Any local would love a good meal by the Mount, and really, who can say no to your classic fish and chips? But sometimes, there are days when food cravings can only be handled with a big tray of steamed dumplings or crispy roast pork from a takeaway.

When those cravings come, you should know exactly where to look. 

Now, these may not all be the fanciest choices on the block, but one thing’s for sure – there’s a reason why locals queue up for them and why they’re the go-to for many foodies (like our team!).

It’s a secret between you and us at this point, but hey, no hard feelings once you start dragging your friends to these Chinese restaurants in Tauranga!

1. Kwang Chow Restaurant

Location: 241 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui 3116

Contact: +6475755063

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 11:30 AM – 9:30 PM

Website

Kwang Chow has been around for many years, so it’s a staple for most locals and tourists already. We can connect this to three major things: good prices, big portions, and solid flavours.

We definitely loved their buffet as the options are plentiful. Classics include their popular fried rice, vegetarian egg noodles, cashew chicken, and beef with black bean sauce. The quality is great – we did 3 separate visits and the flavours remained the same.

The place is a great family-friendly spot as well, considering how affordable the meals are. Adults can expect to pay anywhere from $28 to $40, depending on the range of mains and desserts ordered.

Another thing we loved is how they cater to a variety of tastes. They have a nice “Kiwi Chinese” flavour on their meals, which is similar to Chinese-Pervian style buffets. 

This makes them a solid choice for those who want a little “toned down” version of Chinese meals.

Just take note that during peak hours at lunch, the restaurant is crowded, so it’s not the most enjoyable dining experience. It’s not your ideal sit-down dinner spot, but for the average diner, it’s everything you can ever ask for.

So delicious!

“All you can eat chinese buffet for 20 NZD. But I tried this one and it’s so delicious but quiet expensive. It cost around 40 NZD.  The have a strong wifi also. And the buffet itself is very complete. You can get all the appetizer, main dish, salad, and dessert as well as the ice cream. Nice park view outside of the restaurant. And you can find this place easily.”

Astri Andini | Google Review

The best Chinese food

“The best Chinese food I have had, hands down. One of the waiters came up to us at the table to explain where to go, etc. very kind. Absolutely delicious food. 100/10”

Sezz Kebab | Google Review

88 Chinese Restaurant

Location: 801 Cameron Road, Tauranga South

Contact: +6475712388

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Saturday – Sunday: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

88 Chinese Restaurant stands out for their delicious, quality dishes. Our team agrees that their crispy roast pork is one of the best in the city. Paired with rice, the portion is just right, and the smoky aroma perfectly highlights the range of seasonings.

Other popular dishes include duck on rice and dim sum options. 

Food options are a little more expensive than most at $30 to $50 per person. But since main dishes can easily feed at least 4 people, we find that it’s good value for money.

The atmosphere is also noteworthy. This Cameron Road location is spacious, bright, and exceptionally clean, even during busy days. Large lazy Susans make group dining more enjoyable, while smaller booths give diners a cosier option.

The downside, however, was the inconvenient parking. Spaces near the restaurant were limited, and diners often needed to park a short walk away. We recommend either arriving earlier or taking public transit options.

Beautifully presented dishes

“Day 2 I am back again My order was fairly average yesterday, but still full of flavor. As I looked around at the beautifully presented dishes and read through the glowing reviews, it became clear there’s so much more to explore on the menu.  Definitely no complaints.”

Viliami Moheloa (WobblyStar) | Google Review

Large portions

“Large portion but a bit pricier than I expected. Had a lot of customers on Wed noon.  We ordered 3 dishes and one dimsum total $87”

ND 1319 | Google Review

3. Eastern Ocean Chinese Restaurant

Location: 3/100 Grey Street, Tauranga 3110

Contact: +6475799777

Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Website

Eastern Ocean Chinese Restaurant is a well-established restaurant that’s popular among families. The food is definitely the standout here, with options like the juicy roast Peking duck, roast pork, and solid dim sum selections.

The flavours lean towards the more traditional option with less salt, served in portions that are generous enough to feed a small group. 

What’s great is that the menu caters to both locals and visiting diners, with options like seafood platters and BBQ pork buns. The taste is just right to meet both Kiwi preferences and the pickiest Chinese food lovers.

The cost of food is great. In fact, it’s one of the most affordable we’ve encountered. Lunch specials only cost $10 to $20 per person. But if you want to enjoy a full, sit-down dinner, you need to prepare about $30 to $50 for your meal.

Another fun touch you may appreciate is that the space hosts karaoke and celebratory gatherings for any intimate event.

The only downside we noted is that the quality of food and service varies during peak hours. There are times when they delivered with no issues, but there were also times when dishes arrived slower or slightly off standard.

Delicious food and great service

“Well services and majority of the foods are delicious without caused of MSG due to won’t feel thirsty after meal. Price are reasonable. I and my buddies almost dine in once a week 🙂 highly recommend their Roast Peking Duck! But this dishes will take some time to serve as it lot of steps we believe :)”

Felix Yap | Google Review

Awesome Chinese food

“extremely awesome traditional Chinese food! love the crispy roast duck and deep fried pork ribs. This is real chinese (Cantonese and Hongkong style) dishes! Had dinner on anzac day, short stuff but the service is great. friendly and nice. very nice price! next time I would love to try the dimsum”

Tong Y  Google Review

4. Dumpling Delight 

Location: 20 Wharf Street, Tauranga 3110

Contact: +6475712166

Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, 4:30 PM – 9:30 PM, Saturday – Sunday: 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM

Dumpling Delight is a famous spot in Tauranga that’s popular among families and students. This is because their prices are affordable and are fair when compared to their portion sizes.

Of course, the food is the major draw here. During our interview with patrons, many dishes were mentioned multiple times for consistent taste: beef brisket noodle soup, pork and cabbage dumplings, and guo bao ru (crispy pork).

There’s always a nice level of spice to the dishes, something that even non-Chinese food enthusiasts can tolerate. And with shareable options (like dumplings that include 12 to 16 pieces per plate), it’s an affordable option for most.

The staff are kind, which we appreciate. They can also accommodate special requests with no fuss. Orders generally arrive fast, with most meals served within 10 to 15 minutes (except for big orders, of course).

The interior is more functional than stylish, but its unassuming atmosphere and neat layout are just right for a quick meal.

There were just times that the freshness of some meats was questionable, and they had a rather frozen taste. This seems to be an occasional issue, which likely happens when the restaurant is moderately busy.

Delicious and filling for the price

“Very lovely lunch during the jazz festival, had a hearty and filling brisket noodle soup and pork and cabbage dumplings. Both were suuuuper yummy and very filling for the price! a delicious and well worth the price!!!”

T G | Google Review

The best I had

“f I could, I would give it 6 stars! Guo Bao Rou is excellent: sweet, crispy, and tasty! It looks lovely too; that’s the best dish I have had—love it!”

Olivia Yao| Google Review

5. Sichuan Style Restaurant Tauranga

Location: New Zealand, Tauranga, Devonport Rd, NZ邮政编码: 3110

Contact: +6475713198

Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Website

For those who love authentic Sichuan cuisine, Sichuan Style Restaurant is a great choice. The place is popular for its delicious flavours, large portions, and attentive service that fits well for big families

Food is great with many must-tries – signature options include their mapo tofu, Sichuan dumplings, and Kung Pao chicken. We went to the place on 3 separate occasions, and the dishes all tasted consistently good.

The mains are generous. In fact, the portions are large enough to be shared between 3 to 4 people. When bills are split, each person can expect to spend $20 to $30 for lunch and dinner for a complete meal.

We also appreciate that they cater to vegetarians, with plenty of plant-based dishes. What’s nice is that the options are authentically spicy, and while there’s a strong kick to them, they’re rather enjoyable than overwhelming.

The drawback, as with most restaurants of this scale, is that service time is slow during peak hours. These occasional lapses are uncommon – the general expectation is that food comes fast with no errors in orders.

Warm and pleasant

“If you like spicy food, this is the place to be. The portion sizes were large and service was very quick. The staff were very warm and pleasant. The restaurant itself was very clean and tidy. We ordered map tofu,  long beans and the sweet and spicy eggplant with vego fried rice. All the dishes were delicious and I wished we had a sichuan restaurant like this back home.”

SBS | Google Review

Great variety of food 

“Most certainly the best Chinese food in the bay of plenty. Highly recommend coming in to dine and accommodates large groups. Great variety of food that just tastes fresh and very nice. Will definitely make this a regular place to come in tauranga. Great prices, great portions and great quality. Thanks for a awesome meal.”

Liam Thompson | Google Review