Chinese in Denver

3410 E. Colfax Ave. Central Denver

303-377-4244

Tommy's Thai straddles the border between real Thai cuisine and what those who've never had the real thing expect it to be. As a result, some of the offerings can come off tame by traditionalists' standards — but that just means the kitchen has the freedom to experiment more. The dumplings, the curries and the potato massamun are particularly good.

7 articles

Aki Asian Hot Pot

12201 E. Mississippi Ave. Aurora

720-638-3193

Chinese

Bao Brewhouse

1317 14th St. Downtown Denver

720-949-1345

Chinese, Readers' Choice

1 article

The Bronze Empire

1591 S. Colorado Blvd. Southeast Denver

720-599-8888

Chinese, Recommended, Slideshow, Essentials

Tian Xia and Jing Wang, a pair of University of Denver students who moved to Denver from Beijing, brought Chinese hot pot to a South Colorado Boulevard shopping center in 2016, and it quickly became a go-to for anyone craving bubbling broths loaded with meats and veggies. In 2017, it became part of the growing One Concept Restaurant Group, and in the years since, more and more hot pot options have joined the scene. That led to a big change at Bronze Empire in September 2024, when it switched to an all-you-can-eat model that has made it an even more tempting option.

8 articles

Bryan's Dumpling House

8000 E. Belleview Ave. Greenwood Village

303-952-9631

Chinese

This Tech Center spot prides itself on its handmade dumplings, which is why there's a window toward the back of the restaurant where customers can see dumplings being tidily pleated by hand. Not surprisingly, one of its most popular dishes seems crafted with social media in mind: The multicolored Bryan's Xiao Long Bao includes a rainbow of soup dumplings in eight different hues and regional flavors from across China. And although the restaurant has "dumpling" in its name, its wok dishes are nothing to scoff at, with excellent mapo tofu and jing jiang rou si (shredded pork loin with black bean sauce) that is quickly becoming a customer favorite.

Chef Liu's Authentic Chinese Cuisine

562 S. Chambers Rd. Aurora

303-369-2220

Chinese, Restaurants, Critics' Pick

"Do you like whole fish?" "How about fatty pork?" These are the questions you'll get when you start asking your server about the non-translated menu at Chef Liu's; ultimately, it might just be easier to ask that server to put together a feast for you and not to skimp on the Szechuan specialties. Liu Zeng Qun, the former head chef at Imperial Chinese, opened his own place in October 2010 in a modest strip-mall space, but there's nothing modest about either menu. From the twice-cooked pork on the English menu to the mouth-numbing beef and the lamb in cumin sauce on the Chinese-only menu, this fare offers a foray into the food of southern China that you won't find at any other restaurant in Denver -- complete with blistering chiles and tingle-inducing Szechuan peppers.

9 articles

China Jade

12203 E. Iliff Ave. Aurora

303-755-8518

Chinese, Restaurants, Best Of

China Jade occupies a little space in a forgettable east Aurora strip mall, surrounded by French bakeries, barbecue restaurants, Eastern European groceries, nail salons and coffee shops. From the outside, it isn't much to look at. Inside, it's small, with ten tables, a register, a Buddha here, a good luck cat there, and one of those backlit menus hanging near the ceiling filled with pictures of kung pao chicken and sweet-and-sour pork in unnatural Day-Glo colors. Calling it intimate would make it sound too twee, cozy too warm. It's simply small and close and crowded. And possibly the best Chinese restaurant in Denver.

9 articles

China Jade Seafood Restaurant

375 S. Federal Blvd. Southwest Denver

303-935-0033

Chinese, Seafood

Don’t mistake the China Jade on the south side of the Far East Center with the China Jade in Aurora. This smallish version of the standard dim sum hall lacks the point-and-serve push carts, opting instead for sushi-style menus so that guests can check off their favorites in Chinese, English or Vietnamese. (A standard menu is also available, with more of the promised seafood.) We always start with savory barbecued-pork buns in both the baked and steamed varieties. Other must-haves include glazed duck breast in a sweet and fatty jus, gelatinous turnip and sausage cakes, and bell pepper stuffed with shrimp paste. Sesame balls with sweet bean centers make a perfect dessert to accompany a pot of green or chrysanthemum tea. Bring friends, because dim sum is the ultimate small-plate experience.

2 articles

China Taipei

8100 S Quebec, Centennial Southeast Denver Suburbs

303-773-0155

Chinese, Restaurants, Menu

5 articles

Chinatown Bistro

1789 Ogden St., Denver Capitol Hill/Uptown/City Park

303-832-2067

Chinese

Chopstickers

1617 California St. Central Denver

Chinese

Chopstickers, a casual spot in Fort Collins that had a viral moment on TikTok thanks to its soup dumplings, is now serving in a new Denver location that's ideal for anyone craving a new lunch option. While dumplings have garnered the spotlight, other highlights include the pork potstickers and water fried bao, which are bao buns with a crispy golden brown bottom and a pork, shrimp, chive or vegan filling. Another customer favorite has been the spicy dan dan noodles that come topped with ground pork, bok choy, pickles and corn.

Chopstix Fusion

2020 S. Parker Rd. Southeast Denver

720-626-3029

Thai, Chinese, Essentials

The word ‘fusion’ can be a red flag for diners looking for pure flavors undiluted by American or European tastes, but in the case of Chopstix, which opened in May, it’s simply an indication that you’ll find a smattering of Thai dishes on a menu that otherwise offers a deep taste of Hong Kong — a real rarity in Denver. The smart move is to hit the tiny restaurant on the weekend to chat with owner Wendy Tong about house specialties like sizzling clay pots, tempting scallion pancakes and vivid greens in flavorful sauces, plus off-menu surprises such as pillowy cubes of fried tofu. Tong also creates beautiful baked goods, so save room for a slice of multi-layered crepe cake.

1 article

Dating Yummy

12203 E. Iliff Ave., Ste. D Aurora

303-755-8518

Chinese

Dragon Cafe

2700 E. 6th Ave. Central Denver

303-333-8880

Asian, Chinese, Coffeehouse, Mongolian, Tea, Thai, Vietnamese, Coffee Shops, Menu

East China

15510 E. Centretech Parkway Aurora

303-363-6689

Asian, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Best Of

Looking for good Chinese takeout? Then look no further than this small, family-owned Aurora restaurant, which offers dine-in, takeout and delivery service within a five-mile radius. There really is nothing better than settling in for a Netflix marathon with waxy white boxes filled with fried rice and crab-cheese wontons. East China has an impressively large menu featuring appetizers ? yes, there is a pu-pu platter ? soups, and entrees made with chicken, pork, beef, seafood, duck or vegetables, as well as a smattering of Thai dishes and a couple of Vietnamese noodle bowls. The weekday lunch specials are cost-effective, the level of spiciness can be adjusted between warm and searing-hot, and East China has those crispy almond cookies that provide a happy ending to any meal.

1 article

The Empress Seafood Restaurant

2825 W. Alameda Ave. Southwest Denver

303-922-2822

Chinese, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

The Empress Seafood Restaurant is a classic dim sum joint. It's huge and always bustling, with first dates tentatively bumping chopsticks over Singapore noodles, family gatherings at big round tables, sometimes even a karaoke setup left over from last night’s sweet-sixteen party. Although you can order almost every Chinese dish (American-style) imaginable off the big menu, dim sum is the real draw here. The offerings are listed on a separate, paper dim sum menu, or you can just grab dishes from the women walking by with carts full of buns, dumplings, tripe, taro root and other delights. Service is efficient and friendly, and with seating for 300 (or more), there’s never a worry about having to wait for a table — unless it’s a Chinese holiday. But then you can watch the party while you wait.

7 articles

Flower Pepper Restaurant

2655 Broadway Boulder

720-381-1594

Chinese, Menu

Fortune Wok to Table

2817 E. 3rd Ave., Denver Cherry Creek

303-321-7788

Chinese

The “Fortune” part of this cozy restaurant’s name comes from the characters "fu" and "tu" in Shanghainese. Together they mean "in the fortune of good company" or "in the spirit of good company," according to the staff. “Wok to Table” simply means that every meal on the compact but flavorful menu is prepared in a wok and served fresh to customer’s plates. The Cherry Creek spot's lower level focuses on Shanghainese street food: Dumplings, noodles and fried rice are stalwarts, and there is usually a small selection of seasonal entrees. The upstairs has variously offered a separate fine-dining menu, space for private parties and a once-weekly tasting menu by reservation only, so be sure to check Fortune's website for the most current info if you're looking for a high-end experience. No matter which menu you end up ordering from, you're a lucky duck.

The Ginger Pig

4262 Lowell Blvd., Denver Berkeley/Sunnyside

720-324-8416

Asian, Chinese, Best Of, Essentials

Former hockey player and lawyer Natascha Hess spent time living in China when she was younger and fell in love with the food. She started the Ginger Pig as a food truck specializing in Asian fare, and in 2020, she debuted her first brick-and-mortar, adding a second takeout spot in Boulder in 2023. Now with a solid team in place, she’s been able to continue to travel back to Asia in order to continue learning — and adding new items to this spot’s lineup of street-food-inspired hits.

2 articles

The Ginger Pig

No Address Boulder

720-990-4552

Chinese, Food Trucks, Best Of

Natascha Hess, who runs the Ginger Pig food truck with her husband, Steve, lived in China for a year while in college; her "Chinese mom" taught her the ins and outs of traditional cooking during that time. The result of her immersion is obvious in the food at the Ginger Pig, especially Hess's Chinese fried chicken, a take on a dish called la zi ji that's perfumed with five-spice and given a hint of heat with ringlets of pickled Fresno chiles. The menu offers a tour of other Asian countries, too, with deep-fried spheres of rice called Bangkok Balls topped with Thai red curry, a banh mi bowl that takes the best of the Vietnamese sandwich and serves it over rice, and pork char siu that's spicy-sweet and respectful of the dish's Chinese origins. Catch that pig at Boulder's Rayback Collective or at farmers' markets during the summer months.

1 article

Great Wall Chinese Food

440 E. Colfax Ave. Central Denver

303-832-6611

American, Asian, Chinese

1 article

Happy Cafe

945 S. Federal Blvd. Southwest Denver

303-922-2226

Chinese

Unlike Sichuan cooking, Cantonese cuisine is known not for heat, but for deep flavors achieved with stir-frying and braising, and the use of fermented vegetables, dried meats incorporated into sauces, and ginger, scallions and garlic. Happy Cafe offers all of this in the form of its steamed or fried dumplings, homey beef noodle soups, the use of XO sauce, and salt and pepper shrimp.

Hasu Sushi & Grill

250 Steele St. Central Denver

303-722-9968

Chinese, Restaurants

6 articles

He-Xing Garden

1535 S. Kipling Parkway Lakewood

303-986-2232

Chinese, Menu

2 articles

Honey Basil Asian Grill

1 Broadway Central Denver

303-871-8828

Chinese, Thai, Best Of, Menu

This fast Thai/Chinese spot that also offers a smattering of Vietnamese and Japanese dishes has settled into a steady, confident track since it opened in 2003 (it was originally named Spicy Basil until a 2024 name change, though management remains the same). The kitchen produces all the standards of urban Amerasian cuisine and occasionally reaches excellence with such marvels as the Panang curry and the shu mai dumplings — shrimp-and-pork-stuffed dumplings wrapped in the house's own dough.

5 articles

Hong Kong Barbecue

1048 S. Federal Blvd. Southwest Denver

303-937-9088

Barbecue, Chinese, Best Of, Slideshow

Hong Kong is famous for its siu mei, a blanket term that covers many roasted meats. Although siu mei is easy to find in many American cities with a vibrant Chinatown, it's a rarer treat in Denver, where Chinese restaurants tend to offer a mishmash of specialties from all over the country. And Hong Kong Barbecue is no exception – except for its roasted meats. Owners Sun and Jian Yu are originally from Hong Kong, and while their vast menu is loaded with such familiar-sounding items as kung pao chicken and lemongrass beef, as well as fried rice, noodles, hot pots and even curries, many of those dishes are made to order and feature mouth-watering meats. You can also order cuts of siu mei served over rice — or simply buy a whole roasted duck or pig to take home.

11 articles

Hong Kong Cafe

10890 E. Dartmouth Ave. Southeast Denver

303-696-6688

Chinese, Menu

2 articles

Hong Kong Station

6878 S. Yosemite St. Englewood

720-592-0861

Chinese

Hong Kong Station isn't a typical Chinese restaurant serving only the familiar stir-fried dishes and noodles. Nor can it be counted in the current cadre of popular dumpling shops. Instead, it's a very specific kind of eatery unique to Hong Kong called a cha chaan teng, or tea restaurant. Hot and iced teas are the specialty, some brewed strong and served with sweetened condensed milk — but there's plenty of food, too. Among the signature cha chaan teng items are the Hong Kong-style French toast and the baked rice dishes.

Hoong's Palace

10333 E. Costilla Ave., Englewood Southeast Denver Suburbs

303-792-5528

Chinese, Restaurants, Menu

Hop Alley

3500 Larimer St., Denver Five Points/RiNo

720-379-8340

Chinese, Critics' Pick, Slideshow, Essentials

It’s been nearly a decade since chef Tommy Lee made a splash in RiNo with the opening of Hop Alley, but dining here still feels as fresh and fun as it did when the place was a buzzy new addition. Some things have stayed the same: The bone marrow fried rice and la ji zi loaded with mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns and chiles are still favorites, and the hip-hop playlist makes for a high-energy ambience. But Lee has made some smart changes, too, including an expansion that added more space for regular service and private events plus — the best part — a chef’s counter that serves a completely separate menu, allowing the staff to flex its creativity in new ways.

32 articles

Hororok Mandarin Noodle House

12203 E. Iliff Ave. Aurora

303-745-4499

Korean, Chinese

2 articles

Imperial Chinese Restaurant

431 S. Broadway South Denver

303-698-2800

Chinese, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Readers' Choice

Man cannot live on soy paste and pig intestines alone. Although the Imperial's dining room is red-dragon-and-white-tablecloth elegant, it attracts a casual crowd of diners looking for the tame thrills that only Chinese food done Colorado-style can provide. All of the American-Chinese favorites are represented -- the sesame chickens, sweet-and-sour porks and mu shu everything -- and they're all executed in exemplary (if unsurprising) fashion. For those in search of a bigger rush, the kitchen also offers higher-end seafood and a great Peking duck.

14 articles

JJ Chinese Seafood Restaurant

2500 W. Alameda Ave. Southwest Denver

303-934-8888

Asian, Chinese, Seafood, Menu

Fish tanks flank the walls of this Alameda joint, from which the kitchen plucks specimens -- like lobster -- to turn into dinner. And to be sure, JJ's turns out some excellent seafood dishes, employing jellyfish, razor clams, squid, shrimp and scallops, all specialties of the Cantonese chef. But the massive menu at JJ's goes beyond ocean life, too, covering everything from pedestrian sesame chicken to crispy pig's intestine to duck tongue with basil in XO sauce.

10 articles

Chinese in Denver

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