Manchinro Honten

In Yokohama Chinatown, one doorway may lead to a queue for steamed buns and the next to a formal dining room. Manchinro Honten belongs to the latter: the company began in the old port settlement and has been associated with Cantonese cooking for more than a century. Its decorated dining rooms, designed for a longer meal, contrast with the bustle of Chukagai-odori. The visit revolves around dishes to share, seasonal menus and table service for guests who want to stay awhile.

The official menu lists more than 100 Cantonese à la carte dishes as well as set courses. It shows weekday lunch options from ¥1,500 and lunch menus at ¥3,200, ¥4,000 and ¥5,500; a 10% service charge is added at Honten. The menu supports different kinds of meal, from a simple noodle or rice lunch to a longer course with seafood, meat and dessert. Ingredients can change by season, so the menu available on the day is the best guide.

Customer feedback often agrees on the careful presentation, attentive service and breadth of the menu. Some diners also find the prices high or feel that certain flavours are adapted to Japanese tastes. This is a different proposition from buying street food: booking is sensible on weekends and for celebrations, and private rooms may carry a table charge for à la carte meals. A course menu can make it easier to plan both the sequence of dishes and the overall spend.

The exact address is 153 Yamashitacho, Naka Ward, about a five-minute walk from Ishikawacho, Motomachi-Chukagai and Nihon-odori stations. It opens in two weekday sessions and continuously at weekends; Monday is the regular closing day except on holidays. The local tourism association traces Chinatown’s origins to the port opening in 1859 and describes a district of hundreds of shops, so leave time to explore beyond the main avenue before or after sitting down.