Tea House at China Town

This is one of Chinatown’s best kept secrets, hidden just off Little Bourke on Cohen Place. In a district so loaded with dumplings it takes a lot to stand out, but Tea House at China Town really do manage it with lavish servings of authentic Cantonese and broader Chinese meals, cooked to traditional recipes using super-fresh ingredients. Popular with Melbourne CBD folk for a satisfying business lunch, Tea House at China Town is invisible among the throng of more ostentatious Chinese restaurants around, but it’s irresistible once you do find it. They do a superb range of banquets (lunch or dinner) to give you a taste of everything, or simply pick your way through the enticing menu, from drunken pigeon to classic Peking duck and of course mountains of steamy dumplings, sweet desserts and plentiful seafood and vegetarian options. Don’t tell too many people, but Tea House at China Town is well worth a visit.