Manchester has a strong noodle scene, from Japanese ramen in the Northern Quarter to Vietnamese pho and Sichuan hand-pulled noodles in Chinatown, which is described by Manchester’s Finest as the UK’s largest outside London. This guide lists ten noodle bars worth a visit, with addresses, what to order, dietary notes and the opening days we could confirm. Where details change often, we say so and point you to the venue’s own page.

We compiled it from published local guides and each venue’s own information. We have not scored the dishes ourselves, and we have left out prices because none could be verified for 2026.

Noodle Bars In Manchester At A Glance

Noodle bar	Area	Style	Good for	Dietary notes
New Wave Ramen	City centre (Tib Lane)	Japanese ramen	Creamy broths, drinks	Vegan miso ramen has been on the menu
Shoryu Ramen	Piccadilly Gardens	Hakata tonkotsu	Rich pork broth	Vegan options marked
Maki & Ramen	Northern Quarter	Ramen and sushi	Spicy bowls, groups	Vegan, vegetarian and halal menus
Ramenshop (formerly Tokyo Ramen)	Northern Quarter	Chicken-broth ramen	Small, quick, fried chicken	Check menu for vegetarian bowl
Pho Cue	Chinatown	Vietnamese pho	Beef pho, bun bo Hue	Vegetarian pho (pho chay)
Noodle Alley	Chinatown	Sichuan hand-pulled	Spicy, handmade noodles	Ask staff
Mr Su’s	Circle Square	Chinese noodle soups	Pick-your-own bowl	Listed as halal; veg dumplings
Tampopo	Albert Square, Corn Exchange, Trafford Centre	Pan-Asian	Pad Thai, laksa, lunch deals	Plant-based and halal menus
Wazuzhi	Chinatown	Ramen and conveyor sushi	Tonkotsu, weekday lunch	Check menu
Hakkapo	Great Jackson Street	Izakaya ramen	Tan tan, tonkotsu, wine	One vegan ramen reported

Where To Find Noodle Bars In Manchester

The ten venues below cluster in a few walkable areas. Chinatown and the city centre hold six between them, so you can compare bowls on foot.

• Northern Quarter: small ramen bars on Church Street and High Street.
• Chinatown: Faulkner Street has Pho Cue, Noodle Alley and Wazuzhi within a few doors of each other.
• Oxford Road and Circle Square: student-friendly, quick bowls at Mr Su’s.
• Piccadilly Gardens and Albert Square: Shoryu Ramen and Tampopo, easy for shoppers.

The 10 Best Noodle Bars In Manchester

1. New Wave Ramen

For many local food writers, New Wave Ramen is the benchmark. It began in the Mackie Mayor food hall, then opened its own restaurant on Tib Lane in 2023. Menus change often and the team hosts guest ramen takeovers. The Mackie Mayor kitchen now runs as Taiko by New Wave Ramen.

• Order: the spicy paitan (creamy chicken broth with chilli oil) or the tantanmen. The vegan miso ramen with tofu and wok-fried cabbage has featured on the menu.
• Address: 16 Tib Lane, Manchester M2 4JB
• Phone: 0161 711 0710
• Opening hours: listings disagree, so check before you travel.
• Dietary note: some reviewers say vegan options are not always available and staff are not always sure about ingredients, so ask first.

2. Shoryu Ramen

Shoryu serves Hakata-style tonkotsu, a dense pork-bone broth, at One Piccadilly Gardens. Local guides single out the kotteri hakata and the Dracula tonkotsu, which is loaded with black garlic. It is part of a small group with branches in London, Oxford and Fukuoka in Japan, and you can book online through its official locations page.

• Order: kotteri hakata tonkotsu, Dracula tonkotsu, crispy tofu bao as a starter.
• Address: 1 Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester M1 1RG
• Opening hours: usually late morning to about 10:30pm or 11pm; confirm on the booking page.
• Dietary note: vegan dishes are marked on the menu; ask about shared fryers and broths.

3. Maki & Ramen (Northern Quarter)

Founded by sushi-trained chef Teddy Lee, Maki & Ramen came south from Scotland and opened in Manchester in 2023. Bowls are built on eight-hour broths. The Northern Quarter site is in The Landmark on High Street, and there is a second branch on York Street. Its Manchester page has menus, including vegan, vegetarian and halal.

• Order: black garlic tonkotsu, the very spicy “hell ramen”, karaage chicken.
• Address: Ground Floor and Basement, The Landmark, 78-88 High Street, Manchester M4 1ES
• Phone: 0161 566 2391
• Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday 12pm to 10pm; Friday and Saturday 12pm to 10:30pm (official site).

4. Ramenshop (formerly Tokyo Ramen)

This tiny Church Street ramen house opened as Tokyo Ramen in 2018 and is now listed by Manchester’s Finest as Ramenshop. The menu is short and built around a rich chicken-bone broth. Older reviews also praise the koji fried chicken. Because it has traded under both names, search for either when you go.

• Order: tantanmen, shoyu or miso ramen, and the fried chicken.
• Address: 55 Church Street, Manchester M4 1PD
• Opening hours and phone: not publicly confirmed in the sources we checked.

5. Pho Cue

Pho Cue is the Vietnamese pick in Chinatown, run by a mother-and-son team according to Manchester’s Finest. Expect a queue at peak times. The beef pho and the spicy bun bo Hue are the headline bowls, and there is a vegetarian pho. It is rated 4.6 on Tripadvisor from 211 reviews. More on the venue is on phocue.co.uk.

• Order: pho bo, bun bo Hue, pho chay (vegetarian). Early on Sundays there may be lobster pho until it sells out.
• Address: 52a Faulkner Street, Manchester M1 4FH
• Phone: 0161 237 5664
• Opening hours: 12pm to 9pm, closed Tuesdays.

6. Noodle Alley

Noodle Alley is a basement Sichuan noodle and street food spot a short walk from the Chinatown arch. It is known for handmade, hand-pulled noodles, with beef brisket and smoked bamboo noodle soups and a range of dry-mixed bowls. The Sichuan pepper gives real tingle, so ask about spice levels.

• Order: beef brisket noodle soup, chicken rice noodle broth, a dry-mixed noodle dish.
• Address: 56A Faulkner Street, Manchester M1 4FH
• Phone: 0161 637 0260
• Opening hours: 12pm to 9:30pm, closed Tuesdays.

Chinatown is also the best place for dim sum restaurants if you want dumplings with your noodles.

7. Mr Su’s

Mr Su’s came from Leeds and opened at Circle Square on 15 May 2023. You choose your noodle, broth and toppings at a counter, order at the till and collect when your number is called. Reviews describe 20-plus noodle types, five broths and around 30 toppings, plus beef, lamb and vegetable dumplings. It is listed as halal on Too Good To Go, but confirm with staff.

• Order: a build-your-own noodle soup and a portion of dumplings.
• Address: 7 Nobel Way, Circle Square, Manchester M1 7FU
• Phone: +44 161 806 1585
• Opening hours: 11am to 10pm daily.

8. Tampopo

Tampopo is a pan-Asian restaurant group with three Manchester restaurants: Albert Square, Corn Exchange and the Trafford Centre. Noodle dishes include pad Thai, ramen and a fiery laksa. Its Manchester page lists separate plant-based and halal menus. At the time of checking, lunch dishes were £6 before midday until the end of November 2026, and students get 30% off Monday to Thursday.

• Order: pad Thai, laksa, ramen.
• Addresses: Albert Square M2 5PF; Corn Exchange M4 3TR; Trafford Centre M17 8EH
• Dietary note: plant-based and halal menus (check each branch).

9. Wazuzhi (formerly Wasabi)

Wazuzhi sits in Chinatown and serves ramen alongside conveyor-belt sushi. The tonkotsu is the signature bowl, and a weekday lunch deal has been reported. Secret Manchester also lists vegetarian and vegan dishes such as vegetarian udon.

• Order: tonkotsu ramen, spicy tofu curry udon.
• Address: 63 Faulkner Street, Manchester M1 4FF
• Phone: 0161 228 7288

10. Hakkapo

Hakkapo is an izakaya near Great Jackson Street that mixes Japanese cooking with Polish influences. Manchester’s Finest rates its tan tan and tonkotsu among the best in the city. It is closed on Mondays. One HappyCow reviewer found only one vegan ramen, the Yasai Tan Tan, and some users report cross-contact worries, so ask about sauces.

• Order: tan tan ramen or tonkotsu.
• Address: 13 Jack Rosenthal Street, Manchester M15 4FN
• Phone: 07818 613964

How Manchester’s Noodle Bars Are Rated

Google ratings, as reported by a restaurant-data aggregator in October 2026, show the big-volume ramen bars scoring well. Pho Cue’s 4.6 comes from Tripadvisor, so it is not in the chart.

Ramen, Pho, Udon And Hand-Pulled Noodles Explained

Knowing the style helps you order a bowl you will enjoy.

Style	Origin	Broth and noodles	Try it at
Ramen	Japan	Rich broth (tonkotsu pork, shoyu soy, miso) with wheat noodles	New Wave Ramen, Shoryu, Maki & Ramen
Pho	Vietnam	Clear, aromatic beef broth with flat rice noodles and herbs	Pho Cue
Hand-pulled Sichuan noodles	China	Chewy, hand-stretched wheat noodles in soup or dry-mixed with chilli oil	Noodle Alley
Udon	Japan	Thick wheat noodles, hot or cold	Wazuzhi
Laksa	South-east Asia	Spiced coconut broth with noodles	Tampopo

Vegan, Vegetarian And Halal Noodles

Several Manchester noodle bars cater for plant-based and halal diners, but options vary by branch and menu changes. Maki & Ramen and Tampopo publish dedicated vegan or plant-based and halal menus, Pho Cue has a vegetarian pho, and Mr Su’s is listed as halal. For wider choice, see our guide to vegan and plant-based eateries in Manchester.

Always ask staff directly. Halal status in particular should be confirmed on the day, as listings can be out of date.

Allergens At Noodle Bars: What UK Law Says

Noodle dishes often use wheat, soy, sesame, egg, fish and shellfish. The Food Standards Agency says restaurants must give allergen information for loose food, either in writing or verbally with a clear notice explaining how to ask. The FSA advises written information backed by a conversation. These are the 14 allergens that must be declared:

One caution matters for vegan diners: the FSA notes that vegan does not always mean free from egg, fish, crustaceans, molluscs or milk, because of low-level cross-contamination. Say your allergy clearly when ordering and ask whether shared fryers, broths or sauces are used. If you need gluten-free food, our list of gluten-free restaurants may help. The full rules are in the FSA allergen guidance.

Tips Before You Go

• Avoid Tuesdays in Chinatown: Pho Cue and Noodle Alley are both closed.
• Go early for small rooms: Pho Cue often queues at peak times, and Ramenshop is tiny.
• Use lunch deals: Tampopo’s £6 lunch before midday runs until the end of November 2026.
• Book bigger groups: Shoryu Ramen and Maki & Ramen take online bookings.
• Check hours first: opening times change, especially around holidays.

More Noodle Spots And Food Guides

If you want more choice, Umami on Oxford Road is a long-running student favourite for noodles and sushi, though its listed phone number and hours differ between sources, so check first. Fuzion Noodle Bar in Fallowfield serves Malaysian-style noodles and laksa. Samsi on Whitworth Street has served Japanese food for over 20 years, and House of Fu on Portland Street adds karaoke booths.

Staying with Japanese food, our guides to sushi bars and omakase counters cover the next step up. Sharing a table with a group? Try the Korean BBQ restaurants or these family-friendly restaurants. For a wider look at the cuisine, read our overview of Asian cuisine.

Conclusion

For a classic ramen, start with New Wave Ramen or Shoryu. For pho, go to Pho Cue, and for spicy hand-pulled noodles, try Noodle Alley. Mr Su’s and Tampopo suit budgets and mixed dietary needs, and whichever you choose, check the day’s opening hours and tell staff about any allergies.

FAQ: Noodle Bars In Manchester

What is the best noodle bar in Manchester?

It depends on the style. New Wave Ramen is a frequent local favourite for ramen, Pho Cue for pho and Noodle Alley for hand-pulled Sichuan noodles.

Where can I find noodle bars in Manchester city centre?

New Wave Ramen (Tib Lane), Shoryu Ramen (Piccadilly Gardens), Tampopo (Albert Square and Corn Exchange), Maki & Ramen and Ramenshop (Northern Quarter) and the Chinatown venues on Faulkner Street are all central.

Is there vegan ramen in Manchester?

Yes. Maki & Ramen and Tampopo publish vegan or plant-based menus, and New Wave Ramen and Hakkapo have offered vegan ramen. Ask about shared broths and fryers.

Where can I get halal noodles in Manchester?

Maki & Ramen and Tampopo list halal menus, and Mr Su’s is listed as halal on Too Good To Go. Confirm with staff before ordering.

Where can I get cheap noodles in Manchester?

Mr Su’s at Circle Square is a common budget pick, and Tampopo has a £6 lunch deal before midday until the end of November 2026. Check current menus for prices.

Do I need to book a noodle bar in Manchester?

Shoryu Ramen, Maki & Ramen and Tampopo take online bookings. Many small bars are walk-in only and can queue at peak times.

Sources

• Manchester’s Finest: The best ramen places in Manchester
• Secret Manchester: Best noodles in Manchester
• Food Standards Agency: Allergen guidance for food businesses
• Maki & Ramen: Manchester Northern Quarter
• Tampopo: Manchester locations