Strictly Shanghainese restaurants are few and far between in and around the city — usually, the cuisine is fused with food from other regions of China like Szecuhuan or Taiwan. But for great Shanghainese food, head up to A La Kitchen for soup-filled dumplings and other classics like noodle dishes and braised meats.

North York's beloved Artisan Noodle has opened up a cool and cosy downtown outpost with Artisan Plus. This spot is home to northern Chinese delicacies that are often rare to find in Toronto, like the hand-pulled noodles or a jia mo, which can best be described as a Chinese hamburger.

Since its Chinatown location opened its doors in 1988, Asian Legend has spread across Toronto to give all diners a taste of northern Chinese dim sum and stir-fry. Their cooking motto is "northern flavours with a traditional style," which has allowed for its chefs, all from reputable dining locales in Taiwan and mainland China, to fine-tune the menu and bring diners dishes like the especially flavour-rich kung pao chicken.

Grabbing its name from the classic martial arts flick, BIG TROUBLE is a Chinatown bar that promises the 20-something set a good time. Sibling owners Andrew and Christine Pham wanted to properly celebrate the hood they grew up in; multicoloured lanterns dot the room, red drapes decorate the windows while a dragon oversees the bathrooms and

If you’ve never heard of Bingz, you’ve probably never been to China. The burger joint first opened in Beijing before quickly becoming a prominent fast food chain with locations across the country. Now, Bingz has brought its specialty crispy LiberTerre pork burger to Markham with its first Canadian location. Also on the menu are classic

The authentic Chinese restaurant with a French name, C’est Bon, has been not just a staple, but a favourite of midtown for over a decade. The founding Chen family comes from a French Taiwanese background, hence the name and cuisine of the restaurant. Most of the menu is made up of classic Szechuan dishes, like

Since the dim sum downtown has sunk in a slough of grease, dumpling-seeking Sinophiles have few alternatives. At first glance, Casa Imperial is an unlikely candidate: a baroque mansion loaded with gargantuan crystal chandeliers, ersatz British hunting scenes and musty brocaded draperies. It’s about as Chinese-looking as Casa Loma, but the dim sum is quite

Located at the Golden Square Centre in Mississauga, Chi’s Congee and Noodle House offers both of its namesakes as well as wonton soup, dumplings, sweet and sour pork and other Chinese food favourites. The congee, which is a rice porridge popular in many Asian countries, is served in many variations including chicken and duck, shrimp,

This week’s cheap eat is all the way up at Metro Square in Markham. As a teenager, there were many late nights spent here, upstairs in the arcade (when smoking inside was still allowed), gossiping over cheesecake at Cafe Mirage or sipping on this “new” Taiwanese drink (bubble tea) at Ten Ren’s Tea Time (now Serissa Cafe).

Chinese Traditional Bun is a hidden gem, tucked into a subterranean space in the midst of Chinatown’s cacophony. Don’t be deterred by the lackluster decor or the tables sheathed in trashy white plastic — this place knows its food. Buoyant dumplings and house-made noodles are created up front. In the back, against the dim of

Don’t feel like waiting for your meal? Why not head over to Chop Chop where the only thing better than the Chinese food is how fast it lands on your plate. Perched on the southwest corner of Dundas and Markham, this fast-food restaurant is making Chinese food healthy and quickly. The interior is clean and

Clay Pot King is bringing the traditional Chinese clay pot–style hot pot to Richmond Hill. The space has luxe decor but maintains a casual and friendly atmosphere with servers who are always happy to give recommendations. They specializes in meat and seafood clay pot hot pot soups, congee pots and authentic Chinese appetizers like crispy

Got a big group with a big appetite? Show up at Congee Wong, and not only will all of you be able to sit around a table, but even your vegan friends will feast at this Chinese restaurant. They have a different menu for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, in addition to the takeout

This Scarborough Chinese bakery is making some of the most beautiful cakes in all of the GTA. DaanGo Cake Lab is the brainchild of Master Chef Canada contestant Christopher Siu. His sweet shop is a confectionary dream with a heaven-like white interior and wafts of freshly baked desserts coming from the kitchen. With a tiny

Chef Nick Liu, the genius behind the critically lauded DaiLo takes his inspiration from classic dishes and ingredients and adds creative twists. Located in Little Italy, the restaurant has garnered rave reviews since opening in 2014. Following in the French tradition, Liu riffs on Chinese-Canadian classics, remixing them, combining different textures and flavours for a

The concept for Dasha has been on chef Akira Back’s mind for nearly a decade: a one-stop spot for delicious Cantonese food, artful cocktails, and private karaoke rooms. With a Michelin Star rating and restaurants everywhere from Seoul to Las Vegas, chef Back’s question of where in the world to launch the idea was answered

Despite the name , and the very fine duck dish, there is so much else to love here: big steaming bowls of spicy chicken, shrimp, duck gizzard, chicken feet, pork liver, brisket, or barbecued bullfrogs on a stick. There are also some lighter dishes, like corn with pine nuts and spinach with peanuts. My favourite

If upscale dim sum is your game, look no further, Dim Sum Queen is the perfect spot for a traditional yum cha experience. Yum cha, or the Cantonese tradition involving brunch with Chinese tea and dim sum, is what Dim Sum Queen is serving up all day long. With fan favourites like har gow (shrimp

Breakfast, dinner, breakfast for dinner? Dumplings are the perfect bite-sized go-to grub for anytime of day. Dumpling House is located near Kensington Market in Chinatown and is the spot when it comes to filling up on the cheap. The purists can opt for steamed dumplings but try as you may, you won’t be able to

Enjoy all varieties of authentic Chinese cuisine right in the heart of Yorkville with Dynasty. From dim sum to Sichuan orange peel flavours, Peking duck to General Tao’s chicken, oysters from the Atlantic or king crab legs from B.C., Dynasty is serving up everything Chinese in a luxe space tinted with cool purple lights. If,