Brisbane's best value Chinese restaurants

From dumpling specialists to hot pot enthusiasts and noodle experts, we’ve found Brisbane’s best Chinese eateries where you can dine for less. SEE WHO MADE THE LIST

• Delicious 50 under $50: Brisbane’s best value meals

Whether its dumplings you crave, sweet and sour pork or noodles, we’ve found Brisbane best and most affordable Chinese restaurants, where you’ll get not only a great value feed but a wonderful experience.

KINGSFOOD SUNNYBANK

25/341 Mains Rd, Sunnybank | 3344 4620 | kingsfood.com.au

The white chicken in special sauce at Kingsfood, Sunnybank.

While its dining room is a basic affair featuring laminate tables and cafeteria-style chairs, Kingsfood’s mix of terrific Taiwanese classics and dishes from the provinces of China mean the only thing diners are looking at is the food.

Since the venue’s conception more than 30 years ago, the mapo tofu and delicate white chicken with special sauce have become go-tos for diners from a sprawling menu that runs from spring rolls and soups to noodles, rice, hot pot and protein-based dishes like beef and kai-lan in barbecue sauce and mussels in XO.

Most dishes are less than $20 and large enough to share.

Cuisine Chinese

BYO Yes

Open L & D Tue-Sun

SUPER BOWL CHINESE RESTAURANT

185 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley | 3257 2188 | superbowlrestaurant.com.au

A top pick among those in Brisbane’s hospitality industry, this Chinese and Malaysian restaurant from Jimmy and Eunice Chung is loved for its generous portions, authentic flavours and charming service.

For the ultimate value, come at lunchtime when prices are significantly discounted, with favourites like sweet and sour pork selling for $14.80 including rice, while coveted laksas start from just $13.80.

Prices at dinner are still more than affordable, with the prawn toast a must, alongside the Supreme Soya boneless chicken.

Alternatively, ask the staff for advice when you’re ordering to discover some of the restaurant’s best dishes.

Cuisine Chinese/Malaysian

BYO Yes ($30 min spend)

Open L & D Thu-Tue

BIANG BIANG FRESH NOODLE

421 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley | 0422 756 802

Noodles at Biang Biang Fresh Noodle, Fortitude Valley.

It’s all in the name – fresh and definitely biang for your buck.

All the way from Xi’an, these belt-like, chewy noodles are excellent comfort food but might not be first-date material with all the slurping required.

Made to order, there are 10 noodle dishes, including the signature Biang Biang noodles with pork mince, potato, eggs, carrots, shallots and salad.

Spicy Sichuan dan dan noodles with pork mince, pickled vegetables, salad, vinegar and house-made chilli oil can be ordered dry or in a soup. And don’t miss the special cumin lamb noodles – what a winner.

Cuisine Chinese

BYO Yes

Open L & D daily

DAVID’S HOT POT

662 Compton Rd, Calamvale | 3148 6606 | davidshotpot.com.au

David's Hot Pot in Calamvale.

The art of hot pot may have originated on the steppes of Mongolia, but it’s now a big part of regional China’s many cuisines. This Brisbane version is Sichuan style.

And inspired by Lady Gaga, it’s the home of the “Beef Barbie” – a Barbie doll dressed in thin slices of beef. David’s is spicy fun and best enjoyed as part of a group for the whole hot pot experience.

The starting point is a pot of steaming broth, and then comes meat, seafood and vegetables as rolls, balls or sliced.

Let’s just say the meat and poultry options range from the expected to the exotic.

Cuisine Chinese

BYO Yes

Open L & D daily

HAPPY BOY

East St, Fortitude Valley | 0413 246 890 | happyboy.com.au

With the brutal minimalism of its concrete-bunker interior, Happy Boy is utilitarian, loud and busy.

There is, however, seating on the deck beneath the fairy-lit trees fronting East St, which presents a quieter option when the traffic dies down. Customers stream in and order from the well-priced menu – a one-page list that runs from spring rolls, little burgers of Taiwanese chicken on milk buns, roast duck pancakes or steamed prawn and pork wontons in chilli broth through to delicious vegetable, seafood, meat, rice and noodle dishes.

This is a one-of-a-kind destination, where most diners seem to visit for a good time, not necessarily a long time.

Cuisine Chinese

BYO No

Open L & D Tue-Sun

IMPRESSIVE DUMPLINGS

Everton Park, West End, Sunnybank Hills & Benowa | 1800 696 888 | idumplings.com.au

With robot waiters delivering your dishes, Impressive Dumplings lives up to its name.

But it’s not just the futuristic technology that makes these restaurants so well-loved, rather it’s the plethora of expertly made dumplings in varieties that move outside the ordinary.

Alongside classics like prawn and pork, diners can slurp back everything from crab roe and pork xiao long bao to steamed cuttlefish varieties and those with black truffle.

There are also dumplings in Sichuan dressings, dumpling soups and pan-fried dumplings in all magnitude of colours.

And if that’s not enough, there’s also an impressive (of course) array of noodle and rice dishes.

Cuisine Cantonese

BYO Yes

Open L & D daily

LITTLE RED DUMPLING

various locations | littlereddumpling.com.au

Little Red Dumpling HQ resides in the heritage-listed, former Anglican church in the CBD. As the name implies, dumplings are the specialty here, with vegetarian and potsticker styles, alongside all the favourites,
from lamb coriander to Sichuan pork to rainbow beauties.

The prawn xiao long bao are a crowd-pleaser, while Not Dumplings like noodle soups, braised lamb, minced chicken dry noodles or shallot pancakes will have you coming back for more. With 14 Little Red Dumpling bars across South East Queensland, a feast can cost less than cooking at home, with no washing up a bonus.

Cuisine Chinese

BYO No

Open L & D daily

LUCHA BLACK

G14/140 Elizabeth St, Brisbane City | 3061 2159 | lucha.com.au

Hiding down Brisbane CBD’s Albert Lane, this contemporary Australian-Chinese eatery offers a slick fit-out and tome-like menu, extending from dim sum and hot pot to popular Chinese favourites, all at budget-friendly prices.

Start with the standout soupy xiao long bao or moreish duck san choy bao, before moving to the must-order cumin-crusted, wok-fried lamb or the venue’s hero dish, a crispy-skinned, tea-smoked half chicken – wickedly good when swiped through accompanying salty-sweet powder.

A keenly priced wine list is well-matched to the food, as are an array of tea-infused cocktails and mocktails, beers, frappes, fruit drinks, sodas and more.

Cuisine Chinese

BYO No

Open L & D daily

NEW SHANGHAI

Level 2, Westfield Garden City, 2049 Logan Rd, Upper Mount Gravatt | 3161 1500 | newshanghai.com.au

With outlets across the country, this contemporary Chinese restaurant brand has become a go-to for those after fast, affordable fare within a flashy fit-out. Dining rooms are elaborately decorated with Chinese influences, and are as suitable for special occasions as they are a quick lunch.

As the moniker suggests, most dishes are from Shanghai, with the city’s culinary delicacies creating a menu far removed from your standard Aussie-Cantonese offering.

Try dishes such as cold noodles with smoked fish, salted duck or hot noodle soup with spicy pork, prawns and smoked tofu.

There’s also everything from dumplings and wontons to meat, seafood and vegetable dishes.

Cuisine Chinese

BYO No

Open L & D daily

SNACK MAN

East St, Fortitude Valley | 0413 246 890 | snack-man.com.au

Beneath the fairy lights in Fortitude Valley’s East St lies a busy trio of restaurants owned by brothers Cameron and Jordan Votan. Sandwiched between Happy Boy and Kid Curry is middle child Snack Man, demanding attention with a wide range of Chinese street food and small-plate options teamed with an eclectic European wine list.

And it’s going off like a cracker. The menu works through dumplings, buns, rice and noodles to big snacks like the falling-off-the-bone, slow-cooked beef rib.

Food arrives quickly, so order a little at a time if you want to enjoy a few drinks between snacks.

Cuisine Chinese

BYO No

Open D Tue-Sun