Salina Ko and her husband, chef Ming Feng, run one of the largest Chinese restaurants in the city (not many others boast hundreds of parking spots), serving the growing Chinese community in Northeast Philly’s Mayfair neighborhood. A banquet hall, wedding venue, and karaoke spot in the evenings, China Gourmet lets diners pick their seafood from tanks and take in an immersive dim sum experience. Come with a party of at least six to maximize your sampling potential from carts including meat-and-peanut dumplings, deep-fried pork and mashed taro puffs, and jiggly, sweet black sesame rolls.

Co-owned by Sichuan native and Drexel graduate Mark Rao, this hip and modern Sichuan spot in Powelton Village has laid-back vibes with a cheery, playful panda mural by Chinese artist Chenlin Cai. Executive chef Jack Xue (formerly of Jane G’s) trained in Chengdu in the 1970s; here, he spoils diners with crispy, gooey twice-cooked trotters doused in leeks and fermented broad beans, sour and spicy beef soup with glassy noodles and pickled mustard greens, cumin Mongolian lamb, and diced, baked chicken thighs loaded with celery and peppers.

Since 2007, Han Chiang has been perfecting his menu with an undeniable appreciation of spice throughout all his Sichuan dishes. Han Dynasty has become a Chinese dining institution in Philly with its remarkable dan dan noodles, black pepper short ribs, spicy prawns, green peppercorn fish, and more.

This Jane G restaurant serves Cantonese and Shanghai dim sum as well as notable dishes from the Jiang Nan (South East) region of China. Diners can try eat their sticky rice, curry chicken dumplings, vegan friendly vegetable bao buns, and more.

Known for its tasty soup dumplings, Bai Wei has an expansive menu Szechuan and Hunan dishes. From their kung pao chicken to cumin lamb hot pot, this Chinatown hotspot is great for both lunch and dinner.

With one location in Philly’s Chinatown and another in South Carolina, Spice C specializes in chewy noodles pulled and shaved by hand. Order the Bomb soup with spicy Sichuan broth and add pickled cabbage to balance the bowl’s tender assortment of sliced beef, tripe, brisket, and tendon.

One of the best places to get Szechuan cuisine in the city, EMei is a Chinatown gem. Their favorable mapo tofu, Chongqing chicken, and whole sea bass served in a tangy sauce are bold standouts on a menu with way more hits than misses.

A rare restaurant in the city that serves Northwest Chinese cuisine, Xian’s Sizzling Woks has something for everyone. From its biang biang noodle (hand-drawn noodles made with wheat flour) soup dishes to its spicy beef noodles — several of their entrées represent a modern take on the popular cuisine.

Edamame dumplings, char siu pork buns, and Kobe beef satay can all be found at this longtime Stephen Starr restaurant. Between the 10-foot-tall Buddha statue that catches the eye of every diner entering or the impressive Asian cocktails — Buddakan is the one of the city’s most elegant places to eat.

The closure of extravagant Chinese banquet halls across the country signals a dying era, yet the 2022 opening of Grand Palace in South Philly bucks the trend. Anchoring the bustling New World Plaza in Little Saigon, Grand Palace’s pink tablecloths and red-covered seats make this a festive multi-room venue for weddings and parties, while carts full of stir-fried clams in umami-rich black bean sauce, steamed dumplings, glazed vegetables stuffed with seafood, and custardy tarts make it a staple for weekend dim sum. And if you ask your server nicely, you might even be able to order chef Johnny Akiong’s off-menu specialty, fried whole lobster.

Husband and wife Jack and Cherry Wong opened this adorable, sky-blue bakery on Oregon Avenue in South Philly in 2021. Dodo Bakery bombards the senses with Hong Kong-style pastries such as crunchy sugar-topped pineapple buns, bruleed Portuguese egg tarts, crispy red bean cakes, and mini chicken pies with glossy, hatch-marked puff pastry crusts. Keep an eye out for the durian mooncake during the Mid-Autumn Festival.