘She’s So Lovely’, ‘Elvis Ain’t Dead’ and many more, the trio are once again heading up North to roll back the years.
This announcement follows the previous batch of anniversary shows for 15 years since their second album in 2025 and ’26, only this time they’ll be toasting two whole decades of being a band.
Credit: Press shots/Near Wild Heaven Records (supplied)
Heading to Wembley’s OVO Arena and our very own AO Arena, this marks a huge career landmark for the beloved noughties band, who have also just released their latest record.
Dropping their seventh studio LP, These Are The Good Days, on Friday, 27 March, they’re still as busy as ever, both in the studio and when it comes to performing live.
In recent times, they’ve once again become a bit of a festival favourite, as multiple generations know every word to those famous choruses.
And now, 20 years on from signing their first record deal, the lads will be playing those same hits and plenty more for what is set to be one big Scouting for Girls celebration.
They’re even bringing along a fellow throwback outfit with them, in the form of The Hoosiers. Can’t lie, we still listen to ‘Goodbye Mr A’ and the rest of the FIFA 08 soundtrack pretty often.
Writing on social media, the band said: “This is going to be a proper 20th birthday party — ALL of album one, all the favourites, huge sing-alongs, massive nostalgia, and the biggest nights we’ve ever done.
🎸 @Scouting4Girls celebrate their 20th anniversary with a huge Manchester show!
Manchester marks Scouting For Girls’ only confirmed show outside of London in 2027 so far, although we imagine there’ll be plenty of appeal for more dates in no time.
Visiting the city six times since 2020 alone, they clearly still enjoy playing up here, and judging by the reaction from the Audio North team, the love for them hasn’t gone anywhere either.
Scouting For Girls arrive in Manchester on 12 February next year, with the mailing presale window (via their website) going live at 10am on Tuesday, 31 March.
As for general admission tickets, they’ll be available from the same time the following Tuesday, 2 April; you can get ready to grab yours HERE.
They’re not the only nostalgic name visiting Greater Manchester for a milestone show either – and you don’t have to wait until next year to see these lads up close and personal:
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied via SJM Concerts)/Scouting For Girls (via Facebook)
Manchester
MOBOs 2026 in Manchester – all the award winners and iconic performances
Thomas Melia
Manchester had its second major music award show visit of the year courtesy of the MOBOs, and here’s all the awards, winners and iconic performances from the night.
We knew 0161 was known for its impact on the music industry, but it’s recently become a place for music celebration on multiple occasions with the BRITs and, most recently, with the MOBOs.
As expected, this was a night full of A-listers, rising stars and incredible music makers, who all united for an award show dedicated to celebrating one aspect of the industry in particular – Music of Black Origin.
Created by Kanya King back in 1996, Manchester had the pleasure of hosting the MOBOs as the award show celebrated its 30-year anniversary right here at the 23,500 seater Co-op Live.
MOBOs 2026 – all the highlights from the night
Get ready to find out everything that happened during the MOBO Awards 2026, including the awards, winners and iconic performances.
All the awards and winners from MOBOs 2026 in Manchester
MOBO Global Songwriter Award – Pharrell Williams
MOBO Lifetime Achievement Award – Slick Rick
Album of the Year – The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean
Song of the Year – Olivia Dean, ‘Man I Need’
Best Male act – Jim Legxacy
Best Female act – Olivia Dean
Best Newcomer – DC3
Video of the Year – Raye, ‘Where Is My Husband!’
Best R&B/ Soul Act – Flo
Best Alternative Music Act – Nova Twins
Best Grime Act – Chip
Best Hip-Hop act – Central Cee
Best Drill Act – Twin S
Best International Act – Ayra Starr
Best African Music Act – Wizkid
Best Caribbean Music Act – Vybz Kartel
Best Jazz Act – Ezra Collective
Best Electronic/ Dance Act – Sherelle
Best Gospel Act – DC3
Best Media Personality – Niko Omilana
Best Performance in a TV Show/Film – Stephen Graham, Adolescence
Best Producer – P2J
Pharrell Williams receiving his ‘MOBO Global Songwriter Award’ and Flo accepting the ‘Best R&B/ Soul Act’ / Credit: The Manc Group
Who performed at the MOBOs 2026 in Manchester at Co-op Live?
Flo opened the show with their iconic silhouettes, just like on their Access All Areas Tour, which we had the privilege of witnessing live at Manchester Academy last Autumn.
If you’re worried you’ve lost a backstage pass to all things Flo, think again. Their latest single continues the unrestricted theme with its aptly-fitting title ‘Leak It’, and they set standards high.
A variety of grime acts dominated the stage as curated by DJ Target with Chip, D Double E, Wiley, Nolay and Scorcher with staple hits like ‘Legend’, ‘Street Fighter Riddim’ and ‘Wot U Call It?’
Slick Rick treated Co-op Live and the MOBOs audience to a medley of hits like’Children’s Story’ and ‘Landlord’ while bringing out the wonderful Estelle to sing ‘Mona Lisa’ alongside the respected rapper.
Flo opened the show with a live debut of new single ‘Leak It’ / Credit: MOBO Organisation (supplied)
Folk-pop star Miles Smith had the crowd in the palm of his hand as they all sang ‘Stargazing’ in unison, almost as though it was their own performance. This singer-songwriter returns to Manchester and Co-op Live this winter.
When Tiwa Savage walked onto the stage, this Manchester indoor venue knew they were in the presence of royalty, the Queen of Afrobeats to be exact. She performed ‘You 4 Me’ and dropped a preview of her new hit ‘Energy’.
The multi-MOBO winner Olivia Dean showed off her vocal prowess with an exclusive live performance of ‘A Couple Minutes’ accompanied by a beautiful orchestra arrangement.
Ms Dean blew our minds with her ‘Man I Need’ performance at the BRITs just last month, and she can’t keep away from Manchester, returning to Co-op Live next month for ‘The Art of Loving Tour‘.
Credit: MOBO Organisation (supplied)
Moston’s own Aitch had the crowd going crazy with his The Stone Roses-sampling track ‘1989’ and one of his biggest hits to date, and Ashanti-sampling record ‘Baby’.
Dancehall diva Shenseea closed the night with not one but four of her cathartic bangers like ‘Hit & Run’, the empowering ‘Shenyeng Anthem’, UK Top 20 single ‘Shake It To The Max (Remix)’ and newest effort ‘Talk To Me Nuh’.
Which stars attended the MOBOs red carpet in Manchester?
Manchester is the music capital of the North, so it makes a lot of sense that some of music’s biggest names decided to pop over to this city for a visit.
Alongside all the nominees and performers, there was a whole host of acts in attendance from the music, film, TV and social media industries.
Everyone from former Little Mix member turned independent artist Leigh-Anne and Bemi Orojuogun, more widely recognised by her digital moniker ‘Bus Aunty’, strutted their stuff on the MOBOs red carpet.
Audio North had the incredible opportunity of chatting with a whole host of talented artists and creatives straight from the red carpet, including shaking hands with legendary multi-hyphenate Nile Rodgers.
This was a truly beautiful night which celebrated the contributions and impact made within the music industry across the past 12 months and beyond, soundtracked by some class live performances.
Georgina Pellant -
9th February 2024 
