The past few years have seen an explosion of restaurants in Manchester, taking in cuisine from all over the world. Japanese restaurants have proved particularly popular, with sushi and teppanyaki-style food available in all corners of the city. The only problem is choosing where to go first. Fear not, we’ve done the hard work for you. Here are the best five Japanese restaurants in Manchester.
An intimate space, with a look, feel and soundtrack that brings that Tokyo-style backstreet cafe atmosphere to Manchester. The best Asian tasting menu in the city, and comes in at a remarkably pocket-friendly price point.
Manchester’s WakuWaku is the UK’s only “2D” Japanese restaurant and one of a mere handful in the world – New York, Berlin and Singapore, at last count.
A smart, modern-looking space, all high windows and great lighting, with people popping in and out all day to grab something to eat, and when it comes to drink and food, the quality is sky-high.
A Manchester mainstay for over 30 years, Samsi keeps things simple with reliable, lightly westernised Japanese food. From £9.99 sushi to crisp tempura, it’s quality without the fuss.
Tucked away in Chorlton, Yane brings quietly meticulous Japanese comfort food to South Manchester, serving donburi, kare and house-made pickles with serious attention to detail. Warm, unfussy and beautifully designed, it’s the kind of place that’ll keep you coming back.
Medlock Square is a new £300m entertainment complex betwixt the Etihad Stadium and Co-op Live, with Zadie’s, Little Beast, a hotel, market hall and more.
Italo-Japanese plates and razzle-dazzle glamour at Medlock Square. Featuring live acts, a space-age bar and a bird’s-eye view onto the Manchester City pitch.
Grafton Arms has undergone an impressive revamp. The Eagle Inn team have turned this traditional pub into a standout live venue and drinking destination.
Honest Crust’s Richard Carver and Rainy Heart’s Dan Hope join forces at Proloco, a music-led Ancoats restaurant serving 18-inch pizzas and seasonal plates.
GiGi is a lavish Italian restaurant just off Deansgate, with 1950s décor and a menu that sticks to the classics.
Dahlia Stereo is a Latin American-inspired open-fire kitchen and bar off the Northern Quarter’s Stevenson Square, with a pitch perfect soundsystem.
Manchester’s new 509-bed Fusion Students building on Deansgate opens for 2026/27 with roof terraces, a gym and karaoke booth included.
Manchester has a glut of taprooms, and Balance Brewing’s is far and away the best. Drinks, decor, service – all a cut above.
A Georgian front room in Rusholme houses Moon Grove, an independent gallery with an unusually ambitious international programme.
New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery opened in 2016, providing a permanent space to showcase the University of Salford Art Collection within the New Adelphi School of Arts and Media.
Schofield’s could be Manchester’s most grown-up bar. Very precise drinks in an upmarket city centre venue. It’s not cheap, hey, but true class costs.
Sampa’s underground space is the perfect place to learn about both her new mind-expanding dishes and vintage sherries, reimagined for the late 2020s.
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