The 13 best Chinese restaurants in Brisbane

If Brisbane had a Michelin guide (a girl can dream), The Fifty Six would practically be a shoo-in. Sitting atop the painstakingly restored Naldham House – a heritage-listed building dating back to 1864 – this modern Cantonese newcomer is already setting the city abuzz. The kitchen, led by Gerald Ong (ex-Chairman and Yip), is serving Cantonese classics with a little extra sizzle. The seafood-forward menu highlights local treasures, like Moreton Bay bugs and Mooloolaba prawns – a lesson in why Queensland’s waters are unmatched. Meanwhile, dim sum master Ka Wai Kwok crafts delicate dumplings that will have you seeing red – in the lucky, prosperity-filled kind of way.

No, it’s not a euphemism, but we bet you giggled. Hidden in a laneway off Edward Street, 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. Then there’s Dragon Hour from 4 to 6pm, a daily ritual of cocktails and bar snacks engineered for decompressing after a meeting that should’ve been an email. Come for the name (we know, we know), stay for the food. 

Sitting pretty above Gucci in 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. 

At Howard Smith Wharves, Stanley is Cantonese dining all the way turned up. Crispy, juicy, spicy, steamy – whatever your dumpling descriptor of choice, Chef Louis Tikaram’s got a version that’ll ruin you for anything else. His perfectly-lacquered Peking duck hits all the right notes, served with delicate pancakes and all the trimmings. Sundays are the main event with their legendary yum cha lunch – a Champagne-fueled, seafood-stacked, caviar-topped affair where plates keep landing on your table and you don’t ask questions. The alfresco patio, framed by the city’s best river views, demands celebration. But even if you don’t have an occasion, trust us – the dumplings are reason enough. For those looking to go all out, the banquet menu is a greatest hits selection of Stanley’s finest – perfect for impressing your in-laws, wooing clients or just spoiling yourself because you can. Order the banquet, order the bubbles and loosen your belt. 

Madame Wu is what happens when Asian fusion goes full glam, with 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. The cocktails are just as compelling – a little playful, a little dangerous and designed to pair effortlessly with whatever dumpling-adjacent masterpiece lands on your table. 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. 

In Sunnybank’s Market Square, Kingsfood reigns supreme. This Taiwanese powerhouse has been serving up no-nonsense comfort food for more than 30 years. The menu is a never-ending selection of Taiwanese street food – from braised beef noodle soup, crispy-skin chicken, sizzling hot plates and deep-fried pork chops the size of your face. And then there’s the XO pippies, a dish so rich and garlicky, you’ll be licking the plate clean. The rice and noodle portions are comically generous, so either come hungry or be prepared for a next-day feast. Service is fast, no-fuss and slightly chaotic–but that’s part of the charm. Pair your feast with a giant mug of iced milk tea or a Tsingtao beer, and accept that you just ate way more than you planned. Bustling and always packed, Kingsfood isn’t here to impress – it just does what it’s always done: serve damn good food, fast. And we hope it never changes.

Beneath the fairy-lit canopy of Fortitude Valley, Happy Boy is where you go when you want big flavours with zero pretence. It has been wok-firing greatness since brothers Cameron and Jordan Votan moved their cult-favorite eatery from Spring Hill to a much roomier, sleeker setup in 2017 – because more space means more dumplings, and that’s just common sense. The menu is tight, punchy and built for sharing–char siu pork, crispy eggplant, five-spice tofu and stir-fried greens that somehow steal the show. The Votans’ expertly curated wine list is Australian-focused, ever-evolving and – because they’re not about paper menus – projected above the bar for real-time updates. It’s a smart, low-key flex that means you’ll always have the perfect pour to go with whatever’s on your table. The space itself is raw, minimalist, and all about the essentials – unadorned white plaster, concrete and an outdoor deck that practically demands a long lunch that turns into dinner. Add in a few rounds of wine, the twinkle of lights filtering through the trees and suddenly, you are one very, very happy boy (or girl).

Seafood takes centre stage at China Sea, and it does not play around. The menu leans heavily into Cantonese traditions, with dishes like whole steamed coral trout bathed in ginger and shallots and lobster noodles that stretch on for miles. But what really makes China Sea stand out is the unshakable consistency – the kind of restaurant where every dish arrives steaming hot, perfectly plated and tasting like it was pulled out of the ocean that morning. The service is seamless, but it’s the quiet, watchful presence of the owner – surveying the dining room like a general presiding over his army – that keeps everything running like a well-oiled machine. The old-school but elegant interiors make it feel like a special occasion spot, but the food is so good, so dependable, that you’ll start looking for excuses to come back weekly. 

Hidden beneath Queen Street, Central is Brisbane’s moody homage to 1990s Hong Kong dining. Brought to life by the team behind Southside and Rick Shores, this subterranean hot spot feels a bit like stepping into Batman’s garage – thanks to an epic grid-like lightbox overhead that bathes everything in a cinematic glow. At the helm is executive chef and co-owner Benny Lam, a Hong Kong native who knows exactly when to respect tradition and when to turn it on its head. His scallop and prawn dumpling (a nod to the legendary Four Seasons Hong Kong) gets the royal treatment with smoked salmon roe. The pineapple bun (deceptive in name, deadly in flavour) is flaky, golden indulgence. And then there’s the king crab and prawn spring roll, the kind of dish that makes you pause mid-bite just to process the genius. The cocktail menu leans heavily into nostalgia, with standouts like the Kowloon Highball taking cues from Hong Kong’s iconic hotel bars of the ’80s and ’90s. And if the food doesn’t already transport you, the playlist will – a brilliant mix of Cantopop and disco bangers that set the mood for a night that could really go anywhere. Sleek, stylish and a bit theatrical, Central is what happens when Gotham, Hong Kong and Brissie collide. 

Located in Fish Lane’s lush, urban jungle, Southside is where modern Chinese flavours meet a sultry, tropical energy – the kind of place where you settle in for a quick bite and somehow end up three cocktails deep, ordering the entire menu. From the same brains behind Central, this multilevel hotspot serves up fresh yellowtail kingfish sashimi, punched up with green chilli, kombu and wasabi for that perfect bite. The duck ragu is a generous, noodle-laden dish that’s rich, slurpable and big enough to share (or not, no pressure). And then there are the dumplings, because obviously. Drink-wise, expect cocktails that lean heavily into summer energy – the Lychee Margarita and Spicy Watermelon Cocktail go down way too easily. The whole space seems to hum with an open-air, neon-dappled buzz, framed by cascading greenery, low-lit corners and the occasional clink of chopsticks against porcelain. It’s slick but effortless, and absolutely built for a balmy Brissie night.

Super Bowl doesn’t do frills – it does flavour, and it does it well. Family-owned since 1996, this Brisbane institution got a fresh glow-up in 2021, but kept its heart, soul, and signature salt and pepper prawns intact. The menu is filled with Cantonese crowd-pleasers: sizzling Mongolian beef that arrives still hissing on the plate, Shandong chicken with that perfect, crackly skin, and enough salt-and-pepper options to fuel all of your cravings. The banquets (clocking in at under $40 a head) are almost criminally good deals, perfect for group feasts, family gatherings or any situation where you’d rather let someone else do the math-induced stress of splitting the bill. 

With crystal chandeliers, a spacious main banquet hall and plush velvet seating, Donna Chang’s ode to Chinese cuisine harmonises authentic Sichuan and Cantonese flavours with modern elegance. The CBD fine diner is an intersection of East and West; patrons will find themselves housed in heritage-listed interiors while endeavouring through an odyssey of modern shared plates. Numbing, cooling, strange, mouth-watering is met with an equal amount of woodfire and rich emulsions of fermented chilli mayonnaise and beef fat vinaigrette in Donna Chang’s epic menu. Enjoy the musical embrace of sitting in the main dining hall or make a reservation in the private mezzanine for a ceaseless evening of flavourful morsels and a dalliance of the best of locally sourced seafood kissed.

If you grew up in Brisbane, there’s a 97 per cent chance you’ve eaten at Enjoy Inn – and if you haven’t, someone in your family definitely has. A Fortitude Valley institution, this place has been keeping the city’s carb lovers in a chokehold for decades, doling out steaming plates of Mongolian lamb, velvety honey chicken and chicken fried rice. It’s the kind of spot where the tables are always full, the service is fast and the portions are big enough to guarantee leftovers. Best enjoyed with family, friends or literally anyone who appreciates a side of nostalgia with their spring rolls, Enjoy Inn is where birthdays, reunions and spontaneous Friday nights play out under the hint of fluorescent lights. There’s nothing trendy or reinvented here, just big-flavor, always-hits-the-spot Chinese food that delivers every time. A Brisbane classic, through and through.