The 10 best restaurants in Chinatown to check out right now

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What is it? This brand-new wine bar opened just this June in an intimate spot on Doyers Street. The wine is certainly the focus here (at over twenty pages, there’s plenty to consider over a long, lingering date), but we’re also coming back for the food. Small plates are the move here, with fork-tender short ribs made sticky with strawberry jam and a salty, satisfying bowl full of steamed cockles. 

Why we love it: Special without being stuffy, we can’t stop talking about the substantial wine list from Annie Shi,  beverage director and co-owner of the Soho hotspot King. Stop by to make your way through the snack menu (we’re partial to the sour-and-sweet ham with pears and shao bing, a flatbread with butter), or go all-in on dinner with plates of fried Montauk whiting or herby, hand-rolled noodles with lamb. 

Time Out tip: Chinatown has plenty of BYOB spots where you can roll up with your favorite bottle of wine from the liquor store, but it’s way more fun to be guided through the wine list by an expert hand. 

Address: 15–17 Doyers St, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Wed–Sun 5pm–midnight

What is it? Maxi’s Noodle, the standout spot first made famous in Flushing—and the one-time winner of the number one Chinese restaurant in the United States—opened its third NYC location on Mott Street just this year. The new spot is already drawing big lines (in fact, don’t be surprised to find yourself crowded at a table with a friendly stranger), thanks to the popularity of their oversized wontons and Hong Kong–style noodle bowls. 

Why we love it: As cravable as they are photographable, Maxi’s simmers their broths for hours before pouring them into your bowl. They’ll top it off with your choice of outrageously portioned dumplings, wontons or umami-bomb dace fish balls alongside extras like crispy fish skins and tender beef stew. If you do end up crowded next to your neighbor, don’t fret—the food is fast, affordable and well worth the seating arrangement. 

Time Out tip: Want to recreate Maxi’s in your own kitchen? Dumplings and wontons are available frozen by the dozen—along with their spicy Maxi’s chili oil—so you can impress your friends at your next potluck. 

Address: 68 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Daily 10am–8pm

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What is it? 1915 Lanzhou Hand Pulled Noodles & Dumplings opened in Chinatown in early 2025, bringing the traditions of northwestern China to the neighborhood—and the stage. The menu features noodles in several widths, which the chefs pull right in front of your eyes for what might be the most affordable dinner and a show in New York City. Those noodles are then served in a long-simmered beef broth with slices of daikon and a glistening serving of chili oil. Add on a marinated egg or flatbread to soak up every drop. 

Why we love it: The noodle-making alone is worth the visit, and the resulting noodles might be one of the best comfort foods in Chinatown. Don’t skip the dumplings, either—served in red-hot chili oil or pan-fried to gold at their soupy centers, they’re an event all on their own. 

Time Out tip: Hand-pulled noodles are available in thin, regular, thick, thicker, wide, extra wide and prism—a triangular shape with three distinct ridges that are thick, springy and carefully shaped to hold onto sauce.

Address: 76 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Mon 10:30am–9pm; Wed–Sun 10:30am–9pm

What is it? Chinatown has a few great Malaysian restaurants, but we’re partial to this crowded, convivial cafe that only takes walk-ins. Stop in for snacks like nasi lemak—the national dish of Malaysia, coconut rice served with a hard-boiled egg and sambal sauce—along with hand-pulled noodles with anchovies and peanuts and chicken jerky in a toasted pineapple bun. 

Why we love it: If you don’t know what to eat, their handily-named “I Don’t Know” set menus make all the decisions for you. $39 gets you the house pick of main course, two snacks, one sweet and a hot or cold drink. Just place your order at the register and let them make your lunchtime dreams come true.

Time Out tip: Slept in? Don’t worry about it. The hits keep coming on their all-day breakfast menu, which features dishes like thick-cut toast with butter and kaya jam, fish ball soup and Malaysian-style French toast with Milo chocolate powder. 

Address: 151 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002

Opening hours: Daily 10am–10pm

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What is it? This Hong Kong-style cha chaan teng has been crowded since it first opened its doors in 2023. Modeled after casual Hong Kong cafes, then imported to the U.S. from a successful run in Toronto, the food is both adorable and delicious. The tables are made from mahjong tiles, the noodles are served purposely spilling out of their cups and the Ovaltine condensed milk French toast is an instant classic. 

Why we love it: Stop by for breakfast or lunch and, if you’re lucky enough to score a table, take a peek at the giant menu and choose what calls to you. Sweet and salty pork and maple syrup French toast? Baked spaghetti? Bunny milk pudding? Baked cheese with alfredo broccoli? Sounds good to us. 

Time Out tip: Come ready to experiment—taking a chance on your order is half the fun here. Order the coconut milk with grass jelly, sago and taro balls, and you just might get a teddy bear floating in a bathtub delivered to your table.

Address: 18 Doyers St, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Fri–Sun 9am–10pm; Mon–Thu 10am–9pm

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What is it? Mapo tofu, that vibrant, tongue-numbing dish, is prepared exceptionally at this, well, famous Sichuan spot on Pell Street. Made with fermented broad bean paste, chili oil and Sichuan peppercorns (from which the dish derives its signature tingle), this version of mapo tofu is silky, spicy and has exactly the right amount of unctuousness to keep you coming back for more.

Why we love it: Famous Sichuan is one of the neighborhood’s restaurants that stays open until 3am (later than most of the bars in NYC these days), so you can get your mapo fix after stumbling in from a long night out on the town. Spicy food is a hangover cure, so technically, you’re practicing self-care by ordering a big bowl of hot pot so spicy it makes you cry. 

Time Out tip: Can’t take the heat? While hot pot is usually served in a spicy peppercorn broth, they’ll make an exception and serve yours with milk chicken broth. (Or try both with a “split pot” if you think you can only handle a little spice.)

Address: 10 Pell St, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Daily 11am–midnight 

What is it? This relative newcomer to the Chinatown scene serves up Cantonese food, family-style. It’s the perfect spot for big groups of family or friends, with lazy susan-equipped tables that are designed for sharing, serving and sampling. Our favorite dishes include the HK-style char siu lo mein and the half chenpi duck, with its slightly sweet, Mandarin-orange flavored sauce. 

Why we love it: The vibe is a little more modern and relaxed than older Cantonese stalwarts in the neighborhood, but the food still feels familiar and comforting. It’s a place where families and groups of friends can linger over shared plates without feeling rushed.

Time Out tip: Head to the “Lo Wah Kiu Favorites” portion of the menu, where you’ll find dishes beloved by “old overseas Chinese.” Steamed buffalo fish with pomelo peel, braised pork belly served with preserved mustard greens and steamed baos and a seafood stir fry with garlic chives, fried squid, noodlefish and jellyfish bring a taste of the most beloved Cantonese dishes straight to Mulberry Street. 

Address: 73 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Mon 11am–10pm; Wed–Sun 11am-10pm

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What is it? Peking duck, that crackly-skinned, red-hued bird that’s been prepared since the time of Imperial China, is the titular star of the show at this Chinatown destination. Here, it’s presented whole, glistening, plump and crimson, to everyone at your white-clothed table before being carved right in front of you in a truly mouthwatering performance. Roll the sliced meat and crackly skin with pancakes and plum sauce, then pair them with whatever you’ve brought to drink. It’s soft, it’s crispy, it’s sour and sweet. It’s everything you could want from a visit to Chinatown—and it’s $51 per person when you go for the Peking Duck Dinner, which comes with your choice of additional entrees. 

Why we love it: The show is as good as the meal—watching the duck carved with a flourish tableside is a true NYC dining ritual. It’s the perfect choice for a celebration, or to bring your folks when they’re visiting town. 

Time Out tip: Peking Duck House is BYOB, so make sure to come prepared. We like to pair Peking duck with a Riesling, but you can never go wrong with a 6-pack of Tsingtao.

Address: 28 Mott St, New York, 10013

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 11:30am–10pm; Fri, Sat 11:30am–11pm

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What is it? Can you talk about Chinatown without talking about Wo Hop? We certainly don’t think so. This downtown fixture has been serving up no-frills wontons, hot egg drop soup and BBQ boneless ribs since 1938. Now in its third generation of family ownership, this restaurant is still beloved by college students and locals who can’t stop craving that chop suey. (In fact, you might have noticed a few of your neighbors repping the Wo Hop t-shirt.) Located in a basement papered with fading headshots, the food might not be the absolute best in the neighborhood, but Wo Hop is undeniably a New York City institution.

Why we love it: It’s managed to survive every single change in a neighborhood that’s now unrecognizable from 86 years ago—and we’ll be there bent over a bowl of noodles for the next century, too.

Time Out tip: Wo Hop has sidewalk seating, so if you don’t feel like settling into the basement, you can nab a seat on the street and watch the bustling crowds of Chinatown walk by. 

Address: 17 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Sun 10:30am–9pm; Mon–Sat 10:30am–10pm

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What is it:  A towering 32oz order of bingsoo—Korean milk shaved ice with all manner of sweet toppings—is more than enough to feed your phone and your friends in this Chinatown sweet shop. Rising off of Sweet Moment’s table, the bingsoo is stacked so high that its top is nearly eye-height, simply begging to be photographed. Luckily for all of us, this sweet, icy bingsoo tastes just as good as it looks.

Why we love it: The extensive menu offers up bingsoo options with black sesame sauce, red bean and rice cake; matcha, cheesecake pieces and green tea ice cream; or with fresh strawberries, mascarpone and white chocolate. There are sweet and savory waffles, too, with lox, avocado and a soft-boiled egg or honey, cinnamon, banana and granola for breakfast or lunch. 

Time Out tip: Bring a bunch of friends—the servings are huge, and sharing makes it easier to try both the chocolate Oreo and the Nutella banana… 

Address: 106 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 10:30am–8:30pm; Fri, Sat 10:30am–10:30pm