Whilst we know Manchester’s Chinatown isn’t short of great restaurants, there’s a (relative) newcomer in the city centre that hasn’t quite been shouted about as much as it deserves.
We’re talking about Yum Cha, the Liverpool-born eatery quickly building a reputation for its quality bite-sized dim sum, affordable large plates and beautiful roast meats.
First opened by brothers Adam and Neil Wan in July 2020, (in the midst of what was an all-around terrible year for hospitality, might we add) Yum Cha has become quite the happy success story.
First taking over the former Meat Factory unit on Liverpool’s Lark Lane, it’s since expanded into Manchester with a second site at Kampus – and has been busy tempting diners across from nearby Chinatown favourites ever since.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Part of a new generation of Chinese dining spots, eschewing family-style banquets in favour of comfy booths, trendy neons and graffiti, the restaurant itself is deceptively large.
Much more important, though, is the food, which happens to be both cheap and delicious. A hard thing to find of late.
As the name suggests, dim sum is a big seller here. 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.
Made by a specialist chef who trained in Hong Kong (under two top-class dim sum chefs who later went on to be awarded Michelin stars in Singapore, no less), all dim sum here is the creation of the wonderful Jack, who has himself spent the best part of thirty years perfecting his recipes.
Cheung Fun (steamed rice rolls seasoned with soya sauce.) and Sesame Xia Qiu (sesame-rolled prawn balls). / Image: The Manc Eats
Yum Cha’s Crispy Belly Pork. / Image: The Manc Eats
Here you’ll find traditional soft dumpling favourites like Har Gau, Sui Mai and Xiao Long Bao, alongside its famous Cheung Fun rice rolls and some Insta-worthy ‘Traffic Light Dumplings’ (a mixture of har gau, jiaozi and so choi), from £5.
Split into two sections, the menu focuses on texture with soft bao, gelatinous dumplings and steamed parcels separated from crispy morsels like Sesame Xia Qiu (sesame-rolled prawn balls), crispy belly pork and spiced pork spring rolls.
Served in stacks of bamboo baskets or glazed ceramic plates, the hand-folded parcels at Yum Cha are a revelation – especially with many places increasingly choosing to switch to factory-made dim sum in order to save money.
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.
The prices are good, and the meat content is generous too – with plump, meaty prawns, large chunks of chicken and stacked slices of char siu proving that you really do get your money’s worth.
The bustling kitchen is packed out with specialist equipment ordered especially from China so that the team can roast their own meats and steam dim sum to their heart’s content on site.
Duck, char sui, belly pork and chicken are freshly roasted each day in a custom-made oven, and can be ordered with a choice of either rice or noodles and pak choi , with a choice of classic soy, BBQ or curry sauce on the side.
Roasted meats can also be enjoyed loaded on top of noodle soup, thinly sliced and served over a meat or vegetable broth with noodles, wontons and pak choi – another dish that has earnt a special place in our heart on our visit.
Comforting and delicious, we’ll be back here again soon – no doubt about it.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
News
Ancoats bar Sammy’s closes after ‘online smear campaign’
Daisy Jackson
A popular late-night bar in Ancoats has announced its official closure after several months of silence.
Sammy’s Bar, which was styled as a retro 70’s diner and stayed open into the early hours, has said the bar ‘is officially no longer’.
In a statement shared on the bar’s Instagram stories, founder Sammy Shonn said that there was been an ‘online smear campaign’ and has decided to sell the bar ‘for my own mental wellbeing’.
The account, and the bar itself, will now be transferred to new owners.
Sammy’s opened in 2019 and was a popular, hidden-bar-style spot for late-night cocktails and DJs.
Their full statement reads: “It’s with regret that I inform you Sammy’s is officially no longer.
“Whilst I vehemently maintain my total innocence against all of the hurtful allegations made against me and my character in a recent online smear campaign, for my own mental wellbeing, I’ve made the difficult decision to sell the bar, along with all its associated assets, including this social media account.
“Thank you to everyone for your custom, your love and your support since 2019.
“Together we created something special. I am now transferring this account to the new owners, who I am sure will post something shortly regarding their plans.”
A petition has been created to make Prestwich’s Oasis-inspired ‘Aldeh’ sign permanent
Danny Jones
We love how Greater Manchester, the UK and, indeed, the whole world have been gripped by Oasis fever – even brands like Aldi, who recently renamed one of their local shops ‘Aldeh’ in honour of Oasis and Manc accents everywhere; in fact, there’s even a petition to make it permanent.
And it’s already starting to gather some steam…
That’s right, the Aldi in Prestwich – or ‘Aldeh’ as we shall hopefully refer to it from now until forever – has seen not just local shoppers in and around Bury, but Oasis fans and even just curious Mancunians visit the location to see it for themselves.
In case this silly but oddly satisfying bit of news somehow passed you by, here it is in all its (What’s the Story?) Morning Glory:
A slightly caricatured and over-the-top impersonation of the most Gallagher-esque voice ever? Maybe. Fun to record? Definitely Maybe.
The sign itself has stood outside the branch located near Heaton Park for just over a fortnight now in honour of the Live ’25 reunion gigs and has drawn plenty of attention.
As described by the creator of the petition, Ella Curtis – a Manchester native herself – “photos of the sign went viral, because it tapped into something meaningful: pride in where we’re from, and in what this city has given the world. In short, Prestwich got its own Blue Plaque.”
Simply entitled, ‘Make “Aldeh” Permanent: A Tribute to Manchester’s Musical Legacy’, you can find a lengthy and surprisingly inspiring explanation detailing why the petition matters down below.
“1. A Tribute to Manchester’s Cultural Legacy
Manchester’s contribution to music – and to British culture more broadly – is unmatched. Oasis gave the world BritPop and helped define a generation. The ‘Aldeh’ sign reflects that heritage in a way that feels authentic, local, and proud.
2. A Source of Local Pride
As a proud Mancunian, I’ve seen the reaction firsthand. The sign has brought a real sense of community, joy, and identity to the area. People stop to take pictures, to smile, to talk. In a time when towns often struggle to feel distinctive, this simple change has sparked something genuinely positive.
3. A Cultural Landmark in the Making
In just a short time, the sign has become a local attraction and even a landmark – a destination for fans. It is a symbol and reminder of how we, as Mancunians all came together to celebrate one of the biggest reunion concerts from one of the world’s biggest bands happening right on our doorstep!
The ‘Aldeh‘ sign might have started as a temporary campaign, but it’s come to mean something more – to this city, to its people, and to anyone who recognises the power of music and place.”
Of course we’ve signed it. (Credit: Screenshot via Change.org)
Already listed on Google as a ‘cultural landmark’, even boasting 5-star reviews, Aldi themselves have responded by saying: “Boss said we also need 10,000 likes and a comment from one of the Gallaghers.”
It’s your time to shine, folks – we’ll worry about the two later.
The ‘Aldeh’ petition page ends with a simple but moving message: “Sign if you agree – let’s make ‘Aldeh’ a lasting part of Manchester’s story.”
Listen, it’s very rare that you see a city, a country and arguably the entire world taken over by a collective obsession and unified love of music and art; with that in mind, you best believe we’re right behind this.
And if you fancy tacking the ‘Aldeh’ sign onto a tour of important Oasis heritage sights in 0161, then look no further.
Georgina Pellant -
4th November 2022 
