Some Chinese restaurants in Arizona have been frying wontons and ladling soup since long before the Valley turned into a sea of drive-thrus. These are the places where families have been ordering the same combo plates for decades, sometimes across three generations.
The five spots below range from a downtown Phoenix classic with more than 60 years behind it to a Hong Kong-style cafe in Mesa’s Asian District that just passed the 20-year mark. Each one still serves wontons, whether crispy, cheese-filled, or floating in broth, and each has stuck around long enough to become part of its neighborhood.
If you like your Chinese food old school, generous, and easy on the wallet, this list is for you.
1. New Garden Restaurant, Phoenix, AZ
More than 60 years on South Central Avenue makes New Garden one of the longest-running Chinese kitchens in Phoenix. Some regulars have been eating here for over half a century.
The building at 823 S Central Ave does not try to impress from the street. Inside, the setting is casual, quiet, and homey, with table service and plenty of room for groups.
The menu sticks to the classics. Egg rolls, orange chicken, beef dishes, and House Fried Rice anchor the lineup, and there is a full vegetarian menu too.
Wonton fans should know the cheese wontons here lean light on filling. They are more about the crispy fried wrapper than a heavy scoop of cream cheese, which is how plenty of old-school Phoenix spots have always done it.
Portions are large and most meals land around $10 to $20 per person. Plan around Wednesday, when the restaurant is closed, and expect Sunday afternoons to be the busiest stretch.
2. Wong’s Chinese Dining, Phoenix, AZ
Ask for your kung pao beef old style. That small request tells you a lot about Wong’s Chinese Dining on East Buckeye Road, where ownership has changed over the years but the recipes have kept loyal families coming back.
The star for soup lovers is the wor wonton soup, a loaded bowl that has earned a strong following. Shrimp egg foo young and combo platter specials round out the comfort-food side of the menu.
Service is fast and portions are hefty. Prices stay in the $10 to $20 range, which explains the weekday lunch rush.
The exterior looks a bit worn, so do not judge it from the parking lot. Free parking is usually easy to find.
Hours are a little unusual. Most days split into lunch and dinner with a break from 3 to 4 PM, Wednesday and Thursday run straight from 9 AM, and the doors stay closed on Sunday.
3. Wong’s Restaurant, Phoenix, AZ
White tablecloths and lunch specials do not often share a room, but they do at Wong’s Restaurant on West Indian School Road. The understated dining room has been a west Valley staple since the 1990s.
Wonton soup here is the simple kind: wontons in a light broth, no extras getting in the way. It is a style that takes some longtime diners straight back to old East Coast Chinese takeout.
Lunch specials come with a crispy egg roll and two wontons, and those two tend to leave people wishing they had ordered more. I would just get a side order from the start.
Beyond wontons, the menu covers Chinese-American favorites like honey walnut shrimp, cashew and almond chicken, Mongolian beef, beef chow fun, and Singapore rice noodles. Portions are big and prices stay friendly.
Skip Tuesday, when it is closed. Saturday evening is the busiest time, and reservations are accepted.
4. China Palace, Mesa, AZ
Lunch with soup, an entree, rice, a spring roll, and a crab puff for well under ten dollars sounds like a 1990s menu. At China Palace in east Mesa, daily lunch specials have been listed in the $6.45 to $7.95 range, though prices may vary.
The restaurant has been a family favorite on East Brown Road since the 1990s. The setting is casual and quiet, with table service, free Wi-Fi, and high chairs for little diners.
Big bowls of wonton soup are a regular order, alongside egg drop soup, kung pao chicken, Mongolian beef, orange chicken, broccoli beef, and chow mein. The menu is huge, so first-timers may want to start with a special.
Hours are simple: 11 AM to 8:50 PM, seven days a week. Weekend evenings get busiest, and takeout and delivery are available.
5. Asian Cafe Express, Mesa, AZ
Spaghetti combos on a Chinese menu might raise an eyebrow, but they are a classic Hong Kong cafe touch. Asian Cafe Express brings that style to a strip mall near H-Mart in Mesa’s Asian District.
After more than 20 years in business, it is the youngest spot on this list. It also stands apart as one of the most traditional Hong Kong-style Chinese restaurants in Arizona.
The wonton noodle soup is the order that fits this list best, with Hong Kong-style wontons served over noodles in broth. Szechuan fried fish fillet, Southeast Asian dishes, and family-style meals fill out an extensive menu.
Appetizers have been priced around $2.50 to $4.50, and most meals run $10 to $20 per person. Americanized favorites are on the menu too, so mixed groups have options.
Reservations are not accepted, so arrive early on Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon. The cafe is closed Tuesdays.
Together, these five restaurants prove the Valley still has room for wontons made the old way. Pick one near you, order a bowl, and taste a little Arizona history.
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