Boston has a wide selection of authentic and amazing Chinese food, from flavorful pork soup dumplings to spicy Sichuan hot pot. As a Chinese-American who grew up in the city, I ate at many of these restaurants regularly. This is a local’s guide to the 25 BEST spots for Chinese food in Boston.
This article covers all types of Chinese, including Boston’s best dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, Cantonese food, and more…
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Last Updated: January 11th, 2024
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Great Taste Bakery
First on the best Chinese food in Boston guide is a spot with Boston’s best dim sum, also known as Cantonese brunch. Dim sum consists of small plates that are meant to be shared. My favorite dim sum restaurant is the Great Taste Bakery in Boston’s Chinatown. The half-restaurant, half-bakery, has around 10 tables in a compact space.
Great Taste Bakery serves all your typical dim sum including har gao (shrimp dumplings), siu mai (pork dumplings), and cheung fun (steamed rice noodle rolls). My favorite item here is the steamed rice noodle rolls with fried dough. The rice rolls have a chewy texture and mild flavor. It wraps a savory Chinese fried dough stick, adding the perfect crunch. The flavor comes from the soy sauce-based sauce on top.
Winsor Dim Sum is another notable spot for dim sum in Boston’s Chinatown.
63 Beach St, Boston, MA 02111 / greattastebakery.com
Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe
The next 3 restaurants on the best Chinese food in Boston list are my favorite Chinese hand-pulled noodles! If you’ve never tried them before, they’re literally hand-pulled. The texture is chewy and absorbs the flavors from other ingredients.
Located on the outskirts of Boston’s Chinatown, Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe is pretty easy to miss. It’s the original spot to get hand-pulled noodles and Chinese noodle soups in Boston. Their most popular dish is the spicy cumin hand-pulled noodles (pictured). It’s tangy, oily, and subtly spicy.
The lamb skewers are a popular meat option. I typically don’t like lamb, but it’s not too gamey. The skewer is only around ~$2 per person and perfectly accompanies the noodles.
86 Bedford St, Boston, MA 02111 / genescafeboston.com
Further Reading: 25+ Best Chinatown Boston Restaurants
MDM Noodles
Located in Brighton, this is another Boston-area restaurant specializing in hand-pulled noodles. A safe and reliable menu item for first-timers is the scallion beef hand-pulled noodles. Other top sellers include liang pi (spicy cold skin noodles), spicy boiled lamb noodles, seafood noodles, and Chinese burgers.
Note: There’s a $10 card minimum.
351 Washington St, Brighton, MA 02135 / mdmnoodles.com
Chili Square
If you have time to travel outside Boston, Chili Square in Quincy beats all the other hand-pulled noodle shops on this best Chinese food in Boston list. I always get the spicy beef biang biang noodles. The word “biang” refers to the sound made when they slam the noodle onto the table to stretch it out.
The spicy beef noodles have a PERFECT bouncy, chewy consistency. They’re well coated in a spicy garlic chili oil that’s fragrant and tangy. Another must-try is the Lanzhou beef noodle soup. It’s a rich, beef-stock noodle soup with tender beef chunks. My last recommendation is the Wuhan dry noodles. Never heard of it? I didn’t either, as it’s not sold at many other Boston Chinese restaurants. It’s a dry noodle with pickled vegetables and a sesame-peanut paste.
The inside of the restaurant is very small and homey. There are only around 6-7 tables to sit at, and the menu is posted on the wall with the dish’s name and picture on a piece of paper. Like many other places on this best Chinese food in Boston list, IT’S CASH ONLY.
666 Hancock St, Quincy, MA 02170
Taiwan Cafe
Taiwan Cafe in Chinatown is one of the only places in the city to get steamed soup dumplings (RIP Gourmet Dumpling House). They serve a variety of authentic Taiwanese and Chinese dishes.
The soup dumplings have a thick skin that enwraps seasoned pork and flavorful hot soup! They come piping hot, so take a small bite from the top and let the steam escape so you don’t burn your tongue.
Another must-get dish at Taiwan Cafe is the chili wontons. The dumplings have a thin skin and are coated in chili oil. It’s SUPER flavorful and not overly spicy. Last, I like the roast beef scallion pancake roll. They roll braised beef shank in a flaky scallion pancake. It can be a bit dry with how thick the bread is, but the rich soy sauce-based flavor makes up for it.
34 Oxford St, Boston, MA 02111 / ordertaiwancafe.com
Dumpling House
Although Gourmet Dumpling House sadly shut down in 2022, its sister restaurant, Dumpling House, is still in Cambridges’ Central Square. Dumpling House sells all your classic Chinese dishes including soup dumplings, Shandong-style fried dumplings, mapo tofu, and more. I always opt for soup dumplings with pork.
I also love the string bean beef here. It’s string beans and beef strips tossed in a delicious soy sauce marinade. The dish is saucy, somewhat healthy (from the string beans!), and filling.
950 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139 / dumplinghousema.com
Nan Xiang Express
For a fast-casual Shanghainese meal, Nan Xiang Express is one of the newest additions to Boston’s Chinatown. It’s an extension of the Michelin-rated Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao in New York City. Nan Xiang Express specializes in soup dumplings, dim sum (I LOVE their pork and vegetable wontons in a spicy peanut sauce), and noodles.
52 Beach St, Boston, MA 02111 / nanxiangexpress.com
Mu Lan
My last recommendation for Shanghai and Taiwanese cuisine in this best Chinese food in Boston list is Mulan, also located in Central Square. I like their mapo tofu and Szechuan chicken bites. The mapo tofu is fragrant and spicy.
228 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139 / mulantaiwanese.com
Happy Lamb Hot Pot
No best Chinese food in Boston list is complete without hotpot. Boston has SO MANY delicious and worthwhile hotpot restaurants, so narrowing down my favorite was especially difficult. One of the best is Happy Lamb Hot Pot with locations in Boston’s Chinatown, Allston, and Cambridge’s Central Square.
The inside of the restaurant is spacious and very modern, with plenty of booth seating. Their hot pot is served family-style, with a large pot of broth in the middle of the table. You can choose up to two bases for each pot. I always get half pork bone broth and half spicy broth. The Sichuan spice broth is pretty spicy, so the house broth is a great way to balance the flavor.
Service is fast and they have plenty of meat options to choose from. As someone who doesn’t like lamb, I enjoy their fatty beef and regular beef slices. For veggies, get the enoki mushrooms, bok choy, and tofu puffs. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a LOT of food.
They have all-you-can-eat every day at the Central Square location. Weekdays are ~$22 per person, weeknights are ~$28, and weekends & Fridays are ~$32 per person. Get there on time, or you’ll have to wait a long time to get seated.
Best Chinese Food in Boston: More of the Best Hot Pot
Here’s a quick overview of the other top restaurants for hot pot in Boston:
Liuyishou ($$$$, Chinatown Boston)→ upscale hot pot experience in Chinatown. I love their round-table meat presentation. 702 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111 / liuyishouna.com
La Mei Hot Pot ($$$, Coolidge Corner in Brookline) → hot pot restaurant with high-quality meats. The hand-pulled noodles are a fun item to order because your server will put on a show making it! You can also make your own sauces at their sauce station. 230 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446 / lameihotpot.com
Q Restaurant ($$$$, Chinatown Boston) → hot pot and sushi fusion restaurant with a bar. 660 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111 / thequsa.com
Mala
Love spicy food? Mala in Boston’s Allston is the city’s best Szechuan restaurant in this best Chinese food in Boston guide. If you’ve never had Szechuan food, the cuisine is characterized by the liberal use of Sichuan peppercorn, garlic, and chilis. These ingredients give Szechuan dishes a mouth-numbing spice.
My go-to at Mala is the mala dry pot, a Sichuan-style hot pot without broth. You choose the size for the dry pot (either small or large), filled with your choice of meats, vegetables, and carbs.
Try my favorite order for two people: large-size mala dry pot, medium spice, beef, enoki mushrooms, tofu puffs, and string beans. It’s flavorful, subtly spicy, and salty (you’ll need a bowl of rice to balance it out). It’s only around $20 for a LOT of food, which is a pretty good deal when splitting with someone.
Other Sichuan specialties I recommend at Mala are their spicy cold noodles (pictured at the top of this section) and the Sichuan dry chili chicken bites.
Mala gets pretty busy on weekends, so keep that in mind if you’re going with a group.
129 Brighton Ave, Allston, MA 02134
Hunan Gourmet
Another great restaurant for spicy food is Hunan Gourmet. Formerly known as Bubor Cha Cha, the no-frills restaurant is located in the heart of Chinatown. I recommend Xiang’s spicy fried chicken, which are spicy boneless chicken poppers. I’ve also enjoyed their mapo tofu.
Blossom Bar
While Blossom Bar is a trendy, more upscale Chinese restaurant, their Sichuan dishes were surprisingly delicious and authentic. I love their Sichuan chili popcorn chicken, bite-sized pieces of crispy chicken in a Sichuan pepper batter. The wontons in chili oil are also good.
Blossom Bar’s interior is modern and fun, with bright green walls and plenty of sunlight. It’s surprisingly small inside, so I recommend booking a reservation in advance if you’re going with a group. I went for a small birthday party and it was a cozy & intimate spot for a group of 6.
295 Washington St, Brookline, MA 02445 / blossombarbrookline.com
Taipei Cuisine
This restaurant is a bit out of Boston, in North Quincy, for a best Chinese food in Boston list, but worth a shout out. Taipei Cuisine’s wide menu offers a mix of both Taiwanese and Chinese cuisine, with an emphasis on Sichuan food. I ALWAYS crave the mala dry pot. It’s flavorful beef and potato chunks in spicy chili oil. It comes in a small pot with a fire lit underneath.
If you visit between Monday and Friday, Taipei Cuisine has budget-friendly lunch specials. One dish with rice is around $11.75 (this deal includes the mala dry pot!), and 3 dishes for around $30. Two other dishes I recommend are the garlic string beans and Sichuan chicken bites. (I recommend that dish often in this Chinese food in Boston article, but they’re so good!)
68 Billings Rd, Quincy, MA 02171
Clay Pot Cafe
This hole-in-the-wall in Boston’s Chinatown specializes in Cantonese clay pot. Clay pot is basically rice with your choice of meat inside a clay pot.
Clay Pot Cafe has traditional meat options like minced beef and Chinese sausage. For anyone feeling more adventurous, they also have frog (I haven’t tried it, but I heard it tastes like chicken!) Tip: leave some rice at the bottom and it’ll eventually get crispy. The crunchy rice is most people’s favorite part of the meal!
The inside of the restaurant is definitely no-frills. There are a few tables to sit at and you’re expected to eat, then get out.
It’s only around $10-12 per dish, but know that it’s CASH ONLY.
74 Kneeland St, Boston, MA 02111
Hong Kong Eatery
Hong Kong Eatery in Boston’s Chinatown is a local favorite for Cantonese BBQ meats and wonton noodle soups. To get a bit of everything, order the “Roasted Duck, BBQ Pork, & Chinese Sausage with Rice Combo”. It’s only around $11 with crispy roasted duck, flavorful BBQ pork, and a lot of rice underneath.
The eatery is very casual, with a few seats and a large space for takeout. It’s counter service, and when your order is ready they call your number. The inside is loud with people chattering and music playing. This spot for Chinese food in Boston has been around for decades!
79 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111 / hongkongeatery.com
Big Fun Cafe
Although this is a Chinese food in Boston list, Quincy has some incredible Chinese restaurants that deserve a mention.
Big Fun Cafe serves Cantonese comfort foods like congee/jook (rice porridge), rice noodle rolls (the best in the whole Boston area to be honest), and clay pot rice. I love the steamed rice noodle rolls with fried dough. The noodle rolls are made fresh and have a silky texture.
18 Brook St, Quincy, MA 02170 / bigfuncafequincyma.com
Jinye Cafe (HK Style Cafe)
Jinye in Quincy is one of the only Hong Kong-Style cafes, or Cha Chaan Tengs, in the entire Boston area. They serve typical Hong Kong brunch foods including peanut butter French toast, concubine chicken, and spaghetti.
I really like their meat & cheese spaghetti. It comes with a cheese crust layered on top of spaghetti noodles & ground pork. The tomato sauce is pretty sweet and they’re generous with the portions. Their fries are also really good for some reason.
I also enjoy the black pepper fried chicken and rice entree, which is heavily seasoned and comes with sauteed onions and peppers. It’s saucy and has a subtle kick from the peppers.
The Hong Kong French toast is good, but not great. It’s a thin, deep-fried sandwich with peanut butter in the middle. If that’s not fatty enough, they then top it with a slab of butter and maple syrup. I still have yet to find an amazing one in Boston (if you know a place, send me a message).
Jinye is a small hole-in-the-wall in Quincy’s Wollaston that doesn’t seem to get much traffic. Although it’s technically not Boston, I believe it deserves a mention on this best Chinese food in Boston guide. It’s worth a visit if you’re craving traditional Hong Kong cuisine in Boston!
694 Hancock St #A, Quincy, MA 02170 / jinyecafequincy.com
Mei Mei Street Kitchen
Mei Mei Dumplings is a modern take on Chinese food. Once located in Fenway, Mei Mei has now relocated to South Boston. It’s not only an eatery, but they’ll also have in-person dumpling-making classes.
The Double Awesome sandwich is their signature dish. It’s a scallion pancake sandwich, which is something I’ve never seen elsewhere! Two over-easy eggs, cheese, local greens pesto, and optional bacon are sandwiched in between scallion pancakes.
The combination of flaky scallion pancakes, runny eggs, and herby pesto work together perfectly.
58 Old Colony Ave, Boston, MA 02127 / meimeidumplings.com
Myers + Chang
For an upscale, Asian-fusion experience, Myers and Chang in the South End is the perfect choice. Popular items on their pan-Asian menu include braised pork belly bao buns, spicy wild boar dan dan noodles, nasi-goreng, and wok-charred udon noodles.
Myers & Chang also has an impressive vegetarian and kids menu, which isn’t common for Chinese food in Boston.
1145 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118 / myersandchang.com
Yunnan Kitchen
A new addition to Boston’s South End, Yunnan Kitchen is unlike any of the other restaurants on this best Chinese food in Boston list. They specialize in Yunnan cuisine, found in a region of China with a large diversity of ethnic minorities.
Their signature items include dali fried pea jelly, stir-fried rice cakes, and Yunnan-style rice cakes. I was a bit skeptical about the pea jelly, but I ended up LOVING IT! The texture is hard to describe – it’s a fried outer shell and jelly-like on the inside. There isn’t too much flavor itself, but you’re supposed to dip it in chili powder.
The mint beef is also delicious. It’s thinly sliced beef slices tossed with fresh mint leaves. The flavor is fragrant and the beef is tender. For more details, watch my Yunnan Kitchen restaurant review on TikTok.
1721 Washington St Unit B, Boston, MA 02118 / yunnankitchensouthend.com
Hing Shing Pastry (CLOSED)
Update: As of 2023, Hing Shing is unfortunately closed! The great thing about Chinese bakeries is their affordability, convenience, and of course, taste. Hing Shing is a small Boston Chinatown bakery that sells typical Chinese pastries including moon cakes, buns with different fillings, almond cookies, etc.
I always get the roast BBQ pork bao here. It’s a bread roll filled with sweet BBQ pork. For something sweet, I recommend the dan tat, or egg custard tart. It has a flaky, outer pastry crust and egg custard filling.
Each pastry is only around $1-3, making it a VERY cheap option for a light breakfast or snack. I even include Hing Shing in my $20 Boston Chinatown TikTok challenge. An alternative bakery that’s just as good is Ho Yuen. It’s only a block away from Hing Shing and sells all the same goods.
Further Reading: 17+ Best Boston Bakeries
Jiang Nan
Last on the best Chinese food in Boston list is this Michelin Guide-recommended fusion chain in Boston’s Theater District. Signature dishes include Peking duck, xiao long bao (soup dumplings), and braised pork belly.
For many, the highlight of the meal is the Peking duck. You can order either half a duck or a full duck, which they carve in front of you. It also comes with a thin wrapper to eat the duck in, and cucumbers, hoisin sauce, and scallions for garnish.
177 Tremont St. Boston, MA 02111 / jiangnanny.com
Honorable Mentions: Best Chinese Food in Boston
Peach Farm & Jade Garden in Chinatown, Boston, MA –> These are two restaurants in Chinatown that have some of the best American Chinese food in Boston. For large groups, you can order the food family-style. There’s a large revolving glass tray in the middle of the table for all the food. Both of these restaurants are open very late on weekends. They close at 4 AM!
Xiang Yu China Bistro in Brookline, MA –> This is a beautifully decorated Chinese restaurant in Brookline with mahogany wood, red and gold accents, and plush sofa booths. I used to always come here for their pork soup dumplings, but as of 2023 they unfortunately discontinued selling it. Other great dishes are their pork belly and dan dan noodles.
Shi Miao Dao in Quincy, MA –> They sell Yunnan-style rice noodle soups. My favorite is the tomato beef noodle soup. The Sichuan noodle soup is also fantastic.
Mountain House in Allston, Boston, MA –> A new location of the popular chain Szechuan Mountain House in New York City. You’ll find mala pot, stir-fried noodles, and unique Szechuan offerings not found elsewhere.
Mei Sum in Chinatown, Boston, MA –> This bakery is one of the only places in Boston that sells fan tuan, a sticky rice roll with preserved veggies, pork floss, and a savory Chinese fried dough stick. It’s filling and easy to eat, making it the perfect grab-and-go Boston breakfast option!
Wrapping Up: Best Chinese Food in Boston
That concludes my best Chinese food in Boston guide for 2024! Here’s a recap:
- Best Dim Sum in Boston: The Great Taste Bakery, Winsor Cafe
- Best Chinese Noodles in Boston: Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe, MDM Noodles, & Chili Square
- Best Dumplings in Boston: Taiwan Cafe, Dumpling House, Mu Lan
- Best Hot Pot: Happy Lamb Hot Pot, Liuyishou Hot Pot, La Mei, Q Restaurant
- Best Sichuan Cuisine in Boston: Mala, Blossom Bar, Taipei Cuisine
- Best Cantonese/HK Food: Clay Pot Cafe, Hong Kong Eatery, Big Fun Cafe, Jinye
- Best Asian Fusion in Boston: Mei Mei Dumplings, Myer + Chang, Jiangnan
- Yunnan Cuisine in Boston: Yunnan Kitchen
- Chinese Bakery in Boston: Hing Shing, Ho Yuen
Didn’t see one of your favorite Boston Chinese restaurants? Leave a comment or send me a message about which place you want me to try.
After eating through the best Chinese food in Boston, read my other 2024 Boston food articles:
- Best Vietnamese Food
- Boston’s Best Thai Food
- Best 11 Korean Restaurants
- 17+ Best Cheap Eats Boston
- Best Boston Southern Food (best 11 spots!)
Or, see other things to do in Boston:
- 39 Totally Free Things To Do in Boston
- 27+ Unique Boston Date Ideas
- 25+ Best Indoor Activities in Boston
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