Manchester, Japanese Restaurant Guide

This “family fave” has assembled a greatest hits of East Asian cuisine, from satay skewers, spring rolls and gyoza dumplings to nasi goreng, pad Thai, ramen and laksa. They’re “geared up for a great family experience with a top attitude towards children” – who will always find something to eat on the menu. There are now three branches in Manchester and one in London. Top Tip – “love the secret off-menu chicken options!”.

2021 Review: Part of the Radisson occupying Manchester’s iconic Free Trade Hall, this fusion two-year-old occupies a glossily designed space on the ground floor with floor-to-ceiling windows; and is one of the ‘Kitchens’ run by London’s Edwardian group. Its unusual offer presents Japanese and Mexican small plates on separate menus, but – even if the prices are not bargain basement – all feedback is positive: “the food is so fresh, the tastes are clean and vibrant, I love it!”

2022 Review: Grand Pacific's sibling enjoys an impressively posh setting (replete with glamorous cocktail bar) in a basement off Deansgate, making it perfectly “designed for a date”. The food – Aussie/pan-Asian sharing plates – “ranges from average to excellent”, with a shout-out for the “beautiful” bento-box dessert.

“This tiny place on the edge of Chinatown is a knockout”, with its “calming atmosphere and very, very good Japanese food”. It has built an enthusiastic following over the past decade for a good range of dishes, from yakitori and kara-age chicken to gyoza, udon noodles and tempura – but not sushi, which requires special training. There’s also a “good sake selection, at fair prices too”. Top Menu Tip – “salmon to die for”.

Open from November 2022, this exciting-sounding arrival occupies the site that was previously Randall & Aubin (RIP), now transformed into a very ambitious Japanese restaurant, under chef-patron Michael Shaw. Musu translates as ‘infinite possibilities’ – here that’s translated as an à la carte, 7-course or 11-course kaiseki menu; or an omakase experience delivered at a special six-seater counter, looked after by head sushi chef, Andre Aquiar. Delicacies will include A5 grade wagyu beef and wild, certified bluefin tuna. At the weekends a more drinks-led operation is planned.