Chinatown

One line to explain but tons of explore!
‘Asian village of Brisbane’
Check all the shops and restaurants: You might be surprised for what you are not even looking for!

Hustling, bustling and more bustling. And yay, the renovations have finally been completed… can’t say that I can see THAT much of a huge difference, but I still love this place.
There are so many nice restaurants (Dragon Inn, Wagaya, Enjoy Inn) on this mall, really authentic, fresh and generally good quality asian food. Funny, it’s found in Chinatown! If you’re an art sculpture person, you will be excited to see the full metal fish sculptures (pretty cool) sitting themselves on either sides of the mall and a funky light changing water feature on the top.
There is always something happening here, a food presentation, a multicultural display or dance, and where there is an audience, there is always a way… even when the rain continually pours down. So head here Unilocalers for good food, a great night with friends and good atmosphere.
(Hot Tip: Avoid going there too late at night to just ‘hang out’, there may be police paddy wagons about searching for drug fuelled residents of the valley, I suppose it gives the valley ‘character’… either way, for safety reasonsI still wouldn’t hang around to see it)

Chinatown mall copped a bad rap when its redevlopment was launched in 2011 but I like it. It would be nice to see more trees and shade, but when it’s packed out for Chinese New Year with performances underway in three or four areas along the mall and hundreds of people it seems to work OK. I love the feature scuptures, a giant fish and dragon and I think it has good atmoshphere. Maybe it needs the crowd to do that but it seems to be a bustling hive of activity on any weekend and worth a visit. Grab some Yum Cha or some great Asian food from the shops along the mall.

As a kid, I knew Chinatown was the place my family would come to for yum cha, Chinese baked goods, and roast duck. While my parents bought groceries from Burlington and Yuen’s, my siblings and I would rattle the change from my parents’ pockets and dunk them into the ever mildewed goldfish pond.
This is, I assume, what killed all of the fish and prompted the local council to put together blue prints for a cleaner, more open Chinatown, and in many ways they’ve succeeded. Just like King George Square was cleaned out and flattened, Chinatown’s received a similar treatment.
The main area resembles a futuristic temple entrance, the area is open, and feels slightly sterile. (Cleaners come by every night and buff the floors.) But it does create more dining space for restaurants, as well as space for the Chinatown markets that take place here, with many goods like jewelry, toy’s, plants, and bags imported from Asia being sold here for cheap.
There is also now ample space for a hundred lion dances, though the celebrations during Chinese New Years at Chinatown nowadays are depressingly few. Yes it’s cleaner and more modern, and the renovations made to the driveways up to the parking lot are a welcome change, but as Chinatown ages, there’s less and less about it that’s actually Chinese.
The old pagodas have been torn down, there are no volunteers handing out moon cakes at Lunar Year celebrations, and the ‘Chinese Movie Night’ they have on offer are only Hollywood Films starring Chinese people. There’s definitely less to see and less going on here, but it’s still a pleasant place to have a rest. It’s just a little bit soulless and sparse; if you’re after the real Chinatown, head to Sunnybank.

Located one street over from busy Brunswick Street Mall in the Valley is Chinatown. Chinatown is a cultural hub and home to some of the best oriental restaurants in Brisbane.
Duncan Street, where Chinatown is located, is a pedestrian street that doesn’t seem like much during the day, but at night when the lanterns are lit and the businesses open to the public is when it’s prime time to check out some of what Chinatown has to offer. Festivals throughout the year are held in the Chinatown mall, and it’s pretty spectacular being there for Chinese New Year which I’ve been lucky enough to see a few times, because you can become witness to traditional Chinese celebrations, food and festivities. There is also a lot of commercial activity in Chinatown as well, with many small businesses such as doctors, dentists, realtors and stores specifically aimed at the Chinese community in Brisbane. The street is beautiful and clean (having had a bit of help over the last few years by Brisbane City Council) and has ample street seating.
If you’re a fan of asian cuisine (Chinatown plays host to some great Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese and Malaysian restaurants too) then I highly recommend that you head to Chinatown for some great food and atmosphere.