Clocking in at over 107,000 residents, dozens of newspapers and hundreds of restaurants, Chinatown is practically its own city within Manhattan. Come discover the best of the hidden alleys, delicious food, exotic markets, cultural shops and sometimes-violent history that has shaped this ever-changing neighborhood.
I am all about exploring local history, architecture, food and art to learn about how places came to be. You can find me in search of hidden places, tasty dim sum, high-design speakeasies, skyline vistas and other ingredients to build the perfect day.
Chinatown started on Mott Street, so it is only fitting that our neighborhood exploration starts here too.
Columbus Park serves as the nexus of social life in today's Chinatown.
Lorna Lai's no-frills emporium offers a lot more than just tea. Walls of glass jars feature all sorts of leaves, herbs, dried barks and oth…
As we walk down Mott St, we'll cross Bayard and find the Yunhong Chopsticks Shop on the east side of the road. As the name implies, this t…
From 1891 to 2003, this was the site of the Quong Yuen Shing general store. Not just a place to buy Asian groceries, it was also one of th…
A little red store sits at the eastern intersection with Doyer St at 18 Pell Street. This is Ting's Gift Shop, which is a relic in its own…
Pell St had its own fair share of history and vice. Let's investigate a few of the highlights.
A visit to Chinatown would not be complete without visiting a market. Prepare your senses; there can be some pungent odors in the meat dep…
The cooking style that developed in Shanghai starting in the 14th century aimed to celebrate color, aroma and taste.
Why are we crossing all these busy streets? The Mahayana Buddhist Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in Chinatown and also features the…
We near the end our guide with something sweet from one of the busiest bakeries in Chinatown. In a challenge of 43 Chinatown bakeries cond…
We're not necessarily advocating for this, but since we are in the area, you might just want to take advantage of a certain opportunity if …