The Best Chinese Food in Seattle
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The best Chinese food in Seattle, according to the experts: The New York Times, Seattle Met, and The Infatuation have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Secret Congee comes out on top.
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Xi'an Noodles and Dough Zone hold the next two places. Seattle Met shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with The Infatuation next.
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Rank 1. Secret Congee
Chinese
Two brothers who started cooking congee in their college apartment now run one of the more quietly singular breakfast and lunch spots in Seattle. The bowl is Thai at heart, so expect tom yum shrimp or mala lamb shoulder alongside the straightforward chicken, with seasonal riffs keeping regulars guessing. The New York Times put it on their Seattle list, which tracks. Open mornings through early afternoon only, so plan ahead.
The awards
- The New York Times The New York Times: The 25 Best Restaurants in Seattle Right Now
- Seattle Met Seattle Met: Seattle’s 50 Best Restaurants
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Seattle Right Now
- Seattle Met Seattle’s 50 Best Restaurants
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Rank 2. Xi'an Noodles
Chinese Noodle Shop
Biang biang noodles get their name from the sound of dough being slapped against the counter, and at this cozy noodle shop on the Ave, that wide, chewy ribbon is the whole reason you're here. The chef has been setting the local standard for years, dressing them in cumin lamb, tingly beef, or just chile oil, which turns out to be enough. Named one of Seattle Met's 50 Best Restaurants, with a second location in Bellevue if you're on that side of the lake.
The awards
- Seattle Met Seattle Met: Seattle’s 50 Best Restaurants
- Seattle Met Seattle Met: Seattle’s Best Lunch Spots
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Rank 3. Dough Zone
Chinese
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: #25 · The 25 Best Restaurants In Seattle
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Rank 3. Haidilao Hot Pot
Chinese
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 21 Most Fun Dinner Spots In Seattle
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Rank 3. Vivienne's Bistro
Cantonese
Wooden lanterns and colorful cocktails set the tone at this upscale Chinese bistro inside the Sheraton, where the chef takes Cantonese as a starting point and then wanders pleasantly off-script. Surf-and-turf kung pao and lobster rangoon signal the playful agenda, though the Forbidden Roast Duck, a five-spiced bird with crackling skin served alongside monogrammed bao buns, is the dish the table will still be talking about on the way home.
The awards
- Seattle Met Seattle Met: Seattle’s 50 Best Restaurants
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Rank 6. A+ HK Restaurant
Cantonese
The awards
- Seattle Met Seattle’s Best Lunch Spots
- Seattle Met 2026 · The Best Restaurants in the Chinatown–International District Right Now
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Rank 7. Supreme Dumplings
Chinese
Each basket of xiao long bao arrives with bamboo tongs and a card explaining exactly how to pinch and transfer without losing the broth, which tells you something about how seriously this soup dumpling shop takes its product. The room is neutral-toned and quietly polished. Six styles of xiao long bao, plus pan-fried buns and wontons that get the same careful treatment. Seattle Met named it one of Seattle's best lunch spots, and the expansion to multiple cities suggests agreement was widespread.
The awards
- Seattle Met Seattle Met: Seattle’s Best Lunch Spots
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Rank 8. Chengdu Memory 蓉城老火锅
Sichuan
The awards
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Rank 8. Hong Kong Bistro
Cantonese
The awards
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Rank 8. Jade Garden
Chinese
The awards
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Rank 8. Jin Huang
Cantonese
Claypot dishes and lacquered roasted meats are the draw at this polished but casual Cantonese spot, where most of the menu stays under $15 and the lunch crowd moves fast. It shares a building with the much larger Diamond Bay, which means dim sum from that sprawling menu is also on offer, a dangerous development for anyone who came in planning to keep it simple. New York restaurant group, Seattle address, Chinatown, International District building with history.
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Rank 8. Kau Kau BBQ Restaurant
Chinese Barbecue
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Rank 8. King Noodle
Chinese Noodle Shop
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Rank 8. Mike's Noodle House
Chinese Noodle Shop
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Rank 8. Sichuanese Cuisine
Sichuan
The menu calls them "Sichuan ravioli," which tells you everything about the vibe here. This old-school International District Chinese restaurant has been serving homestyle Sichuan long before hot pot chains made the cuisine trendy in Seattle, and the approach hasn't changed much: big plates, ropy noodles, a pepper-reddened boiled fish that sounds mild and isn't, and portions sized like someone's grandmother is worried you look thin.
The awards
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Rank 8. Szechuan Noodle Bowl
Sichuan Noodle Shop
The awards
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Rank 8. Tai Tung
Chinese
The long counter at this old-school Chinese restaurant in the Chinatown-International District has been accumulating scuffs, celebrity photos, and regulars for decades. The menu has been this way forever, and that's the point: beef in oyster sauce, chop suey built on sautéed vegetables, nothing experimental. The owner waves you out the door himself, which is a touch you don't get everywhere.
The awards
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The awards