Chinese Restaurant Awards Announce Top 20 Honourees
span style=”font-size: 16pt;”>for its Inaugural Elite 12 United States Awards
The 2026 Chinese Restaurant Awards (CRA) North America, is proud to unveil its Top 20 Honourees, finalists for the inaugural Elite 12 United States Awards — marking the CRA’s first-ever recognition of Chinese and Taiwanese restaurants across the United States.
The launch follows years of exploration and conversations with chefs, restaurateurs, media, and culinary voices across the country. It extends a mission that began in Vancouver, Canada, in 2008, and has since expanded to celebrate Chinese and Taiwanese culinary excellence across Canada, Asia, and now, the United States.
“The U.S. has one of the richest and most diverse Chinese and Taiwanese dining landscapes in the world. We wanted to create a list that not only reflects this depth, but also celebrate the people who genuinely understand the cuisine and the communities behind it,” says Rae Kung, CEO of the Chinese Restaurant Awards. “This same mission has guided us since inception, almost two decades ago. Chinese cuisine does not belong to one city or one border. The people creating it at the highest level deserve meaningful recognition.”
The inaugural Elite 12 United States Awards is selected by a panel of 12 U.S. Taste Advisors, including eight named Advisors and four who have chosen to remain anonymous. The panel was selected for its deep knowledge, lived experience, and understanding of Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine.
Named Advisors include:
- Virginia Miller, San Francisco-based dining and beverage writer, judge, and consultant;
- David R. Chan, Los Angeles-based frequent diner known for exploring thousands of Chinese restaurants across the country;
- Lucas Sin, internationally acclaimed new generation influencer and chef-owner of the upcoming Lok Kee’s in New York City; and
- Mei Lin and Brandon Jew, two chefs whose work reflects a deep understanding of Chinese cuisine within the American dining landscape.
The Awards place taste above all else. Advisors first evaluate the quality, flavour, authenticity, and execution of the food, followed by the overall dining experience, including consistency, hospitality, and craftsmanship.
“The inaugural Elite 12 United States Awards represents the next chapter of the CRA’s global mission: creating a trusted voice for Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine wherever it is cooked at a world-class level,” adds Kung
From Vancouver to across Canada and Asia, and now the U.S., its philosophy remains unchanged — discover exceptional dishes, recognize the talent behind them, and help diners experience the diversity and depth of Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine.
Top 20 Honourees — Finalists for the
Inaugural Elite 12 United States Awards (alphabetic order)
- Array 36 — San Gabriel, CA ｜ Northern Chinese
- Birds of a Feather — Brooklyn, NY ｜ Sichuan
- Bistro Na’s — Temple City, CA ｜ Imperial Chinese / Beijing cuisine
- Dian Xin — New Orleans, LA ｜ Northern and Cantonese dim sum
- Dumpling Home — San Francisco, CA ｜ Shanghainese / Northern Chinese dumplings
- Four Kings — San Francisco, CA ｜ Cantonese-inspired
- Fu Hui Hua — San Francisco, CA ｜ Shanghainese / Jiangnan Chinese / Japanese
- HK Lounge Bistro — San Francisco, CA ｜ Cantonese dim sum
- Kato Restaurant — Los Angeles, CA ｜ Taiwanese-inspired, Tasting Menu
- Lei — New York, NY ｜ Contemporary Chinese, Wine Bar
- Mister Jiu’s — San Francisco, CA ｜ Modern Chinese, American Chinese
- MOTT 32 — Las Vegas, NV | Modern Chinese
- Red Sorghum — Long Island City, NY ｜ Szechuan and Hunan
- Riverside Seafood Restaurant — San Francisco, CA ｜ Cantonese seafood
- Shu Jiao Fu Zhou — New York,, NY ｜ Fujianese casual
- Sumiao Hunan Kitchen — Cambridge, MA ｜ Hunan
- The Happy Crane — San Francisco, CA ｜ Modern Chinese
- Wenwen — Brooklyn, NY ｜ Taiwanese
- Yingtao — New York, NY ｜ Modern Chinese, Tasting Menu
- Z & Y Peking Duck — San Francisco, CA ｜ Northern Chinese, Peking duck
12 United States Taste Advisors (Listed in alphabetic order)
Note: All ballots underwent a final conflict-of-interest review after voting closed. Advisors declared any relationships with restaurants under consideration and recused themselves from related votes. See “How the Awards are Decided” for more details.
- Albert Law, Commercial Photographer – San Francisco
- Bo Lun Yao, August Hospitality Group, Founder and CEO – New York City
- Brandon Jew, Mister Jiu’s Chef owner – San Francisco
- David R. Chan, Frequent diner – Los Angeles
- Lucas Sin, (coming soon) Lok Kee’s Chef owner – New York City
- Mei Lin, Chef – Los Angeles
- Viriginia Miller, Dining & Drink Writer, Judge & Consultant – San Francisco
- Vivien Sin, Entrepreneur – San Francisco
And four Taste Advisors who choose to stay anonymous
The Elite 12 United States Awards (the top 12 ranked restaurants drawn from United States’ Top 20 Honorees list) will be unveiled at The Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver, Canada on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. They will be presented alongside the Canada distinctions, including the Elite 30 Canada and a slate of individual awards. These honours include Premier Visionary Award, Rising Star Chef of the Year, Dim Sum Chef of the Year, and Master Chef of the Year, each conferred separately in the Canada and United States regions.
For more information, the Awards Standards and introduction of the Taste Advisors, please visit www.chineserestaurantawards.com.
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ABOUT CHINESE RESTAURANT AWARDS
Founded in 2008 in Canada, the Chinese Restaurant Awards is the world’s longest-running restaurant awards platform dedicated exclusively to Chinese cuisine. Established to deepen public appreciation of Chinese dining and foster cross-cultural exchange, the organization has become an influential voice celebrating the diversity, creativity, and excellence of Chinese restaurants through awards programs, chef collaborations, and curated culinary experiences. Following its 2025 expansion into Asia, the platform will further expand into the United States in 2026, broadening its North American presence and spotlighting the evolving landscape of Chinese dining across Canada and the U.S. Through its international expansion, the Chinese Restaurant Awards aims to create a new standard for discovering Chinese cuisine while connecting chefs, restaurants, media, and dining audiences through meaningful culinary and cultural experiences.
Chinese Restaurants Awards 2026 North America is generously supported by Scotia Wealth Management, China Eastern Airlines, The Dalmore, Lee Kum Kee, Destination Auto Group, Oakridge Park, Tom Lee Music, Steinway & Sons, Hilton Vancouver Downtown, Hyatt Regency Vancouver, Mt. Boucherie Winery Estate, Granriviera Mimosa, eatFish.ca, Geoduck Canada, Golden Eagle Sablefish, Wingtat Game Bird Packers, Kiu Yick Trading, CBC, GoCanada.com, Tastet, Sing Tao, and Vancouver Community College.
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Sophia Cheng, sophia@sophiachengpr.com, 604-828-3102, @chengsophia
