Top Best Chinese Restaurants in Melbourne

"Named after a traditional Chinese dance, Flower Drum was established by Gilbert Lau, who wanted to create a fine-dining experience where Australians could taste true Cantonese cuisine. Originally opened on Little Bourke Street in 1975, Flower Drum now sits on Market Lane and features a sprawling dining room as well as private rooms ideal for functions. The highly distinguished restaurant is now led by Executive Chef Anthony Lui, who skillfully executes the 13-page menu, ensuring that every guest leaves with their palate abuzz."

"With its perfectly unreconstructed décor and a cohort of staff as polished as the lustrous timber-work, the Drum could be mistaken for something frozen in time. But don’t be fooled. You can set your watch by the quality of its Cantonese classics – superb crisp-skinned chicken, Peking duck served with care and outstanding crab."

"Apart from their amazing take on Cantonese cuisine, flower drum is known for their impeccable cuisine. You won’t find moody or arrogant workers here. Believe me, the incredible service itself qualifies the restaurant’s place on this list."

"The faithful travel from the edges of the empire to gather under this ambient sanctuary dedicated to the worship of flavour. From the mind of iconic restauranteur Neil Perry, Spice Temple draws culinary inspiration from the lesser known regional provinces of China and serves them to you one delicate morsel at a time. Proposing more distinguished take on the Yum Cha experience, you’ll find no trolleys here – dishes are ordered a la carte and service is world-class."

"Neil Perry’s dark and seductive den of Cantonese cooking still has plenty of fire in the belly, five years after it first opened. Spice is the M-O here, with chilli spiking seafood and meat in dishes from China’s many and varied regions. Fiery plates are helpfully marked on the menu in red, but there’s still much on offer for more temperate tastes."

"While neither of HuTong’s Melbourne locations are Yum Cha in the strict sense of the word, that concern will evaporate when a basket of Xiao-Long-Bao slides under your nose. No matter how you ingest these translucent parcels of heaven, keep in mind that these morsels (as well as other HuTong signatures; pan-fried pork dumplings, chilli wonton) deserve a sizeable chunk of credit for sparking Melbourne’s dumpling fever. Sure, many other joints dishing out Yum Cha in Melbourne do these dishes and do them well, but HuTong sure sets the bar high."

"These slippery bundles of pork swaddled in pale-yellow wrappers, made fiery with chilli oil, are entirely worth the collateral damage they can inflict on your shirtfront. HuTong’s work in this department knows few rivals in Melbourne. If you prefer things a little easier to convey from bowl to mouth, the northern-style spinach dumplings and the airy crystal dumplings packed with prawn meat are more than worthy."

"Pull on your loosest pair of pants and prepare yourself for a ridiculous amount of dumplings. Order up a round of soup dumplings, and if you still want more, follow them with some steamed, gelatinous pork belly."

"The Crown’s resident luxe Chinese restaurant Silks offers some of the best Yum Cha in Melbourne every lunchtime on weekdays. This isn’t your standard eat as much as you can handle feeding frenzy type affair, Silks offers a dignified take on the Yum Cha experience. $50 will get you a choice of three premium dishes – the delicate lobster, ginger & green onion dumpling is a crowd pleaser – plus noodles or congee and a drink."

"Experience the art of Chinese cuisine at renowned Melbourne restaurant Silks, as our expert chefs take you on a journey of discovery based on excellent food, impeccable service, and an elegant atmosphere."

"Every weekend some of the best Yum Cha in Melbourne flows under the paper lamps and whitewashed walls of David’s. You can forget the anxious wait for the starters to arrive – the baskets flow fresh from the kitchen to table as soon as your butt hits the stool. One of the rare all you can eat affairs, each dish is a tribute to generations of fresh, simple cuisine dreamt up in the riverside homes of rural Shanghai and presented to you, basket by steaming basket, until all you can muster is a smile and a feeble ‘please, no more’."

"You would never guess that this light-filled, blonde timber restaurant is 20 years young. Run by David Zhou, this Melbourne institution is famous for its rural Shanghainese cuisine, with many of the dishes passed down from his great grandmothers. Head in for fare you won’t find anywhere else, from softshell river prawns to Shanghai belt noodles slathered in black vinegar."

"Since 1984 the Bamboo House has been a Bourke Street classic and serves authentic Cantonese. This chinese restaurant in Melbourne is elegantly red and gold, bamboo-lined, but you realize that when you see the white, cheap tablecloths.The Peking Duck is a must in Bamboo Kitchen, but its spicy calamari and Sichuan beef are other favorites. Book a service or literally go to the front door for a table, and at any time of the week, Bamboo House is the first-rate."

"Melburnians seeking hot pot fare in trendy surrounds of marble, metallics and neon blue, head along Elizabeth Street to find Chef David. This cheeky baby sibling of David's Hot Pot restaurants already..."

"Oriental Teahouse takes the Yum Cha experience and boils it down, if you will, to its essence; small, delicious parcels of food paired with a pot of well-brewed Chinese tea. Since its inception in 1993, Oriental Teahouse has spread to two distinct locations each with a slightly different approach; yet both remain the quintessential destination for Yum Cha in Melbourne. You’ll find all the classic flavours you’ve come to love in the perfect dumpling – but these guys aren’t afraid to mix it up."

"For peace and quiet away from the busy city there’s nowhere better than Kings Domain. A completely free activity just south of the CBD, you can easily walk to the park."

"Part of the Saltwater Coast residential development, Crocodile Park is open to everyone with a playground, boardwalk and barbecue area. The playground includes a play structure, and a water play area with a large crocodile at the centre, and a stream running into a wading pool and water jets. Crocodile Park, Saltwater Promenade, Point Cook"