Hop Alley
Chinese restaurant · Five Points
3500 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
Highlights
Modern Chinese, bold flavors, Sichuan influences, craft cocktails
Modern Chinese, bold flavors, Sichuan influences, craft cocktails
"Tommy Lee’s enduring RiNo favorite puts an exuberant modern spin on regional Chinese staples in an equally high-energy dining room. While all first-timers (if there are any left) should try the chilled tofu in bang bang sauce, Beijing duck roll, and bone marrow–fried rice, abundant seasonal and daily specials keep regulars coming back — whether for salt-and-pepper squid; pepper beef with honeycomb tripe and woodear mushrooms; or heirloom melon in buttermilk sauce with smoked oysters and caviar at the reservation-only chef’s counter. The bar team is more than up to the pairing challenge the menu presents, known as they are for cocktails infused with Asian ingredients as well as a geeky selection of wines and ciders." - Ruth Tobias
"Listed among Colorado’s 13 semifinalists for the 2025 James Beard Awards, this Denver restaurant is included in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program category; a correction on January 30, 2025 (9:40 a.m.) notes that a previous version of the piece had overlooked that inclusion. The Colorado group overall featured seven semifinalists with national-category nods and also included entries in the new Best New Bar and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service categories." - Brenna Houck
"Hop Alley is named after Denver’s 19th-century Chinatown, but it’s also a conversation starter and a tongue-in-cheek wink at the neighborhood’s history. Nowadays, the nine-year-old restaurant is still the cool kid in RiNo, Denver’s trendiest neighborhood. Sichuan chilis numb your tongue to a hip-hop soundtrack, and classics-with-a-curveball run through the menu, like schmaltzy chinese broccoli sprinkled with duck salt and super spicy pork and pickled cabbage dumplings. Cool the heat with equally fun boozy drinks, some of which are served out of boba-style cups." - allyson reedy, patricia kaowthumrong
"Even though it opened in 2015, this Chinese restaurant is still the cool kid in RiNo. Hop Alley is named after Denver’s 19th-century Chinatown, but it’s also a conversation starter and tongue-in-cheek wink at the neighborhood’s history. Located in a former soy sauce factory, the place serves up plates like tongue-numbing la zi ji and char siu beets that will convert even non-beet people, all with a side of blaring hip hop. They also recently expanded into a neighboring business, which means you might actually be able to snag a table here." - allyson reedy, patricia kaowthumrong
"Named for Denver’s onetime Chinatown, Tommy Lee’s RiNo mainstay is the complete package: edgy vibe, kinetic cuisine, progressive beverage program, and all. The kitchen plays up bold flavor contrasts — cooling against tongue-lashing, mellow against pungent, bright against luscious — without ever losing its balance, while the bar dares to pair them with everything from bubbly and rosé to craft cider and funky punches. Staples include chilled tofu in sesame bang bang sauce, cumin lamb buns, and bone-marrow fried rice; seasonal dishes might be things like beef ribs in a Palisade peach–hoisin glaze or charred cabbage with whipped peppercorn tofu, umeboshi, and lap cheong. (For a special occasion, the chef’s counter is open Thursday through Saturday with a compelling multi-course tasting menu.)" - Ruth Tobias
