This Acclaimed Denver Spot Serves Some of the Best Asian Cuisine in the U.S.

Do you like Asian cuisine? Do you find that you're constantly craving it, but that many Asian restaurants in the Denver area do a decent job but don't quite hit the mark? Well, you'll be happy to hear that there is one Asian restaurant in the area that not only will hit that mark you seek when you dine there, but that will also surpass it by far, every single time. If you haven't visited it yet, then you are really missing out.

The Ginger Pig is a friendly, welcoming, and quaint little counter-serve restaurant in the Berkeley neighborhood of Denver. When driving past it, you might miss it if you blink — but after you read this post, you'll definitely want to stop in. This spot opened in its current brick-and-mortar form in 2020 after several years as a highly successful food truck. Since then, it has received Michelin Bib Gourmand Awards in 2023 and 2024, it has been listed on Eater's list of 38 Essential Denver Restaurants, featured in 5280 and Forbes magazines, and opened a second location in Boulder.

Chef Natascha Hess has a passion for the dishes she creates and serves — and it shows. She fell in love with Asian cuisine and the art of making it from scratch during her visits to China, Thailand, Japan, and beyond, and she brought home everything she learned to create perfect meals for you. Read on to learn more about this very special place — and plan a meal there today!

There are so many great things to say about The Ginger Pig. You'll surely want to experience all of them, even though it's unlikely that you'll be able to in a single visit. You can try, though!

You should start with one of The Ginger Pig's signature cocktails. They're beautiful to view, and are even more enjoyable to drink. You might opt for the Wasabi Slipper, Beads of Jade, or the Seoul Station for starters. You can also choose from a variety of beers, wines, sakis, mocktails, teas, or sodas if you prefer.

Pull up a seat on the patio. It's a lovely place to eat, chat, and relax with friends on a warm day. Next, get ready for some epic food. You might start with this Vietnamese Watermelon Salad. It's filled with watermelon, cucumber, pickled watermelon rind, mint, and Thai basil, topped with nuoc cham dressing.

The Vietnamese Watermelon Salad is one of the many offerings in The Ginger Pig's Small Plates menu section, along with the Gamja Hotdog/Korean Cornflake Dog, as shown above. It's a Nathan's beef hot dog covered in cornflakes, housemade yeast dough, panko, ketchup, mustard, scallions, and sesame seeds. The Small Plates section of the menu is a wonderful way to try a wide variety of the delicious offerings at The Ginger Pig in one sitting.

If you're looking for something a bit more filling in one dish, though, you can choose one of The Ginger Pig's entrees. Kaeng Bu (shown above) is a jumbo lump crab simmered in rich green curry, accented with Thai eggplant, bamboo shoots, and basil.

Or, if you'd like to try a noodle dish, you'll love the Tom Yum Noodles. This dish contains honshimeji and king trumpet mushrooms, shrimp, tomatoes, tom yum sauce, and spaghetti. This dish is also available in a vegetarian version with tofu. The Ginger Pig offers quite a few vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, ensuring that it will be a welcoming and enjoyable choice for every member of your party.

Meat enthusiasts, however, may find themselves drawn to the Char Siu. This Chinese BBQ pork shoulder dish is covered in char siu sauce and scallions, and served with Thai jasmine rice and Chinese smashed cucumber salad. It's a bit spicy, and it's a house favorite.

Be sure to save room for dessert, though! The Ginger Pig also offers a number of Asian-inspired desserts that you'll absolutely love. The Hawaiian Butter Mochi Cake is an excellent choice to close out a fantastic meal.

No matter what you choose to order at The Ginger Pig, you're sure to be pleased. This restaurant is a standout even in our exceptional Denver restaurant scene, and it's one of the best U.S. restaurants for creative and delectable Asian cuisine today. Visit for your first time soon, and you'll surely want to return time and time again. This place is really something special. Enjoy it!