The Manchester Curry Mile in Rusholme is one of the UK’s most famous eating districts — a half-mile stretch of Wilmslow Road packed with the highest concentration of South Asian restaurants in the country. Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi, plus Middle Eastern, Turkish, Afro-Caribbean and Chinese kitchens — the Curry Mile is a multi-cuisine food destination unlike anywhere else in Britain.
This guide covers the Manchester Curry Mile and the best Asian food in the wider city for 2026 — from family-run Pakistani institutions like Mughli to fine-dining options like Ziya, contemporary chains like MyLahore, vegan vegetarian gems like Bundobust, and Manchester’s broader Asian food scene including Chinatown, Korean BBQ, and Vietnamese pho. Every entry includes location, signature dishes, and price guidance.
For broader food coverage, see our main Manchester food guide, our cheap eats guide, and our city centre restaurants guide.
Manchester Curry Mile: The Essential Restaurants
1. Mughli Charcoal Pit
Founded in 1991 by “Uncle Peter,” Mughli is the Curry Mile’s most respected restaurant. Modern Punjabi cooking, charcoal-grilled meats, contemporary plating. Lamb chops are legendary; the tandoor menu is exceptional.
Cost: £15–25 per person.
Best for: Date dinners, special occasions on the Mile.
2. Ziya Asian Grill
The Curry Mile’s fine-dining option. Modern menus appealing to traditional curry fans and contemporary diners alike. Polished service, smarter dining room than most Mile restaurants.
Cost: £25–40 per person.
Best for: Special occasion Curry Mile meals.
3. MyLahore
Manchester’s most popular British-Asian restaurant chain, originally from Bradford. Curries, biryanis, plus burgers, “healthy bites,” and family-friendly options.
Cost: £12–18 per person.
Best for: Family dinners, casual eating.
4. Chit N Chaat
Indian street food in a vibrant, brightly designed setting. Dosa, momos, pav bhaji, paratha — South Asian street food classics done well.
Cost: £8–14 per person.
Best for: Casual lunches, vegetarian-focused meals.
5. Jafra
Palestinian and Middle Eastern food on the Curry Mile — mezzes, grills, shawarma, kebabs, wraps. Friendly table service.
Cost: £10–18 per person.
Best for: Middle Eastern variety beyond curry.
6. The Pakistan Restaurant
Old-school Curry Mile classic. Authentic Pakistani-style curry, generous portions, low prices. The lamb biryani is a regional dish done particularly well.
Cost: £8–14 per person.
7. Lal Qila
Another Curry Mile institution. Traditional Indian curry, generous portions, low prices.
Cost: £8–12 per person.
8. Sangam
Long-established Curry Mile restaurant with a strong reputation for traditional Indian dishes.
Cost: £10–16 per person.
Manchester’s Best Indian / South Asian Restaurants Beyond the Curry Mile
9. Asha’s (Spinningfields)
Upmarket modern Indian dining in central Manchester. Excellent for date nights and business lunches. Great cocktails too.
Cost: £35–55 per person.
10. Mowgli (Northern Quarter)
Indian street food in a deliberately quirky setting — hanging Bombay tiffins, Indian railway tea kettles, no main courses, just plate-by-plate small dishes.
Cost: £25–35 per person.
11. Bundobust (Manchester city centre)
Vegetarian and vegan Indian street food. Bhaji butty, vada pav burger, beer pairings. One of the UK’s best Indian-vegetarian operations.
Cost: £15–25 per person.
12. Kabana (Levenshulme)
Pakistani vegetarian curry house in Levenshulme. Local institution with low prices and authentic cooking.
Cost: £8–12 per person.
13. Indian Tiffin Room
Multiple Manchester locations. Modern Indian street food, business lunch favourite.
Cost: £15–25 per person.
Manchester Chinatown Restaurants
Manchester has the second-largest Chinatown in the UK. The Imperial Arch on Faulkner Street marks the entrance, and dozens of restaurants line the surrounding streets.
14. Wong Wong
Cantonese cuisine, dim sum, late-night service. Long-running Chinatown institution.
15. Tai Pan
Dim sum specialist. The trolley service at lunchtime is a Manchester Chinatown highlight.
16. Tai Wu
24-hour kitchen at weekends — a rare late-night option in Manchester. Authentic Chinese.
17. Sweet Mandarin
Chef Helen Tse’s family restaurant. Cantonese cuisine with British-Chinese fusion. Featured in Helen’s autobiography.
18. Yang Sing
Multi-storey Chinese banquet restaurant. Traditional Cantonese in a grand setting.
Manchester’s Best Pan-Asian & Other Asian Cuisines
19. Tattu (Spinningfields)
Manchester’s most Instagram-friendly restaurant — pan-Asian under a centrepiece blossoming cherry tree. Beef short rib bao, black cod, theatrical cocktails.
Cost: £55–75 per person.
20. Australasia (Spinningfields)
Pan-Asian fusion in a glamorous below-ground dining room. Sushi, share plates, cocktails.
Cost: £45–65 per person.
21. Peter Street Kitchen (Free Trade Hall)
Japanese-Mexican fusion in the Free Trade Hall building. Stylish dining room, sake selection.
Cost: £45–65 per person.
22. Pho No. 1 (Northern Quarter)
Vietnamese pho and banh mi from £4. Authentic, fast, brilliant value.
Cost: £4–10 per person.
23. Hello Oriental (Piccadilly Gardens)
Three-floor Asian food hall. Dim sum, sushi, ramen, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean.
Cost: £8–14 per person.
24. New Wave Ramen at Mackie Mayor
Modern ramen at Mackie Mayor — pork shoulder ramen, vegan miso, side dishes.
Cost: £12–18 per person.
25. Chilli B Korean Fried Chicken at Mackie Mayor
Korean fried chicken, bao, kimchi. Mackie Mayor anchor kitchen.
Cost: £10–15 per person.
26. Sushi Tetsu (Northern Quarter)
Authentic sushi in a small Northern Quarter restaurant. Tasting menus and à la carte.
Cost: £30–45 per person.
Manchester Curry Mile Tips
How to Get There
The Curry Mile is on Wilmslow Road in Rusholme, about 2.5 miles south of the city centre. Bus 142, 143, 147 from the city centre runs frequently (15–20 minutes). Uber/Bolt £8–12 each way. Some travellers prefer to walk down via the Whitworth (4 miles round trip).
Best Time to Go
Lunchtime is quieter and slightly cheaper. Friday and Saturday evenings are the busiest and most atmospheric. Eid and Diwali periods are peak for the local community.
Vegetarian Options
Almost every Curry Mile restaurant has strong vegetarian and vegan menus — Indian and South Asian cuisines naturally accommodate plant-based eating. Ask for vegan options if dairy-free.
BYOB?
Many Curry Mile restaurants are alcohol-free (Halal-observant) and don’t serve drinks beyond soft drinks, mango lassis, and tea. A few allow BYOB; check before bringing alcohol.
Late Night
The Curry Mile stays open late — many restaurants serve until 1am or later, and shisha bars run into the early hours. One of Manchester’s best late-night eating districts.
Cash vs Card
Most Curry Mile restaurants now accept cards. A few cash-only spots remain — bring a £20 backup.
Shisha Bars
The Curry Mile has multiple shisha bars open late. Some restaurants combine dining with shisha service afterwards.
Manchester Asian Food: Sample Itineraries
The Curry Mile Crawl
Start: Lunch at Chit N Chaat (Indian street food).
Middle: Browse Wilmslow Road’s Asian supermarkets and bakeries.
Late afternoon: Mid-afternoon snack at Falafel King or a sweet shop.
Dinner: Mughli or Ziya for the main meal.
After dinner: Shisha bar or late tea at one of the many Lebanese cafés.
The Manchester Asian Food Tour
Day 1: Northern Quarter — Pho No. 1 lunch + Mowgli dinner.
Day 2: Chinatown — dim sum at Tai Pan + Cantonese dinner at Wong Wong.
Day 3: Curry Mile — full curry meal at Mughli or MyLahore.
Day 4: Spinningfields — fine dining at Asha’s or Tattu.
The Cheap Asian Food Day
Lunch: Pho No. 1 banh mi (£6).
Snack: Chinatown bakery items (£3).
Dinner: Curry Mile main course at Lal Qila or Sangam (£8).
Total: ~£17 for a full day of Asian food.
Manchester Curry Mile: A Brief History
The Manchester Curry Mile evolved from the 1950s and 1960s as the city’s South Asian community settled in Rusholme — particularly Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, and Indians who arrived for textile factory work. The first South Asian restaurants opened to serve the community, then expanded to attract students from the universities just up the road. By the 1980s, the half-mile stretch had earned its “Curry Mile” nickname.
Today, the Curry Mile is one of Manchester’s most distinctive cultural assets — UNESCO has recognised similar food districts as intangible cultural heritage. The restaurants reflect the city’s multicultural identity, and the late-night neon signs are a Manchester landmark.
Beyond Curry: Manchester’s Wider Asian Food Scene
Korean Food in Manchester
Korean food has grown significantly in Manchester over the past decade. Highlights include Chilli B at Mackie Mayor, KOFU on Manchester Oxford Road, and various Korean kitchens at Hello Oriental.
Japanese Food in Manchester
Sushi Tetsu (Northern Quarter) is the established sushi destination. New Wave Ramen at Mackie Mayor for ramen. Yuzu (Spinningfields) for upmarket Japanese-fusion. Peter Street Kitchen for Japanese-Mexican.
Vietnamese Food in Manchester
Pho No. 1 (Northern Quarter) is the city’s pho specialist. Banh Mi outlets in Chinatown and the universities district. Bao + Bao for Vietnamese-Chinese fusion.
Thai Food in Manchester
Manchester has fewer dedicated Thai restaurants than its Vietnamese, Chinese, and Indian options, but Thaikhun, Busaba, and several smaller Thai kitchens scattered around the centre serve good Thai.
Filipino, Indonesian & SE Asian Beyond
Smaller scenes — but emerging Filipino and Indonesian options at GRUB and Hatch occasionally.
Manchester Asian Food: Best Spots by Occasion
For a Cheap Lunch (£10 or less)
Pho No. 1 banh mi, Bundobust, Hello Oriental dim sum, Curry Mile lunch specials.
For a Mid-Range Dinner (£20–35 per person)
Mughli (Curry Mile), Asha’s (Spinningfields), Mowgli (Northern Quarter), Tai Pan (Chinatown).
For Special-Occasion Dining (£45+ per person)
Tattu (Spinningfields), Australasia (Spinningfields), Peter Street Kitchen (Free Trade Hall), Ziya (Curry Mile).
For Vegetarian/Vegan
Bundobust (Indian), Mowgli (Indian street food, lots of vegan), Chit N Chaat (Curry Mile vegan-friendly), Pho No. 1 (vegan pho available).
For Family Dinners
MyLahore (Curry Mile family-friendly), Hello Oriental (food hall format), Mowgli (small plates good for kids), Tai Pan dim sum lunch.
For Late-Night Eating
Curry Mile (until 1am+), Tai Wu Chinatown (24-hour at weekends), Crazy Pedro’s (until late, not Asian but worth mentioning).
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Manchester Curry Mile?
The Curry Mile is on Wilmslow Road in Rusholme, about 2.5 miles south of central Manchester. Bus 142/143/147 takes you there in 15–20 minutes.
What’s the best restaurant on the Curry Mile?
Mughli is widely regarded as the best — quality cooking, charcoal grill, contemporary atmosphere. Ziya is the most upmarket option. MyLahore is the family favourite.
Is the Curry Mile cheap?
Yes — full meals from £8–14 per person. The Curry Mile is one of the UK’s best-value eating districts.
Are Curry Mile restaurants open on Christmas Day?
Many are — the Curry Mile is one of the few Manchester eating districts that remains open year-round.
Can I get vegan food on the Curry Mile?
Yes — almost every restaurant has strong vegan options. Indian and South Asian cuisines accommodate plant-based eating naturally.
Is the Curry Mile alcohol-free?
Many restaurants are Halal-observant and don’t serve alcohol. A few allow BYOB. Check before booking.
What’s the difference between Indian and Pakistani food on the Curry Mile?
Both share many dishes but differ in regional emphasis — Pakistani cooking often features more lamb, biryanis, and grills; Indian cooking has wider regional variety. Most Curry Mile restaurants serve dishes from both traditions.
Can I take kids to the Curry Mile?
Yes — many restaurants are family-friendly. MyLahore has dedicated kids’ menus. The Curry Mile is generally welcoming to families.
Final Thoughts
The Manchester Curry Mile is one of the UK’s most distinctive food destinations — a half-mile of Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Middle Eastern, Turkish, and Chinese restaurants packed into a single Rusholme strip. Combined with the Northern Quarter’s Vietnamese pho, the Spinningfields fine dining at Tattu and Asha’s, and Manchester Chinatown’s traditional Cantonese, Manchester offers some of the most varied Asian food in Britain.
For more, see our main Manchester food guide, our cheap eats guide, our street food guide, and our city centre restaurants guide.
Leave a Reply