There’s just something special about Chinese takeout. Maybe it’s because no matter how hard you try, you can’t quite get the recipe for a traditional Chinese dish right outside the restaurant. Peppered among the numerous exceptional Santa Cruz restaurants, you’ll find plenty of dim sum, wonton, and chicken chow mein joints for dine-in dates or takeout for cozy nights in your Santa Cruz vacation rental.

Alongside New York, California has the largest population of Chinese immigrants in the United States of America. Most initial immigrants settled in larger cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, creating colorful Chinatowns.

By the 1860s, Santa Cruz had a well-established Chinese community, with Pacific Avenue as its epicenter. From here, a bustling culinary scene was born. Now, Santa Cruz boasts authentic Cantonese and Szechuan dishes, as well as the hybrid American/Chinese dishes many of us are familiar with (Kung Pao Chicken, anyone?).

Here are the best Chinese restaurants in Santa Cruz for your next visit to the quirky surf town.

1. Chloe’s Kitchen

• 2301A Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA
• instagram.com/mos_dumpling_sc
• $
• Dumpling house known for novel dumplings like Kimchi Dumpling Soup & Spicy Kung Pao Dumplings.

Formerly known and loved as Mo’s Dumpling, Chloe’s Kitchen is still whipping up excellent vegetarian-friendly hand-made noodles and dumplings, just with the added dishes like spicy garlic tofu, chow fun noodles, scallion pancakes, and pork belly. With generous portions and lots of vegan options, this is a local favorite if you’re looking for some yummy, unique dumpling concoctions.

2. Special Noodle

• 415 Ocean St, Santa Cruz, CA
• specialnoodle-santacruz.com
• $$
• Casual Chinese cuisine with exceptional soup dumplings and chow mein, known for its massive menu

Special Noodle is easily one of the best Chinese food restaurants in town. Enjoy plates of pork in garlic sauce, chicken chow mein, and scalding hot soup dumplings in a simple, no-frills setting that ensures the focus is on the food. Special Noodle offers free delivery on takeout orders. If you love the food, don’t fret because this spot is also a small chain with locations across the US, so you might be able to enjoy it closer to home!

3. Charlie Hong Kong

• 1141 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA
• charliehongkong.com
• $
• Counter-service Chinese-influenced organic rice bowls. Don’t miss the Spicy Dan’s Peanut Delight with coconut/peanut sauce.

While Hong Kong is in the name, Charlie’s is whipping up more than just traditional Chinese cuisine. All the dishes on the menu have an Asian flair, with some items hailing from faraway places like Indonesia or Thailand rather than China.

The main emphasis here is on organic, vegetarian, and vegan-friendly cuisine. This doesn’t mean you should miss the meat entirely, however. Try the Hoisin slow-braised pork or the teriyaki salmon for a little treat. Over 1,000 Santa Cruz reviewers can’t be wrong.

4. Golden City Chinese Restaurant

• 1230 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA
• goldencitycatogo.com
• $
• Hearty Cantonese cuisine made American-friendly with familiar dishes like orange chicken, Mongolian beef, and hot and sour soup.

Golden City is an old-school mom-and-pop Chinese joint well worth a dine-in experience because of its excellent service alone. The portions are huge, the prices are low, and the food is usually comfort-style and fried. While you can’t go wrong with a single item on the menu, locals order the pork fried rice and the sweet and sour prawns for the perfect meal.

5. Chinese Village

• 3780 Capitola Rd, Santa Cruz, CA
• chinesevillagetogo.com
• $
• Casual “Hong Kong” style restaurant with lunch specials and tasty sweet and sour chicken, pot stickers, salt & pepper wings, and egg rolls.

If you’re hunting for a family-owned restaurant that has been a Santa Cruz staple for years, look no further than Chinese Village. The interior is homey and welcoming; the food is generously portioned and freshly made. While the menu offers much the same cuisine as many of the other destinations on this list, the care and quality of ingredients sets them apart. Those looking for the best lunch deal in Santa Cruz will leave satisfied.

6. Yan Flower

• 617 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA
• yanflower.com
• $
• Old-world environment with exceptional “Americanized” Chinese cuisine like sweet and sour soup, crab rangoon, pork buns, and walnut shrimp.

If you’re looking for a lunch deal, you’re in the right place. With $7 entree lunch specials like Chicken Chow Mein and Hunan Tofu, the bang for your buck here cannot be beaten. But dinnertime prices aren’t bad either. Their expertly crafted combo plates ensure you get a good sampling of all they offer without needing a large group to eat family-style.

7. Shun Feng Restaurant

• 420 River St, Santa Cruz, CA
• smorefood.com/hun-feng-santa-cruz
• $
• Dim Sum and Clay Pot dishes served in a casual setting. Our favorites are the Curry Chicken with Potatoes in Clay Pot and Prawns with Szechuan Sauce.

Scrolling through their easily searchable online menu, Shun Feng has a seemingly endless array of options, from green beans to sizzling rice soup to savory Singapore noodles and BBQ buns and cashew chicken. No matter what you crave, this classic Chinese eatery can promise – it’s on the menu.

8. Betty Noodles

• 431 Front St, Santa Cruz, CA
• dinfo.me/bettynoodleusa.com
• $
• Cozy noodle shop. Try the Kimchi Super Soup or the Dumpling Noodle Soup.

Betty Noodles has you covered if you’re searching for a brothy bowl of comfort noodles. This quaint, brightly-colored space is comfortable for dining in and boasts a plentiful soup menu and a wide array of ndry and wet noodle dishes Uniquely for a Chinese restaurant, Betty’s offers gluten-free noodle options as well.

9. Full Steam Dumpling

• 1001 Center St, Santa Cruz, CA
• fullsteamdumpling.com
• $$
• Pop-up Restaurant inside the 11th Hour Coffee serving Japanese ramen alongside Chinese-style dumplings and unique American-style fusion dishes. Favorites include goat cheese wontons, Chicken Katsu, and Yuzu Ramen.

You’ll find novel creations at this quaint spot, like the Pan-Fried Mushroom and Yam Dumplings or Creamy Chicken and Leek Bao, as well as classics like the Peking Duck Dinner (for those who order ahead) and Red Oil Dumplings. This pop-up location is exceptionally cozy and​​ is within 11th Hour Coffee, one of the best coffee shops in Santa Cruz, it’s exceptionally cozy!

10. Guang Zho

• 3150 Portola Dr #5101, Santa Cruz, CA
• guangzhotogo.com
• $
• Popular dine-in restaurant with funky, colorful decor. Don’t miss the Hunan beef in black bean sauce, egg rolls, and Orange Chicken.

Painted with pops of pink and turquoise, the interior of Guang Zho is Instagram-ready! But don’t let that detract from how delicious the food is. The food is more traditional Chinese than Chinese-American, but you’ll find all the most popular plates here. They, too, offer an excellent lunch special for early diners!

Stay With Beachnest in Santa Cruz!

Our vacation rentals are ready to welcome you to the shores of Santa Cruz. We have properties spanning the entire county from Capitola to Pleasure Point. Whether you’re here with the whole family or on a romantic getaway, our properties are perfectly situated to enjoy the most popular restaurants, breweries, and attractions that make Santa Cruz special.