China Lane joins the wave headed to Bondi

The team behind China Lane in the city will join the clambake down at Bondi Beach next summer, opening a new restaurant, China Diner, at The Hub development on Hall Street.

With Maurice Terzini and A Tavola's Eugene Maiale already signed to open restaurants at the development, which is located at the previous site of the Hakoah Club, Bondi will have a rash of new eateries open in October, just in time for summer.

Despite Bondi's smorgasbord of restaurant options, China Lane co-owner Steve Anastasiou says the shortage of modern Asian attracted him to Australia's most famous beach.

Humphrey + Edwards, the architects behind Chiswick Restaurant in Woollahra, will tackle China Diner's interior. ''The brief is 1930s Shanghai,'' Anastasiou says.

The 220-seat restaurant will include a bar.

With a neighbouring hotel, The Hub has filled quickly despite Bondi's overcrowding of food offerings and the development's location away from the beachfront. It'll feature artisan gelato as well as an espresso bar with its own cupping room. A Haberfield operator is also close to finalising a deal to open a bakery cafe at The Hub.

China Diner might have another surprise, with restaurateur Kingsley Smith tipped to take a behind the scenes operational position at the restaurant