San Diego, California is famous for its spectacular coastal views, naval museums whale watching, and strolls along with seaport patios. When you are hungry, you can head towards the umpteen Chinese food restaurants. They offer the best elements of Chinese cooking. The spread can be from spicy Szechuan to hot pot and dumplings.
Please find a compilation of a list of restaurants that offer the best Chinese food in San Diego. These restaurants are patronized by the smartest and savviest diners in San Diego. Our compilation includes local favorites to elegant dining-out experiences, of the best Chinese food in San Diego and will be liked by you.
Chinese Food in San Diego
Del Mar Rendezvous: It belongs to the creator of the city’s celebrated Dumpling Inn who continues creating some of the best Chinese food in San Digo. Satisfy your craving for Chinese dumplings by picking up a to-go order from this Kearny Mesa restaurant It is a short walk from Del Mar beach and offers a relaxed lunch or dinner. The “Happy Buddha Hour” offers half-off dim sum dishes and select wines. One can try the restaurant’s famous signature pungent crispy chicken or sweet and sour chicken dishes for entrees. Options include boiled pork and chive, deep-fried beef curry, steamed vegetarian, and many more varieties.
Steamy Piggy: This outlet offers some of the unique ambiances in the entirety of San Diego. This hot spot by Miramar is known for its signature pink walls and hanging planters. The hand-made dumplings and noodles are made in traditional Chinese fashion with premium wheat flour. Their famous rainbow dumplings sampler, with pork, curry chicken, and veggie options is a treat including the Steamy Piggy treats. Sample the Nutella dumplings, kawaii buns, and sesame balls, the best treats in the entirety of San Diego. For an excellent accompaniment, try a “Piggy Potion” of cranberry and soju.
Mandarin Wok Restaurant: Mandarin Wok Restaurant has had a proud following of loyal patrons, since 1982. Its famous traditional dishes include sizzling rice soup, cream cheese wontons, and salt and pepper chicken wings. It is located in the heart of the happening Clairemont area of San Diego, off Balboa Avenue with a great lunch menu. The mid-day meal has mouth-watering chicken lo mein, pungent shrimp, or Peking pork. Sample Wok’s specialty seafood for a sit-down dinner meal. The imperial shrimp has shrimp with mushrooms and baby corn in a ginger sauce. The yu-hsian scallop comes sauteed with vegetables in a wine and garlic sauce.
Hong Kong Restaurant: It is a legendary spot and a lively late-night destination for locals to enjoy classic Chinese dishes. For lunch, savor big plates of sweet and sour pork, almond chicken, and beef with bell pepper. You may sample some of the restaurant’s rice noodle dishes for a dinner meal. The Singapore-style rice noodle or the Hong-Kong Chow Fun are both mouth-watering dishes.
Isabel’s Cantina: Located at Felspar Street, it brings together an electric crowd and an unbeatable mix of cuisine. Savor Latin and Asian cuisines like plantains and carnitas or the ahi wontons for an appetizer. You can also try the Buddha bowl with lemongrass and coconut milk broth with shiitake mushrooms and noodles. The lunch lettuce wraps, tamales, or the dinner ahi platter make a good choice for the main dish, try. The intriguing cocktail list, also full of Latin and Asian influences, is not to be missed.
Cherrywine Modern Asian cuisine: It is a short walk from Seal Rock, the waterfront of La Jolla, and the Museum of San Diego Art. It is an intimate, acclaimed restaurant with small plates, sushi, and healthy dishes relished in a relaxed atmosphere. The signature spicy beef, grilled salmon, or OG tuna poke dishes can be paired with one of their several boba drinks. For sushi try the crunchy Cali roll with fried onion and the Mexi-Cali roll with spicy mayo and sriracha sauce.
Sam Woo Restaurant: It is a cash-only spot in Kearny Mesa with excellent barbecue and a lively weeknight and weekend atmosphere. The hot pot dinner specials, with beef, roast pork, fish, and other seafood dishes are served up piping hot. It offers superb soup dishes like the mince chicken fish maw broth, the loofah with fish soup, and the traditional hot and sour soup.
China Max Seafood Restaurant: It is the city’s most bustling upscale seafood two-story seafood spot in the Convoy Pointe Shopping Center. China Max is a prime spot for a relaxed dinner with a sleek and modern look inside and superb patio dining. Seafood like the abalone with oyster sauce braised abalone with fish maw, or braised abalone with black mushroom is the top draw. You may also try the fried prawn with garlic salt and the jumbo shrimp in lobster sauce.
Trieu Chau Restaurant: It is patronized by the University of San Diego students, faculty, and teachers for the best Cambodian / Chinese food. Check out the sweet Chinese donut, a long-fried piece of dough for a perfect after-dinner treat. The dry noodles soup, stir fry chicken, or salt-and-pepper shrimp are also worth a try. It is an excellent and steady option for the Chinese in San Diego.
Chinese food San Diego
P.F. Chang’s: It is a celebrated Chinese chain with outlets all over the USA. It is at many locations in San Diego also.
• P.F. Chang’s La Jolla: Try the happy hours, with a selection of cocktail, wine, beer, and food specials for diners. Savor the Mongolian pot-stickers, made with hand-folded dumplings and beef filling, or the crispy avocado spring rolls for a special treat. The ahi poke bowl, with diced ahi, avocado, mango, and seaweed salad is another highlight.
• P.F. Chang’s Chula Vista: It is the place for a perfect meal once you have seen San Diego Bay or the Otay Open Space Preserve or have been to one of the finest theater installments in the area. After a creative appetizer, try Chang’s lettuce wraps, based on a secret Chiang family recipe, or the steamed-to-ordered Chicken or the signature black pepper chicken, with Fresno peppers and onion.
• P.F. Chang’s Carlsbad: It is close to the beaches of Carlsbad and McClellan – Palomar Airport. After spending some time spent at the nearby Karl Strauss Brewing Company or the Carlsbad premium outlets enjoy P.F. Chang’s happy hour for $6 “Blushing Geisha” or Asian pear mojito cocktails along with $6 crispy green beans, tuna roll, and California roll or the $5 dim sum happy hour menu features dumplings, crab wontons, and vegetable spring rolls.
• P.F. Chang’s Temecula: This suburban hot spot is in the Temecula Promenade and can be visited before or after a movie at the nearby upscale theater, or a trip to the Get Air Trampoline Park a few blocks away. It offers superb Asian classics, like northern-style spare ribs and cauliflower tempura.
• P.F. Chang’s San Diego: Visit this outlet after traveling to the University of San Diego or strolling by the nearby San Diego River. It is an ideal place for a casual Chinese meal for one of the restaurant’s signature spicy chicken bowls, or try the Mongolian beef bowl with soy glaze and flank steak. The family-style dinner meals are an excellent option for any large group visiting the city.Shan Xi Magic Kitchen: This hot spot at Kearny Mesa offers the Biang Biang noodles, which are extra wide handmade noodles that are served in a spicy sauce. They are very delicious on their own. They do not need any meat or veggies to accompany them.
Chop Suey Peking Restaurant: It’s a famous North Park family restaurant offering Cantonese fare since 1931. Its favorites include crispy beef, walnut shrimp, and Szechuan tofu.
Minh Ky Chinese: This hole-in-the-wall City Heights restaurant offers an assortment of egg noodle soups, rice noodle soups, and practically any other Chinese dish.
Beijing City: It is famous for Chinese food in North County, made fresh-to-order. The garlic shrimp, kung-pao chicken, and spicy fish, and tofu are some of the favorites.
Chef Wong Chinese Cuisine: It is located in Carmel Mountain, still young, but has huge a fan base in North County. For an appetizer, try the fried cream cheese wontons and the chow fun noodles or the Xiao Long Bao, a steamed bun with pork.
Yenchim Garden Restaurant: Located in Rancho Penasquitos, it features Szechuan and Taiwanese specialties like crispy scallion pancakes to crispy beef.
Golden House: Otay’s Golden House is close to the Mexican border that serves up salt and pepper chicken the local favorite.
Little Chef Chinese Take-Out: This Ocean Beach establishment is famous for the wonton soup, egg rolls, and chow mein.
Summary: San Diego is full of Chinese eating joints offering a variety of lip-smacking, mouth-watering food. Depending on your location you can savor the local delicacies to your heart’s content.