Toronto's newest crop of Chinese restaurants show that, in the midst of wave after wave of sushi burritos, poke bowls, Thai-rolled ice cream, and boil seafood places, there's still room in Toronto's food scene for the humble and relatively straightforward Chinese cuisine.

Here are my picks for the top new Chinese restaurants in Toronto.

Spicy Mafia

Making the waves on various Asian social media platforms is this new personal hot pot restaurant. Instead of a shared pot, each diner gets their own personal mini (spicy!) hot pot complete with the seasoning of their choice. All in a cheerful and funky Asian mafia-style setting.

Lee Chen Asian Bistro

Featuring a host of classic Chinese food favourites mixed with some fusion-inspired versions, Lee Chen's second location absolutely satisfies. Make sure to order their excellent mini xiaolongbaos, fusion pork belly bao and massive Wuxi-style spareribs.

Sichuan Kungfu Fish

This restaurant specializes in various Szechuan spicy versions of their namesake dish. You pick a type of seafood, seasoning and toppings. Spicy seafood at its tongue-numbing best!

Vintage Garden

This restaurant is the absolute epitome of a hidden gem. Previously only open to the residents of a senior home, the restaurant has only recently opened to the public. Go here for Chiu-Chow style Chinese cuisine, with a multitude of delicate dishes.

ChongQing Liuyishou Hot Pot

The ridiculously difficult-to-pronounce ChongQing Liuyishou is the first Toronto location of a large Chinese chain that serves excellent hot pot with interesting items like pork neck and sliced fried mantou buns. Their selection of Chinese desserts is also top notch.