The strip-mall digs may be humble, but the array of roasted meats on display at this Cantonese-style barbecue joint is captivating: 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 delightful 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 on, along with a Sichuan dish such as frog with hot chili oil or two — and if some guilty pleasures are in order, both the Chinese buns and the “fried milk,” reminiscent of Twinkies, double as dreamy dessert. 

Even if the name weren’t a giveaway, the glossy-skinned whole birds and pig parts typically on display at this old Federal Boulevard faithful would tell first-timers all they need to know about the kitchen’s expertise in Cantonese roast meats. But stopping there would be a mistake: The long menu’s dotted with delights of all kinds, among them crunchy salt-and-pepper duck chins, water spinach with preserved bean curd and jalapeño, and congee with pork and preserved egg. 

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).

A few noodle and rice dishes round out the small menu at this fast-casual sensation downtown, but it’s really all about the instantly famous soup dumplings; plump, juicy, golden-bottomed potstickers; and silken-skinned water-fried bao. Get the latter stuffed with shrimp, pork, and chive and throw in an order of the refreshing, garlicky wood-ear mushrooms for good measure.

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 corned-beef fried rice with egg and pickled mustard greens, and the salt-and-pepper chicken and rice plate — all of which shine alongside cocktails tricked out with everything from five spice and Sichuan peppercorns to chili oil and even pork belly (in the form of a fat wash).

If balance is the be-all end-all of good cooking, this warm, welcoming Sichuan-centric arrival on the Englewood scene is in the running for Denver’s best new Chinese restaurant. The interplay of vivid colors; crisp and tender textures; and umami, spicy, and herbaceous flavors distinguishes every last dish, from zesty wok-fried lotus root to oversized cumin lamb buns to green chili pork belly and pickled pepper beef to the singular dry pepper eggplant. A full bar pouring fruity retro cocktails only sweetens the pot (or wok, as the case may be).

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, cumin lamb buns, and bone-marrow fried rice; seasonal dishes might be things like beef ribs in a Palisade peach–hoisin glaze or charred cabbage with whipped peppercorn tofu, umeboshi, and lap cheong. (For a special occasion, the chef’s counter is open Thursday through Saturday with a compelling multi-course tasting menu.)

Tiny but mighty, this East Colfax purveyor of contemporary Chinese cuisine won Eater’s Restaurant of the Year Award in 2018 and has been going strong ever since. 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 five spice–rubbed Wagyu brisket; or deftly tossing fingerlings and Chinese cauliflower in black bean vinaigrette. The bar crew pairs it all with light, sprightly cocktails featuring green tea, shiso leaf, lychee, and the like as well as aptly chosen sakes, craft beers, and wines (think bubbles and skin-contact white blends). 

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.

Stop by this 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 compelling selection of small plates includes colorful Peking duck gua bao and vibrant salads like the South Style Garden Delight, composed of wood-ear 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 comfy longtime fixture in Centennial, so order accordingly: delicate steamed buns, spicy beef tendon, fried shrimp with scrambled egg, 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 homey 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 cozy suburban destination — especially fish, be it smoked as an appetizer or fried with pine nuts, but also eel, crab, and squid dishes (guests who express interest in the kitchen’s inner workings may be in store for an off-menu surprise or two). Beyond the ocean’s bounty, consider the green tea–smoked duck as the centerpiece for a family-style feast.

The “chef’s special” section of the menu at this wee sleeper hit on the Aurora border offers more than enough to satiate a Chinese chowhound in one sitting: Hong Kong–style classics like beef chow fun with XO sauce, stir-fried flowering cabbage with garlic, clams in black bean sauce, and fried rice with dried scallop and egg white show the kitchen’s deft and delicate touch. That said, some of its greatest hits are off-menu: Ask for the crunchy, silky salt-and-pepper tofu, call ahead to order crab and lobster, and don’t overlook the pastry case, where crepe cakes in flavors like durian and chestnut await.

Aficionados of Sichuan cuisine are flocking to this quiet little gem for the likes of sliced beef and ox tongue in chili sauce, flounder with pickled cabbage and chili, sour and spicy squid soup, dry pot cauliflower, and much more — the vast majority of which are listed on the menu with a little hot pepper beside them. Pro tip: Cool it all down with the ultra-soothing fried pork with lychee.

The name says it all with respect to the house specialty, which emerges from the kitchen lickety-split in bowls bubbling and brimming with goodies galore: pieces of lamb or beef or pickled fish, for instance, as well as Spam, quail egg, cabbage, corn, and more. But the menu doesn’t end there: Appetizers range from bouncy black fungus and cucumber in vinegar sauce to crispy fried oysters, while the beverage list goes on and on, including honeydew milk tea, plum juice, and passion fruit lemonade.

While Taiwanese-style 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 such as noodle-like dry tofu silk with cilantro and tangy, garlicky guo bao rou (legit sweet-and-sour pork); round them out with delectable dumplings, beef rolls, and sizzling takes on Sichuan specialties, from dry-fried green beans to boiled fish in chili oil.