Chinatown NYC Eats & Drinks
If you’ve ever been to Chinatown in NYC, you know there are endless restaurants and places to try. So, we did an epic food crawl, hitting as many of them as we could, and we’re sharing our favorites (this was not all done in one food crawl lol). Planning to go on a weekend? Be prepared to wait on some lines and definitely bring cash!
For Dumplings
steamed & fried pork and chive dumplings, pork burger
Starting off strong with the stewed pork burger (one of the best bites from our recent crawl!) and the fried and steamed pork dumplings. Definitely a must-hit in Chinatown.
The place to hit if you’re looking for unbelievable soup dumplings—but you can skip the noodles here.
Known for their hot and spicy wontons, Deluxe Green Bo is a sit-down spot where you have to order one dish per person, so come hungry. We got scallion pancakes, hot and spicy wontons (of course!), lo mein and fried tiny pork buns—and loved it all.
For Noodles
wheat peanut noodles
You can’t do a Chinatown food crawl without a noodle dish and these wheat peanut noodles are the ones to try - and they are only $3!
You’ll probably be met with a line at Great NY Noodle Town, but it’s well worth the wait for the noodles, dumplings and roast pork over rice.
Go here for the big noodle soups and the lamb burgers!
For Buns
The pineapple roast pork buns at Mei Lai Wah are super juicy and packed with flavor. Plus, we also are into the steamed egg custard buns. These were surprisingly sweet and we were here for it!
For Dim Sum
Jing Fong is one of the top spots for Dim Sum all of Manhattan, so definitely a must-try when you’re in Chinatown. They just reopened and we are very happy about this.
Another Dim Sum spot in Chinatown, Dim Sum Go Go is a made-to-order spot to add to your list.
For Peking Duck
One of our top 5 restaurants for peking duck in Manhattan—definitely come to Peking Duck House hungry.
Also in our top 5, Hwa Yuan is another one of our favorites for peking duck and their cold noodles.
For Rice Rolls
pork rice rolls
The roast pork rice rolls with peanut sauce and hot sauce from Yi Ji Shi Mo truly melt in your mouth. We’re huge fans of this spot!
shrimp and you tiao (donut) rice rolls
Another authentic spot for rice rolls.
With three locations around NYC, including one in Chinatown, this is another rice roll place you should try.
For Fancier Spots
Located in a two-story former opera house, this is a spot to try both for the food and the atmosphere. Such a fun spot for a group dinner!
And if you’re looking for a spot for drinks, Apoteke is the perfect spot.
Alaskan king crab 3 ways
This is the ultimate spot for large-party dining. We had the most insane meal here featuring a $68 dollar-a-pound, 8 pound Alaskan King Crab that turns into 3 dishes of your choosing. Must-orders include the wonton soup, the peking duck buns and the garlic chicken.
For Everything Else
We’re always a fan of a food court and Mott Street Eatery is filled with lots of incredible vendors to try. We recommend 89 Eatery for their BBQ pork and roast duck over rice. We weren’t obsessed with this food hall but it reminds us of the New World Mall in Flushing, Queens which we are huge fans of.
pork and duck over rice
A super yummy, cheap, street food spot, Wah Fung Fast Food is known for their roast pork dishes—we liked the roast pork over rice.
Another no-frills spot in Chinatown with great food to add to your food crawl list.
Opened in 1983, Wo Hop is one of the oldest spots in Chinatown and definitely an iconic spot to try. They offer all the classic Chinese dishes you will crave.
For Dessert/Tea
Mango Mango Dessert
mango crepes and mango shaved ice
In the mood for something sweet? The mango sundae and mango pancakes are the perfect way to finish off your Chinatown food crawl.
taro and matcha cookies and cream
For more sweet treats, Chinatown Ice Cream Factory has homemade ice cream. We loved the taro and matcha and cookie scoops.
Mochi donuts and cream puffs are the perfect way to close out a Chinatown food crawl—and those are what this spot does best.
Looking to try one of those jiggly cheesecakes that have been all over social media? This is the spot—Keki Modern Cakes is home of “the original” bouncy cheesecake.
Here, we got the Eddie with extra mango boba and lychee jellies—such a great combo.
Places to Skip
Nom Wah Tea Parlor
Golden Unicorn
