Best Asian Food in McAllen: Vietnamese, Chinese and Dim Sum Favorites

"Asian food" is a broad category, and McAllen has restaurants covering different corners of it — Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai-influenced dishes, and more. One thing that makes Hop Tung a little different from most is that it isn't specialized in just one of those; it runs a full Chinese menu and a full Vietnamese menu from the same kitchen.

Why "Best Asian Food" Doesn't Mean One Cuisine

Chinese and Vietnamese cooking share some techniques — wok cooking, rice and noodle bases, similar aromatics — but they're distinct cuisines with different flavor profiles. Chinese dishes on Hop Tung's menu lean into sauce-based stir-fry (garlic sauce, black bean, kung pao) and dim sum. Vietnamese dishes lean into broth, fresh herbs, and lighter vermicelli bowls. Ordering "the best Asian food" really means deciding which of those two directions, or both, you're in the mood for.

The Chinese Side: Dim Sum and Stir-Fry

Hop Tung's dim sum section covers thirteen items, from steamed pork and shrimp siu mai to fried dumplings, chicken feet, and sesame balls — small, shareable plates meant to be ordered a few at a time. Beyond dim sum, the Chinese menu runs through six noodle categories (lo mein, Hakka noodles, mei fun, pan-fried noodles, hofan) and more than fifty stir-fried entrees.

A few items lean specifically Indo-Chinese rather than purely Cantonese — the Hakka noodles section, including a chilli garlic version, reflects the Indo-Chinese stir-fried noodle style that shows up on Chinese menus with South Asian influence.

The Vietnamese Side: Pho, Bun, and Grilled Meats

On the Vietnamese side, pho anchors the noodle-soup section — thirteen variations, from brisket to seafood to a tofu version — alongside Bun Bo Hue and Vietnamese wonton soup. Bun and banh hoi cover the cold vermicelli side, topped with grilled beef, chicken, pork, or shrimp.

Ordering for a Group With Different Preferences

One practical advantage of a combined menu: if your group can't agree between Chinese and Vietnamese, you don't have to pick one restaurant over the other. A table can order dim sum to start, a bowl of pho for one person, and a stir-fry entree for another, all from the same kitchen.