Chan Kun Kee

If you're looking to visit a Hong Kong dai pai dong without leaving Sydney (and we recommend you do), look no further than Chan Kun Kee in Rhodes. The vibrant casual diner is the first international outpost for a Hong Kong team that's been serving up flavour-packed eats for over 40 years.

Sydney's Chan Kun Kee opened in 2023 and the local iteration brings all the charm of its original institution to the Inner West. You'll find a variety of specialty small plates on offer ranging from stir-fries and fried noodles to loaded seafood dishes and hot pot.

The must-try menu item is the claypot fish-flavoured eggplant — the best in Australia according to the team. But the menu is expansive with plenty to discover. There's spicy shredded chicken with crab roe, pork belly in a Sichuan broth, deep-fried oysters with wasabi sauce, stir-fried XO squid and a tom yum soup loaded with clams.

The lunch menu — available 11am–2pm Tuesday–Sunday — refines your options, opting for more personal serving sizes. For $18, take your pick of the mains, including wasabi pork chops, stir-fried clams and a curry beef brisket, all of which are served with rice and a drink.

Pair your meal with a $7 Tsingtao or Asahi, a herbal tea, or one of the housemade beverages, including the barley, lemon, yuzu and honey combination.

Great Cantonese food at extremely affordable prices? What's not to love.