Finding the best Chinese restaurants in Melbourne is more than just choosing a spot for dinner; it’s a commitment to discovering some of the city’s top flavors and culinary talent.
Melbourne’s Chinese food scene, stretching from Chinatown to the suburbs, offers everything from authentic dim sum and budget-friendly dumpling houses to high-end Cantonese, Sichuan, and regional Chinese eateries.
Whether you’re after a lively BYO spot, an intimate dining experience, or classic street-food-inspired dishes, Melbourne has it all.
With new restaurants constantly popping up alongside time-tested favorites, Melbourne’s Chinese dining options are rich with variety—perfect for those looking to explore Chinese food traditions, find affordable meals, or indulge in special-occasion dining.
If you're looking for the best Chinese in the north, east, west, south or just some near me you can check out The Directory.
We want you to be the first in the know. Join Urban List Insiders, we’ll shoot you all Melbourne’s best things to eat, drink and do every week.
MELBOURNE'S BEST CHINESE RESTAURANTS AT A GLANCE
- Best Sichuan restaurant: Dainty Sichuan
- Best Cantonese restaurant: Ling Nan
- Best fine dining Chinese restaurant: Flower Drum
- Best old school Chinese restaurant: Old Beijing
- Best Chinese restaurant for dumplings: Din Tai Fung
- Best hot pot: Panda Hot Pot
Without further ado, here’s a roundup of the best Chinese restaurants in Melbourne for 2025:
Red Chilli House
119 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD
Image credit: Red Chilli House | Supplied
Occupying three levels within a once-abandoned historic building, the Red Chilli House breathes new life into Chinatown with its fiery Southern Chinese fare. Owner Steve Xu’s commitment to his home province sees chilli-spiced stir fries and seafood soups taking the menu spotlight.
Drawing from over a decade of experience at Red Cliff, his new venture innovatively blends flavours and reimagines traditional recipes using ingredients from different regions. The menu showcases both signature dishes as well as a slate of new offerings, with highlights such as Sauerkraut fish— a sour and spicy Sichuan soup made from freshwater catfish and pickled mustard greens simmered in green peppercorn broth, alongside other seafood specialties.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Red Chilli House is Sichuan style and the twice-cooked pork is sweet, spicy and oh-so-delicious. Get around it.
- Mains range from around $25-$40 so take some friends and be prepared to share.
- They serve yabby noodles. Yep, yabbies, yum, make sure you order a serve.
Old Beijing
31-37 Artemis Lane, Melbourne CBD
It may be on the higher end of your dinner budget, but Old Beijing and its elevated take on traditional Chinese dining is a true spectacle. The 200-seat diner is located in an unlikely place, the fringe alcove of QV in the CBD.
It is intricately decorated and spaced. Lanterns hang from above, diffusing the light across the room. Artful wall dividers split the table areas. You’ll find plenty of staples, specialties and downright revelations across the dense menu.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Old Beijing serves Imperial style Chinese food and has a full yum cha menu.
- Expect the full lazy Susan style eating, it's traditional and it's good.
- Get the xiao long bao, their signature dumplings are the biz.
Chopstick Delight
79 Mackie Road, Mulgrave
Image: Chopstick Delight | Supplied
Well off the beaten track, Chopstick Delight is the definition of a ‘hidden gem’. Paper tablecloths, handwritten menues, and a fish tank in the back. The signature dish, a whole-roast duck, must be ordered 48 hours in advance and arrives golden alongside a dark soy and plum dipping sauce.
For those looking for something from plucked frin the sea, lobster is brought to the table for approval before returning on an equally impressive platter, swimming in a combination of butter, garlic and chilli sauce.
INSIDER INTEL:
- You're going to dine at a proper suburban gem, take-away or eat in with some BYO, you're sure to have a good time.
- This is Cantonese style Chinese, think pipis, duck, and sweet and sour pork.
- There are wallet-friendly mains for around $20 and prices go up from there.
Ling Nan
203 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne CBD
Ling Nan knows exactly what it is and its lo-fi interior provides the perfect blank canvas the expertly crafted Cantonese cooking, seamlessly streaming from the kitchen at the back of the restaurant.
Be it the clams with XO sauce or the deep-fried pork spare ribs with chilli and spicy salt, there’s always something that’ll you keep you coming back for more. This Cantonese restaurant is one of the best in Melbourne, and for good reason.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Ed's pick? Scallop congee (rice porridge for the uninitiated) and Chinese donuts.
- The interior is pink, just you know, in case you're having a themed do.
- Ling Nan is open late, accommodates BYO and best of all, is out of the hustle and bustle of Chinatown on Lonsdale Street.
Panda Hot Pot
Carlton & Carnegie
First touching down in Melbourne in December 2019, Panda Hot Pot has become one of the go-to destinations for this traditional Chinese cuisine.
Ideally enjoyed as a group, their signature Sichuan spicy soup is a good place to start. It’s simmered for over 12 hours with a secret spice blend straight from Sichuan, you can then toss in countless additions like their thinly sliced premium beef, pureed prawns or fresh veggies.
To top it off, these delicacies are then dunked into your choice of dipping sauce.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Unless you can handle the heat, don't mess around with the spicy and extra spicy soups. You've been warned.
- It's normal to be asked about dietaries when you're ordering, because if you have one, the soup will likely tick it.
- Go with a friend. We've seen people tackle a hot pot to themselves and it looks tricky.
Rising Embers
Level 1/139 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD
Ascend the stairs to the sibling venue of the Dainty Sichuan team, Rising Embers is all about involved dining with a grill plate front and centre.
Diners are immediately served collection of spice mixes, sauces and pickled condiments which pair up with what’s sizzling across that hot plate—be it strips of A5 wagyu to whole-skewered squid, eggplant with minced chilli, or simply order up on the unforgettable fried rice.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Rising Embers is authentic Chinese barbeque, meaning be prepared to get involved!
- Serving sizes are big, make sure you go hungry.
- Expect to pay around $65 per head for food and drinks.
Din Tai Fung
Level 4/287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne CBD
On the top floor of Emporium, juggernaut Din Tai Fung lets you combine two of the best things in the world: shopping and dumplings. This Chinese haven was founded by dumpling master Din Tai Fung, who opened his first restaurant in Taiwan back in 1974, and now has stores across Asia, the US along with a handful in Australia. It's safe to say this guy knows what he's doing.
INSIDER INTEL:
- The crab meat and roe with pork dumplings are glorious. We recommend trying the fried rice and pork buns too.
- It's in the Emporium, don't get confused, we know the Chinese restaurant in a shopping centre is a little more Sydney than we're used to in Melbourne.
- They do incredibly cool specials, like a rainbow chocolate mochi xiao long bao. 'Scuse me?
Dainty Sichuan
Various locations
One of Melbourne's oldest Chinese haunts, Dainty Sichuan is a hub top notch Asian food. A little different from your local Chinese restaurant, the South Yarra location boasts a huge and luxurious interior. A fountain dominates the entrance and there's many a gold Buddha smiling at you.
Chinese art sits on the walls and you're dining on rounded tables complete with in-set hotplates. Dainty is known for its love of chilli, with generous hotpots and beef dishes being the most popular things on the menu.
INSIDER INTEL:
- The Chongqing chilli chicken and ma po tofu with beef mince are big hits with diners... and us too.
- The flavour is in the name of this place, it's Sichuan, so there's a little kick in most dishes.
- There's multiple outlets and take-away options too for those lazy or rainy days.
Lagoon Dining
263 Lygon Street, Carlton
Image: Lagoon Dining | Supplied
Lagoon has a hefty authentic Chinese-inspired menu. Exploring traditional techniques and combining them with contemporary spins, dishes include kimchi fried rice, stir-fried beef with fried potatoes and charred capsicum or steamed barramundi with shitake mushrooms and pork scratchings. There’s also an extensive wine and drink list, so grab the team’s recommendation of what booze will work best with your meal.
INSIDER INTEL:
- This is a bit less traditional than other restaurants on here, but no less delicious, think Asian-fusion.
- Tuesday night is locals night if you want to nip in and get some noodles on the cheap.
- Definitely indulge in the feed me option if you're going any other night, you can't beat $78 per person.
Simon’s Peiking Duck
197B Middleborough Road, Box Hill South
The spelling might be a touch off, but Simon’s Peiking Duck is home to some of the most ultra-affordable Peking duck in Melbourne. Sadly, the man himself, Simon Lay, the godfather of Melbourne Chinese food, passed away in early 2017. His family are still running the business though, and the duck is as good as ever. You can get two different “Peiking duck” banquet deals here, and each set includes a tender whole duck with soft homemade pancakes, crispy duck skin, fresh spring onion, cucumbers and special plum sauce.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Simon's is an institution and on special occasions (Valentine's Day, Mother's and Father's Day etc.) expect the restaurant to be busy.
- There are several iterations of Simon's famous peking duck but they're considered among the best value for money and delicious in Melbourne.
- Expect to pay $70-$80 per duck, plus extras.
Gold Leaf
Preston, Sunshine, Springvale, Docklands
Make sure to book for this one, lest you rock up at 10am on weekend and expect to find a table, there’s absolutely no chance of scoring a seat at one of Melbourne’s best Chinese restaurants (and one of the oldest). The Yum Cha at Gold Leaf is legendary, at the dinner menu is something to write home about.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Try out the seafood san choi bao, an assortment of veggies and seafood in a lettuce leaf cup that packs a punch of flavour.
- Look, while you're at it, you better get the chicken feet as well, they're incredible.
- Banquets start at around $40 and go up to around $100 depending on how flush you're feeling.
Moonhouse
282 Carlisle Street, Balaclava
Moonhouse is an elegant yet approachable two-storey Chinese-inspired bistro on Balaclava's Carlisle Street. The menu is laden with modern takes on timeless classics, from XO-sauce pippies with just the right amount of kick, a delicately balanced prawn toast, to an outright banging Hainanese chicken club sandwich.
There are plenty of hints of the Chinese influence of Moonhouse, take the seasonal jelly served in citrus skin—a mature take on dessert and a nod to the tradition of serving fruit and jelly after a Chinese meal.
INSIDER INTEL:
- It looks like a pub from the outside, don't be fooled, you are in the right spot.
- All you can eat yum cha starts from $59 and we're not even mad about it, that's a lot of yum cha.
- There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu.
Bamboo House
47 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
Serving authentic Northern Chinese and Cantonese cuisine since 1984, Bamboo House is a Bourke Street classic. It's got an elegant red and gold interior, lined with bamboo, and you know you're in a good Chinese restaurant when you’re parked right in the middle of Chinatown.
INSIDER INTEL:
- The Peking duck is a must at Bamboo House. A must we say!
- Other ed's picks include the steamed scampi with garlic sauce, sichuan tea smoked duck, and their pan-fried eye fillet pot stickers.
- Banquets start at around $80 and go up from there, with some ultra bougie options available for those pay-day dinners.
Lee Ho Fook
11-15 Duckboard Place, Melbourne CBD
A CBD go-to for Chinese is Lee Ho Fook, the lovechild of the money-makers behind Pei Modern and MoVida and the instutition has now been around for more than a decade. In a tight, industrial-looking space, Lee Ho Fook is casual but the food is fancy.
There’s the crispy eggplant with spiced red vinegar, Cantonese-style steamed toothfish and their specialty grilled Blackmore Wagyu with peanut Shacha sauce.
INSIDER INTEL:
- This isn’t your average Chinese restaurant, and its price tag reflects that, but it’s certainly worth it.
- Our dish picks are the crispy eggplant with spiced red vinegar, steamed toothfish and grilled wagyu with peanut sauce.
- They have an excellent wine menu as well with lots of Aussie options to pair with your meal.
China Bar
Various locations
The place we’ve all landed at after a steady night of drinking, China Bar still dishes up good, cheap Chinese for the hungry and the hopeful. Whether you're picking up steamed pork buns, or dining on some of the best Singapore noodles money can buy, there's an endless amount of choice on the menu.
INSIDER INTEL:
- If you're still a bit soused when you turn up the Tsingtaos are always ice cold and very wallet-friendly.
- Despite being called China Bar the cuisine is pan-Asian and you can jag some noodles, some dim sum or even a late-night laksa.
- Expect to pay between $40-$50 for a solid meal and drinks per person.
Spice Temple
8 Whiteman Street, Southbank
Image: Supplied | Spice Temple
With an epic wine list, a sexy, moody interior and Neil Perry behind the stove, this is where you should nudge your date to take you for a night of deliciousness. Spice Temple is housed in Crown and, though it's always busy, it somehow pulls off that restaurant trick where you feel like you're the only table that matters. The menu touches on numerous regions of China (a rarity), including Yunnan, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guangxi, and has plenty of the usual Perry magic. Fun fact: the cocktails are named after the Chinese Zodiac, so make sure to try your birth year’s namesake.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Bookings are highly recommended for this classic Melbourne Chinese restaurant in the Crown Casino complex, it's popular of a weekend.
- If you're clever about it you'll be able to land a table with an excellent view of the Yarra.
- Definitely indulge in the banquet, take ordering off your hands, it starts at $139 and must include the entire table.
Dolan Uyghur
Melbourne CBD, Carlton, Box Hill, Springvale
As far as Chinese restaurants go, Dolan Uyghur is one of the more interesting places in the CBD. It's a tiny restaurant specialising in Uyghur food, a Muslim cuisine from northwest China. Think steamed buns, raw potato salad, spiced lamb skewers, sweet tea and huge bowls of hand-pulled chewy noodles, swimming in sauce. There are Dolan Uyghurs in the CBD, Carlton, Springvale and Box Hill, so take your pick.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Uyghur cuisine is vastly different from other Chinese food regions and features lots of lamb given it's a Muslim area.
- They serve lots, and lots of noodles, and they're slurpily good.
- Main dishes start from around $24, expect to order two big plates and two snackier options to feed you and a friend.
David's
4 Cecil Place, Prahran
Image: Supplied | David's
David's proudly proclaims it's the best Chinese restaurant in Melbourne. It's a bold claim but when you walk inside to the light-filled airy space with white-washed walls and high benches it feels like you've stepped into a colonial past. While the fitout is rustic, the food itself is sophisticated and modern but with a street-food edge, delivered by the team that brought you Oriental Tea House and Zhou Zhou Bar.
INSIDER INTEL:
- If you’re after a solid dinner opt for one of the feed me options, there's two with different mains and a selection of yum cha.
- David's also does an unlimited Shanghainese-inspired yum cha on the weekend with an alternate vegan menu if you so desire.
- The wine selection is excellent as well, but you can't go past their umeshu spritz ... at least twice during dinner.
Shark Fin Inn
Melbourne CBD, Keysborough
As ancient as the Chinatown temples, Shark Fin Inn and Shark Fin House are home to some never-fail classic banquets. Think roast Peking duck with pancakes, Yangchow fried rice and ice cream topped with sugary lychees. Yum Cha Banquets, aka all-you-can-eat yum cha, is also available, so prepare yourselves and your stomachs. This Chinese CBD classic has also branched out to the burbs of Keysborough, so you don’t have to go too far depending on which side of the Yarra you’re on.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Shark Fin Inn is one of those heavily-debated 'best Chinese in Melbourne' joints. Expect to argue with mates if it's not also your favourite.
- This is classic banquet style Chinese and has been about since the 1980s. That's a long time for a restaurant.
- Expect to pay upwards of $60 per head, with drinks a little extra on top, but trust us, it's worth it.
Hutong Dumpling Bar
Melbourne CBD, Prahran
Possibly one of the most well-known dumpling purveyors in Melbourne, HuTong pumps out dumplings faster than you can eat them, although you’re welcome to have a go. These famous Chinese restaurants are always busy, but they’re worth lining up for.
As well as Xiao Long Bao, there's the famous Szechuan hot and sour soup, Wuxi style braised pork ribs, and the scallop and eggplant clay pot.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Dishes are designed to share, so get a whole range of plates and crack open that bottle of vino you picked up on the way over.
- Dig into the xiao long bao (not sure if we actually needed to say this) but also the Szechuan hot and sour soup, braised pork ribs and the scallop and eggplant claypot.
- Hutongs is BYO but also has an excellent in-house drinks selection so you're covered no matter how prepared, or unprepared you are.
One Noodle Friendship
417-419 High Street, Preston
You may not even see this little joint tucked away in the middle of the arcade, and we wouldn’t blame you. There is no fuss and frills with regards to the decor, the focus remains on the flavour of the food. While handmade noodles in hearty broths are the calling card, you'll also find all your old Chinese favourites here.
INSIDER INTEL:
- It's cheap and it's BYO, and it’s hard not to love it here.
- Fried rice, dumplings and even spiced pigs ears are on the menu, but it's the homely vibe that'll have you back weekly.
- Prices aren't very spicy at One Noodle Friendship, which makes it a great spot to catch up with friends or perfect for a cute date night.
New Shanghai
Melbourne CBD, Chadstone
Located in Emporium and Melbourne Central as well as Chadstone, New Shanghai is one of our favourite dumpling spots, and one of the best Chinese restaurants in Melbourne. The Shanghai stir-fried noodles are hard to get past, as is the rainbow beef, the prawn wontons with a banging peanut and chilli sauce, and the slow-cooked pork belly, glazed with a sweet soy sauce.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Dumplings. It's all about the dumplings at New Shanghai, and on weekends or in peak periods, expect to line-up (despite how many of them there are!).
- The menu is extensive, and by extensive we mean you might need glasses. But that's a good thing 'cos you're bound to find something you'll love.
- Definitely hit New Shanghai up with friends, you'll pay around $50 per person and sample a lot of dishes.
Pacific Seafood BBQ House
Richmond, Flemington & South Yarra
You can guess what they're about given the name—Chinese seafood. Signposted by the Peking ducks hanging in the window, Pacific BBQ is first and foremost a Richmond icon (before opening up shop in Flemington and South Yarra), famous for its overcrowded atmosphere, well-priced feeds and super friendly staff.
It's perfect for a midweek feed with your housemates, so don't forget the BYO wine. This institution Melbourne Chinese restaurant won’t leave you disappointed (or hungry).
INSIDER INTEL:
- You're going to dine at a proper suburban gem, take-away or eat in with some BYO, you're sure to have a good time.
- This is Cantonese style Chinese, think pipis, duck, and sweet and sour pork.
- There are wallet-friendly mains for around $20 and prices go up from there.
READ MORE
Drumplings
55 Swanston Street, Melbourne CBD
Just as the name suggests, this place is dumplings galore. But don't be fooled, these aren't just your regular steamy parcels with meat or fish inside. The guys at Drumplings have worked some sort of witchcraft on traditional dumplings.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Watch out here, there's a stack of wonderful and wacky dumplings like non-traditional cheeseburger, beef rendang and mac and cheese numbers.
- Don't worry though, there's also your classic dumplings like prawn and chive, and shitake ones for the veggos.
- If you're a big fan you can also pick up Drumplings dumplings from retailers to make your own at home, yessss!
Flower Drum
17 Market Lane, Melbourne CBD
Image: Flower Drum | Supplied
The fanciest of the lot, Flower Drum takes the cake for presentation, tastiness and authenticity. With incredible decor—giant floral arrangements, Chinese panelling, reds, golds, and little pagoda roofs—it's a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Flower Drum has been the piece de resistance of Chinatown for over 30 years, and rightfully so, with those Peking duck pancakes and mud crabs sending customers home with much lighter wallets, but satisfied bellies.
INSIDER INTEL:
- Flower Drum is Melbourne's OG fancy Chinese restaurant, but it's a lot more than that, it regularly features on best restaurant lists (like ours).
- It's renowned for its Peking duck. We've said that a lot but the Peking duck at Flower Drum is pretty special.
- We give up and order the banquet every time we go, but there's great a la carte options as well starting at $12 ... and includes jellyfish!
READ MORE
Supper Inn
Level 1/15 Celestial Avenue, Melbourne
The Supper Inn has been around for a while. We're talking roughly 40+ years, but it's still just as popular as ever. This is the place to come if you're looking for some good, budget Chinese delight.
Even better—they don't close until 2:30am, so you can embark on a drunken, Chinese food expedition without killing your bank account and hating yourself the next day.
INSIDER INTEL:
- This is a proper late-night haunt and you'll often see chefs and bar tenders here late at night stuffing themselves after shift. And probably partying a bit too.
- Like Shark Fin Inn, it's one of those crowd favourites, if you haven't been dragged here by a friend yet you have to go.
- It's all about the XO pipis at the Supper Inn. Don't forget to order them and share liberally.
Image credit: Panda Hot Pot (Supplied)