
More than just fortune cookies and orange chicken.
Chinese food is one of the most popular cuisine’s in the world for a couple of reasons: it’s widely varied due to how large and regionally unique China is, plus the fact that Chinese immigrants have settled all across the world, making it the type of cuisine you can try anywhere. There’s Cantonese, Sichuan, Szechuan, Hunan types of cooking; there’s baos, dumplings, noodles, pork and duck and fish, and the list goes on. Taste and sample your way across China, all from the comfort of our own backyard, at these 6 Chinese restaurants in Charlotte from traditional mom and pop shops to new fusion-style restaurants.
1. Lam’s Kitchen
Lam’s Kitchen is a Hong Kong style restaurant that does everything from perfectly made dim sum to meats and seafoods prepared with a variety of different sauces and techniques. One of their more unique method of serving is the Clay Pot, where a piping hot clay pot with all your favorite fixings are served hot and grilled–try their spare ribs, taro, and coconut milk for a unique flavor combination or go classic with beef brisket and daikon radish. Their menu is extensive so head there, grab a few different dishes, and enjoy family style.
Where: 3016 Weddington Rd, Matthews, NC 28105
2. Lee Cafe
For Cantonese specialties, grab a table at Lee Cafe for familiar dishes made with care–orange chicken or beef with broccoli–as well as unique dishes you’ll want to try. Salt & Spices Pork Chops are an excellent choice, as well as the Lobster, Cantonese style, for a luxurious dinner. They’ve got spicier Szechuan style dishes, and you can’t go wrong with their Spicy Chili Chicken or mapo tofu.
Where: 1046 Regent Pkwy, Fort Mill, SC 29715
3. Ho Ho Cherry House
A great option for vegans, their tofu has been described as crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside and coated in a sticky sweet and sour sauce, which you can get paired with rice and veg. When you’re at a loss of what to order, try to go for their house specialities, of which Ho Ho Cherry House is doing Crispy Scallion Chicken and Honey Walnut Shrimp.
Where: 2001 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28204
4. Taste of Shu
Spicy Szechuan food is the speciality at Taste of Shu, which means lip numbing spice and crispy fried, spicy dumplings and wontons. Definitely for the brave of heart and lover of spice, the tinging spicy Sichuan peppercorns and hot chilis are the perfect combination on top of crispy fried pork and beef, mapo tofu, and slippery wontons. Claiming to be the only authentic Szechuan restaurant in Charlotte, they’re definitely a can’t-miss on a Charlotte Chinese food tour.
Where: 8418 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC 28210
5. Baoding
A South Park favorite designed in a gorgeous dark and neon palette, this is a contemporary take on Chinese food. A lunch and dinner menu full of dishes like Beijing Duck, Firecracker Shrimp, Hunan and Szechuan dishes, and even meats grilled on wood-fire hibachis, all paired with cocktails, of which they have another full menu. Try their Pineapple Saki-Tini for a strong and tropical combo or a Chinese Firecracker with vodka and cranberry juice.
Where: 4722-F Sharon Rd. Charlotte, NC 28210
6. Sun’s Kitchen
Chili-soaked beef skewered and boiled pork dumplings are the name of the game here at Sun’s Kitchen. With a variety of different, colorful boiled dumplings tucked with chicken and mushrooms, beef and carrot, and shrimp and chicken, you can try a whole of variety of them–either by ordering a few different types or getting one full plate of their dumpling flight. We’d also recommend trying their Dan Dan Noodles, one of our personal favorites, made with a special and spicy sesame sauce drenched over fresh noodles.
Where: 2200 Thrift Rd Suite 2, Charlotte, NC 28208