Hop Alley

"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, Eater Staff

"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 cumin lamb buns, Beijing duck roll, and bone marrow–fried rice, abundant seasonal and daily specials keep regulars coming back — whether for charred cabbage with lap cheong, whipped peppercorn tofu, and umeboshi; smoked beef ribs in a peach-hoisin glaze; 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." - Eater Staff

"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

"Opened in 2015, Hop Alley is a Chinese restaurant whose name comes from the name for Denver’s original Chinatown. The Sichuan-leaning restaurant focuses on modern interpretations of traditional dishes — think fatty bone marrow fried rice or Chinese broccoli griddled in schmaltz and finished with duck salt — and inventive cocktails. Hop Alley’s menu features plenty of plates made for sharing, so make sure to go with a group." - Annie Harrigan, Eater Staff

"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 Chongqing-style fried chicken with chiles, Beijing duck roll, and bone marrow–fried rice, abundant seasonal and daily specials keep regulars coming back — whether for black-pepper scallops with country ham and yu choy, garlicky wok-tossed pea tendrils and sour mustard greens, or mung bean jelly noodles with Badger Flame beets and celtuce in black-vinegar dressing. 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." - Eater Staff