Boston’s Chinese food scene is flourishing, from hand-pulled Xi’an-style noodles to succulent soup dumplings and everything in between. There’s something to satisfy every palette here, from formal restaurants inside landmark hotels like The Dorchester to casual storefronts offering regional Xi’an cuisine; something is available for everyone here.
Jiang Nan’s New York restaurant earned high praise, especially its succulent honey spare ribs with tender meat and crunchy skin.
Taiwan Cafe
Chinatown can be overwhelming; fruit stalls occupy sidewalks, and neon makes night walks dizzy. Taiwan Cafe provides a welcome respite, aiming to reimagine Taiwanese food for both novices and enthusiasts while remaining true to the originals. Their menu features grilled sirloins and rib-eyes with wide rice noodles (our favorite!) alongside other classics like scallion pancakes and chive pies.
The short menu at Bao House includes snacks (such as luxurious crab rangoons and fried donuts drizzled with condensed milk) and its signature bao, which is filled with meat or veggies. Plus, choose from various rice bowls, soups, and noodles!
For something heartier, try steamed Taiwan-style meatballs topped with gravy. While their clear dough exterior may remind you of jellyfish, inside are pork and mushroom fillings to take away from its strange appearance.
This cozy restaurant provides takeout and delivery service, making it a convenient option during pandemic outbreaks. Decorated with black-and-white photos depicting rural scenes, they specialize in simple noodle dishes that were once staples on royal tables during the Qing Dynasty, such as soup with your choice of meat and veggies as well as pot stickers griddle-fried in their signature stuck-together style.
Jiang Nan
Jiang Nan (“south of the river”) refers to an area in China comprising Shanghai, parts of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, and Anhui and Zhejiang. It is widely recognized for its cuisine, handicrafts, architecture, and literate culture – among many other attractions.
Zhi Wei Cafe debuted Boston Leather District this July, offering delicious Lanzhou beef noodle soup. Owner Jin Tan takes great pride in quality control; as a result, each bowl of noodles and broth provides an enjoyable dining experience.
Jiangnan rose to prominence during the Yuan dynasty due to its economic prosperity, propelling it into the forefront of Chinese civilization. Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of Jiangnan expelled Mongol invaders from northern China and unified all of China under his rule in Nanjing (capital of Jiangnan). Today, it remains an economic powerhouse with one first-tier city in Shanghai and Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Zhejiang as significant centers of Jiangnan.
Crystal Jade Jiang Nan is the sister restaurant to Crystal Jade in Hong Kong and features contemporary, healthier versions of classic Chinese cuisine. Leung is known for inventing Shanghaiian, Jiangsuian, and Zhejiangan flavors, especially Shanghainese cuisine. It would be best to leave without tasting their famous pork xiao long bao (six tiny steamed buns stuffed with juicy pork meat and covered by thin dough layers).
Pho Hoa
Pho Hoa is a Vietnamese restaurant offering reasonably priced fresh and healthy dishes. Diners have access to everything from rice plates and soups made with meat or fish to vegetables, herbs, and rice noodles – with no MSG or microwave used during preparation; their meals are delicious yet affordable!
Fields Corner’s Vietnamese Food Restaurant is an ideal spot for delicious Vietnamese cuisine in Boston, offering cozy surroundings and friendly, attentive service from its staff. Beyond offering tasty food, it also provides customers with various services that make dining out at this establishment convenient.
Pho has long been a staple in Vietnamese cuisine. Packed with iron to help form blood cells and zinc for immune support, pho is also high in saturated fats, possibly contributing to cardiovascular issues. Luckily, however, Pho Hoa offers several noodle soups that contain reduced calories and fat, such as the Bun Tom Thit Nuong, which features leaner alternatives like chicken or quail eggs instead of beef as its ingredients.
Pho Hoa offers a convenient mobile app enabling customers to order and pay for food quickly. Customers can download it from either Apple App Store or Google Play.
China Tang
Chau Chow Restaurant in Dorchester serves traditional Cantonese cuisine using high-quality ingredients, boasting a spacious dining room that can host large groups. In addition, Chau Chow offers wedding services for up to 300 guests; its space can be decorated to meet any style or theme wedding reception may have.
Sir David Tang, who died last year at age 88, was responsible for popularizing chinoiserie through his decor choices for China Club in Hong Kong and China Tang in London’s Dorchester Hotel. Additionally, he founded the Shanghai Tang fashion brand, which he sold off in 2006.
The lavish basement dining room that evokes interbellum Shanghai will dazzle its visitors. After entering through an Art Deco entrance on Park Lane, guests descend into an underground world full of ornate carpeting, artwork, and plush banquettes – an experience not to be missed!
Cantonese food served here is hearty yet elegantly prepared; each dish is prepared carefully in keeping with its elegant surroundings. Begin your experience by enjoying a sleek tomato and egg drop soup; next, order prawn and bamboo shoot har kau or vegetable dumplings to share, followed by classic Peking duck or, for something lighter, stir-fried scallops with garlic and chives before finishing it all off with chocolate steamed buns or green tea mousse with fresh papaya balls as dessert.