Though Yangtze has a full menu, it’s best-known for its weekend dim sum, served every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Spare ribs arrive in a rich black bean sauce; golden-seared shrimp and chive dumplings are packed with sharp allium flavor. Round out the meal with sweet bites of egg custard pie.

Situated on Eat Street’s main drag, chef Tammy Wong’s Rainbow Chinese has been churning out excellent Chinese-American fare since the late 1980s. (In fact, it recently received a “historic small restaurants” grant.) At the moment, it’s operating as takeout only Wednesday through Sunday, but dining room service is returning soon. Wander down Eat Street for plates of sauteed green beans and ma po tofu, simmered with Sichuan peppercorns.

Tucked away off Lake Street and Nicollet in south Minneapolis, Cheng’s has a variety of Szechuan and Hunan specials, from double-sauteed pork to hot and spicy shrimp. The mai fun — a pan-fried thin noodle dish that’s especially popular in southern China — is a great bet, as is the classic, comforting fried rice. Cheng’s has been a local favorite for years.

Chef Luo Guanghe’s dishes, shimmering with chili oil and studded with peppercorns, hit all the hot, sour, mouth-numbing notes of classic Sichuan cuisine. Try the beef and tofu in peppercorn broth, or the spicy lotus roots as an appetizer.

Part of the storied Fong legacy, D. Fong’s Chinese Cuisine is well worth the drive south to Savage. The entire Chinese American menu is reliably tasty, from the hot and sour soup to the hearty pork egg foo young.

Also near the University of Minnesota campus, Lao Sze Chuan is a great place to share food: A plate of chilled, tangy Szechuan noodles, tea-smoked duck, and steaming beef soup, infused with spicy chili oil. Lao Sze Chuan’s appetizer list is notable, too — order some green bean jelly and spicy and sour squid for the table.

Legendary Spice — formerly of the Lao Sze Chuan restaurant group, now linked to a Chengdu, China-based restaurant — focuses on classic Sichuan cuisine. The vast menu spans seafood, pork, beef, chicken, and vegetarian dishes, but the highlights are among the Sichuan cold appetizers (preserved duck egg with chili pepper, sliced beef and maw, etc.) and the Chengdu local favorites (spicy mao cai, tea-smoked duck, Sichuan crawfish, etc.).

After more than a decade on University Avenue, Tea House remains a staple for excellent Chinese fare — Szechuan in particular. It’s a great place to dine family-style: Pair a steaming bowl of thick, supple kudai lamb noodles with the whole braised walleye or the classic kung pao chicken, peppered with crispy peanuts. On the weekend, come for a dim sum brunch.

Peking Garden is a casual, family-oriented spot on St. Paul’s University Avenue, where it’s been serving Cantonese fare since 1991. Come for the excellent hospitality, the Dungeness crab in black bean sauce, and the sizzling beef brisket hot pot.