There’s a ramen bar in Chorlton serving up authentic bowls for under a tenner and if you haven’t been already you seriously need to put it on your listof places to try in Manchester.
Called Shogun Ramen, it has been in situ since last autumn and has quickly garnered a reputation amongst suburban noodle fiends as the go-to spot for slurping down umami-rich broth, nori and gooey eggs until their hearts’ content.
Formerly known as chicken shop Peck n Yard, last year (after announcing an emotional farewell via social media) the team rebranded as Shogun, and the new ramen shop has been a hit for its authentic bowls ever since.
Genuinely some of the best ramen in Manchester (Image: The Manc Eats)
Considering that it’s bang in the middle of the suburbs, it’s something of a gem. Beyond the city centre, good ramen shops can often be tricky to find – especially at this sort of price.
It hasn’t always been so cheap but to help locals cope with the cost of living crisis, Shogun’s owner has decided to drop the prices of all of the classic ramen on the menu. Legend.
ADVERTISEMENT
As a result, you can always be guaranteed change from a tenner, no matter which dish you order.
With a choice of six different bowls, the most expensive dishes are the Shogun and Ike no Tonkotsu ramen at £8.99 and £9.99, respectively.
ADVERTISEMENT
We tried the signature Shogun tonkotsu ramen — made with barbecue pork belly, sweet savoury minced pork, kikurage mushrooms, half a nitamago egg and truffle oil — and the original tonkotsu, comprised of barbecue pork belly, kikurage mushrooms, spring onions and nitamago egg.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Other options, priced from £7.99, include the house Chikin ramen (6-hour chicken broth, chicken teriyaki, kikurage mushrooms, spring onions and half of nitamago egg), as well as a vegan ramen, made with vegan-based pork, miso and mushroom broth, pak choi, kikurage mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and beansprouts.
There is also a child-friendly portion called the Kodomo ‘kids’ Ramen, available from £7 to anyone who wants it – child or not. Available with a choice of pork broth, chicken broth or vegan broth, this is a super simple bowl with just Nori seaweed and ramen noodles.
ADVERTISEMENT
Extras can also be added to bowls, with prices starting from £1.20 for a nitamago egg and rising to a maximum of £4 for those wanting a double noodle portion.
Other extra choices include pak choi (£2), sweetcorn (£1.20) BBQ pork (£2.50), and vegan chicken (£2).
As you can see, they aren’t just doing some of the best ramen in Manchester; the team is also dabbling in hand-rolled sushi, with some gorgeous specimens on the menu, as well as keeping to their roots with some fried karaage chicken.
Crisped up to perfection, this was a stunning spot and it was absolutely packed out when we visited on a sunny Wednesday night.
ADVERTISEMENT
Definitely check them out when you’re in Chorlton for a cut-price yet still unbelievably delicious bowl of wallet-friendly ramen. You can thank us later.
Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant team to take over iconic NQ venue
Daisy Jackson
The team who earned Cantaloupe a Michelin Bib Gourmand are moving into Manchester city centre – and into a site we all know pretty well.
The Cantaloupe team are about to embark on a new venture with Rasade, a new French restaurant in the site of the former TNQ in the Northern Quarter.
The old neighbourhood restaurant announced its shock closure earlier this year, after more than two decades serving Manchester.
But now the beautiful corner building on High Street is under new ownership, and in very safe hands.
Shortly after pivoting Cantaloupe into Bar Caput (a more casual neighbourhood offering), the duo behind it, Joshua Reed Cooper and Mike Thomas, have announced they’re launching Rasade in Manchester city centre.
Rasade in French refers to a glass filled to the brim, traditionally of wine or another drink.
The new French restaurant will showcase regional French cooking and seasonal local produce, drawing inspiration from France’s diverse regions.
This won’t be a stuffy French restaurant though – they’re aiming to create the relaxed spirit of a bistro with their serious commitment to traditional cooking.
Early menus show dishes like oysters with mignonette, langoustine with Karri-Gosse, and pâté de campagne, plus brill with rancio sec and mushroom fricassée, and pork chop with garniture Mirabeau.
And as for desserts, expect classics like a tarte Tatin designed for two to share, alongside flan pâtissier and Opéra religieuse.
Alongside the cooking, an extensive French wine offering will span the many, many wine regions of the country, featuring both small and unusual producers as well as more established names.
Mike and Josh now want to build on the success they quickly found in Stockport with this new city centre venture, bringing the same focus on good produce, thoughtful cooking and an informal approach to hospitality.
Rasade will open at 108 High Street in the Northern Quarter later this year.
First look inside Social Osteria, Stockport’s buzzy new Italian restaurant
Lydia Mastrolonardo
That’s right Stopfordians – we’re gaining yet another brand new addition to our town’s blooming food and drink scene, as Social Osteria opens its doors at Weir Mill.
It’s safe to say we’re in good hands, with the geniuses behind The Social Trattoria, named best Trattoria at the Italian Awards UK 2025, being the ones to bring this new taste of Italy to South Manchester.
Just because we are no longer experiencing the weather to match an Italian summer, doesn’t mean we can’t continue eating like we’re there.
Social Osteria can now be found overlooking the River Mersey, as a beautiful 2,000 sq ft space within the buzzing new canalside development, fully equipped with the classic exposed red brickwork, vaulted ceilings and even the restored original kiln.
As you approach the restaurant, you are greeted by a sunken courtyard and riverside seating, making for the perfect alfresco dining spot, when the warmer weather finally rolls back around.
With the meaning of Osteria being an Italian tavern, for locals to gather and enjoy each other’s company, good wine and honest, flavourful food – the team have stayed true to the name. You can expect dim, ambient lighting, an open kitchen, fresh small plates, flavourful 48-hour pizzas, and traditional pasta.
Vibrant dishes at Social Osteria in Stockport. Credit: The Manc Group
This glamorous new restaurant is promising a spectacular menu, from cacio e pepe butter beans to guanciale topped pizzas and their very own slow-cooked beef shin and pork shoulder paccheri ragu, you know we’re in the right place.
With Italian food running in the family, the team’s cooking practices are rooted in traditional methods, passed down through the generations and then presented to us, with the freshest of ingredients.
It suits Capital&Centric, who’ve taken the same approach to Weir Mill itself – embracing the character of the historic mill whilst transforming it into a vibrant community, for generations to come.
Inside Social Osteria at Weir Mill. Credit: The Manc Group
Set below Stockport’s iconic viaduct, the £60m neighbourhood is now home to 253 apartments alongside bustling cafés, wine bars and stunning restaurants akin to Social Osteria, accompanied by plenty of outdoor seating, green spaces, and riverside viewpoints.
Where Osteria Social now calls home is part of Stockport’s £1 billion Town Centre West masterplan, adding to the town’s growing reputation as one of the best locations to live in the UK.
Social Osteria will officially open Thursday 22 October, at Weir Mill. Be sure to book your tables early as we fear this one might get a little booked up.
Georgina Pellant -
11th September 2023 
