The best Chinese restaurants in Whanganui are almost all takeaway counters rather than dining rooms, and several of them combine Chinese with fish and chips, which is the classic New Zealand small city arrangement and genuinely useful for a household that cannot agree. Chinese takeaways in Whanganui are spread across the suburbs rather than concentrated in one street, so the nearest one to you is usually the deciding factor. Locals have strong and long held opinions about which is best, and the answers rarely match the review scores.
1Magic Wok Restaurant & Takeaways
Magic Wok combines Chinese cooking with a fish and chip shop, offering sweet and sour, crispy chicken and the familiar takeaway range alongside burgers and a chippy menu. Its delivery listing describes it as Whanganui’s Chinese and chippy in one, which is exactly the appeal: a single order covers the person who wants Chinese and the one who wants a scoop of chips. It sits on Victoria Avenue in the central city, appears on the delivery platforms as well as taking direct orders, and has more than 140 Google reviews.
Services
- Chinese takeaway
- Fish and chips
- Burgers
- Delivery through Delivereasy
Highlights
- Chinese and fish and chips from the same kitchen
- Central Victoria Avenue location
- Available on delivery platforms as well as direct
Location & Contact
Name: Magic Wok Restaurant & Takeaways
Address: 158 Victoria Avenue, Whanganui 4500
Phone: 06 345 7807
2Happy Chinese Takeaways
Happy Chinese Takeaways is on Moana Street in Whanganui East, with more than 120 Google reviews and reviewers repeatedly mentioning portion size, which for a takeaway is often the deciding factor for a family order. It runs the fish and chips alongside the Chinese as well, and reviews single out both. A takeaway counter rather than a restaurant, so this is food to take home rather than an evening out.
Services
- Chinese takeaway
- Fish and chips
- Family sized orders
Highlights
- Serves the Whanganui East side of the river
- Reviews consistently mention large portions
- Chinese and fish and chips on one menu
Location & Contact
Name: Happy Chinese Takeaways
Address: 60 Moana Street, Whanganui East, Whanganui 4500
Phone: 06 343 1688
3Corner Fast Food Takeaway
Corner Fast Food Takeaway is a Chinese takeaway on Parsons Street in Springvale, a neighbourhood counter for that side of the city rather than a central restaurant. It has built up more than 130 Google reviews, which is a solid count for a suburban takeaway and a fair sign of a steady local trade. Like most of the takeaways here it is a counter to order from and take home, so ring ahead for a large order.
Services
- Chinese takeaway
- Phone orders
- Counter service
Highlights
- More than 130 Google reviews
- Springvale location on Parsons Street
- Convenient for the western suburbs
Location & Contact
Name: Corner Fast Food Takeaway
Address: 102B Parsons Street, Springvale, Whanganui 4500
Phone: 06 345 1565
4Miss Sushi & Shanghai Takeaway
Operating from 77A Ingestre Street, this combines a Shanghai style takeaway with sushi, and it is the name that came up first when Whanganui locals were asked on a community page where to get the best Chinese in town. Shanghai cooking differs from the Cantonese style behind most New Zealand Chinese menus, tending toward richer braises and more soy and sugar. Having sushi on the same site is a practical bonus for a mixed order.
Services
- Shanghai style Chinese takeaway
- Sushi
- Takeaway orders
Highlights
- Named first in a Whanganui community discussion on the best Chinese in town
- Shanghai style rather than the usual Cantonese menu
- Sushi available from the same site
- Central at 77A Ingestre Street
Location & Contact
Name: Miss Sushi & Shanghai Takeaway
Address: 77A Ingestre Street, Whanganui
5New Wing Wah Takeaways
New Wing Wah works from Fox Road in Springvale, serving that side of the city without a trip into the centre. It has no website and no social media presence, which is worth stating plainly because it means phone or in person only, and it is the reason the place is easy to miss online. Locals rate the food highly regardless, with one community comment noting it as among the better tasting Chinese takeaways in town while wishing it were easier to order from.
Services
- Chinese takeaway
- Phone orders
- Counter service
Highlights
- Serves the Springvale side of the city
- Phone or in person ordering only, no website or app
- Around 150 Google reviews
Location & Contact
Name: New Wing Wah Takeaways
Address: 2 Fox Road, Springvale, Whanganui 4501
Phone: 06 344 6088
Chinese Restaurants in Whanganui at a Glance
| Business | Highlight |
|---|---|
| Magic Wok Restaurant & Takeaways | Chinese and fish and chips from the same kitchen |
| Happy Chinese Takeaways | Serves the Whanganui East side of the river |
| Corner Fast Food Takeaway | More than 130 Google reviews |
| Miss Sushi & Shanghai Takeaway | Named first in a Whanganui community discussion on the best Chinese i... |
| New Wing Wah Takeaways | Serves the Springvale side of the city |
How to Choose a Chinese Takeaway in Whanganui
- Pick by suburb first. These are spread across the city rather than clustered, and the nearest one is usually the one you will keep using.
- If not everyone wants Chinese, choose a counter that also does fish and chips. Several here do, and it solves the problem in one order.
- Ask what regional style a kitchen cooks. Shanghai style and general New Zealand Chinese menus are genuinely different, and ordering off the specialist part of the menu is usually better than defaulting to sweet and sour.
- Not every place is online. At least one takes phone orders only, so a missing website says nothing about the food.
- Ordering direct rather than through an app is usually cheaper, since platform commission is priced into the menu.
- For a sit down meal rather than takeaway, check first. Most of these are counters with little or no seating.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chinese Restaurants in Whanganui
Where is the best Chinese takeaway in Whanganui?
Ask ten locals and you will get several answers, but the Ingestre Street Shanghai takeaway comes up first in community discussions, and the Springvale option is widely rated despite having no online presence at all. Review scores and local opinion do not line up especially well in this category.
Is there a Chinese restaurant in Whanganui you can sit down in?
Options are limited. Magic Wok trades as a restaurant as well as a takeaway, but most Chinese food in Whanganui comes from takeaway counters with little or no seating, so check before planning a meal out.
Can I get Chinese delivered in Whanganui?
Yes, some. Delivereasy and Uber Eats operate here and carry several kitchens, but not all of them, and at least one takeaway is phone order only. Ordering direct is generally cheaper where the option exists.
Which Chinese takeaways also do fish and chips?
Several. It is the standard arrangement in Whanganui as in many New Zealand cities, and it is the practical answer for a family where tastes differ. Check the menu before ordering, since the combined shops usually list both separately.
What is the difference between Shanghai and Cantonese cooking?
Broadly, Cantonese favours lighter sauces, steaming and roasting, and sits behind most New Zealand Chinese takeaway menus; Shanghai leans toward richer braises with more soy and sugar. Whanganui has at least one Shanghai style kitchen, so it is worth trying the regional dishes rather than the standard takeaway list.
Do the takeaways here open for lunch?
It varies, and several are dinner focused. Hours are not always published online, particularly for the places without websites, so a phone call is the reliable way to check before driving over.
How We Chose the Best Chinese Restaurants in Whanganui
Every business in this guide was found by searching for chinese restaurants in Whanganui, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Whanganui, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.