It’s no secret that Melbourne is home to a vast variety of incredible Chinese restaurants. From spicy hot pot to sizzling stir-fries, there’s plenty of dishes to suit every mood. Travel across the diverse regions of China, and find venues for your next date, your next lunch break, or your next celebration. While we couldn’t cover every single Chinese spot in Melbourne, this list of restaurants should be enough to get you started.
1. Flower Drum
Flower Drum first opened in 1975, and has since grown into an impeccable fine dining establishment. This prestigious venue received a number of accolades, including two hats in the Good Food Guide Awards for 2023. Find out what makes it so special by booking yourself in for lunch or dinner. Feast on artfully crafted dishes, including a vast selection of dim sum, delicious Peking duck, braised lamb claypot, quail sang choi bao and more. There’s also plenty of mouth-watering desserts, like bird’s nest in almond cream or red bean soup with sesame dumplings. Elevate your experience by choosing a banquet, and pair your meal with a glass of wine.
📍17 Market Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
2. Lee Ho Fook
Walk down a laneway and discover the incredible Lee Ho Fook. This two hatted restaurant was created by Chef Victor Liong, and serves up food inspired by China, its surrounding regions, and the Chinese diaspora. The result is an unforgettable experience that pairs traditional and modern Chinese cuisine with Australian producers and growers. Pop by for a classic yum cha brunch from Fridays to Sundays, or indulge in their delectable six-course menu. The à la carte menu also has stand-out dishes, like Fujian fried rice, Sichuan bang bang chicken, Southern Rock Lobster longevity noodle and more. Pair your meal with a glass of wine, or a curated selection of Chinese tea.
📍11-15 Duckboard Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000
3. Bamboo House
Bamboo House has been serving up authentic cuisine from the northern region of China since 1984. In this fine dining Cantonese restaurant, you’ll discover a delicious balance between traditional and contemporary dishes. The stand-out is their legendary Peking duck. Known as the “best Peking duck” in Melbourne CBD, the duck is prepared traditionally, and hung to dry for hours before it’s roasted to perfection. The skin is crispy and crunchy, while the meat is perfectly tender. But, if you’d prefer something else, there’s also dumplings, Sichuan tea smoked duck, wok-seared eye fillet and much more. Enjoy a bit of everything with one of their banquet options.
📍47 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
4. China Red
You’ll find China Red nestled in the vibrant heart of Melbourne’s Chinatown. Take a seat at this bustling eatery, and watch chefs create dumplings and noodles through the glass kitchen window. Perfect for a casual date or a lunch break, you’ll enjoy speedy service with the help of the touch screen menu. Feast on an assortment of dumplings, like spicy wontons and pork shao long bao, as well as heavier dishes like sliced beef in Szechuan hot chilli oil, braised pork spare ribs and Shanghai stir-fried rice cake.
📍206 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
5. David’s Master Pot
Spice up your life with a visit to David’s Master Pot. This popular hot pot destination has stores dotted around Melbourne CBD, as well as Box Hill, Glen Waverley and Clayton. Chef David spent 30 years developing the art of Malatang, or spicy numbing soup, in China, before coming to Melbourne to share his flavoursome secret recipe. They stir fry 20 different Chinese herbs and spices, add it to pork bone broth and chilli oil, and boil the mixture for 12 hours to create their unforgettable signature soup base. All you need to do is select your ingredients and soup base. There’s over 100 ingredients to choose from.
📍462 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC 3000, 219 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000 and 301 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000
6. HuTong Dumpling Bar
Craving dumplings? Take a stroll down Market Lane and find everything you need at HuTong Dumpling Bar. This moody and ambient venue has served up handcrafted dumplings since 2008. These flavoursome morsels are made traditionally, and you can enjoy bites like crystal prawn dumplings, shao long bao, boiled pork dumplings and more. If you feel like something else, there’s also signature dishes like fried chicken in chilli, beef in black pepper sauce and more. You can also find HuTong in Prahran.
📍14-16 Market Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000 or Unit 1/162 Commercial Rd, Prahran VIC 3181
7. Shanghai Street
Whether you’re catching up with friends or going on a first date, Shanghai Street is always a good choice. This popular eatery has three locations around Melbourne CBD, serving up homemade dumplings, tasty fried buns, dim sum and an assortment of meat dishes. Don’t miss their stand-out xiao long bao. You can have them with pork, chicken & prawn, crab & pork or vegetable. Each bite is sure to delight.
📍146/148 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, 342 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000 and 303-305 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC 3000
8. RuYi Modern Chinese
Relax and enjoy fine dining at RuYi Modern Chinese. Tucked down a laneway, this elegant venue offers a new style of Chinese restaurants in Melbourne. Surrounded by soft interiors, you’ll dive into a menu that showcases regional and provincial recipes. Find fresh and vibrant seasonal flavours, with signature dishes like steamed barramundi fillet, numbing beef, kingfish ceviche and more. You can also choose either a five course or seven course menu. Treat yourself to a fun cocktail while you’re there, like lychee martini or Szechuan mule.
📍Ground Floor, 16 Liverpool St, Melbourne VIC 3000
9. Shark Fin Inn
Shark Fin Inn has served hungry Melburnians in Chinatown since 1982. Feast on traditional and modern Cantonese meals, like fresh seafood, barbequed sweet pork, drunken free range chicken and more. There are banquet options available, as as authentic yum cha. They also have a location in Keysborough.
📍50 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000 or 328 Cheltenham Rd, Keysborough VIC 3173
10. Shanghai Village
Journey along Chinatown and go past the massive red doors of Shanghai Village. Inside, you’ll find a buzzing atmosphere that stretches across two levels. Treat yourself to affordable and delicious dumplings, like their renowned xiao long bao, as well as a variety of noodles, rice options and meat dishes.
📍112 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000