Eastern Diner

Head down to Allerton Road and you'll find Eastern Diner tucked among the neighbourhood's independent shops and cafes. This is the kind of place where they know what they're doing: the kitchen turns out authentic Cantonese and Sichuan dishes without trying to be trendy about it. You're getting proper wok-cooked food here, the sort that rewards you for skipping the chain restaurants in town centre. The room's unpretentious, the service is genuine, and the prices won't have you wincing at the till—which matters when you're ordering for a group.