Travel Articles

When it comes to high quality Chinese food, most people know to look no further than Manchester. The culinary delights of Manchester’s thriving Chinatown are renowned, and yet, even with all this fuss, the question must be asked if this reputation is well earned or a bit overstated. In order to answer that question, it is necessary to take a look at Manchester’s Chinatown and how it came to be.

The Chinatown in Manchester has quite an interesting history, largely due to its unique roots. The development of the area is actually not that old, starting in the 1970s. The transition occurred with the opening of several Chinese restaurants, which took over various abandoned warehouses around Faulkner Street. These restaurants, being so unusual for Manchester, immediately attracted patrons from around the area, and became especially important to Manchester’s Chinese community. As these restaurants thrived, other businesses followed accordingly, including shops, markets, and other important businesses. The slow buildup of businesses eventually led to the establishment of a vibrant community centre, distinctive and separate from the rest of Manchester.

The modern scene in Chinatown is evidence of this growth. Along with the numerous fine restaurants that established the area, Manchester’s Chinatown now has all the essentials for daily living, including legal services and elderly care centres, in addition to popular shops and novelty businesses. The culture is booming, with multiple Chinese festivals throughout the year as well as other cultural offerings. The area has become so popular with locals and guests alike, that one of the major sources of income in Manchester’s Chinatown is tourism.

Guests are attracted to the area for a good reason. As one of the few thriving Chinatowns, this Manchester offering has a unique feel that cannot be found in many other cities. With the reputable cuisine and the distinctive shopping, guests to Chinatown are not likely to be disappointed. To help accommodate visitors, there are a variety of Manchester hotels in the area. With these hotels, Manchester can easily provide accommodation in this section of the city for tourists to the area. With the vast selection of hotels available, there are plenty of ways to appreciate Chinatown during a Manchester holiday.

All of these amenities are well and good, but it still does not quite answer the question. Is the food worth it? Are the Chinese delicacies in Manchester everything people say? While personal tastes will certainly vary, it was Chinese cuisine that started this vibrant Manchester community, and it is this range of succulent ethnic dishes that keep visitors coming back, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Max is an author, writer and editor. He is married with two children and a cat and lives in south east London.