Looking for the best Chinese food Melbourne has to offer? From stalwarts such as Flower Drum to growing empires like HuTong and Dainty Sichuan, the city’s Sino scene is thriving. If it’s dumplings, Peking duck or yum cha you’re after, these restaurants, featured in the 2019 Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, are the places to go.
Dainty Sichuan (176 Toorak Rd, South Yarra, 03 9078 1686) has spawned an empire but the mothership still provides chilli-forward thrills.
HuTong (14-16 Market La, Melbourne, 03 9650 8128, hutonggroup.com.au) also has siblings, like touch screen-equipped China Red (Shop 6, 206 Bourke St, Melbourne, 03 9662 3688, hutonggroup.com.au), but maintains its lofty xiao long bao position.
There’s impressive chain-dumpling work at Din Tai Fung (Emporium, 287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne, 03 9654 1876, dintaifungaustralia.com.au) and Tim Ho Wan (206 Bourke St, Melbourne, timhowan.com.au) while those after modern Chinese should try RuYi (16 Liverpool St, Melbourne, 03 9090 7778, ruyi.com.au), Lee Ho Fook (11 Duckboard Pl, Melbourne, 03 9077 6261, leehofook.com.au) and David’s (4 Cecil Pl, Prahran, 03 9529 5199, davidsrestaurant.com.au).
On the hunt for duck? Simon’s Peiking Duck (197b Middleborough Rd, Box Hill South, 03 9898 5944) will set you straight. The best-duck title still belongs to Flower Drum (17 Market La, Melbourne, 03 9662 3655, flowerdrum.melbourne) while yum cha fans won’t go wrong at Golden Dragon Palace (363 Manningham Rd, Templestowe Lower, 03 9852 4087, goldendragonpalace.com.au) or Crystal Jade (154 Little Bourke St, Melbourne, 03 9639 2633).
