Chinatown in Sydney/Eora brings together all the best flavours, cuisines and dishes from around Asia—from classic yum cha to Korean BBQ, dumpling eateries, spicy Thai curry houses, golden Peking duck and slurpy ramen.
Urban List has curated our top picks for where to find your next Asian food feast, including hidden gems, THE trendy spots and local favourites you should add to your list.
Read on for the best restaurants in Sydney's Chinatown right now.
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Nanjing Dumpling
6 Little Hay Street, Haymarket
Image credit: Nanjing Dumpling | Instagram
Starting off strong, Nanjing Dumpling is a go-to spot in Sydney's Chinatown for 100% handmade steamed and fried dumplings. This dumpling house boasts some of the juiciest and most pillowy creations with fillings like pan-fried beef, prawn and pork-filled xiao long bao soup dumplings.
But that's not all—there's other gems here like vegetarian-friendly steamed red bean buns, spicy wontons, sweet and sour pork ribs with dry noodles, cabbage congee and so much more. Take your pick and dig in.
Gyuniku
34/1 Dixon Street, Haymarket
Image credit: Gyuniku | Instagram
If Japanese BBQ is your jam, Gyuniku does a 90-minute all-you-can-eat premium DIY BBQ and sushi buffet experience in Chinatown like no other. High-grade MB9+ wagyu beef, endless sashimi spreads and deep-fried delights make for the perfect combo, complimented by an assortment of sides and sauces, and best washed down with OG, grape, peach or strawberry soju, sake, Suntory -196, soft drinks, beer or a BYO bottle. Simply select your dining package, self-serve, sizzle on the grill at your table, stuff your belly and repeat.
Chat Thai
20 Campbell Street, Haymarket
Image credit: Chat Thai | Instagram
Chat Thai is a Sydney institution that first opened on Liverpool Street in Darlinghurst way back in 1989, and now has joints around town, including a Thai Town location right across from the Capitol Theatre.
The vibe is high-energy street food, packed with vibrant colour and spice, with silky guay tiew larpb noodles, a full suite of green papaya salad variations, a pop-bright yellow gaeng bpu crab curry, a golden crispy crab meat omelette, and loads of stir fry and wok-tossed options, all worth trying if you're here to expand your appreciation of Thai.
Royal Palace Seafood Restaurant
393–399 Sussex Street, Haymarket
Image credit: Royal Palace Seafood Restaurant | Instagram
This three-storey authentic Cantonese diner with family-fitting round tables and lazy susans to swivel dishes your way is a must-visit. Royal Place Seafood Restaurant has a huge variety of meals, but does it all well—so if you are tossing up between the signature lobster with ginger and shallot-braised e-fu noodles, pipis in XO sauce, honey glazed charsiu pork, prawn wonton soup or braised beef brisket, it's all gonna be great—we say order it all.
There's also daily yum-cha sessions 'til 3pm, where a roving trolley stacked with steamed and fried goods makes its way along the carpeted floors in rounds, perfect for picking what looks good in the moment and spreading your appetite across a selection of dishes.
Ho Jiak
92 Hay Street, Haymarket
Image credit: Ho Jiak | Instagram
Ho Jiak should be your immediate go-to in Sydney's Chinatown if you’re craving Malaysian comfort food. The restaurant is inspired by the homestyle/street food dishes of Ho Jiak group head chef Junda Khoo’s upbringing and by his amah’s (grandmother) cooking.
The menu features roti, rice, noodles, milk teas, classics like laksa, nasi goreng or char kway teow, and plenty of meats covered in chilli sambal sauce straight from the Nyonya grill.
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Arisun
Shop 35/1 Dixon Street, Haymarket
Image credit: Arisun | Instagram
If you’re after killer Korean fried chicken, flavour-packed dumplings and late-night bites, make a beeline for Arisun. Moving from its original Belmore location (which opened in 1991), Arisun arrived in Sydney's Chinatown in 2007, bringing its iconic fried chicken, signature black bean noodles, hot pots and smoked, grilled meats. This is definitely one for big groups, with a rowdy atmosphere, beer towers for the table, a beer garden, and K-pop blasting non-stop.
Chinese Noodle House
160 Thomas Street, Haymarket
Chinese Noodle House is one of the most beloved Sydney Chinatown restaurants, so you might have to wait for a table, whether you end up crammed inside amongst the noise and wonderful smells, or out on the buzzing street.
It's fast, it's casual and it's definitely not glamorous, but it's downright delicious. You cannot visit without ordering the special braised eggplant, but the Northern Chinese dumplings and knife-cut noodles also have their fans. And we didn’t even mention: it’s BYO.
Gumshara
9 Kimber Lane, Haymarket
Image credit: Gumshara | Instagram
Sydney has a wealth of ramen joints, but Gumshara is a standout—and for good reason. Opened by Japanese expat Mori Higashida, the previous no-frills Eating World Food Court spot gained cult status before moving to its current location on Kimber Lane.
Its signature tonkotsu broth is a rich, thick and velvety masterpiece crafted by boiling 300 kilos of pork bones for 14 hours, 7 days a week. Make sure you add a chilli bomb if you like your noods with some kick.
Mother Chu’s Taiwanese Gourmet
1/86–88 Dixon Street, Haymarket
Another staple of Sydney's Chinatown is Mother Chu’s Taiwanese Gourmet, which has been serving Sydneysiders for over three decades. Mother Chu’s serves up authentic Taiwanese breakfast, snacks, seasonal treats and traditional street eats, like glutinous rice rolls with pork floss, and an endless list of Taiwanese dumplings, noodles, fried rice, soups and omelettes.
Emperor’s Garden Restaurant
96–100 Hay Street, Haymarket
We can’t discuss Chinatown without mentioning Emperor’s Garden Restaurant. Open since 1979, the traditional Cantonese icon is well known as a must-visit for whole Peking duck, live seafood, yum cha, dim sum, barbecue and noodles, but it’s perhaps even more beloved for its hole-in-the-wall bakery and cake shop.
You’ll commonly find a long line of people up the street waiting to get their hands on the famed and wallet-friendly Emperor’s Puffs: soft, custard-filled balls handed over straight out of the oven for under a dollar a pop.
XOPP
The Exchange, Level M, Shop 31/1 Little Pier Street, Haymarket
Image credit: XOPP | Instagram
XOPP is the modern and playful addition to Sydney’s Chinatown restaurants by the family behind the now-closed icon Golden Century, with their classic Cantonese menu consisting of 10 different steamed dumpling baskets, stand-out salt and pepper squid, Cantonese veggie dishes, and loads of live seafood. Satisfy the sweet cravings with the soft liquid lava custard buns, while all overlooking Darling Square.
Golden Century BBQ
1 Little Pier Street, Haymarket
Image credit: Golden Century BBQ | KW Photography
Fans of Golden Century can also get their fix at this takeaway window that packs a punch. The casual diner sits just beneath its sister restaurant, XOPP, with an emerald green takeaway station from which you can order roast Peking duck, crispy roast pork belly, or signature char siu (BBQ pork) barbecued over an open flame with your choice of rice or noodles. For an extra $4, you can get a side of Golden Century's famous XO sauce.
Dim sum is made in-house and steamed fresh to order, with a neat menu of har gow, pork siu mai, and BBQ pork buns on offer. For dessert, it's custard lava buns and Cantonese steamed sponge cake.
Bornga
Level 1/78 Harbour Street, Haymarket
Image credit: Bornga | Instagram
There’s plenty of excellent Korean BBQ around Chinatown and the CBD, but one of our favourites in Haymarket has to be Bornga. The restaurant stands out with its sleek interior with long, lit-up booth seating, timber finishes and temple awning décor. But it’s the copper-coloured pull-down vents hanging from the ceiling we’re interested in because they feed down onto tables fitted with BBQ plates.
Expect banchan (Korean “sides”) like kimchi, cucumber soup and chilli pickles to quickly fill the table before ordering up plates of meat to fry up yourself. Be sure to order woo samgyeop, the restaurant’s signature paper-thin slices of beef brisket.
Porkfat
33 Ultimo Road, Haymarket
Image credit: Porkfat | Instagram
Porkfat is inspired by Bangkok and prides itself on authenticity with 100% organic palm sugar imported from Thailand and handpainted ceramics sourced from traditional artisans in Wiang Galong. Expect to sample classic Thai food and authentic staples, like green curry of grilled pork jowl and lychee, Phuket curry of tiger prawn, and fresh papaya salad.
Spicy Joint
Level 4/25–29 Dixon Street, Haymarket
Image credit: Spicy Joint | Instagram
Spicy Joint is a Sydney Chinatown favourite when it comes to, well, spicy eats. The chain is all about authentic Sichuan food—one of the world's spiciest cuisines—and the budget-friendly menu is truly enormous. Try the mouth-numbing Chengdu brisket hotpot, a Sichuan speciality guaranteed to knock your socks off, or the intense spicy chicken. Get in early, or come prepared to queue.
KOGI Korean BBQ
Level 3 Market City, 9/13 Hay Street, Haymarket
Image credit: KOGI | Instagram
Located on the top floor of Market City, KOGI is all about bringing class and luxe to the Korean BBQ experience. Sitting amongst some seriously good yum cha, hotpot and sushi options in Sydney Chinatown's 1909 Dining Precinct, the Haymarket restaurant offers over 15 cuts of premium Wagyu beef and pork, with plenty of soups, banchan, fried chicken, chilled noodles and bibimbap to pair with.
Pho Pasteur
709 George Street, Haymarket
This frantic dining hall serves up next-level pho in Chinatown, with loads of beef or chicken variations to pick from, all loaded with silky noodles and a side of bean sprouts, fresh lemon and basil. Sure, it might not be ideal for a romantic date night, but if you're looking for a lunchtime feed or quick bite before catching a movie, this spot is great for a cheap and cheerful meal.
Still hungry? Check out
- The Best Spots For Yum Cha In Sydney
- The Best Seafood Restaurants In Sydney
- The Best Thai Restaurants In Sydney
Main image credit: XOPP | Instagram
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