This comfy little strip-mall find focuses on the staple dishes of Taiwan, each more soothing than the last. Bento boxes featuring, say, braised pork or crispy fish over rice come with fried tofu, eggs scrambled with tomato, and veggies in garlic sauce, while the beef noodle soup and gua bao with fried chicken are spot-on.

The strip-mall digs may be humble, but the array of roasted meats on display at this Cantonese-style barbecue joint is splendid: While roast duck and roast pork are its main claims to fame, the spare ribs, soy sauce chicken, and house special fried rice all deserve a spin. (Note that seating in the tiny space is extremely limited; takeout is the way to go, literally.)

Emphasizing Hong Kong–style Cantonese cuisine, this Federal Boulevard find lives up to its name with a menu that runs the gamut when it comes to intrigue: Cordyceps flower with chicken? Mustard tofu–salted egg soup? Harbor fried crab or cauliflower with preserved pork? Old-style stewed lamb and beef with bitter melon in black bean sauce? Bring it all on, along with a Sichuan dish such as “Chongqing water sheep” or two — and if some guilty pleasures are in order to boot, both the Chinese buns and the “fried milk,” reminiscent of Twinkies, double as dreamy dessert. 

Coming here for dim sum is like walking into a kaleidoscope of humanity — carts spin, servers blur past, the din echoes, and hands and mouths make quick work of flavors and textures galore. Every visit is different, of course, but none is complete without at least one order each of the leek, taro, and glutinous-rice dumplings as well as the char siu bao, shrimp-stuffed rice crêpes, and baked coconut buns. At dinnertime, try any seafood dish and the hot pot of eggplant with beef rib in black-pepper sauce. 

A language-translation app and an in-depth conversation with the staff may be necessary to navigate the Chinese-language menu of this welcoming Englewood hideaway, but the effort is well worthwhile for such neat-to-eat treats as richly exhilarating brisket hot pot; crunchy glazed sweet-and-sour pork; spunky, savory vermicelli with pickled cabbage; and Jinsha corn in salted egg yolk (which tastes a little like Corn Pops).

Like several of the places on this list, this jewel in the suburban rough offers two different menus. One’s got orange chicken, lo mein, and beef with broccoli; the other boasts Shanghainese smoked fish, jellyfish salad with the springy texture of noodles, braised pork meatballs so big they come one per order, ultra-tender Nanjing salt duck, and stir-fried loofah with tofu. Choose wisely and then practice patience — the kind folks who run the place move as fast as they can.  

Cheerfully quirky, neon-splashed decor sets the tone for a menu that pays sincere homage to the Cantonese food husband-and-wife owners Kenneth Wan and Doris Yuen ate growing up while boasting a few cheeky modern twists (case in point: the happy hour–only málà mozzarella sticks). Not to be missed are the crab-and-cheese wontons, the shrimp fried rice with house XO sauce, and the spicy garlic-butter rice cakes — all of which shine alongside cocktails tricked out with everything from red beans and grass jelly to Sichuan peppercorns and even pork belly (in the form of a fat wash).

Named for Denver’s onetime Chinatown, Tommy Lee’s RiNo mainstay is the complete package: edgy vibe, kinetic cuisine, progressive beverage program, and all. The kitchen plays up bold flavor contrasts — cooling against tongue-lashing, mellow against pungent, bright against luscious — without ever losing its balance, while the bar dares to pair them with everything from bubbly and rosé to craft cider and funky punches. Staples include chilled tofu in sesame bang bang sauce, shrimp toast with mustard gastrique and tiger vinaigrette, and bone-marrow fried rice; seasonal sensations come in the form of wok-fried catfish in oyster sauce and chili oil or chilled mung bean noodles with beets and celtuce in black-vinegar dressing.

Tiny but mighty, this East Colfax purveyor of contemporary Chinese cuisine didn’t win Eater’s Restaurant of the Year Award in 2018 for nothing: The menu packs a heck of a punch for its size, whether chef-partner Chris Lin is slathering spare ribs in sweet-and-sour marinade, chopped peanuts, and fried garlic; reimagining lo mein with confit duck leg; or deftly tossing fingerlings and Chinese cauliflower in black bean vinaigrette. The bar crew pairs it all with light, sprightly cocktails featuring green tea, Korean melon, sushi rice, and the like as well as aptly chosen sakes, craft beers, and wines (think bubbles and aromatic whites like grüner veltliner). 

Don’t be fooled by the fast food franchise–like name and exterior — this family-run find excels at homestyle Sichuan fare. In addition to staples like dan dan noodles, ma po tofu, and Chongqing chicken, best bets include the fluffy pan-fried omelet filled with saucy pork; the tangy sour taste potatoes; and the pungent, numbing spicy boiled fish.

Do stop by this darling little University Hills shop for the namesake item, be it shrimp, chive, and egg dumplings in carrot juice–infused dough or pork-and-crab xiao long bao — but don’t stop there: The smart selection of small plates includes colorful Peking duck gua bao and vibrant salads like the South Style Garden Delight, composed of woodear and shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, bean curd, lotus root, daylily, and peanuts.

There’s a little bit of everything from everywhere on the menu of this longtime charmer in Centennial, so order accordingly: delicate steamed buns, spicy beef tendon, stir-fried eel, roast duck, twice-cooked pork belly, cumin lamb, boiled frog . . . why not give it all a try? First-timers might start with the deep-fried five-spice tofu and the Ants Climbing a Tree, a comforting concoction of ground pork and glass noodles.

If a few of the dishes at this bustling little hangout in Centennial look Westernized, rest assured that those elements of fusion developed organically in the cha chaan tengs (sometimes compared to diners) of the international crossroads that is Hong Kong. From baked pork chops with spaghetti to peanut-butter French toast, the menu’s a warm and welcoming entrée into the wider world of comfort food — one that also offers plenty of more traditional, equally delightful Cantonese fare as well, including shrimp toast and clay pot dishes.

Shanghai is a coastal municipality, so seafood is a must at this suburban destination — especially fish, smoked as an appetizer or fried with pine nuts. Dumplings are another winning bet, be they soup-filled xiao long bao or silky shrimp-and-pork wontons in chili oil. Finally, consider the tea-smoked duck as the centerpiece for a feast.

Aficionados of Sichuan cuisine have been flocking to this quiet little gem for the likes of sliced beef and ox tongue in chili sauce, crispy fish filet with pickled cabbage and chili, Chongqing-style spicy chicken, dry pot cauliflower, and much more; cool it all down with the ultra-soothing steamed eggplant with salted egg yolk.

Come to Old Town for the hot pot; stay for, well, the hot pot — after all, it’s AYCE. Besides, just perusing the menu takes some time: It starts with 10 different broths, followed by about 25 choices of meat and seafood (think brisket and crab, lamb and clams) and a similarly sized selection of vegetables and starches, including bok choy, lotus root, tofu skin roll, and udon. And that’s not to mention the self-serve condiments bar.

While Taiwanese-style boba tea shops have bubbled up all across town in the past couple of years, this one’s special for its food. In addition to a wide range of satisfying snacks, including popcorn chicken and juicy pork buns as well as seafood balls and marinated meats, it also excels at hand-pulled and shaved noodles. Try them both dry and in soup with beef shank or pork rib — the broth alone is a 10-hour labor of love.

The name may be generic, but the food at this strip-mall fixture is anything but: Look to the menu sections labeled “Chinese-Style Appetizers” and “Northeastern Chinese Cuisine” for compelling dishes like noodle-like dry tofu silk with cilantro and tangy, garlicky guo bao rou (legit sweet-and-sour pork), supplemented by delectable dumplings and sizzling takes on Sichuan specialties like dry-fried green beans and boiled fish in chili oil.