Northern Cafe

Sometimes, the best Chinese restaurant is the one closest to you—and with fourteen locations across Los Angeles, including the Westside, Beverly Grove, Hollywood, the South Bay and the San Gabriel Valley, this seriously underrated mini-chain puts first-rate noodles, dumplings and wontons within a short driving distance for most Angelenos. While you'll find solid xiaolongbao and pan-fried jiaozi on the menu, Northern Cafe's cold starter salads and harder-to-find dishes like lao gan ma (chili crisp) fried noodles, zhajiangmien (Chinese black bean noodles) and Sichuan-style cumin lamb help this fast-casual concept stand out L.A.'s competitive Chinese dining scene.