It’s a warm Tuesday night in Sydney’s Chinatown, and judging by the crowd of diners happily chugging back bottles of Tsingtao beer as they feast on handmade dumplings and noodles from Chinese Noodle Restaurant on Thomas Street, you might think the headlines of Chinatown being dead were somewhat overcooked.
Traditionally bustling with activity, Chinatown in both Sydney and Melbourne fell silent in early 2020, as a wave of Covid-fuelled xenophobia swept the narrow alleyways, leaving restaurants empty and the streets deserted. In March, the closure of international borders saw tourists and international students disappear overnight.
As revenue dried up, a string of high-profile closures stabbed at the hearts
