Cracking Chinese restaurants in Dublin

Kicking this guide off in the most eloquent style, China Sichuan provides a seriously high standard of Chinese cuisine. With their three head chefs – Jian Liao, Yang Cheng, and Li Ke – all hailing from the Sichuan province of China, they bring some of the most authentic flavours of the region right to the heart of south-side Dublin! You can kick off your meal in style with the wasabi prawns, which can be made gluten free without the wasabi mayo upon request. Follow that up with a sumptuous main of “Kung-po” chicken and cashew nuts, and you’ve got a two-course meal for under €30, from one of the most renowned Chinese restaurants in Dublin! If you’re not a meat eater, don’t worry! China Sichuan has a plethora of vegetable dishes that are swimming in flavour. China Sichuan is always in demand, with two to three month waiting lists for tables and takeaway, so be sure to book early to avoid disappointment!

Voted into the McKenna’s ‘100 best restaurants in Ireland’ in 2014 and 2017, M&L pride themselves on curating an authentic Chinese dining experience in their branch on Cathedral St, right in the heart of Dublin! They’re renowned for their quality Sichuan street food, such as their boiled dumplings in chilli garlic soup, or noodle soup with stewed chopped pork ribs, which are both spicy and on the bone. M&L also offer a selection of their chef specialty dishes, featuring a deep-fried chicken breast in Cantonese style sauce, bringing the best of savoury Chinese chicken combined with a fruity, authentic sauce. If you’re looking to meet up with some friends and share a platter, M&L has you covered. A set meal for four encompasses all of their vegetable, meat, and fish dishes, with an endless list of sides to choose from. You can avail of this for €15.50 each.

This guide has covered some of Dublin’s most authentic, upmarket, and popular Chinese diners so far. However, we want to finish off strong with paying homage to the originators of the ‘Spice bag’ and one of the best takeaways around, especially after a night in one of Dublin’s many pubs. The Sunflower Chinese Takeaway claim to be the first ones to create a spice bag way back in 2010. The bag contains shredded chicken, complete with salt and chilli chips, alongside thinly sliced carrot, onion, and pepper shavings. They also made a secret spice-bag seasoning. Many Chinese takeaways have attempted to make their own, but locals will insist that nothing will beat the original. What is more, Spice Bags from Sunflower only cost €8, which is an immensely flavoursome feed, crucial to cure any hangover from a heavy Friday or Saturday night!

Don’t let the takeaway at the front fool you, hidden behind the colourful ribbons is Hang Dai. Inspired by Blade Runner and John Carpenter movies (with a touch of Deadwood), Hang Dai is a futuristic, retro, fun, contemporary Chinese/Asian restaurant and music bar. With a wood-fired traditional Chinese oven taking centre stage, Chinese dishes like Beijing Roast Duck and Mapo Tofu are always present. Whilst staying true to some traditional Chinese recipes, here the approach is always playful, with various Asian cuisines merged using high-end local ingredients.