Master House Chinese Restaurant, 美味居酒家 - Hamilton Central

To know Master House is to understand where it all began. Owners Allan and Sadie, who have been married for over 35 years, are Hong Kong and Chinese immigrants, and it is their Cantonese heritage that shines through in their food. 

At the tender age of 15, Allan had already started his culinary journey. Starting out where many chefs do - as a kitchen hand! From kitchen hand to sous chef, to eventually head chef of a famous Hong Kong restaurant, Allan worked his way up from the bottom, and this is where his love and passion for traditional Cantonese food began. 

At the age of 30, Allan was invited to immigrate to New Zealand, and help establish a Chinese restaurant in Tauranga. It was here that he met his wife, Sadie, who had recently emigrated from Gongzhou, China. Together they moved north to Whangarei, where Allan was again asked to help establish a new Chinese restaurant.

A couple of years later, Allan and Sadie decided to make a go of it on their own and start their own business. Their first business was a fish & chip shop that also served Hong Kong style take aways. Keep in mind this was the early 80’s when Asian food was still very novel in NZ! 

In 1984, a special dumpling was born, their eldest daughter, Alice! Whangarei was a quaint little town but Allan and Sadie sought bright lights, diversity, and higher footfall. So moving to Hamilton was the natural choice. It is the city of the future, after all. After the birth of the second dumpling, Maggie, they moved south to Hamilton. They opened their first food court store, Magic Wok, in Chartwell Square. Who else remembers Thursday late nights at Chartwell? By the mid 90’s, Allan and Sadie were ready to expand, and they opened their second store, this time in the CBD. Master Wok was based in Downtown Plaza and they served Chinese take aways, whilst also dabbling in many other cuisines including Indian, sushi, and even bubble tea! 

In 2002, Allan and Sadie’s long held dream of opening their own restaurant became a reality. They worked for months planning out their menu, testing and perfecting their recipes, and fitting out the venue. There were many sleepless nights but in the end, it was all worth it. They opened Master House, serving traditional Cantonese style dim sum, stirfries, and fresh seafood. 

In 2011, they opened Master Wok at Te Awa (The Base), which would be their final food court store. Here they would serve hungry shoppers after their shopping sprees. Master Wok closed in 2017, allowing Allan and Sadie to focus their full attention on Master House.

As Hamilton’s longest standing family owned Chinese restaurant, Master House has been the venue for many special occasions; from weddings and birthdays to anniversaries. Allan has a true love for good, authentic, and tasty food; whilst Sadie’s infectious personality and warm smile means she is loved by regulars and new customers alike. Their food is like a warm hug - comforting and familiar. Whether you’re a yum cha regular, or someone looking for your new favourite Chinese joint, we hope that you’ll visit Allan and Sadie soon. They can’t wait to serve you delicious food with a smile and a healthy dose of love.