19 Must-Visit Chinese Restaurants in Newcastle

Infusion, Strawberry Place

Traditional regional Chinese cuisine is the order of the day at Infusion, a popular spot tucked away on Strawberry Place. While its menu features plenty of familiar fare - spring rolls, soups, dumplings and the like - this is a restaurant where diners can get really adventurous and authentic with their food with dishes like sauteed sliced fish, spicy pig trotters and stir-fried gizzards.

King Neptune, Stowell Street 

Over on Stowell Street you’ll find King Neptune, a relative Chinatown veteran of 40 years specialising in seafood dishes – plenty of squid, scallops, mussels and king prawn – alongside all the dishes you’d expect. There’s a bewildering array of menus – Valentine’s Day! Mother’s Day! Chinese New Year! – and it’s open every day for lunch and dinner services.

Wok Manifesto, Ridley Place

Wok Manifesto might be a newcomer to Newcastle’s dining scene, but it’s certainly proving popular with people regularly queuing down the block to get their hands on its deliciously authentic Chinese street food. Head chef and co-founder Joshy Jin, trained in China, cooks up hearty noodle dishes and rice bowls – think spicy Sichuan wanza noodles and Shandon yellow braised chicken – alongside small plates and sides like potstickers and pickled Chinese radish.

Canton Kitchen, Low Friar Street

Formerly known as Nudo Malatang, the recently re-branded Canton Kitchen has switched its focus to Hong Kong-style comfort food. Tuck into everything from roast meats and claypot rice to hearty noodle bowls and traditional dim sum with a menu brimming with the authentic flavours of Hong Kong and Canton cuisine.

Yangguofu Malatang, Percy Street

Yangguofu Malatang is on a mission to bring malatang – a popular Chinese dish known for its bold, spicy broth and customisable nature – to the masses. Guests become the chef as they choose from a wide range of deliciously fresh meat, vegetables, noodles and broth bases to create their own perfect bowl of malatang. Hearty, healthy, wholesome and led by traditional Chinese flavours, their soups are perfect for a warming treat on a cold winter’s day.

Dumpling & Bun, Grainger Market 

Specialising in all things dumpling and street food is Dumpling & Bun in Grainger Market. It's perfect for a busy lunch or a break while shopping: just pull up a stool to the tiny counter and enjoy the tasty, doughy, wonderful little parcels. They serve excellent Chinese tea too!

Little Asia, Stowell Street 

Located across the street from Landmark, Little Asia specialises in Chinese hot pots - a fun and interactive dining experience that sees a pot of simmering soup placed in the middle of the table that diners add raw ingredients to themselves to cook. There are plenty of other Chinese dishes to enjoy too from small eats like gyoza and deep-fried wontons to stir-fries and noodle dishes.

Happiness Inn, Percy Street 

A veteran of Newcastle’s restaurant scene (it’s been open for more than sixty years), Happiness Inn offers a lot more authentic dishes than many of its competitors – things like stir-fried chicken gizzards with pickled chilli and special fried pig's kidney – but there’s plenty of the more westernised dishes on offer too for the less adventurous. They do spicy hot pots too and Happiness Inn has a reputation for big portions and friendly staff in a laid-back environment.

Sky Chinese Cuisine, Stowell Street 

Heading back to Stowell Street, you'll find Sky Chinese Cuisine – a place that has a strong reputation among the Chinese community (always a good sign!) and is known for its really good dim sum. Plenty more traditional and authentic Chinese dishes are served too.

ZUJU, Gallowgate

Representing “local delicacies from diverse provinces in China”, ZUJU is a great shout for diners looking for authentic dishes they might not have tried before. Go all out and order a selection of plates to enjoy with equally adventurously-palated pals – how about the sliced fish in hot chilli oil, Grandma’s-style sausage fried rice and shredded pork and century egg congee to share?

Landmark Oriental, Stowell Street 

Another Stowell Street staple is Landmark Oriental, which boats an impressive dining room and plenty of traditional Chinese food. There’s a variety of menus on offer too, including several banquet options and a kid-friendly menu, plus plenty of fine wine, champagne and beer to wash it all down with.

Noodle Box & Chinese Burger, Grainger Market 

Located in Newcastle's famous Grainger Market, Noodle Box is a bijou and casual joint that specialises in Northern Chinese Xian cuisine – think hand-pulled biang biang noodles, fiery and aromatic broths and its namesake Chinese burgers aka 'roujiamo'.

12 Muqam, Stowell Street

For something a little bit different in the heart of Newcastle's Chinatown, head for a mouthwatering meal at 12 Muqam. Specialising in Uyghur cuisine, the restaurant brings the flavours of China's Xinjiang province to the city with a menu featuring the likes of spicy chicken stews, hearty hand-pulled noodles dishes and juicy kebabs. Team with sides like samba and drinks like traditional salted milk tea for the ultimate Uyghur culinary experience.

The Little Dumpling House, Ridley Place 

This cute and tasty little dumpling house really is a treat, offering an array of really well cooked bao, dumpings and the rest in a relaxed, unfussy environment. The dumplings are the main attraction of course – try the tofu, cabbage and carrot – but don’t miss out on the Chinese burgers or steamed stuffed baozi either!

Red Diner, Stowell Street 

Focusing on Cantonese and Sichuan dishes so it’s big on spices (those Sichuan peppers are HOT!), everything about the Red Diner menu is appealing. They offer various banquet options starting at £25 per person and they even have karaoke booths in case you fancy a post-meal singalong!

Bao Down, Grainger Market 

Not strictly Chinese, the fantastically named Bao Down keeps it simple: gyoza, bao buns and loaded fries in various appealing options (the crispy tofu and mushroom bao buns are incredible). Perfect for a tasty snack on the move in heart of the Grainger Market bustle.

Happiness2, Stowell Street

Traditional recipes with a modern twist are what Happiness2 on Stowell Street does best. Order everything from hot pots and dim sum to rice and noodle dishes and wash down with a signature iced drink or bubble tea from sister business Utepia.

Pop Up Wok, Saville Row

Tucked away on Saville Row, Pop Up Wok is the place to head for tasty Hong Kong-style street food. Try mains like pan-fried chicken cutlet or deep-fried tofu teamed with rice and curry sauce alongside Hong Kong comfort food favourites like ham and egg ramen, wun zai ci (aka imitation shark fin soup) and sweet golden buns.

Chinese 98, Haymarket Lane

A newcomer to Newcastle’s foodie scene, Chinese 98 is all about fast and tasty but affordable food centred around a “build your own meal” concept. Perfect for a quick lunch, you choose your box size and base (steamed rice, fried rice or chow mein) and customise with selections from their daily stir fries – think soy-braised pork, mapo tofu and stewed beef with radish.

Newcastle has Chinese restaurants to cater for all tastes and wallets, from fiery Sichuan dishes to on-the-move snacks like gyoza and bao buns. So, get along to one and maybe venture into some unfamiliar dishes - you won’t regret it!

Main Image: Infusion

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