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Dumplings, roasted duck, mapo tofu, and more
Austin's Chinese scene might not be as robust as the city's more well-known cuisines (hello, barbecue and tacos). Despite that, the regional cuisine has grown stronger in the past few years. It’s easy to find noodles, dumplings, mapo tofu, Americanized Chinese options, and go-to delivery spots.
Here are Eater’s top Chinese restaurant recommendations, highlighting the best of the best, covering all of Austin, spread out from far north to way south. Downtown modern Chinese hot spot Wu Chow, Sichuan delights from China’s Family Restaurant, Chinese barbecue with Din Ho and First Chinese, South Austin spicy savior Sichuan River, many dumplings and noodle slingers, and much more.
For related fare, check out Eater’s guide to the best versions of Chinese dishes in the city, dim sum, dumplings, and beef noodle soup, and for something hot, Austin’s spiciest dishes. For other nearby regional cuisines, scope out Eater's guides to Southeast Asian, Thai, and South Asian food in Austin, as well as sushi.
This map was originally written by Frani Chung.
The Barrington Oaks Chinese restaurant focuses mostly on juicy dumplings, from soup dumplings to steamed pork and chive dumplings to fried vegetable dumplings. Other items include fried rice and lo mein and Chinese-American plates like General Tso’s chicken. The menu also ventures into Japanese dishes like ramen and udon. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
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Where to Eat Dumplings in Austin
Where to Order Chinese Food in Austin
Rice and noodles are the heroes at Cantonese North Austin restaurant Rice Bowl Café with huge portions and fast delivery. The pork noodle soup is a standout dish: spicy and crunchy with fresh, handmade noodles. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
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Find all the dumplings from pork/shrimp/chives to cuttlefish at the North Lamar restaurant, alongside a strong offering of non-dumpling dishes like noodles and offal. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in areas.
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Where to Eat Dumplings in Austin
A Chinatown Center staple, First Chinese BBQ’s wide Cantonese-style menu includes everything from noodle soups, hot pot, to barbecue. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
The Spicewood Springs Chinese restaurant offers a great menu full of classics like eggplant with spicy garlic sauce, shredded pork with bean curd, and chopped fish served with pickled mustard. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
This North Austin Chinese restaurant focuses on Sichuan fare, from pepper jumping fish to spicy boiled beef to mala fish with soft tofu. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are third-party deliveries (Uber Eats, DoorDash); and there are indoor dine-in services.
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The North Austin restaurant never disappoints, with Beijing duck, Chinese barbecue, and marinated meats like chicken baked in rock salt. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are Uber Eats deliveries; and there are indoor dine-in services.
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The North Austin Chinese restaurant has lots of absolutely perfect dumplings and hand-made noodles. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
A post shared by devon freeman (@dev_does) on Dec 17, 2018 at 7:34am PST
The Taiwanese restaurant with two locations (this one in Quail Creek and the other just south of the University of Texas at Austin campus) serves up bubble teas, noodles, rice, and meat-/vegetable-centric entrees, and more. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
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The mega-popular Houston Chinese restaurant opened in Austin, bringing along its much-touted roast duck, among other dishes. Be prepared for lines. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
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The Highland Chinese restaurant features plenty of great Sichuan specialties, from fish fillets drenched in chili oil to spicy Chongqing chicken to double-cooked pork belly to a particularly great vinegar napa cabbage. There are two other locations: one by the University of Texas and another by Northcross Mall. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
A post shared by China Family (饭米粒) Highland (@china_family) on Dec 18, 2019 at 10:25am PST
The family-run establishment in the Highland neighborhood serves up a classic variety of dim sum and Chinese entrees. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
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Where to Eat Dumplings in Austin
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For hearty Chinese hand-pulled noodles and noodle soup dishes, Xian is the answer, especially those red-braised beef noodles. There are three other locations besides this one in Mueller: one in the Domain and the other two up in Round Rock. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are typically indoor and outdoor dine-in services.
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Where to Eat Dumplings in Austin
The takeout/delivery Chinese American restaurant offers classic dishes like fried rice, pan-fried noodles, and tofu lettuce cups with three locations. There’s this location in Cherrywood, and three others in Round Rock, Arboretum, and on South Congress. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online.
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The campus truck offers excellent, familiar, comforting Chinese dishes, from Chinese hamburgers (aka roujiamo, a more flattened version of a burger with chewy bread and pork) to cold-skin noodles to dumplings. Takeout orders can be placed in person.
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The founding dim sum chef of Wu Chow, Ling Qi Wu, opened her own Clarksville restaurant featuring plenty of her hit dumplings (including soup dumplings), alongside other noodle and rice dishes, plus meat and veggie entrees. There’s also Sunday dim sum. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services. Wu also has several other restaurants, also with top-notch food: modern Chinese restaurant Qi in downtown; tasting menu restaurant Ling Kitchen in Wooten; and Ling Wu Asian Restaurant in Southwest Austin.
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The Central East Austin restaurant offers Chinese American fare like mala fried chicken, mapo eggplant, brisket fried rice, and dumplings. If you're dining in, take advantage of the solid cocktails. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
The downtown modern Chinese restawurant boasts some of the best soup dumplings in Austin housed in a buzzy downtown destination. The cocktails are seriously good, as are the wide variety of menu items from braised eggplant to beef-hugging scallions to Sunday dim sum. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.
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The Zilker newcomer offers up modern Chinese fare on Barton Springs Road. There are skewered meats and vegetables, a decadent duck spread, and great noodles, plus fun cocktails. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.
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The Oak Hill restaurant is all about Chinese noodles, naturally, from spicy beef noodle soup to fried rice noodles, paired with excellent scallion pancakes. Look for and sibling restaurant Chen’s Noodle House up in Spicewood too. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
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Find great Sichuan food in South Austin at the Westgate Chinese restaurant, full of hot and dry pots, noodles, excellent mapo tofu, and more. Takeout orders can be placed online or over the phone; there are deliveries within a three-mile radius available; and there are indoor dine-in services.
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The South Congress neighborhood restaurant continues to reign as a classic Austin favorite with big reliable plates of American Chinese food dining in or carrying out. Pickup orders can be placed over the phone; there are indoor dine-in services.
The Taiwanese food truck at the Thicket serves up a variety of bento boxes and meals, featuring pork belly, pork chops, and chicken. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are outdoor dine-in areas.
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The Barrington Oaks Chinese restaurant focuses mostly on juicy dumplings, from soup dumplings to steamed pork and chive dumplings to fried vegetable dumplings. Other items include fried rice and lo mein and Chinese-American plates like General Tso’s chicken. The menu also ventures into Japanese dishes like ramen and udon. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
A post shared by Eater Austin (@eateraustin) on Feb 5, 2019 at 6:02am PST
Rice and noodles are the heroes at Cantonese North Austin restaurant Rice Bowl Café with huge portions and fast delivery. The pork noodle soup is a standout dish: spicy and crunchy with fresh, handmade noodles. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
A post shared by _ _ (@eats_n_noods)
Find all the dumplings from pork/shrimp/chives to cuttlefish at the North Lamar restaurant, alongside a strong offering of non-dumpling dishes like noodles and offal. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in areas.
A post shared by Eats in Austin, Texas (@luckyfatima)
A Chinatown Center staple, First Chinese BBQ’s wide Cantonese-style menu includes everything from noodle soups, hot pot, to barbecue. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
The Spicewood Springs Chinese restaurant offers a great menu full of classics like eggplant with spicy garlic sauce, shredded pork with bean curd, and chopped fish served with pickled mustard. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
This North Austin Chinese restaurant focuses on Sichuan fare, from pepper jumping fish to spicy boiled beef to mala fish with soft tofu. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are third-party deliveries (Uber Eats, DoorDash); and there are indoor dine-in services.
A post shared by Syed Ashrafulla (@syedashrafulla)
The North Austin restaurant never disappoints, with Beijing duck, Chinese barbecue, and marinated meats like chicken baked in rock salt. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are Uber Eats deliveries; and there are indoor dine-in services.
A post shared by Meat Boys (@the_meat_boys) on Dec 2, 2019 at 12:52pm PST
The North Austin Chinese restaurant has lots of absolutely perfect dumplings and hand-made noodles. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
A post shared by devon freeman (@dev_does) on Dec 17, 2018 at 7:34am PST
The Taiwanese restaurant with two locations (this one in Quail Creek and the other just south of the University of Texas at Austin campus) serves up bubble teas, noodles, rice, and meat-/vegetable-centric entrees, and more. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
A post shared by CoCo’s Cafe (@cocoscafeaustin)
The mega-popular Houston Chinese restaurant opened in Austin, bringing along its much-touted roast duck, among other dishes. Be prepared for lines. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
A post shared by Violet (@hungryviolet_atx)
The Highland Chinese restaurant features plenty of great Sichuan specialties, from fish fillets drenched in chili oil to spicy Chongqing chicken to double-cooked pork belly to a particularly great vinegar napa cabbage. There are two other locations: one by the University of Texas and another by Northcross Mall. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
A post shared by China Family (饭米粒) Highland (@china_family) on Dec 18, 2019 at 10:25am PST
The family-run establishment in the Highland neighborhood serves up a classic variety of dim sum and Chinese entrees. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.
A post shared by Nicolai McCrary (@thenicolai) on Jun 28, 2015 at 11:07am PDT
Scooter Bike For hearty Chinese hand-pulled noodles and noodle soup dishes, Xian is the answer, especially those red-braised beef noodles. There are three other locations besides this one in Mueller: one in the Domain and the other two up in Round Rock. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are typically indoor and outdoor dine-in services.