Hop Alley

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 eight-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.