Best Chinese Restaurants in Brighton & Hove:
Dim sum, noodles, hot pot and more

Full House specialises in Hunan / Xiang cuisine and probably sits atop the pile for best overall experience. Comfortable setting, white tablecloths, helpful and friendly service, and most importantly – perfectly executed dishes packed with flavour.

The menu is overwhelming in its vastness, so by all means close your eyes and see where your finger lands. It’s likely whatever you choose will be delicious. Portions are generous and good value, so take some friends, get a Lazy Susan and order as much as you dare.

I’ve heard about some very poor takeaway experiences, so my tip would be to find the time to dine-in.

My Full House reviews on Instagram:
First visit | Another visit

This place is more ‘spit-and-sawdust’ than Full House but the food has been equally delicious. Ease yourself in with the great value lunch menu, which includes a choice of dish with a soft drink for under a tenner. The dishes with rice I’ve tried have all been great but I think the noodle soups are the real gems.

All you can eat hot pot is available for £20pp and even includes a side per couple. Go for the two soup bases with no English translation. One is Sichuan (£2 supplement), the other is a pork and chicken bone broth (£5 supplement). Make sure you check out the condiment trolley full of sauces, herbs and oils to make your very own custom dipping sauce with.

My Lucky Star reviews on Instagram:
First visit | Another visit

Shaanxi is one of the most famous noodle provinces in China and is the home of biang biang noodles. Its namesake Chinese noodle bar on Preston Street is hands down the best place in town for hand pulled noodles.

The cooler climate in northern China is much more suited to growing wheat than rice, so comforting noodle dishes are king here.

Don’t miss the biang biang noodles, which are available with various plant based of meaty toppings, and the signature Braised Short Rib Noodle Soup is a must too, alongside dumplings and Rou Jia Mo, all made in-house.

My Shaanxi review on Instagram:
Read review

From the owner of CK Bistro, Aberdeen Seafood is named after the harbour town in Hong Kong, rather than the greyest city in Scotland.

Aberdeen Seafood brings fresh Hong Kong seafood classics to the seafront, from salt & pepper squid and soft shell crab, to delicately steamed scallops with garlic vermicelli, to indulgent (and great value) whole fish and lobster dishes.

There’s the bonus of a sea view, and most major sport is shown on the big screens too, which may be a turn off for some people, but I love it.

My Aberdeen Seafood review on Instagram:
Read review

As far as I’m aware, the a la carte menu is pretty much full of dishes you’re probably familiar with, but done properly. If you’re looking for Cantonese classics, this is the place but I’m here for the best dim sum in Brighton, served daily from 12-4pm.

At the weekend, it’s best to book a table. There’s usually a queue outside before the doors open at noon and ten minutes later, the place is packed. Service for me has always been fab, and the place is run with military precision.

The dim sum menu is pretty extensive and has options to suit everyone, unless you’re vegetarian or vegan, in which case this is a terrible place to visit. I keep forgetting to try the dessert dim sum dishes, but apparently they’re as good as everything else.

My China Garden reviews on Instagram:
Dim Sum visit

Read my full review of China Garden

Love Noodle serves up a great selection of Chinese hand-pulled noodles, rice dishes and cold homemade sides like Chinese Leaf Salad and Spicy Kelp, and the open kitchen means you can watch the noodles being made to order right in front of you.

Absolutely delicious Biang Biang noodles (quite possibly the best in Brighton), comforting noodle soups and don’t sleep on the Scallion Oil Noodles with various toppings.

Fantastic family run spot, which already seems to have a good following on Lewes Road.

Brighton has loads of great Chinese restaurants but if you’re plant-based or vegetarian you can often find yourself very limited on what you can order.

Already well established in London, Tofu Vegan fills the gap by offering a completely plant-based menu with plenty of dishes that will please even the most fervent meat eaters.

Some of the fake meat is underwhelming but the Twice Cooked Fish is banging, as are the Salt & Pepper King Oyster Mushrooms. If there’s one dish not to miss, it’s the ‘Three Delicacies of the Earth’ aka Dongbei-style potato, green pepper and aubergine. Super yum.

Slightly leftfield but for dessert, try the Peking Duck! The venue is very stylish with a large courtyard for al fresco dining, and the staff are fantastic too.

My Tofu Vegan review on Instagram:
Watch reel

Sea Spice on Preston Street is not somewhere I’ve heard anyone mention but it turned out to be another excellent option. It’s light on atmosphere, but the service was warm and genuinely helpful.

The ‘Big Fish’ as I affectionately call it, or Kǎo yú (烤鱼) to use its proper name, is something I crave often – Whole grilled sea bass, simmered in a rich, spicy, numbing broth with chilli oil, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and doubanjiang (fermented broad bean paste).

A proper show-stopping centrepiece for any meal, and Sea Spice’s version is well worth a try. If you’re into this kind of thing, order the same dish at Lucky Star and Full House too. Both are banging.

I also massively rated the Cumin Mutton here – Very tender and the cumin and Sichuan pepper spice mix was so moreish. Must order.

Well executed Cantonese classics available a la carte or all-you-can-eat with dishes cooked to order for a very reasonable £28.95pp (half price or less for kids).

If your usual Chinese takeaway order includes dishes like Salt & Chilli Squid, Sweet & Sour Chicken HK Style, Kung Po Chicken and Beef with Black Bean Sauce, you need to check this place out.

The Aromatic Crispy Duck was a bit dry and the Char Siu Pork wasn’t the best but tbh, I still really enjoyed everything and will 100% be going back.

These Cantonese dishes aren’t my usual go to when it comes to Chinese cuisine but when they’re done well, they’re de-licious.

This is a bit more inconspicuous than the others. Hidden in plain sight on Queens Rd, you’ll struggle to notice it in daylight but as darkness falls, look out for the Bat-Signal (Beijing House logo) being projected onto the pavement in front of the restaurant.

There are dishes I haven’t seen on any other menus like the Spicy Crayfish, as well as plenty of superbly executed classics like the Green Beans with Minced Pork which was immensely tasty.

Plenty more I want to try at Beijing House including the Beijing Haggis Soup, which our server belated declared as his favourite dish on the menu. Also the Pancake Soaked in Catfish – can someone please order this and let me know how it comes?!

My Beijing House review on Instagram:
First visit

Read my full review of Beijing House