Where to Eat in Chinatown NY: 10 best restaurants

There's no place like Chinatown to enjoy eating in New York, especially if you like Asian food. There's a restaurant on every street where you can get a glimpse of oriental culture and savour the best of authentic Chinese cuisine.

Here's a list of the 10 best restaurants for you to consider after your tour of Chinatown so you can eat like an emperor and, best of all, at very cheap prices! Are you in?

If you're a fan of spicy food, one of the must-stops after your Chinatown tour is Xi'an Famous Foods. This is a restaurant dedicated to the traditional cuisine of Xi'an, an ancient city in central China that played a major role in the famous Silk Road.

With its dishes, Xi'an Famous Foods transports you to the Far East in a single bite. The menu offers a wide variety of options to choose from, but the lamb and cumin burger, the dumplings, the dumplings or the handmade noodles are spectacular. I recommend pairing it with a delicious chilled jasmine tea.

This place located at 45 Bayard Street is the perfect place for a quick stop for a cheap and tasty meal. The service is lightning fast, so if you're really hungry, you'll be served in no time.

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If you're looking for an old-school Cantonese restaurant, Big Wing Wong is the place for you. It's not your typical Chinese restaurant for tourists, it's a place where locals come to enjoy delicious food and a great choice after a tour of Chinatown.

Big Wing Wong 's menu is quite extensive and the portions are plentiful. You won't leave here hungry. The wontons, roast duck and fried rice are great, but the dim sum at this restaurant is one of the best in New York.

This is a very busy place in Chinatown, but the service is efficient and the prices are affordable. By the way, if you want to know more about how the pricing and tipping system works, this article has more details (as well as a long list of great places to eat in New York).

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If you're a vegetarian and you're touring Chinatown, I recommend you head to Buddha Bodai for lunch, as you'll find an extensive menu full of delicious dishes with all the essence of traditional Chinese cuisine. Even if you don't follow this diet, you'll love it because the food is so tasty.

Most dishes cost less than $15, so you can eat in the heart of the neighbourhood without spending too much money. I recommend trying the spring rolls, dumplings, dim sum or the various noodle recipes, and the vegetarian versions with chicken, lamb or duck are very good.

Buddha Bodai is a very popular place and you'll often find people queuing in the street to get in. Fortunately, the service is efficient and they're quick to get you a table. You'll find it at 5 Mott Street, near Columbus Park.

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Have you ever found that when travelling with friends you can't agree on where to eat? Food halls are a great solution to this problem, and fortunately there are plenty of restaurants in New York City where you can enjoy the food after your Chinatown tour.

Located at 265 Canal Street, Canal Street Market is a food hall specialising in Asian food, ideal if you're visiting the city as a family or with a large group of friends and everyone wants to order a different dish.

This place has several Japanese, Korean and Chinese style food stalls offering a variety of food for less than $15. You'll want to try a lot of things, so go with an empty stomach! Plus, at Canal Street Market you have the option of sampling the dishes on the spot if it's a rainy day or ordering a take away for a picnic in Columbus Park if it's a sunny day.

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For a taste of authentic Taiwanese food after your Chinatown tour, there's nothing better than Taiwan Pork Chop House. Located at 3 Doyers St., this restaurant is known for its friendly atmosphere and wide variety of flavours.

The menu at Pork Chop House is quite extensive and you can try a number of specialities. I recommend the chicken curry noodle soup, Shanghai-style fried rice and Taiwanese kimchee. And if you have room for dessert, try the Taiwanese ice cream!

Prices are affordable (many dishes are less than $10) and the staff are friendly and efficient. Definitely a good place to go for Taiwanese cuisine during a visit to Chinatown.

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This small and simple restaurant is perfect if you want to take a break after your Chinatown tour to have a quick snack, without giving up on the specialities of Chinese cuisine. In fact, Fried Dumpling is famous for its delicious homemade dumplings at reduced prices (6 pieces for $2). Possibly the cheapest place you'll find in this area of the city.

As Fried Dumplings is quite small, I recommend you order some dumplings to take away and eat them in Columbus Park while you're sunbathing, but if you prefer to eat them there you can do so at the counter.

They prepare them in front of the public and although some of the staff don't speak English, if you point out the flavours you want they'll understand you and, what's more, they're quick to serve you.

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Bo Ky restaurant is synonymous with delicious soups, but it's also a good place to try different dishes from Teochew, Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine that will leave you smiling from ear to ear.

Everything is delicious! The gyozas, the spring rolls, the duck soup, the vegetables... and the best thing is that most of these dishes cost less than $10 each. What more could you ask for?

Bo Ky is another popular local eatery that you can incorporate into your Chinatown tour. It's common to share a table at lunchtime, so don't be surprised if a stranger sits next to you.

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This Chinatown restaurant is another one of those places where you don't have to empty your wallet to eat like a king - on the contrary! At Spice Village you can enjoy eating tasty Chinese food to your heart's content without spending more than $10 per person.

A tip? Order several dishes to share if you're in a group. You can try a variety of recipes such as spicy chicken platter, spicy lamb Hu Mei, dumpling soup with pork or pancakes with beef.

The restaurant is small and cosy. Both in terms of flavours and location, Spice Village takes your senses back to Asia for a moment - a must!

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Lest anyone should be in any doubt, this restaurant's speciality is in its name: mouth-wateringly tasty, juicy and crispy Peking duck that will make your mouth water. However, there are also many other Chinese dishes on the menu, such as sweet and sour pork, three-delicious rice, prawns, dim sum and a long etcetera if you want to try a bit of everything.

The portions at Peking Duck House are plentiful and the price is a little higher compared to other restaurants in Chinatown, but it's worth it. The place is large, the staff is attentive and the atmosphere is family friendly.

All in all, you have to check it out before or after your Chinatown tour. When you're done, you'll leave happy and with your batteries recharged to continue your tour of New York.

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Don't be surprised if you walk down Mott Street and find a long queue of people waiting to get into this restaurant, because Shanghai 21 is one of the best in Chinatown for both taste and presentation.

Don't be put off by the queue because the staff are quick to wait. The wait will be worth it when you have their famous dumplings in front of you - you'll forget all about it! The menu is quite extensive and they have a wide variety of dishes such as spicy chicken, fried noodles, Shanghai-style spring rolls or fried rice with beef, among many others.

The quality of the dishes is very good and the portions are plentiful, so during your visit to Chinatown I recommend you to include Shanghai 21 restaurant in your route through Chinatown, you won't regret it!

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