Manchester’s Chinatown is located in the city centre, just west of the Gay Village and bounded by Mosley Street, New York Street, Portland Street, and Oxford Street. It is the largest Chinatown in the UK outside London.
Substantial numbers of Chinese immigrants started to arrive in Manchester in the 1950s, mainly from Hong Kong. Two decades later some of Chinatown’s most famous businesses had established a presence here including Charlie Chan’s restaurant (1973, now closed), the Yang Sing (1977), and the Woo Sang supermarket (1973).
Today the area is packed with Chinese restaurants and buffets, takeaways, supermarkets, medicine shops and more. An impressive Imperial Chinese Arch, imported from China, was erected on Faulkner Street in 1987.
Businesses and attractions in the area include:
Faulkner Street
- The New Hong Kong – one of the first Chinese restaurants in Manchester city centre to serve authentic Cantonese cuisine
- Wing Fat – Chinese supermarket offering an impressive range of fresh and frozen meat and fish, fruit and vegetables, herbs and spices, rice, noodles, and cooking equipment
- Ho’s Bakery – Chinese bakery established in 1980
- Wasabi – Sushi and noodle bar
- Try Thai – One of the best Thai restaurants in Manchester
George Street
- Little Yang Sing
- New Emperor – Chinese restaurant
- K2 – Karaoke bar and nightclub
- Teppanyaki – Japanese restaurant
- Pacific – Chinese restaurant on the ground floor, Thai on the first floor
Princess Street
- Yang Sing – widely regarded as one of the best Cantonese restaurants in the UK
- Arora Hotel – contemporary 4-star hotel owned by Cliff Richard, includes the Obsidian Bar & Restaurant
Portland Street
- Dawsons – one of the largest music shops in Manchester offering a wide range of instruments including pianos, keyboards, guitars, and drums plus recording equipment, sheet music etc.
- Circus Tavern – the smallest pub in Manchester
- Premier Inn – budget hotel accommodation
- Circus Casino – large, modern casino at the corner of Portland Street and Oxford Street
Dickinson Street
- Novotel – 3-star hotel
Mosley Street
- Manchester Art Gallery – Manchester’s most popular art gallery
The nearest Metrolink stations to Chinatown are St Peter’s Square, Mosley Street, and Piccadilly Gardens. All are within easy walking distance.
Visitors travelling by car can park at the NCP Chinatown car park on Faulkner Street. The postcode for those using satellite navigation systems is M1 4EE.
