Newcastle has one of the UK’s largest Chinatowns. Despite this, and let’s be honest, the representation of the country’s food… leaves a lot to be desired. Yeah, you can eat on Stowell Street. You’ll get red and gold, an excess of sugar and vinegar and batter, a laminated menu with 300 photographed dishes, and dragons. Lots of dragons.
It feels like a quality ceiling that we’ve sort of just accepted. Safe and Anglicised. A bit like the chokehold British Indian Restaurant cooking had on us until around 10–15 years ago. Those are finally evolving, with more modern street-food, diverse regional dishes, and contemporary interiors.
I’d like to think in its own way, Wok Manifesto challenges Stowell Street and says, nope not good enough.
You may recall the chef behind the venture, Joshy. In 2016 and to many plaudits, he opened La Yuan on Gallowgate. It was great. It was popular, and though it sadly was a victim of COVID, if you had been — you’d remember it. I’d say that’s praise.
If you didn’t, well now you can sort of get another bite at the cherry. Fast forward ten years, Wok Manifesto takes many of the La Yuan ideas and applies them in a way that makes sense in 2026.
The format is slightly different – more Shanghai lunch cafe than what was an elegantly understated restaurant. It’s barebones. Pay up front, clear up your own plates. Functional (read: not that comfortable) bench seating. What this does mean is that dishes are affordable. Which is a clear USP when budgets are stretched and a good bowl of hot food these days will likely cost you £12 or more.
Wok Manifesto benefits from being city centre, and convenient. I’ve had lunch here a dozen times. It’s wormed its way into my psyche. It’s been heaving most of those times. An instant favourite with International students, and popular with everyone I’ve spoken to about it. I just don’t think there’s anything else like it in town.
The menu is distinctly Sichuan-favouring, but the signature dish and the reason to return is these wanza noodles.
They’re hot, salty, a little sweet, crunchy, soft, a really pleasant assault on the senses. It’s what I look for every time I try The Latest Stowell Street restaurant, only to be disappointed (again). Like most dishes from Sichuan, it’s a little spicy. That broth (and an abundance of Sichuan peppercorns, naturally) keeps your mouth wanting more, and then there’s minced pork, peanuts (these pervade most dishes, for those that are not a fan/allergic). Home made chili crisp oil. And in a sort-of local nod, yellow peas, for that true pease pudding crossover vibe. If you haven’t tasted this Sichuan province classic – start here. It’s a banger.
Perhaps best of all, it’s £7.95. The no-frills interior and service keeps costs light, and it is a smart move all round. I don’t think you’ll get as exciting a dish for eight quid in town.
The low cost entices further ordering, and I’ve worked my way through every dish now. There’s a few that tickled me slightly less — Thai dishes of massaman curry and the tom yum are nicely fragrant but don’t really compete against Chilli Padi’s versions, for instance. But mostly, there’s joy to be found across the twenty or so dishes. Red oil dumplings might well be the best in NE1. Specials like dan dan noodles 😮💨, hot & numbing beef (starting to get spicy now) and the most unctuous slow-braised Taiwanese pork belly warrant return visits.
There’s a genuinely good general Tso’s chicken. Other signature dishes warrant their place as classics — your mouth will thank you for the chilli oil splashed noodles, as well as the pickled greens and mashed potato fen. It’s not just one-dimensional numbing Sichuan peppercorns, but genuine layers of flavour. And it’s never just cornflour and sugar and white vinegar. Shout out to the smoked plum juice, served warm, and a selection of Chinese teas too.
Chef Joshy knows what he’s doing, and what good food in the UK does (and doesn’t) look like. Check out his YouTube channel for more on that, like this one on ‘competitor’ Chopstix.
Wok Manifesto has managed to be popular despite not having an Instagrammable dish, neon lights, or any of the usual guff. It’s ‘just’ great value, fresh cooking with flavours that aren’t easy to find in Newcastle, and that is more than 90% of restaurants are doing. It isn’t even in Newcastle’s Chinatown, but for me, Wok Manifesto is at the heart of it. More like this, please. 🌶️
Contact: wokmanifesto.com
Address: 21–23 Ridley Place, NE1 8JN
Opening times: Mon–Sun 11:00–7:30
Dishes: cost around £5–£9
