A Chinese takeaway menu can be long, numbered, and full of unfamiliar terms, which makes it easy to order the same thing every time or to end up with more food than you need. Most menus follow a similar structure, and most of the dishes on them fall into a handful of recognisable categories. Once you understand how the menu is arranged and what the popular dishes actually contain, ordering becomes quick and predictable.
This guide explains the common sections of a Chinese takeaway menu, describes the dishes that appear most often, and offers practical tips on portions, spice levels, dietary needs, and storing leftovers. It applies to menu items in general rather than any particular restaurant, so you can use it with almost any menu you open.
How a Chinese Takeaway Menu Is Usually Organised
Menus vary, but most are divided into the same broad sections. Knowing the order helps you scan quickly rather than reading every line.
- Starters and sides: Small items such as rolls, ribs, prawn crackers, dumplings, and skewers.
- Soups: Usually a short list of broth-based and thickened soups.
- Main dishes: Meat, seafood, or tofu cooked with vegetables in a sauce. This is the largest section.
- Rice and noodles: Plain or fried, often treated as accompaniments rather than main dishes.
- Set meals and combination boxes: Fixed bundles of a starter, a main, and a side, usually priced lower than ordering each item separately.
- Extras: Sauces, extra rice, or additional portions of popular sides.
Many menus also number each dish. Quoting the number when you order reduces the chance of confusion, especially over the phone.
Popular Dishes and What They Contain
The descriptions below cover the dishes that appear on most menus. Recipes differ between kitchens, so treat these as general descriptions rather than fixed formulas.
Starters and Small Plates
- Spring rolls: Thin pastry rolls filled with shredded vegetables, sometimes with meat, and deep-fried until crisp.
- Prawn crackers: Light, crisp crackers usually served as a side or while you wait.
- Dumplings: Filled parcels that are either steamed or pan-fried, often served with a dipping sauce.
- Spare ribs: Pork ribs in a sticky sauce, commonly described as barbecue or honey-glazed.
- Wontons: Small filled parcels, served fried as a starter or in soup as a main.
- Salt and pepper dishes: Items coated lightly and fried with seasoning, usually served with sliced chilli and onion.
Soups
- Hot and sour soup: A thickened, tangy broth with a noticeable pepper heat.
- Wonton soup: A clear broth with filled dumplings.
- Sweetcorn soup: A mild, thickened soup, often with egg stirred through.
Main Dishes
- Sweet and sour dishes: Meat or vegetables, sometimes battered, in a bright, tangy sauce with pineapple and peppers.
- Chop suey: A mixed stir-fry of vegetables with bean sprouts and a light sauce.
- Chow mein: Stir-fried noodles with vegetables and a protein.
- Kung pao: A stir-fry with peanuts, dried chillies, and a savoury sauce.
- Curry dishes: Meat or vegetables in a mild to medium spiced sauce, usually served with rice.
- Black bean dishes: A savoury, salty sauce made from fermented beans, commonly paired with beef or peppers.
- Mapo tofu: Soft tofu in a spiced sauce, often with minced meat.
- Lemon chicken: Battered chicken served with a separate lemon sauce.
- Crispy aromatic duck: Shredded duck served with pancakes, cucumber, and a sweet sauce.
Rice and Noodles
- Egg fried rice: Rice stir-fried with egg and often peas or spring onion.
- Special fried rice: Fried rice with a mix of meat and seafood.
- Singapore-style noodles: Thin noodles in a curry-flavoured sauce, usually with a little heat.
- Plain rice or plain noodles: A neutral base for a saucier main dish.
Ordering Tips
Estimate Portions Before You Order
Takeaway portions are often generous. As a rough guide, allow one main dish per adult and add one extra main for every three or four people to share. Rice and noodles are usually ordered separately, so a single portion of rice often covers two people when other dishes are on the table.
Balance the Order
Menus are built around contrast. A balanced order might include:
- One battered or fried dish and one lighter stir-fry
- One savoury sauce and one sweeter or tangier sauce
- One hot dish and one mild dish
- At least one vegetable-only dish
- Rice or noodles as the base, with fewer starchy mains if you choose both
Check the Spice Level
Spice descriptions vary widely between kitchens. If heat matters to you, ask whether a dish is mild, medium, or hot, and whether the kitchen can adjust it. Dishes marked with a chilli symbol are usually the hottest on the menu.
Mention Dietary Needs Clearly
Sauces can contain soy, wheat, shellfish, nuts, egg, and dairy, and shared fryers are common. If you have an allergy or follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, state it clearly when ordering and ask which dishes are suitable. Where possible, confirm directly with the kitchen rather than relying on the menu description alone.
Ask for Sauces on the Side
Saucy dishes can soften fried items during transport. Asking for the sauce in a separate container keeps textures intact, particularly for battered dishes and anything served with pancakes.
Order at Quieter Times
Delivery and collection times lengthen during peak hours. Ordering slightly earlier or later than the busiest period usually results in faster service and fresher food. If you order online, check the estimated time shown before confirming rather than assuming the usual figure.
Review the Order Before Paying
Confirm the number of rice or noodle portions, any drink items, your delivery address, and any special instructions. Keep a note of the total so you can check it against the confirmation.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of delivery and eat them within a day or two.
- Store sauces separately from fried items where possible.
- Reheat thoroughly until piping hot, and reheat only once.
- Discard any food that has been left at room temperature for a long period.
- Do not refreeze food that has already been reheated.
Conclusion
A Chinese takeaway menu is straightforward once you know its layout. Starters, soups, mains, and rice or noodles each serve a different purpose, and the popular dishes follow a small number of flavour patterns: sweet and sour, savoury bean-based sauces, mild curry, and stir-fried vegetables. Order one main per person, add a shared side of rice or noodles, balance fried with lighter dishes, and state any dietary needs clearly when you order.
For more practical guidance on everyday food, home, and online ordering questions, explore the other guides available on this site.