Best Restaurants in Toronto Representing Each of 8 Chinese Culinary Cuisines

Best Chinese Street Food in Toronto

Chinese culinary cuisine is one of the most sophisticated and diverse dishes in the world. Chinese foods have developed into regional cuisines based on distinct geographical and cultural influences, each with its own cooking technique and taste. The 8 Chinese culinary cuisines are Anhui (Hui),  Cantonese (Yu), Fujian (Min), Hunan (Xiang), Jiangsu (Su), Shandong (Lu), Szechuan (Chuan) and Zhejiang (Zhe). These dishes vary with each other based on ingredient usage, herbs, flavours and cooking styles. You can get a taste of these delicious traditional dishes in Toronto by checking out our list of the best restaurants covering each of the eight Chinese culinary traditions.

Anhui (Hui)

Anhui (Hui), or simply Hui, is the least well-known of the eight Chinese culinary cuisines. This cuisine originates in the Huizhou area of Guangdong Province to the southeast. Because the location is surrounded by a lush environment, the food mostly consists of wild herbs. The meal has a somewhat spicy and salty flavour, and other popular Anhui foods include veggies, turtles, Stinky Mandarin Fish, Steamed Partridge, and others.

1. Old Taste

Best Chinese St 2reet Food in Toronto
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Old Taste is a Chinese restaurant located inside Tridel serving Anhui specialty noodles. The restaurant serves their noodles in hot stone bowls to keep them warm to the last drop. Try their sweet potato noodles, which are transparent and chewy, marinated in a flavourful broth topped with vegetables and have a mild spicy flavour. Their braised meat meals, such as braised beef brisket/pork intestines in a stewed bone marrow soup with a side of rice and veggies, are a must-try for a full lunch. Come taste delicious food in a modern and clean setting.

Address: 5433 Yonge St Unit 29, North York, ON M2N 5S1 
Phone: +16473428688 

Cantonese

Cantonese cuisine originated in Southern China, specifically in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Finding Cantonese restaurants in Toronto is not difficult because there are many Hong Kong residents who contribute to the expansion of the restaurants. This common dish mostly consists of meats such as pig, poultry, snake, snail, and others. Hakka cuisine, dim sum, fried noodles (much of their meal includes stir-frying and steaming), wontons, and many more.

2. Congee Wong 天皇名粥

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Congee Wong is a Cantonese restaurant on Finch and Leslie Square. Here you can find a large selection of Hong Kong-style meals. The restaurant provides Cantonese-style shrimp wonton noodles in soup (5pcs), with noodles that are excellent and chewy and soup that is full of rich flavours. They provide large portions that you can enjoy in their clean and modern restaurant that is also well-lit due to the pergola inside the restaurant. Furthermore, they take credit cards, which is a plus because most Chinese restaurants do not accept debit or credit cards, and there is free parking accessible in the plaza to make your visit the most comfortable.

Address: 10 Ravel Rd, North York, ON M2H 1S8 
Phone: +14164938222

Fujian (Min)

Fujian cuisine, often known as Min cuisine, originates in the southeastern province of Fujian. The cuisine is well-known for its thick and thin soups, as well as seafood dishes that are influenced by the geographical surroundings. The food is flavourful, with mild spices and mostly umami taste.

3. Shaxian Delicacies

Best Chinese Street Food in Toronto 6
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Shaxian Delicacies is located inside Scarboro Village Mall in Scarborough. Shaxian Delicacies takes their name from a small populated region in Fujian province. This restaurant is one of the most renowned food chains in China, with over 30 000 locations. They also have locations abroad, including American, France, Portuguese, and Toronto. The restaurant serves affordable Fujian delicacies, including Fujian-packed fish balls, which are lovely and soft and go well with their wonton soup.

Address: 3280 Midland Ave #15, Scarborough, ON M1V 4W8 
Photo: +14167543248

Hunan (Xiang)

Hunan cuisine is divided into three primary culinary styles: Xiang River style, Dongting Lake style, and Western Hunan style. Out of all the major Chinese culinary cuisines, the Hunan dish is simply recognized for its spicy flavour. Steamed Fish Head with Chopped Chili, Hunan rice noodles, Fried Pork with Chili, and other dishes are among the popular dishes.

4. Hunan Style Restaurant

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Hunan Style Restaurant in Scarborough serves authentic Hunan cuisine hard to find anywhere in the city. The restaurant is where you go if you want a menu full of spicy delicacies. You can try their deep-fried chicken with hot pepper; the chicken is well cooked and spicy and finishes off with one of their cool soda options to tone down the numbness.

Address: 633 Silver Star Blvd, Scarborough, ON M1V 5N1 
Phone:  ​​+14168939733 

Jiangsu (Su)

Jiangsu cuisine is made up of six regional cuisines that originated in Jiangsu Province: Huaiyang, Nanjing, Yangzhou, Suzhou, Xuzhou, and Haizhou. The dish is well-known for its delicate look as well as its fresh, umami, and faintly sweet flavour. Fish, Braised Meatballs in Brown Sauce, Beggar’s Chicken, and other meals are popular dishes.

5. Tian Xin Place

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Tian Xin Place in Thornhill provides traditional Huaiyang cuisine that locals have grown to love. The restaurant is family-run with the objective of providing authentic Chinese food in Toronto. You can try the Deep fried fish with sweet and sour sauce, which is one of Jiangsu Province’s traditional meals, where the fish has the proper crispness and is accompanied with a sauce that is not excessively sweet. Come experience this classic delicacy in a clean and comfortable setting.

Address: ​​5 Glen Cameron Rd, Thornhill, ON L3T 5W2  
​​phone: +19057077990

Shandong (Lu)

Shandong cuisine is popular in China’s northern provinces, yet it is one of the few available in Toronto. The dish has umami, sweet and sour flavour, with dishes including seafood, soups, and noodles, as well as green onions and garlic as prominent spicing components.

6. 98 Aroma

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98 Aroma, located in Kensington Market, provides exquisite Northern Chinese stir-fries, noodle dishes, and dumplings. They have a good range of seafood meals, such as Steamed Garlic Shrimp, which is a must-try as it’s soft, flavourful, the garlic enhances the dish and is beautifully presented. The restaurant’s design is a combination of modern and antique, and there are plenty of seating places for those looking for a good comfortable family dining environment.

Address: 440 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON M5T 2G8 
Phone: +14169689888

Szechuan (Chuan)

Szechuan cuisine, also known as Chua or Sichuan, originated in the southern Chinese region of Sichuan. Sichuan cuisine is famed for its numerous specialties, and the most well-known tastes include peppery and spicy-hot with a somewhat numbing sensation. Sichuan hotpot and spicy deep-fried chicken are among the popular meals.

7. Hotopia

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Instagram/@hotopia_canada
Hotopia, a hidden gem in North York, prepares classic cuisines with fresh local ingredients and a spicy and numbing kick from Sichuan pepper and Sichuan peppercorn. They provide delicious Sichuan food with a manageable spice level, but you can always request more or less spiciness. Mala pots, a famous Sichuan meal, are a must-try with appetizing colours, but keep in mind that the Mala pot is supposed to be filled with Chili and no broth.

Address:​​ 25 Spring Garden Ave, North York, ON M2N 3G1
Phone: +14165518832 

Zhejiang (Zhe)

Zhejiang cuisine is one of the great eight Chinese cuisines that are comparable to Jiangsu and Shanghai cuisine. The cuisine originated in China’s Zhejiang Province, and it is known for its fresh and natural flavours. The cuisine is mostly composed of seafood dishes such as fried shrimp and xiao long bao.

8. Shanghai Shikumen Fine Cuisine Markham

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Shanghai Shikumen is located in First Markham Place and features Zhejiang classics. The restaurant is a Shanghai restaurant, although it specializes in Zhejiang food. They offer trendy hardwood interior designs and plenty of seating places for a classy eatery. Try their xiao long bao, which is nicely prepared with a good amount of soup inside. Their red braised pork which is super tender is also a must-try.

Address: 3225 Hwy 7 Unit 1-A, Markham, ON L3R 3P9 
Phone: +19056047166

The great eight Chinese culinary cuisines provide a varied selection of cuisines fun to experiment with. The cuisines are never dull,  well seasoned and have excellent methods of preparation. Make sure to check out the restaurants and get a taste of China here in Toronto. If you like this post, be sure to check out our daily updates for more best food spots in the GTA. 

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