How many restaurants are there in Manchester's busiest areas?
We counted 988 restaurants within 1 km of the centres of 10 Manchester areas. Northern Quarter is the most crowded at 106.0 per km²; Fallowfield is the least, at 9.2.
Mapped
988
in 10 areas
Busiest area
106.0/km²
Northern Quarter
Average rating
4.4★
places with 10+ reviews
Last scanned
13 October
2026
Restaurants by area, most crowded first
Measured within 1 km of the centre: LOW under 5, MODERATE 5–15, HIGH 15–40, INTENSE over 40 places per km².
| Area | Within 1 km | Per km² | Avg rating | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Quarter4.4★ average | 333106.0/km² | 106.0 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| Deansgate4.4★ average | 26183.1/km² | 83.1 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| Rusholme4.4★ average | 9630.6/km² | 30.6 | 4.4★ | HIGH |
| Chorlton4.5★ average | 5918.8/km² | 18.8 | 4.5★ | HIGH |
| Altrincham4.5★ average | 5718.1/km² | 18.1 | 4.5★ | HIGH |
| Levenshulme4.4★ average | 5216.6/km² | 16.6 | 4.4★ | HIGH |
| West Didsbury4.5★ average | 3611.5/km² | 11.5 | 4.5★ | MODERATE |
| Salford Quays4.2★ average | 3511.1/km² | 11.1 | 4.2★ | MODERATE |
| Didsbury4.5★ average | 309.5/km² | 9.5 | 4.5★ | MODERATE |
| Fallowfield4.3★ average | 299.2/km² | 9.2 | 4.3★ | MODERATE |
Where is it least crowded?
- FallowfieldMODERATE
29 restaurants within 1 km (9.2 per km²), averaging 4.3★.
- DidsburyMODERATE
30 restaurants within 1 km (9.5 per km²), averaging 4.5★.
- Salford QuaysMODERATE
35 restaurants within 1 km (11.1 per km²), averaging 4.2★.
Fewer restaurants is not the same as more demand. Look at foot traffic and rents before you read a quiet area as an opening.
How they are rated
All 988 restaurants in the 10 areas, by rating. Places with fewer than 10 reviews are counted apart.
- 4.5 and up488 (49%)
- 4.0 to 4.4347 (35%)
- 3.5 to 3.964 (6%)
- Below 3.520 (2%)
- Under 10 reviews69 (7%)
Chains seen most
Brands with two or more outlets inside one area circle.
- McDonald's7 outlets · 2 areas
- PizzaExpress7 outlets · 2 areas
- Rudy's Pizza Napoletana5 outlets · 2 areas
- KFC Manchester4 outlets · 2 areas
- Burger King3 outlets · 1 area
- Maki & Ramen2 outlets · 1 area
- Nell's Pizza2 outlets · 1 area
- Noi Quattro2 outlets · 1 area
- Barburrito2 outlets · 1 area
- Nando's Manchester2 outlets · 1 area
Check competition at your exact address — free
Drop a pin on the street you have in mind and see every competitor around it on a map, with ratings and review counts. The scan is free with an account.
Questions
Is Manchester saturated with restaurants?
It depends on the street. Within 1 km of the 10 area centres we mapped, density runs from 9.2 per km² in Fallowfield to 106.0 per km² in Northern Quarter. 6 of the 10 areas count as high or intense competition (over 15 per km²). Check the exact address you have in mind before you commit.
Which Manchester area has the most restaurants?
Northern Quarter, with 333 within 1 km of its centre (106.0 per km²). Next come Deansgate (261) and Rusholme (96).
What is the average rating of restaurants in Manchester?
4.4 out of 5, across the 919 restaurants with at least 10 reviews in the areas we mapped. The highest area average is Chorlton (4.5), the lowest Salford Quays (4.2).
Which restaurant chains are most common in Manchester?
In the areas we mapped: McDonald's (7 outlets in 2 areas), PizzaExpress (7 outlets in 2 areas), Rudy's Pizza Napoletana (5 outlets in 2 areas).
How was this counted?
We scanned a 1 km circle around the centre of each area on 13 October 2026 and counted every restaurant on the map inside it. Places missing from the map or opened since are not counted, so treat the numbers as a floor. Circles of neighbouring areas can overlap, so a place near two centres is counted in both, and the figures are not a total for the whole of Manchester.