Manchester Chinatown — the UK's second-largest and Europe's third-largest Chinatown, rising from the wave of Chinese immigration in the 1950s-60s. In 1987, a three-tiered Imperial Paifang archway, built in collaboration with sister city Wuhan, was officially erected on Faulkner Street, marking the area's transformation from an informal immigrant enclave into a city cultural landmark. Today, centred on Faulkner Street and radiating onto George Street, Portland Street and Princess Street, it is densely packed with Hong Kong tea restaurants, Sichuan hotpot joints, Asian supermarkets, Traditional Chinese Medicine clinics, bubble tea shops and Japanese-Korean dessert houses — Manchester's most vibrant and aromatic multicultural food paradise. Whether it's a steaming basket of har gow and siu mai, a glistening hanging roast duck, or the golden dragon parade and Guizhou acrobatic troupe performances during Chinese New Year, a half-day in-depth tour is enough to find the taste of "home" in a foreign land.
From the Faulkner Street paifang archway to the basement Hong Kong dim sum parlour, from the ten thousand ingredients in Asian supermarkets to the thunderous drums of the Chinese New Year golden dragon parade — step into Manchester's most fragrant and vibrant cultural quarter
About a 10-minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly station, or take the Metrolink to St Peter's Square station and walk 2 minutes to the Faulkner Street paifang. We recommend arriving at 11am, when restaurants have just opened, the supermarket is quiet, and the light is good for photographing the archway's upturned eaves. Look up from beneath the arch at the three-tiered glazed tile roof and dragon-wrapped pillars, then head south along Faulkner Street — on the left is Happy Seasons' roast meat window (glossy roast duck, glistening honey char siu), on the right is the narrow doorway leading down to Mei Dim's basement dim sum parlour. Descend into the basement at No.45, order a basket of har gow and siu mai, and watch the trolley auntie emerge from the kitchen with steaming bamboo baskets. In the afternoon, browse Hang Won Hong Asian supermarket (58-60 George Street), stocking over 8,000 varieties of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai ingredients — from spicy snack sticks to Thai holy basil. For afternoon tea, pop into WooTea (44 George Street) for a handcrafted bubble tea and purple sweet potato croissant. If it's February, check the Chinese New Year dragon parade dates — on 15 February 2026 at noon, an 18-metre golden dragon will set off from the junction of Oxford Road and George Street, parading through Chinatown with thunderous drums and streets packed with crowds.
Basement of 45-47 Faulkner Street, Manchester's most authentic Hong Kong dim sum parlour. No fancy decor, just round tables, bamboo steamers and trolley aunties. Bouncy har gow, plump siu mai, honey-glazed char siu bao, silky cheung fun, tender honeycomb tripe — served in baskets of three, average £15-£25 per person. 99% Chinese clientele is the best recommendation. Lunch opens at 12 and fills immediately — arrive at 11:45 or come after 2pm. Phone: 0161 236 2880.
59 Faulkner Street, a family-run institution opened in 1982, the "grandfather" of Chinatown's roast meat windows. Glossy hanging roast duck, crispy three-layer roast pork belly, honey char siu lined up in a row — the oven fires up at 7am daily, and by noon popular items start selling out. Three-meat combo rice (roast duck + roast pork + char siu) with choi sum is the classic lunch combination, average £10-£18 per person. Evening visits can score discounted roast meats to take home. Phone: 0161 236 7189.
17 George Street, a benchmark Cantonese restaurant run by the Yang family for decades. Lunch business set menus offer great value, while evenings transform into a popular date and group dining spot. The signature crispy aromatic duck with pancakes, hoisin sauce and spring onions is the top recommended dish, praised by connoisseurs as "exactly how a classic should taste." Attentive service, elegant setting, average £20-£35 per person. Perfect for a proper sit-down meal.
44 George Street, the trendiest handcrafted bubble tea shop in Chinatown. They insist on no powdered mixes — fruit teas use real fresh fruits, pearls are freshly boiled every 4 hours, soft and chewy without bitterness. Signature purple sweet potato (taro) croissant is crispy outside and soft inside; cheese foam strawberry iced jasmine and melon peach iced tea are summer hits. The shop also features a graffiti wall and Pokémon plush display, full of atmosphere. Average £5-£10 per person, cash or bank transfer only.