The best Chinese restaurants in Auckland cover everything from trolley yum cha and slow roasted Peking duck to Sichuan dry pot and hand made dumplings, spread across the Viaduct, Newmarket, Mount Eden, Herne Bay and Sandringham. Whether you are booking a banquet table for a family celebration, ordering dim sum for a weekend lunch, or picking up takeaway after work, these are restaurants with their own kitchens, their own menus and long records in the city. Grand Harbour and Pearl Garden anchor the list, with Impression and Empress Garden close behind.
1Grand Harbour Chinese Restaurant
Grand Harbour has been serving Hong Kong style Chinese food at the Viaduct since 2000, with a kitchen that specialises in duck and a wide range of live and fresh seafood. Yum cha runs every day of the week, and the dining room seats around 300, so it takes weddings, corporate functions and large family tables comfortably. It suits anyone after a full service Cantonese meal within walking distance of the waterfront and the central city hotels.
Services
- Yum cha every day of the week, with around 80 steamed, deep fried, sweet, savoury and spicy dim sum varieties
- Duck dishes, the kitchen’s stated speciality, alongside lobster, fish and crab
- Live seafood including blue cod, crayfish, paua and baby abalone
- Chef’s special menu of signature dishes, changed every three months
- Set dinner menus and a takeout menu for groups and off site dining
Highlights
- Established in 2000 at Viaduct Harbour
- Hong Kong trained chefs in the kitchen
- Metro Magazine Chinese Restaurant of the Year in 2004, 2005 and 2006
- Metro Top 50 Restaurants award from 2008 to 2011, and runner up best Asian Restaurant in 2010
- Seating for around 300 guests, with BYO welcome at a $15 per bottle surcharge
Location & Contact
Name: Grand Harbour Chinese Restaurant
Address: Cnr Pakenham Street and Custom Street West, Viaduct Harbour, Auckland
Phone: 09 357 6889
Website: grandharbour.co.nz
2Pearl Garden
Pearl Garden has been cooking Chinese food in Newmarket since 1975, which makes it one of the longest running Chinese restaurants in Auckland. The kitchen is best known for yum cha, with a large dim sum selection that includes its custard buns, and it also runs a full Cantonese style dinner menu from 5.30pm. It works equally well for a solo lunch, a family table or a booked function.
Services
- Yum cha luncheon service available every trading day
- Cantonese style dinner menu from 5.30pm
- Steamed dumplings and a range of sweet and savoury dim sum, including custard buns
- Takeaway orders from the same menus
Highlights
- Serving Chinese cuisine in Newmarket since 1975
- Voted best Chinese restaurant by Metro magazine
- Allergies and taste preferences accommodated on request
- Ample parking adjacent to the restaurant in the evening
Location & Contact
Name: Pearl Garden
Address: Level 1, 1 Teed Street, Newmarket, Auckland 1023
Phone: 09 523 3696
Website: pearlgarden.co.nz
3Impression Restaurant
Impression sits on Mount Eden Road and cooks across the regional Chinese range, from fiery Sichuan dishes to hearty Northern specialities and Cantonese classics. Its signature is Peking duck, seasoned and dried for 24 hours before roasting and served with pancakes, spring onion and house made duck sauce. A separate Chinese tapas menu at $9.90 a dish makes it an easy option for smaller groups who want variety without committing to full size plates.
Services
- Peking duck served with pancakes, spring onions and house made duck sauce
- Chinese tapas menu priced at $9.90 per dish
- Sichuan style dishes and Northern Chinese specialities
- Dumplings and spring rolls
- Private dining and function catering for 12 to 100 guests, with a customised menu
Highlights
- Established over a decade ago in Dunedin before opening in Mount Eden
- Peking duck voted the best in Auckland by its own diners, according to the restaurant
- Wine list selected by an in house sommelier to match both bold and delicate dishes
- Full bar, private room and BYO at $10 per bottle
Location & Contact
Name: Impression Restaurant Auckland
Address: 395 Mount Eden Road, Mount Eden, Auckland 1024
Phone: 09 623 1088
Website: impressionakl.co.nz
4Empress Garden Restaurant
Empress Garden occupies a villa on Jervois Road in Herne Bay and has been part of the Auckland dining scene for many years, built around a single signature dish. Its Peking duck is sold in one, two and three course servings, with the duck meat and frame cooked to order, and half duck options for smaller tables. The restaurant is split into separate rooms and sections, which suits both couples and larger groups.
Services
- Peking duck in one, two and three course servings, plus half duck options
- Banquet menus for groups
- Dim sum selection
- A la carte entrees, soups and main dishes
- Takeaway ordering, including the full Peking duck courses
Highlights
- Winner of several accolades and awards over the years
- Herne Bay villa setting with hanging red lanterns and traditional decor
- Fully licensed, with BYO for wine
Location & Contact
Name: Empress Garden Restaurant
Address: 227 Jervois Road, Herne Bay, Auckland
Phone: 09 376 5550
Website: empressgardenrestaurant.co.nz
5Eden Noodles Bar Morningside
Eden Noodles Bar Morningside cooks bold Sichuan flavours and hand made noodles from a site on McDonald Street in Sandringham, blending traditional Chinese dishes with a lighter fusion touch. The menu is built for sharing, running from cold appetisers such as Sichuan pickle and green bean jelly through dumplings, wontons, dry pot and noodle bowls. It suits groups who want a casual, social meal rather than a formal banquet.
Services
- Sichuan style cold appetisers including pickles, cucumber salad and green bean jelly
- Boiled, steamed and deep fried dumplings with pork, pork and chive, chicken, beef or vegetable fillings
- Wontons in sweet spicy, spicy sour and mala dressings
- Sichuan spicy dry pot
- Hand made noodles and rice dishes
Highlights
- Vegetarian dishes marked throughout the food menu
- Happy hour on weekdays from 4pm to 6pm, with $8 wine and beer and $12 cocktails
- Open seven days, with kitchen service until 11pm on Friday and Saturday
- Private functions and events with a dedicated sharing menu and signature cocktails
Location & Contact
Name: Eden Noodles Bar Morningside
Address: 16 McDonald Street, Sandringham, Auckland 1025
Phone: 09 281 2688
Website: edennoodlesbarmorningside.co.nz
Chinese Restaurants in Auckland at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Harbour Chinese Restaurant | Viaduct Harbour | Established in 2000 at Viaduct Harbour |
| Pearl Garden | Newmarket | Serving Chinese cuisine in Newmarket since 1975 |
| Impression Restaurant | Mount Eden | Established over a decade ago in Dunedin before opening in Mount Eden |
| Empress Garden Restaurant | Herne Bay | Winner of several accolades and awards over the years |
| Eden Noodles Bar Morningside | Sandringham | Vegetarian dishes marked throughout the food menu |
How to Choose the Right Chinese Restaurant in Auckland
- Match the regional style to what you want to eat. Cantonese kitchens lead on yum cha, roast duck and seafood, while Sichuan kitchens lead on chilli, numbing mala spice and noodles.
- Check whether yum cha is served daily or only at weekends, and whether it runs from a trolley or is ordered from a menu.
- Ask about Peking duck before you book. Most kitchens need notice, and duck is usually priced by the course rather than as a single dish.
- Confirm the group capacity and whether there is a private room if you are booking a function, and ask whether the kitchen will customise a set menu.
- Check the licence and BYO policy. Corkage varies between restaurants, and some are BYO for wine only.
Frequently Asked Questions About Auckland Chinese Restaurants
What is yum cha and when is it served in Auckland?
Yum cha is a Cantonese style meal of small steamed, fried and baked dim sum dishes eaten with tea, usually over lunch. In Auckland most yum cha service runs from late morning until mid afternoon. Grand Harbour serves yum cha every day of the week, and Pearl Garden runs a yum cha luncheon on each of its trading days.
How much does Peking duck cost in Auckland?
It is normally priced by the number of courses rather than as one dish, because the skin, the meat and the frame are cooked separately. Empress Garden publishes $75 for a one course serving, $95 for two courses and $110 for three, with half duck options at $45 and $60. Prices vary between restaurants, so confirm when you book.
Do I need to book ahead for Peking duck?
Usually yes. The duck has to be seasoned and air dried before roasting, which at Impression takes 24 hours, so most kitchens ask you to order it when you make the booking rather than on arrival. If duck is the reason for the meal, phone the restaurant rather than relying on a walk in.
Which parts of Auckland have the most Chinese restaurants?
Dominion Road through Mount Eden and Balmoral is the best known strip, with a dense run of dumpling houses and noodle bars. The central city and Viaduct Harbour carry the larger banquet restaurants, Newmarket is a long standing yum cha area, and Sandringham, Herne Bay and the North Shore all have established Chinese kitchens of their own.
Can you BYO wine at a Chinese restaurant in Auckland?
Many are BYO in addition to being licensed, but corkage differs. Grand Harbour applies a $15 per bottle surcharge, Impression charges $10 per bottle, and Empress Garden is BYO for wine only alongside its full licence. Alcohol licensing in the city is administered by Auckland Council.
Are there vegetarian options at Auckland Chinese restaurants?
Yes, and most kitchens mark them. Eden Noodles Bar Morningside labels vegetarian dishes across its food menu, including tofu, seasonal vegetable and cold appetiser plates. Pearl Garden states that it can accommodate allergies and taste preferences on request, so it is worth flagging dietary needs when you book rather than at the table.
What is the difference between Cantonese and Sichuan food?
Cantonese cooking from southern China leans on steaming, roasting and fresh seafood, with lighter seasoning and a strong dim sum tradition. Sichuan cooking uses chilli and Sichuan pepper to produce the numbing mala heat found in dry pot, dan dan noodles and cold appetisers. Several Auckland restaurants cook across both, and Impression also serves Northern Chinese dishes.
How do I check food safety standards at an Auckland restaurant?
Food businesses in New Zealand operate under a registered food control plan and are verified by their local council or a recognised agency. Auckland Council publishes food grading results for licensed premises, and the wider rules sit with the Ministry for Primary Industries. Grades are commonly displayed near the entrance of the restaurant.
How We Chose the Best Chinese Restaurants in Auckland
Every business in this guide was found by searching for chinese restaurants in Auckland, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Auckland, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.