The 20 best Chinese restaurants in Australia

Hidden down a Brisbane CBD laneway, Longwang is so much more than just a cheeky name. Rooted in Chinese mythology, it pays homage to the Dragon King, the revered god of the sea – an apt moniker for Queensland’s first Asian bar and restaurant by seafood virtuoso Michael Tassis. And true to its namesake, Longwang delivers bold flavours, expertly crafted dishes, and an atmosphere that’s elevated and effortlessly cool. The menu is comfort-driven but refined, with perfectly crisp wontons, wok-fried classics and a soul-warming massaman curry that feels like a warm hug from grandma. And where most places treat dessert like an afterthought, here, it holds its own. The inventive matcha tiramisu is brilliant, while the mango pudding is just the right amount of sweet.

Henry Ford might have invented the assembly line, but Happy’s invented Chinese takeout culture as Canberra’s very first Chinese restaurant. Yes, it's cramped, and the Great Wall painting doesn’t lustre like it used to, but every returning patron has partaken in their three-generation iconography. With a list of two hundred dishes served across fifty years, of course, it’ll be difficult to choose between Happy’s salt and pepper whitebait, gravy-drowned chow mein and fish-fragrant eggplant. But not to fear, every dish is assuredly kissed with a breath of fresh wok-flame.

Good Fortune Roast Duck House has been synonymous with crackling roast pork, reams of roast duck and enough chicken to feed an entire neighbourhood since it opened in Perth in 1999. Both Northbridge and Victoria Park locations have their signature roast ducks hanging in the window, promising crisp skin, tender meat and just enough fat to coat your choice of noodles or rice. Local tip: ask the chefs to debone a duck for you, and you’ll get the bones in a bag to take home, perfect for stock or congee. Whether you’re eating in or grabbing takeaway one thing is certain – you can never go wrong with a roast duck from Good Fortune. 

Sitting pretty above Gucci in Brisbane's Queens Plaza, Longtime Dining is shaking up the yum cha game with a more refined, à la carte approach. Hospitality heavyweight Andrew Yu and partner Beverly Teo have swapped the usual chaotic cart service for a curated selection featuring more than 50 dim sum delights, all made with less salt, less oil and zero MSG (a small miracle, really). ​On the menu, expect perfectly pillowy barbecue pork buns, juicy pork xiao long bao, king prawn dumplings that practically melt in your mouth, and crispy fried soft shell crab that’s all crunch, no grease. Classic cocktails sit alongside inventive sips like the Chin Fizz – a smooth, citrusy blend of rum, lemon, Luxardo, Wonderfoam and bitters. Still got room? (Respect.) Finish strong with mango pancakes or deep-fried ice cream. 

This pan-Asian establishment from the Chairman group has been Canberra’s go-to East-meets-West dining spot for more than thirty years – and locals have happily savoured every moment of the journey. Most come to have their tastebuds challenged, while others return for the comfort of Asian dining that is so creatively preserved. Menu highlights include the traditional glutinous rice dumplings curiously filled with South-Asian curry, soba noodles doused in shallot oil with red royal prawns, and steamed Barramundi unexpectedly accompanied by herb-brined olives and fermented black beans. 

It’s rare that a restaurant connected with a hotel deserves a mention, but Grand Orient situated in Perth's Melbourne Hotel is the exception, simply as it’s one of the city's few places that serves Peking duck tableside. When you order, expect to see a cart being rolled next to your table, with a whole duck and a bamboo steamer. The servers will lift the bamboo steamer to reveal perfect rounds of thin pancakes, waiting to be filled. Watch as the server pulls out a sharp carving knife, slicing wafer-thin slices of duck and placing them expertly in the centre of each pancake, served with a wave of a hoisin sauce and spring onion. Before you know it, the bones of the duck are whisked away, leaving you with a crisp, savoury-sweet duck pancake. 

Located in Adelaide's city centre, this award-winning Chinese restaurant offers the best of both worlds – intimate indoor seating and a lively alfresco area. Forget about flimsy laminated menus and plastic chairs; Concubine is a more fine dining affair, with oriental artwork and artefacts gracing the walls and glowing lanterns adding warmth to the dark wood interiors. The menu is just as impressive, featuring an expansive list of traditional dishes fused with local ingredients. Favourites include pork dumplings with black vinegar, Kung Pao chicken with Sichuan chilli, wok-fried SA prawns in XO sauce, and twice-cooked pork ribs in barbecue sauce.

Step into this award-winning eatery for some of Darwin’s finest Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisine, specialising in yum cha and siu mei (Chinese roast meat). This modern city-centre hotspot nails it with fresh dishes, inviting seating and elegant decor. Picture dark timber, rich red walls, and intricate blue and white porcelain crockery. Kick things off with DIY Peking duck pancakes, pillowy bao buns or crispy eggplant, before diving into showstoppers like caramelised pork belly or Cantonese roast duck. Laksa enthusiasts will enjoy the Chinese Malay coconut curry chicken soup, brimming with egg and rice noodles, local sprouts and tofu puffs. 

Madame Wu is what happens when Asian fusion goes full glam, with Brisbane skyline views, a wine cellar that could rival a French château’s, and cocktails designed to keep you lingering long past your dinner reservation. Chef Brendan Baker takes the best of Queensland produce and spins it into dishes that land somewhere between classic and completely unexpected. The stir-fried Fraser Island spanner crab with pickled garlic and coriander, and the prawn toast are the kind of dishes you’ll still be thinking about three days later. Whether you’re tucked into the private dining room, out on the covered deck with a front-row seat to the Story Bridge or just posted up at the bar, Madame Wu delivers a dining experience that’s part indulgence, part escapism and all the way unforgettable. 

Extravagantly decked out with a grand sweeping staircase and a suspended steel dragon to boot, Panda Hot Pot is perhaps the most ostentatious backdrop against which to enjoy hot pot in Melbourne. The famous global franchise has wowed Melbourne diners with its signature 12-hour broth, its endless condiment station and a menu boasting close to 100 ingredients – plant eaters need not fret as there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, too. 

Go to Fortune Five at lunch for dim sum. Stay at Fortune Five in the evenings for a Chinese banquet, where you’ll fill yourself up on an array of fried, sauteed and steamed banquet favourites, from glistening rust-red spare ribs with Peking sauce to a bubbling clay pot of squid, mushroom and shrimp. At Fortune Five, things are done traditionally – from carts of bamboo longs carrying gently steamed har gao, to servers bringing any lobster, fish, snow crab or eel you’ve ordered for inspection before being whisked away to the kitchen. It’s well worth the queue during the weekend lunch rush. 

Ying Chow isn’t just any average Chinese restaurant – it’s an Adelaide institution that’s been drawing crowds to Gouger Street since 1994. With both indoor and outdoor seating, the no-frills décor doesn’t distract from what really matters – the friendly service and next-level food. Must orders include the signature e-shand chicken, salt and pepper bean curd, shallot pancakes, red vinegar ribs and the chef’s pick – stir-fried crocodile with snow peas. BYO booze or choose from their small selection of local wines and beer.