This Southern California Region Has One Of America's Best Asian Food Scenes

Beneath its famed facade of glitz and glamour, Los Angeles is also well known for expansive – and often expensive – culinary experiences. Los Angeles County itself spans roughly 4,700 square miles with a population of more than 10 million people and 88 incorporated cities. In the eastern part of this Southern California area lies the San Gabriel Valley and an Asian food scene beyond compare.

As a lifelong Los Angeles resident, seeking out delicious food is practically coded into my DNA. LA's diversity is among its greatest strengths, making it a go-to for so many international food chains, fine dining spots, and everything in between. If you're looking for AYCE Korean barbecue, satisfying Chinese Xiaolongbao, or bustling carts piled high with Cantonese dim sum, the San Gabriel Valley has it all.

One of the best aspects of the vast variety of Asian restaurants is the accessibility. While the San Gabriel Valley is home to a number of Michelin Guide-recommended restaurants, not every option needs to boast multiple dollar signs to be worth your time. In fact, some of the most delectable choices include unassuming hole-in-the-wall places and food festivals, which allow you to sample different dishes all under one roof.

You need only glance at Tasting Table's roundup of the best restaurants in Los Angeles for soup dumplings to see just how many times the San Gabriel Valley is mentioned. Restaurants including Long Xing Ji, Mr. Dragon Noodle House, and Hui Tou Xiang Noodles House are teeming with standout offerings. Pho restaurants like Golden Deli and Pho Filet 2 offer affordably priced bowls of Vietnamese soup that often garner long lines of diners from all over Southern California and beyond.

For a unique taste of central Asian cuisine made with halal-certified ingredients, stop by Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine where you'll find such dishes as Uyghur Goshnaan, a mincemeat-stuffed flatbread, and a lamb stew called Hordaq. If you follow a vegetarian diet, you can't miss the vegetarian buffet at Hsi Lai Temple. This Buddhist temple offers a buffet for just $10 per person with a rotating menu that's available for a couple hours each day.

The many different Asian restaurant options in Southern California's San Gabriel Valley is enough to warrant multiple return visits, but this isn't the only culinary experience to enjoy. The 626 Night Market is an event that provides an excellent way to sample from a myriad of local restaurants inclusive of both Asian spots and other local cuisines. Whether you're seeking the best restaurants for Chinese takeout in Los Angeles or want to delve deeper into new-to-you dishes, the San Gabriel Valley provides nearly limitless opportunities to explore.