Framingham residents will happily debate the merits of Route 9 versus Route 30 traffic, the proper way to pronounce ‘Worcester,’ or whether the town’s first Chinese restaurant still holds up. But nothing sparks more passionate discussion than where to find the best General Tso’s chicken and soup dumplings in our community.
Joy Luck Club
$ | (508) 872-3338 | WEBSITE
This is the full monty of classic Chinese dining experiences, set in a cozy family-owned restaurant that stays open till midnight, serving phenomenal food at reasonable prices. Even then, there’s often a steady stream of locals picking up orders. It’s pretty straightforward—with simple décor and warm lighting—but in an endearing way. Head to Joy Luck Club after a long day in Framingham.
Order the scallion pancakes and the veggie curry with broccoli—a mix of fresh vegetables in aromatic sauce—then close your eyes and point anywhere on the menu. Rest assured that you’ll end up with some glorious combination of rice, vegetables, and perfectly cooked dishes.
Marlborough Super Buffet
$ | (508) 229-8889 | WEBSITE
Operating as a sprawling Chinese buffet since the early 2000s, Marlborough Super Buffet is probably one of the only spots in town where you can load up a plate with fresh sushi, shrimp, chicken, beef, and pork—all for about $15 at lunch or $22 for dinner. Walking into Marlborough Super Buffet feels almost like entering a banquet hall—it’s brightly lit and spacious inside—and there are usually a handful of families with kids enjoying the discount, making it feel lively and welcoming.
The staff is nice, punctual, and friendly, and the hot tea is a definite plus on a cold day. For dessert, the plentiful bar with ice cream and cheesecake caps off the meal nicely, and the whole experience is very clean, with easy parking in the huge lot outside. It’s a solid, cheap buffet option that’s way above average when everything’s fresh and hot—especially for chicken lovers.
Lilac House
$ | (508) 376-8868 | WEBSITE
This Millis mainstay is part Chinese restaurant and part local institution with a cozy atmosphere, simple furnishings, and a heavy focus on value and consistency—all in a modest storefront space. But that doesn’t mean that eating here is all budget and no flavor. Instead, you can expect to get tasty renditions of Chinese-American classics, like egg rolls, crab Rangoon, mooshi, fried rice, and ginger chicken with string beans.
Just don’t be surprised when you also find generous portions on your lunch specials or crispy beef on your regular order.
Mandarin Milford
$$ | (508) 478-5800 | WEBSITE
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Framingham, Mandarin Milford offers a surprisingly peaceful retreat with an interior that feels like stepping into a serene garden pavilion. And if the koi tank and instrumental music don’t fully transport you, the strong drinks at the bar certainly will.
You’ll find most of the classic Chinese-American staples here, but there are also a few standout dishes that rise above the typical takeout fare, like the spectacular egg drop soup, delicious spare ribs, and great general chaus chicken. The lunch specials are reliably good, and the to-go orders maintain that same consistent quality that keeps customers coming back.
While the service can be a mixed bag, the overall experience remains pleasant and fairly priced, making it a solid choice for a reliable meal that won’t disappoint but won’t necessarily create lasting food memories either.
Jing’s Garden
$ | (508) 429-7688 | WEBSITE
Right in the heart of Framingham, Jing’s Garden is a Chinese restaurant bursting with flavor, revamped dishes, and excellent service. This is a great spot to go with family or friends when you just want somewhere welcoming and reliable to enjoy a satisfying meal. The menu has been thoughtfully updated, with the fried food being less greasy and the doughs in the scallion pancakes and dumplings delightfully light.
Standout dishes like the Szechuan Chicken and Beef Teriyaki shine, and the hot and sour soup is a must-try. While prices have gone up a bit, it’s still a top choice for many, especially for favorites like the Drunken Noodles. There’s also a good chance you’ll leave feeling thoroughly pleased with the whole dining experience.
China Rose Asian Cuisine and Bar
$$ | (508) 975-4953 | WEBSITE
We often head to China Rose Asian Cuisine and Bar for dinner because of the great Chinese and Thai dishes like the pu pu platter and the sesame chicken, as well as an extensive menu of Asian hits and nearly every combination plate imaginable. When we’re feeling particularly indecisive, we’ve come to rely on the fried rice and pad Thai, with more out of the ordinary combinations, like a kung pao chicken that combines tender chicken, peanuts, and vegetables.
Star House Chinese Restaurant
$ | (508) 872-8881 | WEBSITE
You go to Star House when you want generous portions and reasonable prices, and some wonderful Chinese food to go with it. Which means they have both standout dishes and friendly staff on the menu. There’s a quiet atmosphere in a relatively convenient location near the Framingham T station, and all of the food—from the takeout classics to the delivery favorites to one of our best finds in town—is consistently excellent.
Lavender
$$ | (978) 579-9988 | WEBSITE
The exterior of Lavender might not look like much, but the steady stream of customers coming and going is the first indicator that through those doors is a modern, classy Chinese restaurant with consistently excellent food and attentive service. The inside is about as clean and well-lit as the exterior suggests, but it’s the quality that has given this place a loyal following of regulars. We like to get the orange crispy beef alongside the Peking dumplings.
It’s like a perfect balance of crispy and savory on an already flavorful plate, and it makes a satisfying enough meal on a Friday evening to celebrate even the smallest of victories.
Joy Luck
$ | (508) 651-0098 | WEBSITE
Joy Luck serves up some of the best General Tso’s chicken in Framingham, and that alone makes it worth ordering any time of the day. (But not too late—they close for delivery at 10 p.m.) Get the shrimp chow fun and it’ll arrive piping hot with generous portions of shrimp and fresh vegetables tossed in. They’ve been around for years, building a loyal following of regulars and new customers alike. Order during peak dinner hours on the weekends, and you might face a slight delivery delay.
But when you finally taste their crispy General Tso’s and spicy dishes, any waiting will be rewarded.
Hang Tai Too
$$ | (508) 533-8828 | WEBSITE
Hang Tai Too has been serving Framingham for years, and there’s still a line almost every Friday night. Everyone’s here for the same thing—sweet and sour chicken, pork fried rice, egg rolls, and the world’s crispiest Crab Rangoon (call our bluff, we dare you) served in the most generous portions in town. This is a cozy, old-school spot with a lively, bare-bones dining room set to a soundtrack of keno machine dings and wheel-of-luck spins.
It’s a perfect cross-section of Framingham throughout the years. Show up during the week and you can probably walk right in.
China Garden Hudson
$ | (978) 562-7464 | WEBSITE
Won ton soup is the star of the show at China Garden Hudson, so much so that it’s practically a signature dish. You can keep it simple with their classic version, venture into heartier territory with Hunan chicken, or go all out with pepper steak with onions. Whatever you choose, it’ll arrive in generous portions with spot-on delicious flavors and a perfect balance between healthiness and heartiness.
The weekly lunch specials offer fantastic value for under $10, including soup or a soda, an appetizer like an egg roll or crab rangoons, and an entrée like beef and broccoli or Shrimp with Lobster Sauce. This small but great value Chinese eatery in Stow has become a top-notch spot for the best Chinese food in the Hudson area.
Sky Buffet
$ | (508) 478-8878 | WEBSITE
Known best for their huge and affordable Chinese buffet, Sky Buffet is built for volume, and the food comes out fast and fresh. As the name implies, they do indeed have seafood, including very good calamari and octopus. It’s the Americanized Chinese side of the menu that we like a lot, including the always-hot stir fry, fish dishes, sushi, and solidly executed desserts with individually sealed ice cream containers.
P.F. Chang’s
$$ | (508) 651-7724 | WEBSITE
P.F. Chang’s leans fully into the polished, almost corporate image of what it means to be an Asian-fusion chain, and that’s what makes it so reliably pleasant. Don’t expect to leave with a new outlook on life after eating their kung pao brussels sprouts (and if that’s ever happened to you anywhere, please let us know where it was). Instead, expect a diverse menu of solid food that serves equal parts as a tasty family dinner and a convenient stop after a long day of shopping at the Natick Mall.
Wasabi Asian Bistro & Bar
$$ | (508) 359-8272 | WEBSITE
“It’s what’s on the inside that counts.” You’ve heard that line, probably in reference to a personality or a dilapidated car. It also applies to Wasabi Asian Bistro & Bar, a restaurant tucked away in a Framingham strip mall with all the exterior charm of an insurance agency. This is textbook pan-Asian done well, from excellent sashimi to maki rolls and noodle dishes you’ll want to order again.
The menu reads like a greatest hits compilation, but that’s not a bad thing—the sushi arrives beautifully prepared, the ramen is steaming hot, the cocktails use creative ingredients like pistachio, and the portions are big enough for next-day leftovers. Even on a Saturday night, you can usually walk in and find a table.
Shanghai Tokyo
$ | (508) 651-0818 | WEBSITE
A Chinese restaurant that’s become a local favorite, Shanghai Tokyo is not a fancy spot by any means—the whole place kind of feels like it’s being held together by cozy charm and warm lighting. But there are two clean dining areas and a small, comfortable atmosphere populated by some regular customers who have very good taste. While Shanghai Tokyo is open for lunch and dinner, our favorite time to go is during dinner hours for the amazing phad thai or dishes like fresh sushi and tofu broccoli.
Shaanxi Gourmet
$$ | (508) 653-8000 | WEBSITE
The casual and family-run restaurant Shaanxi Gourmet offers authentic Northern Chinese cuisine, but it occasionally veers wholeheartedly into regional specialties. The broad menu includes soybean paste homemade noodles, pork intestine in brown sauce, cold noodles, liang pi, eggplant with garlic, and fried intestines with celery. It’s extremely popular for its bold flavors and made-in-house freshness—and the restaurant quickly fills up with mostly Chinese-speaking guests during peak dinner hours.
There are heavy authentic vibes, with a clean, low-key, and welcoming space. The service is friendly, and with that there’s a passionate community of regulars who swear by the moon cake with chives and eggs and the super juicy Chinese burger.