With six locations spanning the Houston area, you’re bound to live by a Cooking Girl. The restaurant prides itself on serving authentic Sichuan dishes catering to all your spicy cravings. Indulge in a house specialty like the hot diving fish—flounder, cucumber, pepper, and ginger—or try one of the meat entrees such as the hot boiled beef or pepper twins chicken. Cooking Girl also offers vegetarian-friendly options with its tofu entrees.

This Seattle import rolled into Houston in 2023 and now has three locations here. If you’re too pressed for time to drive to Asiatown, Dough Zone will do in a pinch for soup dumplings, but make sure to try the restaurant’s pot stickers, noodles, and sweet and sour cucumber appetizer, too.

Duck N Bao’s footprint has been growing in Houston, having recently opened a third location in Rice Village. It’s all about the Sichuan specialties here. If you’re with a crowd and come early, spring for a half or whole Peking duck, roasted in-house every day in limited quantities. Otherwise, start with some dim sum and move onto the barbecue pork with honey sauce or the spicy cumin lamb.

When the Fungs arrived in Houston from Hong Kong in the 1980s, there was little regional Chinese cooking here, not to mention the kind Hoi Fung spent decades perfecting: Cantonese-style live seafood. The family opened Fung’s Kitchen in 1990, offering all kinds of fresh fish, lobster, shrimp, blue and king crab when in season, and other specialties. Come here on the weekends for top-notch dim sum service.

Located just off Bellaire Boulevard, House of Bowls is the no-frills café where you want to make yourself a regular. We like to start with an order of pan-fried turnip cakes then dig into a steaming bowl of brisket noodle soup, especially in the cooler months.

The Chicago-based chain made its Houston entrance in 2021, although the Bellaire location has since closed, leaving just the Montrose Boulevard spot. Tradition meets modern here, with pop music, colorful wall art, and a friendly staff. Notable dishes include wontons with Sichuan chile oil, dan dan noodles, a classic lo mein, sesame chicken, and the signature Peking duck. The portions are big, so beware when ordering.

Owners Cori Xiong and Heng Chen introduced their spicy cuisine to Houston in 2011 with the debut of their first location in Asiatown. Now with five locations, it’s safe to say that the demand for more was high. Mala serves authentic Sichuan food with menu items such as beef tendon, red oil dumplings, dan dan noodles, mapo tofu, brown sugar sticky rice cakes, and dry pot dishes with beef, basa fish, or prawns. The newest location in M-K-T Heights, designed by Gin Design Group, boasts a pagoda roof, lanterns, and a back bar made of roofing tile used in the Sichuan province.

This is where we pull up when we’re craving traditional dim sum service with servers rolling carts around the restaurant, bringing new tempting goodies to our table every few minutes. The… palatial Ocean Palace is great for a group, occupying a good chunk of the giant Hong Kong City Mall strip. Come hungry and try as many different bites as you’re able—just make sure you leave enough room for a sesame ball or two for dessert.

Houstonians in the know have pretty much universally declared this spot the best place in the city to get soup dumplings. The made-to-order xiaolongbao have delicate wrappings and a fragrant broth inside, a balance that’s tough to find, so drive out here and get slurping…though you may have to wait in line first.

The fun design and bright neon lights you’ll notice before stepping foot into into any of Rice Box’s four locations are enough to make you want to walk in. We can confirm the food lives up to the hype: with street bites like egg rolls, comfort food dishes like General Tso’s chicken, and different fried rice options, Rice Box is the gift that keeps on giving—and we aren’t mad about the leftovers.

From the traditional Chinese interior and great food to its staff that makes you feel right at home, Spicy Girl should be on your list next time you want to have a bite in Midtown. Start your visit sharing some egg rolls, edamame, and pan-fried dumplings, then dig into steamed pork bao and Sichuan chile pork.

Tiger Noodle House serves an array of traditional options, including dishes from the province of Sichuan like Sichuan wood ear mushrooms, Sichuan spicy chicken, and shredded sweet garlic pork with Sichuan oil. The portions are on the bigger side, perfect for anyone who loves some leftovers. If you find yourself with a late-night craving, the Rice Village location is open until midnight Tuesdays through Saturdays.

 Walking into Qin Dynasty’s dining room filled with traditional Chinese warrior statues, a chariot, and art will make you feel like you’re traveling back in time. The menu offers a wide variety of seafood and meat options, soups, rice, noodles, and vegetarian-friendly dishes. Notable plates include the 10-piece Sichuan spicy chicken dumplings, pepper steak, and chicken teriyaki. Although the restaurant has white tablecloths and elaborate decor, it’s pretty casual. And the best part: After paying you’ll be treated to complimentary fortune cookies—may the future be in your favor.

We’re calling it: This is the best place to get soup dumplings inside the loop (we still very much encourage you to drive to Bellaire Boulevard for One Dragon). Our go-to order is the shrimp and pork xiaolongbao (two baskets if we’re hungry) with a garlic-cucumber salad to start.

There are plenty of restaurants to indulge in hot pot in Houston (we love Shabu Zone and Happy Lamb), but Xiaolongkan is a step above everything else, with its premium cuts of meat and add-ons, beautiful decor, and top-notch service.