The 10 best Chinese restaurants in Canberra

Want front row seats to baskets of freshly made dumplings? Canberra’s CBD Dumpling House is the sporting event we didn’t know we needed. Get to Canberra Centre and watch the action unfold: hefty pellets of pork and prawn are encased in paper-thin wrappers and then pan-fried, steamed or boiled to perfection. Try the xiao long bao, Shandong chicken, honey beef and more. Can’t stay for the game? Order takeaway: Shanghai pork dumpling, crispy duck fried pancakes, shredded dry chilli beef – with a side of some stir-fried noodles or fried rice. Sorted!

Address: Shop FG13C/26 Narellan St, Canberra

Price: Mid-range

Tak Kee Roast Inn is a no-frills favourite where the food speaks for itself. It might not have social media, but it serves up authentic Cantonese and Hong Kong-style dishes that locals can’t get enough of. Think barbecue meats like char siu pork and roast duck with dry noodles, fried pork chops, salted egg pork congee, pork and prawn spring rolls and fried rice. Big on flavour and even bigger on portions, it's tiny in size and always busy, so tables are hard to snag. It’s cheap and cheerful and luckily for you, takeaway and delivery make it easy to enjoy this old-school gem at home.

Address: 10 Woolley St, Dickson

Price: Budget

Henry Ford might have invented the moving assembly line and the Ford Model T, but Happy’s Chinese Restaurant invented Chinese takeaway culture in Canberra. It's our capital's very first Chinese restaurant, established way back in 1962 by 'Mr. Happy', the current owner's grand-father. Yes, it's cramped, and the mural of the Great Wall of China doesn’t shine like it used to, but patrons return time and again for its Cantonese fare. With a list of two hundred dishes, it’ll be difficult to choose between Happy’s lamb in XO sauce, sizzling garlic prawns, gravy-drowned chow mein and fish-fragrant eggplant, so order them all. And  never fear, every dish is kissed with a breath of wok hei.

Address: 1/17 Garema Pl, Canberra

Price: Mid-range

Chairman and Yip, a pan-Asian establishment in the Burbury Hotel from the Chairman group, has been Canberra’s go-to East-meets-West dining spot for more than 30 years. The spacious interiors are all about Shanghai glamour, with red glass accents and sheer black curtains. Most locals come to have their tastebuds challenged, while others return for the comfort of Asian dining that is so creatively preserved. Choose from any of the set menus or order a la carte with a bottle of wine – they have plenty of top drops to complement the food. Highlights include the royal red prawn noodles with shallot oil and prawn broth, crispy pork belly with pineapple compote plus roasted duck breast with blood orange and goji. Enjoy! 

Address: 1/1 Burbury Cl, Barton

Price: High-end

Au Lac Dickson is Canberra’s answer to those craving vegeterian and vegan food with Vietnamese and South East Asian flavours. From laksa and pho to curries and stir-fries, there's not a trace of dairy and meat on the menu. Instead, they use soy-based protein as 'mock meat' and have plenty of gluten-free choices, too. Whether sizzling, steamed or stir-fried, the dishes prove that vegan food doesn't have to be boring. Try the tom yum soup, eight treasure claypot, soy duck wraps and veggie dumplings. You could say, there's no "tofu-sion" when it comes to pleasing its clientele!

Address: 4/35-39 Woolley St, Dickson

Price: Budget

Arched doorways, wicker chairs, partitioned internal spaces and earthen plates are the setting for bold Malay Nonya flavours at Lanterne Rooms, the sister venue to Chairman and Yip. As part of Canberra’s parliamentary heart, the restaurant’s flexible three-course menu is well-loved by all parties and the compact yet well-chosen beverage list uplifts the food. The pan-fried bean curd pork rolls and tom yum prawns with rockmelon and apple make for interesting starters, while the whole barramundi in a delectable mud crab sauce and slow-cooked Black Angus rendang celebrate the spirit of ahma's (grandma’s) cooking.

Address: Retail 4, ISKIA, 81 Constitution Ave, Campbell 

Price: High-end

It’s all about the vibrant flavours of Shanghai with a modern twist at Mrs Wang. Located in the Tiger Lane precinct of Canberra Centre, the restaurant’s yum cha is back by popular demand every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Authentically menu-less, it's all-you-can-eat (say hello to the cart ladies!) and has all the classics. For dinner, right next to beef and broccoli, you’ll find lotus root pork parcels to start, slow braised pork belly and char siu beef short ribs to follow with special fried rice to share. 

Address: FG16 A/26 Narellan St, Canberra 

Price: Mid-range

Follow the big city lights to this trendy late-night eating house on Lonsdale Street. While the menu is packed with dumplings, bao buns and fried rice, Lazy Su gives these classic Chinese dishes a very funky, modern-day twist. Take the infamous wagyu cheesesteak spring rolls, vegan Peking 'duck' bao and scorched jalapeño poppers. Going straight for Lazy Su's set menu is your best bet, where you’ll sample their greatest hits from China, Japan and beyond, including donburi nori tacos and prawn and bacon wontons. P.S. There's 'boozy yum cha' on offer every Saturday for lunch.  

Address: 1/9 Lonsdale St, Braddon 

Price: Mid-range

South of Canberra’s city centre, China Tea House has been around since 1998, giving Canberrans the perfect budget meal: golden spring rolls, a serve of special fried rice and a saucy Mongolian beef, to name a few. The menu is extensive, service is quick and you can BYO with no corkage charge. This carpark diner offers lunch banquets starting at $20 per head and dinner banquets that go up to $40 per head, all of which are excellent value. Did somebody say fluffy pork buns? 

Address: 2/38-70 Gartside St, Wanniassa

Price: Budget

'New Asian' is the name of the game at this fun, fast-paced city eatery. Drawing inspiration from the buzzing food halls of East Asia, Akiba's menu presents a flavoursome mix of Asian barbecue, raw bar and modern-day dim sum. Peking duck is wrapped into dumplings, Chinese broccoli is tossed in housemade oyster sauce, and larger proteins are cooked over a live wood and charcoal fire. With a strong Japanese influence, Akiba also boasts the most extensive sake list in Australia.

Address: 40 Bunda St, Canberra

Price: Mid-range