Flower Drum

The story

Flower Drum Melbourne – Fine Dining Cantonese in Market Lane

A Melbourne Institution, Rooted in Cantonese Tradition

In 1975, Gilbert Lau opened Flower Drum on Little Bourke Street with a straightforward ambition: to serve good Cantonese food to Australians. What followed was anything but ordinary. His exacting standards — for ingredients, for technique, for service — pushed Cantonese cuisine into a conversation long dominated by European fine dining, and earned the restaurant a reputation that reached well beyond Melbourne.

A decade in, the restaurant moved to its current address at 17 Market Lane to accommodate a growing clientele in a more spacious dining room. It was at this point that Anthony Lui was appointed Executive Chef, a position he holds to this day. The partnership between Gilbert and Anthony proved defining: the Age Good Food Guide named Flower Drum Restaurant of the Year from 1999 to 2002 and again in 2004, Gourmet Traveller followed suit in 2002, and the restaurant appeared in the World's 50 Best Restaurants list four consecutive times between 2002 and 2005 — a rare feat for any restaurant, let alone one specialising in Chinese fine dining.

The Kitchen and the Table

In 2003, Gilbert sold Flower Drum to three of his own employees: Anthony Lui, William Shek, and Patricia Fung. Anthony's son Jason Lui now serves as Operational Manager, and the founding philosophies — in food and in service — remain intact.

Executive Chef Anthony Lui purchases fresh ingredients daily from the market, with seasonal and daily specials built around what's best at any given moment. The approach is grounded in an authentic Asian philosophy: use the finest seasonal produce, apply skilled technique, and let the flavours speak. Several dishes have become enduring favourites over the years. The aromatic baked crab shell and braised lamb claypot are both well-loved regulars, but the signature Peking duck is the dish most closely associated with Flower Drum — roast duck prepared fresh daily, wrapped in a thin handmade pancake with sweet plum sauce, spring onion, and cucumber.

Beyond the à la carte menu, there are lunch and dinner banquets that shift with the seasons. And then there is what the restaurant calls its worst-kept secret: an unpublished chef's menu, created personally by Anthony and his team for guests who are open to it. It is perhaps the purest expression of what Flower Drum stands for — intimacy, attention, and Cantonese cooking at its most considered.

Wine, Space, and the Details

The wine list is extensive, ranging from Australian producers across Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia to Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, and beyond — including a Coravin programme that gives access to rare bottles by the glass. Private dining is available, and the restaurant is wheelchair accessible.

The name Flower Drum refers to a traditional Chinese dance known for its beauty and elegance. After fifty years, the restaurant it inspired continues to earn that description.