Tampopo’s Pad Thai: 29 Years in the Making, and Still a Favourite in Manchester & London
One iconic Thai dish. Five delicious ways to enjoy it. And 29 years of getting it just right.
Some dishes come and go. Others earn their place on the menu and never leave. Our Pad Thai? It’s been one of our most-loved dishes since we first opened our doors in Manchester’s Albert Square back in 1997.
And with Pad Thai Day falling on 7th November, we thought it was the perfect excuse to share what makes ours so special.
From the bustling streets of Bangkok to our kitchens in Manchester and London, our Pad Thai has been on quite the journey. And after 29 years of tasting, travelling, tweaking and learning from Thai chefs, we reckon we’re serving our best version yet.
Think perfectly cooked rice noodles, a beautiful balance of sweet, salty and tangy flavours, crunchy peanuts and a generous squeeze of fresh lime. Our classic Bangkok-style Pad Thai even arrives wrapped in a delicate golden omelette, inspired by one of Thailand’s most famous Pad Thai restaurants.
5 Reasons to Love Tampopo’s Pad Thai
But what makes it so special? We’re glad you asked.
A Little Taste of Bangkok
Ever wondered why our Pad Thai comes wrapped in a thin golden omelette?
It’s inspired by Thipsamai, one of Bangkok’s most famous Pad Thai restaurants. The delicate omelette holds together all those wonderful flavours, making the first bite just as exciting as the last.
It’s our little way of bringing a taste of Bangkok to Manchester and London.
It’s All About the Balance
A great Pad Thai isn’t just about noodles. It’s about getting the flavours exactly right.
The sweetness of palm sugar, the tang of tamarind, the savoury depth of the sauce, finished with crunchy peanuts and fresh lime.
Sweet, salty, sour and utterly satisfying. That’s the magic of a proper Pad Thai.
Five Ways to Find Your Favourite
Because one Pad Thai doesn’t have to fit everyone.
Whether you’re after something plant-based or fancy a seafood twist, there’s a Pad Thai for you at Tampopo.
- Vegan Pad Thai: All those delicious Thai flavours, completely plant-based.
- Vegetarian Pad Thai: A comforting classic with tofu, vegetables and egg.
- Chicken Pad Thai: A firm favourite for those who love the classics.
- Prawn Pad Thai: Juicy prawns paired with our signature noodles.
- Soft-Shell Crab Pad Thai: For when you fancy taking your Pad Thai up a notch.
Five delicious versions. One very good reason to keep coming back.
A Recipe with Quite a Story
Our Pad Thai story began in 1997 with our original Albert Square Thai head chef, Patria Weerapan, who created the recipe that started it all.
But we didn’t stop there.
Over the years, our founder David Fox and the Tampopo team have travelled back to Thailand, learning from Pip and her daughters, Pang, Pla and Pu Fargrajang, at Pip’s Thai Cooking School and taking inspiration from Bangkok’s legendary Thipsamai.
Each visit has brought fresh ideas, new techniques and another little improvement to a dish we’ve loved from day one.
Because when it comes to Pad Thai, there’s always something more to discover.
29 Years of Pad Thai Love
There’s a reason Pad Thai has remained one of Tampopo’s top five dishes for nearly three decades.
We’ve never stopped working on it.
From that very first recipe in Manchester to the Bangkok-style Pad Thai we serve today, it’s a dish that carries a little bit of our history in every bite.
And judging by the love it receives from our guests, we’re not the only ones who think it’s pretty special.
Pad Thai Day or Any Day, There’s Always Room for Pad Thai!
You don’t need a special occasion to enjoy a great Pad Thai. Whether you’re a long-time Tampopo fan or trying ours for the first time, there’s a version with your name on it.
Find your favourite at any Tampopo restaurant in Manchester or London.
Ready for a taste of Bangkok?