Skilled hands shaping fresh dough into noodles, red chili oil glistening on crisp green vegetables, the crackle of hot oil hitting the wok — these are the sights and sounds natural to a great Chinese restaurant. You can tell when a kitchen knows exactly what it’s doing long before the food reaches the table.
Today’s best Chinese restaurants honor regional traditions from Sichuan to Cantonese, preserving techniques perfected over generations. Some serve dishes you’d find on the streets of Tianjin, or in the markets of Shanxi province. Others embrace the American-Chinese fusion that’s become synonymous with Chinese fast food. Chinese food is so adaptable that it thrives in every setting. Do you want to eat in a bustling, family-friendly environment? How about an intimate spot perfect for a milestone date? The restaurants on our list include family-run establishments that have fed communities for decades, takeout spots with Michelin Guide-reviewed dumplings, and five-star dining rooms decked in glamor. What unites them is their craft.
The chefs we’re spotlighting don’t cut corners on ingredients or technique. They hand-pull noodles and simmer broths until every layer of flavor emerges. Whether you’re chasing down a cart loaded with dim sum or settling into a extravagent dining room on the Las Vegas Strip, these restaurants represent the height of Chinese cuisine in America.
Star Kitchen (Denver, CO)
Star Kitchen doesn’t try to woo you with luxurious surroundings or fancy gastronomy. Instead, the restaurant whirls you into a fast-paced foodie haven where servers push carts laden with delicacies, and diners can feast on a smorgasbord. The enormous menu is plump with dim sum classics like fluffy steamed pork buns, broth-filled dumplings, and chicken feet coated in rich, inky sauce…