The reign of the Hemmes dynasty continues with Mr Wong, an opulent Cantonese diner set within the lower floors of the Establishment building. Bamboo steamers rule the daytimes, with each thatched lid hiding a trio of stuffed and bundled treasures. One bite wonders include the fat lobster and scallop tucked in thin, translucent skins, caviar crowned pork and prawn shumai and the crunchy wagyu and truffle pastry puffs. The rest of the menu falls under the jurisdiction of executive chef Dan Hong, who has taken centuries-old dishes and thrust them into the modern age. 3 Bridge Street, Sydney; merivale.com/venues/mrwong

Affectionately known as “the restaurant with grapes on the roof”, there’s no shortage of quirks at this Haymarket institution. Expect to be greeted by a rendition of Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On by a concert violinist, who also happens to be the owner, while staff dart about on command from the maitre d’, doling out Xinjiang-inspired dishes, including hand-pulled noodles and generous plates of steamed, fried or boiled dumplings (it’d be a crime not to order the pan-fried pork and chive). The special braised eggplant also vies for top billing: meltingly soft eggplant centre with a slightly crisp fried surface, served in a puddle of sticky-sweet amber sauce. 160 Thomas St, Haymarket

Whether in Walsh Bay to satisfy your cultural side or just to hang out by the harbour, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t find time for dumplings. Tucked in an old warehouse across the road from Sydney Dance Company, this polished diner serves some of the city’s best dim sum. Once you’ve worked your way through the squirty soup dumplings and translucent prawn parcels, there’s also a number of knock-out wok dishes to try, from the kung pao chicken to crispy eggplant in honey. Shop 3/16 Hickson Rd, Dawes Point; lotusdininggroup.com

The clams with a cult following finally have their very own restaurant. XOPP (pronounced X-O-P-P) is the latest venture by the Golden Century gang, with the new Cantonese diner taking its name from the group’s X-factor dish. Spearheaded by second-generation restaurateur Billy Wong and son of original owners Eric and Linda, the new venue ushering in a new era of cool for the Wong dynasty. Alongside the GC classics, there’s also new faces like steamed coral trout with Kurobuta guanciale, roasted short rib with Lao Gan Ma chilli sauce and typhoon shelter cauliflower with fried garlic and chilli.
 Level M, Shop 31/32/1 Little Pier St, Haymarket; xopp.com.au

There’s no getting away from it. The basement home of Hunter St. Hospitality’s regional Chinese diner is downright sexy. The food ambitiously travels via Sichuan, Yunnan, Hunan, Jiangxi and Xinjiang, with a menu that includes upscale versions of casual street-food dishes, the kind you find all over China. Chilli plays strongly across the menu, but in a warm and numbing way rather than a bring-me-a-fire-extinguisher-now manner. 10 Bligh St, Sydney; spicetemple.com.au

Ask anyone where you can find the best dumplings in Sydney and they’ll point you to Ashfield. This bustling Inner West ‘burb is filled with Shanghainese restaurants, each with a similar sounding name. The longest lines can be found at New Shanghai (between Shanghai Night and New Shanghai Night) and that’s because it’s the best. Take a number and wait at the window, where ladies roll dough and stuff dumplings right before your eyes. Before you know it you’ll be feasting on just-wrapped dim sum, silky eggplant strips in hot pot and the house specialty, the burnished-bottomed Shanghai pork buns. 273 Liverpool Rd, Ashfield; newshanghai.com.au/ashfield

All hail the queen! Merivale brings a taste of the east to the Inner West with their upscale imperial dining house, Queen Chow. The menu specialises in Cantonese cuisine, prepared by powerhouse trio, Christopher Hogarth and Patrick Friesen of Papi Chulo fame, and dumpling master from Mr Wong, Eric Koh, who has been put on dim sum duty. There’s plenty of treasures to discover on the menu, including the XO pippis with fried bread and Peking duck with pancakes, which come ready to roll. There’s also an impressive dim sum selection for a yum chat at any time of day (or night). 167 Enmore Road, Enmore; merivale.com/venues/queenchow

This offering from Kingsley and Natasha Smith sits stylishly on Hall Street in Bondi’s Boheme development. It’s big – 200 seats – with a relaxed diner and cocktail bar out front, morphing to a slightly more formal dining room that takes its design cues from ’30s Shanghai. With a pan-Asian approach to its menu, the food roams beyond China to include other parts of Southeast Asia. But wherever you point your compass, it’s all about big, fresh flavours in a space where good times take precedence. 75 – 79 Hall Street, Bondi; chinadiner.com.au

Roast duck rules the roost at this new 500-seater Cantonese restaurant perched on level seven of Westfield Pitt Street Mall. Do as the name suggests and put in an order for their roast duck – served either Peking or Cantonese-style – or spread your wings and try one of the regional specialties from aromatic dong po pork served with bouncy lotus buns or the slow-cooked san pei chicken simmered in a clay pot. Skip the tea and order the Spice Trade cocktail, which channels classic duck flavours with anise cognac, Campari, yuzu, citrus and pineapple. level 7/188 Pitt St, Sydney; duckandrice.com.au

Less than a stone’s throw from Burwood Station, queues for this brown-brick Chinese noodle spot snake around the corner, and it’s worth the wait. A mere $12.90 gets you a heaping bowl of 1915 Lanzhou Beef Noodles’ namesake dish: drowned noodles in a beefy broth with a just-right bite. Upgrade to something with a bit of kick, or order your noodles dry. Be sure to check out the extensive dumpling offering, with share plates setting you back just $13.90. Leave room for dessert, though – Burwood’s newly renovated Chinatown is right across the street and brimming with sweet stalls. 168A Burwood Rd, Burwood; facebook.com/pages/1915-Lanzhou-Beef-Noodles-Burwood/112436173840674