Open until midnight every day, Peach Farm is a longtime Chinatown favorite of pretty much every chef in Boston. This seafood-focused spot on Tyler Street is beloved for late-night hours, but more so for fresh and delicious Chinese food. Deep-fried Spicy Salted Shrimp are stellar with or without a cold Tsingtao, and the Lobster with Ginger and Scallions is a top treatment of our local bounty. We also love the Roast Pork Lo Mein, Stir Fried seasonal vegetables, and House Fried Rice, which enhances the simple pleasure of the dish with Chinese sausage and scallops. Dining in at one of the pink-clothed tables must be experienced at some point by every Bostonian, but we also appreciate that Peach Farm offers nightly pickup and delivery.

An impressively long menu of inexpensive, spice-packed, Taiwanese and Szechuan flavors (and a midnight closing time) has made Dumpling Cafe a go-to for budget-conscious diners and seasoned dumpling seekers alike. This place is best known for dumplings, of course, from the soup-filled specimens—called Mini Juicy Buns on the menu—to the simply named Taiwan Style Pan Fried Dumpling, a must-order of eight crispy tubes filled with the most fragrant minced pork. Roasted Duck Buns and an appetizer wrap of Roast Beef with Scallion Pancakes are other bite-sized delights. If you make your way to other sections of the menu, we love the savory Taiwan Style Noodles, which carry the distinct aroma and flavor of wok hei; and the head-on Salt and Pepper Shrimp. 

Here’s a pro tip: When Dumpling Cafe is inevitably on a wait, head over to Taiwan Cafe, slightly off the beaten path on Oxford Street and with a similarly huge and high-quality menu. Both spots are owned by chef Peter Wang (who’s also behind Allston’s excellent Dumpling Kingdom, among other Boston Chinese restaurant staples). The tiny Taiwan Cafe gets busy as well, but service is extremely fast and efficient; you’ll hardly wait at all. Along with Mini Juicy Buns and the Taiwan Style Pan Fried Dumpling, Pan Fried Pork Buns are some of our favorites here. Beyond dumplings, the deep-fried House Special Fried Pork Chop on Rice and spicy Home Style Braised Eggplant with Basil always satisfy—and arrive at the table piping hot.  

This Chinatown noodle house was born from the popular bowls of ramen Shojo formerly offered as a lunchtime special. Ruckus eventually took over an adjacent space on Tyler Street and now brings the ruckus every day, with equally loud food—and hip-hop soundtrack—as its big sister. Springy noodles are made fresh in-house daily to fill up bowls of long-simmered Miso chicken and pork broth. Choose Spicy or regular Tori Miso Ramen, topped with grilled thick-cut pork belly, a soy-marinated egg, ginger-scallion oil, greens, butter, and togarashi. There are also seasonal specials, like Red Coconut Pumpkin Curry; a couple of side dishes, such as Papa Moy’s Handmade Peking Ravioli; and add-on Swag (toppings) including Ruckus Spicy Paste, a super-umami, house-made chili condiment. Ruckus is open daily for quick-service lunch and dinner.

Though it’s been a landmark in Boston’s Chinatown for more than 30 years, nobody should come to Pho Pasteur expecting Chinese food: This is a longtime favorite for Vietnamese cuisine. When it comes to pho, the soul-warming soup, Pho Pasteur’s extra-large bowl of zesty Beef Noodle Soup is our go-to, served steaming with a veritable salad of aromatics. There are other times when something cooler hits the spot, such as the oversized Bun Thit Heo Nuong, or vermicelli noodles topped with sweet, thin-sliced pork, lettuce and herbs, peanuts, and a tangy fish sauce. The sizable menu has dishes all under $20, many even under $15, and quality is never skimped, so it’s a de facto date spot for all the college students in Downtown Boston. For folks south of the city, Pho Pasteur also has a location in Quincy. 

In Chinatown and craving Japanese food? Check out Tora Japanese Restaurant, which specializes in kaisen don, or rice bowls with sashimi. This subterranean spot on Tyler Street expertly slices fresh seafood for brimming bowls like Kuromon Don, loaded with yellowtail, salmon, tuna, mackerel, and red snapper; and Sake Aisuru Don, a salmon lover’s dream with sashimi, salmon belly, and minced salmon. Tora also offers picture-perfect maki rolls, nigiri, hot appetizers and entrees, and some of the best poke in Boston. Try the Tuna and Salmon Spicy Shoyu Poke, with big chunks of fish with a colorful array of toppings including plump edamame and crunchy wonton crisps. If you’re dining in, don’t overlook the small but mighty selection of sake, which includes several single-serve selections like the kawaii Lucky Dog Sake Juicebox.

Eric Twardzik contributed reporting

Chinatown is chock full of mom-and-pop bakeries specializing in sweet and savory treats like egg tarts, filled buns, and airy cakes. Pass by the busier bakeries near the food court on Beach Street—OK, sure, why not pop into them all and drop less than $5 on a few hot dog buns and mooncakes—and make your way to May’s Cake House for our favorite. A hole-in-the-wall, cash-only basement location on Harrison Avenue, this spot off the main drag has plush char xiu bao and pineapple buns available for pocket change, kept warm behind the counter (you’ll have to ask for them). The bakery cases are mainly reserved for party-ready cakes that taste even better than they look, with an impossibly light crumb, just-sweet-enough whipped cream topping, and fresh fruit decorations. That’s not even all: May’s also Chinatown’s best-kept secret when it comes to dim sum. Arrive early in the day (it’s open 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.) for a chance to try the cheung fun (steamed rice noodle) filled with beef or shrimp.