The barbecue pork banh mi here is a treat, but don’t overlook the “lunch box” of two or three entrees and a ton of rice for just a few bucks more. Beef stew, stuffed bitter melon, and coconut chicken are among the top picks. As with the other nearby delis, diners can also buy fresh spring rolls, banh cuon (rice crepes), and other Vietnamese bites, including neon-colored sweets.

Vietnam House shares the same parking lot as Tamarind Tree, though it attracts more of a Vietnamese clientele. This is a reliable spot for broken rice dishes, including one with a grilled pork chop, shrimp on sugar cane, deep-fried bean curd, and a fried egg. With more than 100 items, the menu may be a bit overwhelming. Note, though, that nearly every table orders bun mang vit (duck and bamboo vermicelli noodle soup). It’s available one hour after opening, and typically sells out before the end of the day.

Named for a Vietnamese province known for rice production, Dong Thap turns rice into fresh noodles that form the foundation of the menu, including soup noodles and dry “bun” bowls of vermicelli topped with meat, vegetables, and egg rolls. Diners can order pho with a choice of two noodles—one is a wide, flat version that is traditional in pho but hard to find locally. The noodles are soft and slippery, yet slightly chewy and diners can buy them at the counter to cook at home.

Pho Bac Sup Shop is a Little Saigon landmark and the center of the restaurant empire of sisters Yenvy and Quynh Pham, who were recently longlisted for a James Beard award. (The first Pho Bac location, started by their parents, is just across the parking lot and is now a brunch spot called The Boat.) The second generation of the Pham family has expanded the original menu far beyond soup noodles. The pho tron (“dry pho”) is outstanding, and there are tasty bites like pho fries and twice-fried chicken wings with tamarind fish sauce glaze.

This long-revered Cambodian restaurant has enjoyed a revival in a slick new space after a two-year closure. Longtime staples, including the honey-black pepper chicken wings, mee katang (wide rice noodles in gravy), and beef lok lac (wok-tossed marinated steak cubes), satisfy old and new diners alike. Soothingly porky bone soup is available in limited quantity, along with plenty of freezes and shakes for a cool finish.

This bustling restaurant has an expansive menu featuring the subdued flavors of Cantonese cuisine. Especially popular are the stone pots containing rice that’s fluffy in the middle and crispy along the edges topped with meats like spare ribs and Chinese sausage. Other favorites include the fried rice rolls with XO sauce, kissed by the wok for the perfect pan-sear. For a unique taste of Hong Kong, try the baked pork chop with spaghetti and add a pineapple bun stuffed with a generous pat of chilled butter.

This Hunan-inspired restaurant uses pickled chilies in contrast to the dry chilies synonymous with the numerous Sichuan restaurants in the area. Mortar and pestle-pounded eggplant with bell pepper and century egg is a must-order, as are the customizable dry pots with a wide variety of meats and vegetables. Smoky plum juice is a nice pairing to the sourness, salt, and spiciness of the food.

Formerly known as ChungChun Rice Hot Dog, Mochinut serves guilty pleasures made with rice flour. The mochi donuts have a texture that’s stretchy and chewy, and that chewiness extends to the batter on the hot dogs—thinner than what’s found on a corn dog. “Half and half” hot dogs are a great entry point, with mozzarella cheese on top and beef sausage on the bottom. Toppings run the gamut from sugar to ramen to sweet potato to hot Cheetos.

Tai Tung is the oldest Chinese restaurant in Seattle, and the history is everywhere. You can sit in the Bruce Lee Memorial Booth and have his cut-out watch as you eat his beloved beef with oyster sauce. The extensive menu is full of classics from chop suey to egg foo young to chow mein, especially fun to eat family-style.

The celebrated Sichuan chain from Southern California opened its first Seattle location in 2020, serving popular specialties such as toothpick lamb with cumin, mung bean jelly noodles drenched in chili sauce, and a cold spring onion chicken in pepper sauce. Diners will delight in the ma la (numbing and spicy) aftermath of the Sichuan peppercorn and chili-laden dishes; ma po tofu aficionados should especially give Chengdu Taste’s version a try.

Famous for its bright purple ube cheesecake, this cafe serves a variety of delectable Filipino treats accompanied by single origin Asian-Pacific coffee drinks. (Try a pandan latte or durian white chocolate mocha.) At night, Hood Famous transforms to a cocktail bar offering pulutan (drinking snack) bites. Look for flavors like tamarind, guava, and calamansi appearing in both the food and drinks.

It’s easy to overlook this sliver of a storefront, but the compelling sight of hanging meats and the thwacking sound of cleaver against chopping block draw attentive diners in, while the amazing flavors ensure they return. The roasted duck has crackly skin, while the poached free-range chicken comes with a superb ginger-scallion sauce. With a week’s notice, the restaurant will even set you up with a roasted whole pig for an at-home party.