Tried and tested guide to Merseyside's best Chinese takeaways

There is no denying when it comes to Merseyside we are blessed with a huge array of restaurants and takeaways. However one that we think we do particularly well is Chinese food.

Liverpool is home to one of the oldest Chinese communities in Europe and every year the Lunar New Year celebration is always a spectacular event. But even when Chinese New Year is over, there are hundreds of venues offering mouth-watering oriental food across the city, Wirral and beyond.

Whether you're after a banquet to feed all the family at a party, or a indulgent meal to enjoy in front of the television, there are delicious takeaway options just a call away. Many of the takeaways offer a delivery service and are on apps including Just Eat and UberEats. However some are collection only - but they're definitely worth the trip.

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The ECHO team has listed their favourite Chinese takeaways in Merseyside. Takeaways are obviously personal preference so we would love to hear of any other gems in the comments below.

Chung Ku - Emilia Bona

You know a takeaway is good when you're still willing to drive to it for a Friday night collection several years after you've moved house away from the area it's located in. Usually a takeaway is a meal of convenience, which either gets delivered to your house or which you can pop to collect from a local shop with minimal effort.

But Chung Ku is one of only two Liverpool takeaways I am willing to travel for (the other being The Indian Kitchen on Garston Old Road). Chung Ku is an absolute classic Chinese takeaway, serving all the dishes you'd expect to find in a traditional Scouse hybrid of a chippy/Chinese, from soups and spring rolls to crispy duck, salt and pepper dishes and amazing dim sum.

For me, the star of the show is always the crispy shredded chilli chicken, which comes in a silver tray packed with a massive portion. It's spicy, sweet and crunchy, and always stays piping hot by the time you get home. Chung Ku honour the age-old agreement of throwing in a free bag of prawn crackers when they deem your order to be substantial enough, and there have been several occasions when I've ordered so much food that they've handed it over in a box rather than a white plastic bag. Located on the Childwall Five Ways roundabout, it's pretty easy to get to from most parts of south Liverpool and it's well worth travelling for.

9 Childwall Priory Rd, Liverpool L16 7PA

Sans Cafe - Ellen Kirwin

One of my favourite restaurants in Liverpool, never mind Chinese venues, is Sans. Found on Lightbody Street, near to the dock road, Sans is the epitome of a hidden gem in my opinion.

The café and takeaway opened in the late 1960s and has been serving authentic cuisine for decades since. My personal favourites on the menu include the special curry and the huge chop suey rolls.

Lin, the owner and chef, hasn't changed any of her recipes to cater to English taste buds. So when you dine at Sans, you'll never go back to your typical Chinese takeaway again.

Expect a big of a fiery kick and plenty of flavour in every forkful. Earlier this year the Hairy Bikers, David Myers and Si King, even visited the little gem.

Lightbody Street, Liverpool L5 9UZ

Kingways Chippy (Tom’s) - Paul Philbin

A conversation that happens in the airport on the way home from watching Liverpool in Europe with my mates is always 'What's the chippy order tonight, lad?' This then leads to a long discussion between the group of what we're ordering and where from. After a few days on the ale, it always feels necessary to end it with a decent Chinese.

When answering the question I must sound like a broken record when I say 'Crispy chilli beef from Kingsway'. It's an absolute must and always ends a trip perfectly. Despite people believing that salt and pepper chicken is the best chippy tea in Liverpool, they're all wrong because it is Crispy chilli beef.

Whether you're hungover, craving a chippy, or don't have time to cook I would always recommend heading to Kingsway Chippy (Tom's) for a great Chinese takeaway. The portion size is kind and the service inside is brilliant.

A special mention also goes to the Special Chilli and Garlic, Sweet and Sour Chicken and the noodles. The only negative about Kingsway Chippy is that it isn't open of a Sunday so you need to find an alternative to cure a hangover.

15 Kingsway, Liverpool L36 2QA

Sixty Kitchen - Kate Lally

Sixty Kitchen is a takeaway like no other. You can't enter the building, and you don't get to choose what you order. And it's up there with some of the best Chinese food I've ever had.

There isn't a traditional menu, instead you get a set banquet for four for £60 - hence the name - or £30 for two, and the portions are generous.
You get starters, mains and sides, with a regular menu and a plant-based one. The menu changes monthly, showcasing the chef's skills, and all dishes are cooked fresh.

Some favourites we've had include the ribs, which always fall off the bone and melt in your mouth, and the salt and pepper chicken. And while it's by no means a Chinese dish, I couldn't write this without shouting about the chips.

Not quite chippy chips, not quite roast potatoes, they are carb perfection. And they're always the first thing to go when our Sixty arrives.

23 Chapel Lane, Formby, Liverpool L37 4DL

Chong Hua - Jess Molyneux

This last year, I’ve started ordering from Chong Hua and it’s quickly become my favourite Chinese takeaway. Located on Oak Hill Road in Old Swan, the business sells everything from chow mien to salt and pepper dishes, to Szechuan and everything in between.

I don’t live in Liverpool, but my house is within the delivery boundaries for Chong Hua and I had to give it a try after being recommended it by a family member who lives nearby. Delivery has always been fairly quick directly through the business, staff are lovely and I've never had a bad meal from there.

The best meal I've tried at the takeaway is by far the salt and pepper box, which has spare ribs, chicken wings, sui mai, chips, spring rolls and chicken pieces. It's absolutely immense and while £18.80 does sound steep, it’s a sharer for two and they’re definitely generous with their portions.

It’s separated out into two boxes and it’s ideal to have if you’re having a weekend in on the sofa and want to keep picking at it through the night. I’ve not gotten a Chinese takeaway from anywhere else since I became a customer at Chong Hua, and I don’t regret it.

52 Oakhill Road, Old Swan, Liverpool L13 5UF

Chung Fad - Conaill Corner

Chung Fad, a local legend, has long been hailed by many as the finest takeaway in Waterloo. Robert, its ever-smiling proprietor, is a familiar face and best friend to everyone in the area.

Together with his hardworking family, they continue to serve their exceptional food with warmth and dedication, just as they have done for countless years. Whether you're craving fried rice, chow mein, salt and pepper chicken, or crispy duck, Chung Fad consistently delivers on quality and generous portion sizes, leaving customers in a satisfied, slightly coma-like state.

With its friendly service, speedy delivery, and unwavering reliability, this Chinese takeaway's sterling reputation ensures its legion of devoted customers keep coming back for more.

20 South Road, Waterloo L22 5PQ.

Mr Chilli - Dan Haygarth

Found among the nightlife spots of Seel Street, Mr Chilli is a fine Chinese restaurant which also offers great takeaway. Reasonably priced, its menu includes a combination of more authentic Szechuan cooking and Chinese restaurant classics - all coming in very generous portions.

If it’s Chinese restaurant classics you’re after, you’ll go a long way to find a better beef in black bean sauce. The sauce is of a great consistency and the beef is tender - which isn’t often the case at inferior takeaways.

For those with an adventurous palette, there’s plenty of wonderfully spicy options on offer - as the restaurant’s name would suggest. Hot and spicy King Prawn Sichuan style is amazing, as is the Sichuan hot & numbing chicken - which will certainly stay with you.

Whether I fancy going out for a Chinese or ordering in, I’d almost always go for Mr Chilli. If you’re after something a bit more basic or if you’re feeling adventurous, it has all bases covered.

92 Seel Street , Liverpool L1 4BL

Happy Yu - Christopher Megrath

When I moved to Liverpool I was upset to discover a Chinese takeaway was built very different to those from Ireland. Chicken balls in the UK are essentially chicken nuggets and spare ribs lacked any respectable amount of meat. Happy Yu is as close to an Irish Chinese as I’ve ever found and I’ve never ordered anywhere else since.

The portions are huge, the sauces are thick and bright, and you are guaranteed a free portion of prawn crackers with every order no matter the cost. I’m well aware this is ostracising to anyone who doesn’t know what an Irish Chinese is but if you visit Happy Yu you’ll quickly learn the difference.

203 Kensington, Liverpool L7 2RF

Peking Palace - Alice Walker

I've been an avid Peking Palace fan for 14 years, starting shortly after I moved to Aigburth in 2011, and it is one of my favourite places to get food, never mind just Chinese food. My go-to at the moment is sweet and sour pork with egg fried rice and a side of prawn toast.

I've recently become quite partial to their bao buns, but there is so much on offer that you really can't go wrong. I love a chow mein too, but if you're just after some good old fashioned chips, Peking Palace will not disappoint. The staff are friendly, the food is always high quality, and the best part is my girlfriend, who is from the midlands, recently told me that Peking Palace is her new favourite place to get a Chinese, and nowhere else compares!

78 Aigburth Rd, Dingle, Liverpool L17 7BN

Lee Dynasty - Steve Graves

Generally, Chinese food establishments divide into two distinct camps - chip shops and restaurants. There’s something undeniably appealing about chippy chips buried under chicken in chilli and garlic sauce, and I miss the chicken in special sauce formerly served at Chi Nar Kitchen on Penny Lane on a daily basis.

And of course, a restaurant-quality Chinese meal is hard to beat. Lee Dynasty sits almost exactly between the two.

A small dining room with a takeaway counter at the front, it offers everything you’d expect from either a chip shop Chinese or a dine-in venue. It also specialises in Malaysian food, offering something a little bit different from the standard menu favourites.

309 Aigburth Road, Liverpool L17 0BJ

The Mayflower - Jamie Greer

The Mayflower has everything you want in a Merseyside Chinese takeaway. It might not be the first thing that immediately stands out in the picturesque Wirral village, but those who live nearby love it.

Every Friday and Saturday, its phone lines are jammed up with people ringing in to get their orders in. When you go into the takeaway, it can be a standing room only with people waiting to collect their order.

The takeaway contains so many delicious Chinese meals. The beef in black bean sauce and chicken curry remain particular favourites of mine, which go with a delicious portion of salt and peppers chips. The portions are also so massive that you can even share meals and you’ll still be full.

9 Claughton Firs, Oxton, Birkenhead, Prenton CH43 5TG

Marybone fish and chips - Paul McAuley

Don’t let the name fool you - this place has dragged me out of a hangover more times than I can count. Located in the midst of a handful of student halls in Vauxhall Road, it is very reasonably priced.

Everybody knows the key to a great Chinese meal is having lots of various meals combined onto your plate like a party and this menu allows you to do exactly that without breaking the bank. If I could sway you to go for anything it would be anything crispy drowning in sweet and sour sauce.

4 Vauxhall Road, Liverpool L3 6BG

Oriental Delight - Emily Sleight

I can always count on Oriental Delight in Bebington to give me a delicious beef curry with all the trimmings. The portions are absolutely huge, and always come piping hot which is an absolute bonus.

I’m a bit of a weirdo and always either opt for a beef curry or a special foo young. It’s safe to say I’ve had my fair share of below average takeaways on the Wirral. However, Oriental Delight’s curries are always full of flavour with deliciously thick curry sauce and tender meat.

They’re always super generous and give us a big portion of prawn crackers on the side which are perfect for scooping up the curry. The delivery is fast, which is just what you need when you’re feeling ravenous.

188-190 Bebington Road, Bebington, Wirral CH63 7NX

Big Bowl Noodle - Wesley Holmes

Hainanese chicken rice is my favourite pan-Asian dish, and a hidden gem here in England. Adapted from early Chinese immigrants originally from Hainan province, several countries have laid claim to the dish, from Malaysia to Singapore, where it is considered a national staple. Sadly its widespread popularity has not touched on British shores, so it remains woefully absent from many restaurants. Thankfully, the Big Bowl Noodle Bar on Berry Street includes this delicious creation on its sprawling menu.

This delicate, austere dish comes in several deconstructed parts: mild and juicy poached chicken with cucumber, fragrant rice, ginger and soy, and a refreshing green broth, all served in their own small dishes.

12-14 Berry St, Liverpool L1 4JF