There’s nothing like spinning the lazy Susan in GC’s at 1am and having a bed of fried vermicelli cradling saucy XO pippies land in front of you. It’s the late night supper spot that has kept the Sydney hospitality industry well-fed and watered into the early hours for 29 years. With a string of culinary endorsements from the likes of David Chang, Neil Perry and Tetsuya Wakuda under their belt, the restaurant in the heart of Chinatown needs no introduction.

 For those among us not rostered to the late shift, Golden Century is open from 12pm- 4am, seven days a week. And it’s great at any hour, of any day. All the Cantonese favourites make an appearance, like Mongolian lamb hotpot and extra crispy honey chicken; but it’s the signature dishes that set this restaurant apart. The afore-mentioned pipi’s are a must have – pipis are wok-fried and tossed in house-made XO, then served on a bed of crispy vermicelli to soak up the sauce. Live prawns are steamed to preserve the sweet meat and live abalone is cooked tableside in a rich broth. The infamously curt but efficient service is all part of the long-lasting appeal that makes this restaurant a proper Sydney institution.

Must eat dish: Pippies with XO sauce