Manchester is one of the biggest cities in the UK and unsurprisingly boasts a richly diverse population.
Once upon a time, Manchester was just an industrial heartland.
Yet now, with around 2,791,000 residents hailing from different cultures, beliefs and countries, the city has become renowned as a food lover’s paradise.
Manchester’s multicultural scene
Manchester’s reputation as a culinary haven wasn’t gained overnight.
In fact, it’s taken hundreds of years and is probably best credited to the mass influx of people during the Industrial Revolution, coming to the city for work.
However, Manchester is now much more than a city for working professionals.
Unsurprisingly, Manchester is up there with London and Edinburgh as one of the UK’s biggest tourist hotspots.
With frequent and affordable travel options available with a few clicks online, many people fly to Manchester to experience everything the city has to offer.
It’s the ultimate cultural hub due to various star attractions such as the Science and Industry Museum and gig venues like Victoria Warehouse, Albert Hall and AO Arena.
Of course, the city also boasts a legacy as the home of two prominent Premier League clubs, countless artists such as The Smiths and acclaimed historical sites like the John Rylands Library.
Among those offerings is the local food industry, which has benefitted massively from the growth of Manchester as a cultural powerhouse.
The best of Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine
You could probably write an entire book on the best Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants in Manchester, but we’re going to drill down on only a few of them, starting with the highly-rated Altrincham’s Balchão Restaurant.
Balchão serves contemporary Indian fusion cuisine that’s inspired by Asian flavours.
The name Balchão is itself an Indian dish and has an interesting history – first introduced by the Catholic Portuguese in Goa many centuries ago, the dish originally has roots in Macau (another Portuguese colony).
At Balchão, you’ll be treated to signature dishes like seared pan-fried fish or coastal Balchão, both offering modern takes on traditional flavours.
For vegetarians, there are soya bean mini steaks, and all signature dishes come served with rice.
Just a short distance away lies West Timperley’s India Palace Restaurant.
Here you can experience spicy Indian favourites like chicken tikka masala or butter chicken, and you’ll even be served by robots.
This blend of technology and tradition extends into their menu, too.
Indo-Chinese fusion meals like chilli paneer or chicken Manchurian sit alongside Hyderabadi biryani meat, veg, or seafood offerings.
Another option located in nearby Cheshire is Veranda, where Mediterranean influences meet Middle Eastern traditions.
Inspired by his early days sourcing fresh produce with his grandfather, Veranda’s founder integrated recipes from neighbouring countries into his own creations.
Good meals to try are the lahm bi ajeen (spiced meat pies), meat bourak (meat-stuffed pastries), or fateh al-makdous (eggplant stuffed with minced lamb).
Next, we have Comptoir Libanais.
The founder, Tony Kitous, had a dream of making Lebanese cuisine popular, and it’s fair to say he achieved this feat.
At Comptoir Libanais, you can enjoy some great mezze options including Tony’s Hommos, batata harra (spicy potatoes), and cheese sambousek.
The main meal options are everything from spinach and feta borek to steak skewers, whilst a baklawa sandwich is a good dessert choice to round out the evening.
Manchester’s Chinatown success
Many big cities have a Chinatown, but not all can claim to have one as vibrant as Manchester.
It’s been around for over 100 years, and it’s a regular meeting place for anyone looking to try some of the best and varied Chinese cuisine you’ll find in the world.
One restaurant that stands out in the region is Blue Eyed Panda.
Known for its many flavours and delightful dishes, the starters alone are enough to pique your interest.
From crispy seaweed with fish powder to duck spring rolls to sesame prawns on toast, you’re likely to find things you haven’t tried before here.
Another Chinese restaurant worth pointing out is One Plus Restaurant.
It boasts three floors, with each offering a different type of experience.
For example, the basement level is the rice and noodle bar, the ground floor focuses on Chinese hotpot, and the first floor is for authentic Chinese barbecue.
This variation makes it one of the best places to sample different aspects of Chinese food culture.
Another cool aspect of Chinatown is the buffet offerings.
Buffets are a great way to sample many different dishes, and there’s no shortage of venues around Chinatown that will let you do just that, all for a fixed price.
Buffet City, Tops, China Buffet, and Cosmo are all good examples of affordable Chinese buffet options in Manchester.
The newer flavours of Manchester
We’ve focused on the big cuisines, the ones that many of us already know and love, but that’s only scratching the surface.
Given its multicultural population, Manchester is filled with restaurants of all types, including some cuisines you may not have tried before.
Restaurants like Revolucion de Cuba and Bem Brasil are both good examples of how Latin American cuisine has found its home in Manchester.
At Revolucion de Cuba, you’ll enjoy traditional Cuban dishes accompanied by live music that’ll make you feel like you’ve travelled to Havana.
Over at Bem Brasil, the focus is on Brazilian barbecued meats that are served rodizio style.
Better yet, this is a continuous service until you say stop.
For something slightly different but just as delicious, Las Iguanas is home to a number of Latin meals, including everything from Mexican enchiladas to Argentinian empanadas.
Topkapi Palace and Cafe Istanbul are two of the better Turkish restaurants in Manchester, and Red Marrakech and Mozaic Cafe & Deli are among the best Moroccan options.
More than that, you’ll find an array of Japanese sushi bars that are near Afghan kebab houses and Pakistani curry restaurants.
The list could go on and on, and this is a perfect example of the cultural melting pot that is Manchester.
