Lee Ho Fook Sydney

Since opening in Melbourne in 2013, Lee Ho Fook has become one of Australia’s defining modern Chinese restaurants. Now, chef Victor Liong has brought the acclaimed two-hatted concept to Sydney, opening inside the heritage-listed Porter House Precinct with the same bold approach to Chinese cuisine—but a growing appreciation for what makes Sydney tick.

“The biggest difference is that Sydney diners eat earlier and finish earlier,” Liong tells Urban List.

“Melbourne diners care about local provenance and have a stronger connection to Victorian growing regions, whether for ingredients or wines. Sydney, I see a more energetic engagement with our product and the brand, and they have really received our style of hospitality well.”

That philosophy is reflected in a menu that reimagines Chinese cuisine through a distinctly Australian lens. Signature dishes from the Melbourne original—including the cult-favourite crispy eggplant, dry-aged Peking duck and sea urchin-topped prawn toast—sit alongside Sydney exclusives, with a particular emphasis on premium Australian seafood and beef cooked over charcoal.

The kitchen is led day-to-day by executive chef Brad Guest (Sepia, Sixpenny and Café Paci), while Liong is already looking towards the restaurant’s next evolution.

“As the colder months approach Sydney, I plan to create dishes inspired by my love of Chinese-style grilled and barbecue items,” he says.

“I also want to explore more regional specialties and introduce them to the Melbourne menu. Ultimately, dishes that work best in one venue will eventually make their way to the other.”

The drinks offering mirrors the ambition of the food, balancing a cellar of Australian and international wines with thoughtful cocktails and tea pairings. If you’ve got a special bottle collecting dust at home, Monday’s free BYO offering is reason enough to make a booking.

Housed on the first floor of the Porter House building, the Sydney venue also offers something the Melbourne original can’t.

“Operationally, the Melbourne flagship is smaller and more intimate, while Sydney offers more functionality with private rooms and a larger space,” Liong says.

“Both locations have strengths and it’s great to see Lee Ho Fook in both dining room styles.”

For Liong, the Sydney opening is more than an interstate expansion—it’s a return home. More than a decade after launching Lee Ho Fook in Melbourne, he’s bringing one of Australia’s most celebrated Chinese restaurants back to the city where his career first began.

Image credit: Lee Ho Fook | Instagram