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We Took a Trip to These 9 Hong Kong Cafes in Manchester for an Authentic Cha Chaan Teng Experience
When people chat about Asian scran, Chinese and Japanese easily come to mind. That’s very understandable, given the vast reach of the cuisine of these countries.
However, there’s still more to try (and perhaps even more interesting than ramen or dim sum), Hong Kong’s cha chaan teng, right in Manchester.
They’re now more accessible than ever in the city, partly thanks to history, and partly for business-minded Hong Kong immigrants to the UK. So, we headed to the top ‘tea restaurants’ to check if they’re really mint or dreadful rank—see our adventure below!
What is cha chaan teng?
A cha chaan teng (literal translation: ‘tea restaurant’) is Hong Kong’s most popular type of eatery since the 1950s. It’s as common as diners in the US and pubs in the UK, and guarantees good, filling food and drink that won’t cost an arm and a leg.
Cha chaan teng feature a delightful fusion of HK and European cuisine—a clear product of British colonisation of this key Asian territory. Famous cha chaan teng scran includes milk tea, fried eggs with buttered toast, macaroni soup, pork chop rice, and egg tarts.
One great thing about cha chaan tengs, even in this corner of the world, is that a lot of them are open six days a week. More days to enjoy affordable yet scrumptious meals!
Denton Delights
Media from Edmund Cheng
Address: 5 Market Street, Denton
Contact details: 0161 282 2091
Operating hours:
- Monday, Thursday to Sunday – 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Tuesday and Wednesday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
Many Mancunians consider Denton Delights as the top banana for the true cha chaan teng experience. They say that eating here is the closest one could get to having an actual casual meal in Hong Kong—and we definitely agree.
First, the place is informal but fantastic. It may look like a regular UK ice cream shop in the front, but once you get inside, it hits you: laminated tables, short stools, and chopstick holders are an easy giveaway of what you’re really in for.
Once you’re seated, grab a hot bowl of satay beef noodles—a savoury and filling choice for any day.
| Pro tip: Did we mention that Denton Delights looks like an ice cream shop? Well, it is actually one, too, so don’t forget to get a serving of your favourite flavour for dessert. |
Dragon Oriental
Media from Dragon Oriental 九龍冰室
Address: 55A Faulkner Street
Contact details: 07 842288866, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday to Friday – 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM
- Saturday – 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM
- Sunday – 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM
Pricing: £
If you don’t want to go far from the city centre, then Dragon Oriental in Chinatown could be one of your best picks. The menu is 100% Hong Kong-style, but the premises itself doesn’t shy away from the familiar comforts of a UK restaurant—clean and streamlined.
We’re glad it’s open 7 days a week, because we don’t really have to mind the day when planning a trip to this cha chaan teng. Whenever you can stop by, it’s highly recommended to get the French toast topped with butter and with honey on the side.
The perfect pair to it? A big cup of hot milk tea, of course!
| Pro tip: Dragon Oriental loves putting up promos (as if its offerings aren’t fair enough already)! Be sure to check them on the restaurant’s social media pages. |
Happy Valley Cafe
Media from Happy Valley
Address: Unit 4, 153 Great Ducie Street, Cheetham Hill
Contact details: 0161 312 2674, [email protected]
Operating hours: Daily – 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM
Pricing: £
Happy Valley Cafe and its nostalgic horse racing mural will surely take you back to simpler times in HK, even though you’re still in the middle of Manchester. By the looks of it, this restaurant is best enjoyed by families for its cheerful ambience.
If you’re looking for a filling lunch or dinner, one crowd favourite is the curry beef tendon brisket. It’s a proper serving—chunks of beef with curry sauce and a cup of rice—could use a bit more veg (but that’s just us), but still banging.
For drinks, the HK-style milk tea is always a great pick, either iced or hot—we’re in a cha chaan teng, after all.
| Pro tip: A bit tired of the usual Hong Kong-style brew? Get the ‘special drink’ for a uniquely Happy Valley dining moment. |
Temple Street Claypot Rice
Media from Inês
Address: 68 Manchester Road, Altrincham
Contact details: 07391 788998
Operating hours:
- Monday, Wednesday to Friday – 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM
- Saturday and Sunday – 12:30 PM to 9:30 PM
- Tuesday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
Our list won’t be complete without mentioning Altrincham’s Temple Street Claypot Rice. It opened only in late 2024 but has already made a huge buzz in the HK-style café scene with scorched rice topped with meats and veggies, cooked in actual clay pots.
Temple Street’s namesake is the famous Kowloon Night Market. Moreover, it’s actually the restaurant sibling of Happy Valley at Cheetham Hill—so the Hong Kong icon inspiration and existence of a calming mural in its premises checks out!
For a culinary adventure, grab a pork liver and kidney clay pot—an acquired taste for most, but nonetheless worth trying out at least once.
| Pro tip: Temple Street is a current hotspot (pun intended) for Mancunian foodies, so tables are always full. You MUST book in advance for seating. |
Yuppie Mom Kitchen
Media from @hungrycookie15
Address: 349 Lower Broughton Road, Salford
Contact details: 07774 567149
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Sunday – 11:30 AM to 8:00 PM
- Monday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
A newcomer in the Mancunian restaurant scene, Yuppie Mom is one spot you should try for a taste of Hong Kong/Cantonese comfort food. This one’s still in the ‘hidden gem’ category, so don’t just walk: rush to get here!
To get yourself properly sorted, the Yuppie Mom way, order the curry beef brisket in tom gha khal with some flat rice noodles—an enormous bowl heaping with broth, beef, and carrot pieces.
It clearly is the pride and joy of the restaurant, given the delight we saw in our server’s face when we got our bowls.
| Pro tip: Yuppie Mom gives discounts on select items every week. The items vary, so better keep yourself posted on the latest offerings through its Facebook page! |
Konger Cafe
Media from @kongerfc_cafe
Address: 289a Talbot Rd, Stretford
Contact details: 07716721831
Operating hours:
- Monday, Wednesday to Sunday – 12:30 PM to 8:00 PM
- Tuesday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
Konger Cafe is the culinary home of the Konger Football Club, a beloved group of footy enthusiasts. Most of them are from Hong Kong, but had to flee to the UK due to the political danger brought upon them by China’s National Security Law in 2020.
Despite the harsh reality, the club members are giving their all to live a new, better life in Manchester—and we’re glad they’re here, not just for the great football skills but also the delicious authentic HK food!
Have the Sing Chou fried noodles or the stir-fried rice noodles with beef and experience the taste of real ‘wok hei’ while supporting the FC.
| Pro tip: If you’re up for THE challenge, get the spicy and sour rice noodles. Dead hot and dead flavourful! |
Good Good Taste
Media from Good Good Taste
Address: Kitchen 5, Ghost X Kitchens, 58-60 Higher Ardwick
Contact details: 07821 788553, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday, Wednesday to Sunday – 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
- Tuesday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
Although it doesn’t give the full cha chaan teng experience because of the small setup (it’s in a literal ‘ghost kitchen’), Good Good Taste still brings that real Hong Kong flavour via takeaway or ordering through the apps.
Standout dishes here include steamed glutinous rice with shrimps and pork sausage, as well as the faux shark’s fin soup. Tea restaurant basics like French toast will also get HK-homesick palates sorted.
We hope that Good Good Taste upgrades its business model to a proper sit-in restaurant someday! In the meantime, we’ll continue munching on its deliveries and takeout packages.
| Pro tip: If eating at the ghost kitchen premises can’t be helped, there is actually limited seating available. However, we assume you’ll have a more comfortable meal if you eat it in your car. |
Sakura
Media from @kristine_notes
Address: 8 Salisbury House, St Stephen Street, Salford
Contact details: 0161 839 4323
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday – 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 12:30 PM to 8:00 PM
- Sunday and Monday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
Manchester will not have a shortage of ‘hidden gem’ restaurants soon. Add Salford’s Sakura to that list—just don’t confuse it with the Japanese joint of the same name, and you’re good.
This ‘Sakura’ specialises in Hong Kong cuisine, and many customers suggest it has one of the must-try HK-style French toasts (complete with the peanut butter filling) in the city. Its beef brisket and tendon curry bowl lands a close second place in our books.
One thing to note, though: although you can visit Sakura as a group, it’s still a pretty small establishment, so seats and tables are truly limited.
| Pro tip: Sakura tends to have days off outside its usual operating schedule (as is typical with any family or independent spot). So, check its Facebook page for any service announcements before heading for a visit! |
Tai Po Boy
Media from 大埔仔|Tai Po Boy
Address: Room 13B, Ghost Kitchens, Higher Ardwick
Contact details: 07384602146, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday and Tuesday, Thursday to Sunday – 11:30 AM to 8:30 PM
- Wednesday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
Don’t let Tai Po Boy’s early 2025 opening fool you—this young restaurant is steadily blossoming into one of the top cha chaan tengs in Manchester.
Initial crowd favourites are the fragrant and flavourful Hainanese chicken and the beef brisket, both served with rice cooked just right—your Hong Kong aunts and uncles will definitely approve of.
For adventure seekers, try the unique pairing of Tai Po Boy’s signature fried chicken (it’s a large leg!) and fried egg that’s crispy on the edges, all on top of a bed of rice. Not quite healthy, we agree, but just so satisfying!
| Pro tip: Tai Po Boy is located inside a ghost kitchen complex, so seating for dine-in purchases are limited. Plan your trip accordingly, or opt for takeaway and delivery instead. |
