Manchester's Chinatown, from the people who live above it

Our Charlotte House apartments sit inside the Chinatown block. We eat here, we buy our groceries here, and we know which places are worth queueing for. Here is the list.

The best restaurants

Yang Sing is the safe bet. It has been there for decades and the dim sum is consistently good. Book, do not walk in.

Tai Wu is where we go for a proper Cantonese dinner without the tourist markup. Ask for the char siu duck. You will not regret it.

Ho’s Bakery is not a restaurant, but you should stop for a BBQ pork bun or a custard tart in the morning. Two quid. Cash preferred.

Happy Seasons does the best crispy pork belly and roasted duck rice. Small, cheap, unpretentious.

Bundobust Chinatown (technically on the edge) does craft beer and Indian small plates. Not Chinese, but nobody cares. It is that good.

Bubble tea and coffee

Chatime on Faulkner Street is the reliable chain. Cupp Bubble Tea across the street does better fruit teas. Coco on Portland Street is the newest and busiest.

For coffee, Ezra & Gil on Nicholas Street is a 90-second walk out of Chinatown proper and worth every second.

Groceries

Wing Yip on the corner of Faulkner Street has everything you need. Fresh noodles, whole ducks, sauces you cannot find in Tesco. If you are staying with us and want to cook, this is your stop.

Bee’s Grocery on Nicholas Street is smaller but open until 10pm most nights.

The Chinatown Arch

The paifang on Faulkner Street is the photo everyone takes. Take it early, before the lunch queues form.

Where to drink

The Sun Sun Inn upstairs is where locals actually drink. Small, cheap, no fuss.

Cane & Grain is two minutes into the Northern Quarter but easily walkable. Rooftop, good cocktails.

Peveril of the Peak ten minutes’ walk south is one of the last proper Victorian tile-fronted pubs in the country. Worth the walk.

What to skip

The Chinese buffets on Portland Street. They are fine, but you can eat properly for the same money.

Any place on Princess Street promising “authentic Sichuan” with a photo menu in the window. Trust us.

When to go

Chinese New Year weekend is a full event, tram diversions, lion dancers, the works. Book six months out for a stay.

Mid-Autumn Festival in September is quieter but the mooncakes at Ho’s are worth planning around.

Where to stay

Our Charlotte House apartments (201, 202, 302, 303, 401, 402) are inside the Chinatown block. Piccadilly is a five-minute walk, and you can be at Yang Sing in ninety seconds.

If you want the whole area on your doorstep, this is the closest you can stay without living here. Which we do.