An Insider’s Guide to the Best Spots in NYC’s Chinatown
Whether we’re picking up seasonal fruits or mochi doughnuts–both arguably life necessities–we find ourselves in Chinatown all the time. Exploring Chinatown in New York City is like wandering through a living museum, where old traditions intertwine with contemporary trends, and where the senses are ignited by a tapestry of sights, sounds, and flavors. If you’re looking to see a different side of NYC, Chinatown is the perfect place to do it. Whether you're a history buff, a food enthusiast, a shopaholic, or simply curious about different cultures, the evolving nature of this vibrant enclave offers something for everyone.
Where is Chinatown?
Though there are several areas in the outer boroughs that have significant ethnic Chinese populations, for all intents and purposes, Chinatown is used to refer to the neighborhood in Lower Manhattan. For this guide, we’ve mostly used the boundaries set by Google Maps. Neighboring areas like SoHo, Little Italy, Two Bridges and the Lower East Side are just steps away.
Best Coffee Shops in Chinatown
Though trendy coffee shops are usually a symptom of gentrification, these coffee shops in Chinatown are actually owned and operated by younger generations of Asian or Asian Americans. Blending their passion for coffee with their heritage and culture, they’ve set up shop within their community.
Atrbean Coffee Roasters on Doyers Street
Artbean Coffee Roasters is located on Chinatown’s famous Doyers Street. While the nation was facing a sourdough starter shortage, Artbean’s Japanese-American and Vietnamese owners were using the pandemic to learn about coffee roasting. Their airy, open spot combines their love for coffee and art.
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Doyers Street is only 200 feet long, but it features a sharp bend in the middle. According to the New York Times, its shape follows the route of an old stream, but local lore claims local merchants built the street this way so that straight-flying ghosts wouldn’t be able to pass. It is one of the most photographed streets in Chinatown and has been converted into a pedestrian-only plaza. In recent years, artists have been invited to paint the historic road.
Tiramisu Croffle and iced coffee drinks at Koré Coffee
Koré Coffee is a Korean family-owned and operated coffee shop, whose owner wanted to introduce more Korean culinary specialties to Chinatown. “Koré” means whale in Korean, and the name was inspired by the BTS song Whalien 52. Using Counter Culture coffee, they whip up the usual espresso drinks as well as non-coffee specialties like their tahini and matcha lattes. But don’t leave without trying their Croffle, a croissant-waffle hybrid that is a popular Korean snack.
Fun and Interesting Things to do in Chinatown
Visit the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA)
The history of Chinese immigration to the United States is a complicated one. The Museum of Chinese in America, or MOCA, does a fantastic job of highlighting the trials and tribulations, as well as the triumphs in Chinese American history. Personal stories from Chinese Americans in an interactive format make the material uniquely approachable.
Exhibitions are carefully curated to share important aspects of Chinese American culture and history, but they also engage the community on other levels to promote creative thinking and celebrate diversity. Walk into a reproduction of a historic Chinatown shop. See hand-made pottery items from the 18th century. Learn about Hazel Lee, the first Chinese American female pilot to fly for the United States military. Immigration is still a highly contentious issue, and MOCA provides an avenue to learn about struggles with heritage and identity within immigrant communities.
Pro Tip: Museum at Eldridge Street is located within Chinatown’s boundaries, we covered it in our Lower East Side guide since the synagogue is a quintessential part of the Jewish community’s history in New York City. Neighborhood borders have changed over time, but the stories of Little Italy, the Lower East Side and Chinatown are intertwined. Don’t miss this gem while you’re here.
Enjoy amazing rooftop views of the city at Hotel 50 Bowery
Hotel 50 Bowery is Chinatown’s first luxury hotel, and it boasts some of the best rooftop views in New York City. Chef Dale Talde (of Top Chef fame), David Massoni, and John Bush of Three Kings Restaurant Group operate The Crown, which is located on the 21st floor of the hotel. Swanky leather and velvet booths set just the right tone, allowing the space to acknowledge its neighborhood’s roots while turning the volume way up. Throw in creative cocktails and elevated bar fare, and the incredible city views seem like the only suitable backdrop for your Chinatown adventure.
Hotel 50 Bowery is located right on the corner of Bowery and Canal Street, and you get to enjoy clear views of many landmarks, including the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge. Enjoy a drink outdoors, weather permitting, or sit inside where large windows still let you take in the magnificent view.
Treat yourself to a massage
New York City is home to luxury spas, medical spas and everything in between. And while a day at the luxurious Peninsula Spa is a dream, it’ll set you back a pretty penny. But that doesn’t mean treating yourself to a self-care day is out of reach. In New York City where $150-$250 for a 60-minute massage is fairly commonplace, Chinatown happens to have some of the most affordable rates around. We’ve enjoyed stellar service at Zu Yuan Spa, where the rates start as low as $15 for a 10-minute foot massage, but there are several options in the area that offer similar prices and levels of service.
Pro Tip: Some places require reservations, so we generally recommend calling to make an appointment in advance. Ask about mask protocol, which also may vary from place to place.
Watch a documentary at a former fire station
We’re both big fans of documentaries, so we were thrilled to hear that a movie theater dedicated to documentary films was coming to Chinatown. Then we discovered DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema was going to be housed in the historic Engine Company 31 building, which dates back to 1895. Listed on the US National Register of Historic Places and designated as a landmark by the NYC Landmark Preservation Commission, the firehouse has been transformed into a state-of-the-art documentary film center. The theater officially opened in late 2022, and you can now enjoy a selection of first-run and specially curated movies in its intimate 67-seat theater.
Pro Tip: The theater has limited programming and only opens its doors 30 minutes prior to showtime, so be sure to check the schedule before visiting.
Explore street art by the Chinatown Mural Project
Chinatown was, unfortunately, one of the first communities to suffer the impact of Covid. In an effort to galvanize support for residents and local businesses, founders Karlin Chan and Peach Tao pursued an “Art for Recovery” initiative. Peach Tao is a Brooklyn-based illustrator and muralist, and in the summer of 2020, colorful murals carrying her @peacheeblue Instagram handle started popping up around the neighborhood. Chan and Tao hoped the street art pieces would draw foot traffic back to the neighborhood, but the colorful pieces have also become symbols of inclusivity and resilience.
The murals are nods to cultural and historical aspects of the community. The Dragon Lion Medley on Division Street features the dragon and lion dancers from Lunar New Year celebrations, but also includes neighborhood landmarks like the Church of the Transfiguration. Another mural pays tribute to Corky Lee, an activist, photographer and journalist who made a significant impact documenting the lives of Asian Americans.
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Built in 1801, The Church of the Transfiguration is known as the church of New York City immigrants and has served first the Irish, then the Italian and, currently, the Chinese communities. Mass is delivered in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
And though not associated with the Chinatown Mural Project, street art aficionados can also find a few iconic mosaic pieces by French street artist Invader while wandering around the neighborhood.
Discover Immigrant Writers and Stories at Yu & Me Books
Yet another example of younger generations finding a home in the Chinatown community, Yu & Me Books is one of the rare happy results of the pandemic. Lucy Yu is an Asian American raised by a Chinese immigrant mother who has always found solace between the pages. In 2021, she started a GoFundMe campaign to make her dream of starting an Asian American female-owned bookstore a reality. With messages of support like “Want my daughter to see herself in the shelves and owning the shelves” and “Empowerment starts with picking up a book”, she reached her goal and left her chemical engineering background to open up a spot on Mulberry Street. Joining the ranks of the best specialty bookstores in New York City, Yu & Me has a keen focus on raising the voices of immigrant authors, and is also a cozy neighborhood bar and café.
Enjoy the colorful lanterns of Light Up Chinatown
Patrick Mock, manager of Chinatown staple Mott 46 Bakery, was a beacon of hope for the community during its toughest time. He started delivering meals to healthcare workers during the pandemic, then extended his efforts to the elderly and homeless. When he came up with the idea for Light Up Chinatown, he reached out to the neighborhood’s biggest community organizers and advocates. The fundraising effort offered supporters the opportunity to purchase and personalize a lantern, which would be hung on Mott Street. Pearl River Mart, another Chinatown stalwart, donated the colorful paper lanterns, while newer support organizations like Send Chinatown Love helped with execution.
The lanterns, which adorn Mott, Doyers, Pell and Bayard streets, are symbols of good fortune. But they lend a festive air to the streets of Chinatown, and truly do illuminate the neighborhood’s charms.
Discover exotic fruits and procure specialty ingredients
Produce vendors line the streets of Chinatown, and most locals know to come here for the freshest selection at the best price. The vendors are linked to a network of small family farms, like home gardens in south Florida and small wholesalers that function independently of large supermarket chains. In order to avoid refrigeration and storage costs, vendors only sell what’s in season. Come here and discover exotic fruits you would have to travel far and wide to encounter, like rambutan, durian, jackfruit and dragonfruit.
In addition to the stalls, Chinatown is home to a number of grocery stores that carry specialty ingredients for all those exotic dishes you won’t find anywhere else. Did you find a recipe for sticky rice dumplings that calls for pandan leaves? You’ll find those here. Need galangal for a homemade Thai curry? You’ll find that here too. Even if you don’t have something specific on your shopping list, the variety of spices and condiments in Chinatown grocery stores will get you thinking creatively about what to make for dinner.
Where to Eat in Chinatown
Chinatown has tiny storefronts where you’ll find the best soup dumplings or rice rolls that you’ve ever had. There are also larger restaurants that specialize in regional cuisines. And of course, there’s the dim sum behemoths. There’s incredible Chinese food in Chinatown, and it’s also home to a host of other amazing eateries that should not be overlooked.
Dim Sum for Everyone
Nom Wah Tea Parlor outdoor seating on Doyers Street
Dim Sum originated in 19th century Chinese tea houses, and is still very much a part of Chinese culture. But younger generations see dim sum as a brunch alternative, so dim sum parlors are still booming. In Chinatown, Golden Unicorn is the traditional favorite, with stacks of bamboo steamers and plates making their way across the large space on roller carts. Dim Sum Go Go is a fast casual, approachable option offering an easy-to-read picture menu with descriptions and clearly marked vegetarian and vegan options. Nom Wah Tea Parlor is a marriage of the two, boasting its legacy as the oldest tea parlor in New York City, while also undergoing a full refresh to offer an easy dim sum experience for newbies and traditionalists alike.
Pro Tip: If you’re nervous about giving dim sum a try, our dim sum etiquette guide may help allay some of those fears!
A taste of Southeast Asia
Nasi lemak, a Malaysian dish, at Kopitiam
Curry noodle young tau foo dish at Curry House
Lynn is Malaysian, so Malaysian food is a staple of our diet. Luckily, Chinatown is a great source of Southeast Asian cuisine too. We frequented Kopitiam when it was just a small counter with 5 stools. After receiving favorable reviews from the New York Times and New Yorker, it was able to relocate to a larger space and offer a wider menu. The fanfare has continued, with accolades from Bon Appetit, Saveur, Eater and more. Curry House is a newer addition on Pell Street which also features some of the more popular casual Malaysian dishes, like curried noodles and Char Kuey Teow. For Vietnamese food, Bánh Mi Saigon has been a long-time favorite. They make their own bread in-house, and if you order your sandwich “for tomorrow”, they will separate the vegetables so the bread doesn’t get soggy.
Bakeries for the Purest of Purists
Michaeli Bakery on Division Street
Cheese danish at Michaeli Bakery
When Adir Michaeli wanted to strike out on his own after helping make Breads Bakery a household name, he did it here. Micheali Bakery offers an incredible selection of babkas, but we’ve loved everything we’ve tried. Justin swears by the cheese danish, while Lynn is a bureka obsessive.
The famous bouncy cheesecake from Keki Modern Cakes
Original sponge cake from Kam Hing Coffee Shop
Every so often, the bouncy cheesecake at Keki Modern Cakes will go viral on social media, because it's objectively mesmerizing when set to music. But Instagram and Tik Tok aside, the quality at Keki Modern Cakes keeps us coming back. Inspired by Japanese bakeries, Taiwanese cake shops and Korean pastry shops, the bakery takes it up a notch with the best ingredients and an executive chef with pedigree from Per Se and Bouchon. You can’t go wrong with their bouncy cheesecakes, cream puffs or custardy egg tarts. But if classic sponge cake is your jam, then Kam Hing Coffee Shop should be at the top of your list. The humble, no-frills space on Baxter Street offers airy, fluffy sponge cake in a dizzying array of flavors on a daily basis. With both Asian flavors like Ube and western flavors like Butterscotch, you’re bound to find the perfect sponge cake for you.
Pro Tip: Ask for an Original flavor to “eat now”, and they’ll give you a warm sponge cake fresh out of the oven!
The Land of Cute and Trendy Desserts
Chinatown is a one-stop shop for all things cute and photo-ready. For trendy desserts, the Japanese fish-shaped cake filled with soft serve from Taiyaki is still a favorite. From the traditional version with red bean filling to the extra-extra version with specialty ice cream flavors, candy ears, horns and sprinkles, it appeals to all. You’ll find similar options with the Hong Kong egg waffles from Eggloo. For something a little more classic, the Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is a family-operated store that has been around for almost 40 years that offers flavors like lychee and squid ink(!).
Conclusion
It’s a mistake to write off Chinatown simply as a place to get Chinese food. Even as the neighborhood evolves, it manages to maintain a balance between traditional and trendy. If you commit some time to it, you’ll find, just like we have, that it’s one of New York City’s most rewarding neighborhoods to explore.
