House of Fu Manchester

Since landing in Manchester in late 2023, House of Fu has made itself right at home – bringing knockout bowls of ramen, late-night karaoke, and some much-needed independent energy to a stretch of Portland Street better known for the sad sparkle of Genting Casino.

Taking over the former Architects Society building, this colourful, hyper-social venue is more than just a place to eat. Yes, there’s steaming tonkotsu, spicy tantanmen and pan-fried gyoza with that all-important crispy base – but it doubles as a place to lose track of time – and your dignity – after dark. Think plush private dining rooms, state-of-the-art karaoke booths that keep things loud long into the night, and DJs spinning feel good tunes every weekend.

House of Fu launched in 2014 as a smash hit pop-up at Belgrave Music Hall in Leeds, and was soon awarded ‘Best of the Best’ at that year’s British Street Food awards. It then popped up at various venues and music festivals as the team developed the idea, testing out ideas collected on inspirational trips to New York, Tokyo, Portland and Los Angeles. The first site opened in 2021 on Leeds’ Headrow, gaining a loyal following for its smart flavours and creative takes on Japanese favourites such as gyoza, katsu and tonkotsu broth.

The menu at the Manchester spot has range, but, predictably, it’s the ramen that steals the spotlight with its punchy personality. Our go-to bowl? The Spicy Miso Tantanmen – a gloriously rich vegan ramen with shiitake depth, sesame nuttiness and a fiery kick of chilli oil. Topped with spiced plant-based mince, crisp pak choi and spring onion – it’s bold, perfectly balanced and absolutely not one to tackle in a white shirt (which we found out the hard way).

While the entire House of Fu team is heavily influenced by the bowl culture and aesthetics of L.A. and Tokyo ramen bars, they’re not into copy-and-pasting. House of Fu brings its own flavour, with northern swagger everywhere from the branding to the breakbeat. Whether you’re neck-deep in noodles or belting out Lady Gaga in a neon-lit booth, this is ramen turned all the way up.