A densely populated little district sandwiched between Tribeca and the Lower East Side, Chinatown promises parks, temples, museums and, of course, more noodle and dumpling stops than you can shake a fortune cookie at. Dive in for our guide to some of the best culture, eats and urban exploration in town, including…
- Chinatown walking tour
- Museum at Eldridge Street
- Doyers Street
- Mahayana Buddhist Temple
- Museum of Chinese in America
- Nom Wah Tea Parlor
- Mmuseumm
- … and more!
Urban exploration in Chinatown
Take the Chinatown walking tour
Surely the best way to get your bearings in Manhattan’s labyrinthine Chinatown – especially if you’re a New York newbie – the rather grandly named Official Chinatown Walking Tour is a 90-minute journey into the beating heart of the neighborhood. Along the way you’ll get a lively rundown of historic happenings, as your expert local guide, um, guides you to spots including the Mahayana Buddhist Temple, Confucius Plaza with its enormous bronze statue of the ancient Chinese thinker, and the Five Points area, famously featured in Scorsese’s 2002 epic Gangs of New York.
Pro-tip: This tour, plus entry to around 100 more top New York activities, tours and attractions is included with Go City’s NYC pass. Find out more and get yours here.
Go walkabout
Go walkabout
And, if the official walkabout wasn’t eye candy enough for you, you’ll find further Insta-filling photo ops around just about every street corner. Take yourself on a meander through the bustling streets. But try to keep your eyes off the map on your phone as much as possible, for there’s a whole world of wonder if you just look up. We’re talking bold and colorful street art – Art Deco dragons, giant koi leaping across walls, and the much-loved murals at Doyers Street and Mott.
Follow your nose to vibrant local markets, crammed with crates of crunchy rambutan, umami dried mushrooms and great tanks of live fish; duck into herbal apothecaries, where glass jars overflow with teas, dried roots and all manner of other weird and wonderful remedies; and seek out hidden side streets lined with curio and gift shops hawking lucky cats, silk slippers, porcelain teapots and incense.
Doyers Street: to die for
Today’s Doyers Street is a far cry from the thoroughfare once dubbed ‘the Bloody Angle’ for its sharp bend and the ultra-violence that plagued it during the Prohibition era, when turf wars and gang warfare led to many, many grisly deaths. Indeed, gangsters and hatchet men* of yore would barely recognise the place now. Sure, the signature 90-degree curve still remains, but the worst thing likely to befall you nowadays is accidentally spilling bubble tea down your shirt during a careless selfie moment. NB: historic plaques and colorful Chinese lanterns ensure the ‘Angle’ is always ready for its close-up.
Elsewhere, follow the lane’s tight curve to discover chic boutiques, cute jewelry stores and more. Duck into Apotheke, a sleek speakeasy-style bar concealed beneath a fortune cookie factory, and pair dim sum with dianhong at the legendary Nom Wah Tea Parlor.
*Fun fact: the term ‘hatchet man’ originated right here on Doyers Street. We’ll let you work out why for yourselves!
Columbus Park
Columbus Park
Small but perfectly formed, Chinatown’s Columbus Park is one of the city’s oldest, and promises winding tree-lined pathways, tinkling fountains, and shaded benches that seem tailor-made for people-watching. A visit to this Five Points stalwart can be as relaxed or as active as you like. Grab coffee and egg tarts from a nearby bakery and settle in for a bit of spectator Mahjong or Chinese chess, or work off all those dumplings you’ve been mainlining on the basketball and tennis courts.
Chinatown museums and more
Museum of Chinese in America
Given that Manhattan’s Chinatown contains the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere, you can bet your bottom dollar it’s a pretty decent place to learn about Chinese culture and Asian-American identity. Which is where the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) comes in.
Here’s where to discover the human stories behind the faces and flavors of Chinatown. It’s a deep dive into the journey of Chinese immigrants in America, mixing historical artifacts with astonishing first-hand tales and interactive exhibits. The fascinating collection features everything from intricate textiles and artworks to antique business signs and laundry tools. It doesn’t take long to view everything in this relatively small museum – great news for anyone who can’t go more than an hour without wondering where their next bubble tea or bowl of peanut butter noodles is coming from.
Mahayana Buddhist Temple
Mahayana Buddhist Temple
Next up, get your zen on over at the Mahayana Buddhist Temple, located at the foot of the Manhattan Bridge. It’s the largest Buddhist temple in the city and its 16-foot-tall golden Buddha, seated on a lotus leaf, is a big lad too. Pass by the golden guardian lions standing sentry by the door to pay your respects to the enlightened one inside and view wall plaques that detail key moments in his life. Don’t forget to dress appropriately, with shoulders and knees covered.
The Museum at Eldridge Street
The cultural melting point that is NYC is the gift that keeps on giving. Constructed in Chinatown in 1887, the Eldridge Street Synagogue is recognized as one of the oldest synagogues in the United States. Its meticulous restoration since the 1970s has seen it reborn as the Museum at Eldridge Street, a phoenix-from-the-flames success story that The New York Times described as ‘gasp-inducing’. Have your own gasp induced, your jaw dropped and your eyes popped as you admire its swoonsome Moorish arches and Romanesque details and, especially, its sensational stained glass windows and intricate glass ceiling domes adorned with Star of David designs.
Mmuseumm
Another one of our favorite things to do in Chinatown is visit the Mmuseumm. Its ‘cabinet of curiosities’ style of approach has been a refreshing New York alternative to your usual museum experience since 2012. It is, loosely speaking, a natural history museum, but not in the same way that, say, AMNH is a natural history museum; its quirky collection of artifacts and oddities is a world away from all those old dinosaur bones and meteorite fragments. Instead, expect objects made by prisoners, toothpaste tubes from around the world and… rubble. Unusual? Yes. Strangely mesmerizing? Definitely.
Top Chinatown eats
Choose your own Chinatown adventure
Choose your own Chinatown adventure
Let’s face it: you probably don’t need our advice on where you should eat in Chinatown. Heck, this place is basically a pick and mix buffet of East Asia’s finest eats. So, if you’re a snack-on-the-go type of guy or gal, it’s fair to say you’ve come to the right place. Hit up street-corner stands for your custard-crammed egg waffle fix, bag crisp, fried dumplings for pocket change along Mosco and Mulberry streets and – especially – seek out street vendors hawking the mighty jianbing – a savory Chinese crepe/breakfast burrito that comes fully loaded with egg, cilantro, scallions, crispy wonton, pickles and spicy sauce. Wow. It’s pavement-pounding fuel done right and no mistake.
Nom Wah Tea Parlor
Nom Wah Tea Parlor
Stepping inside Nom Wah Tea Parlor feels a bit like stumbling upon a time capsule. Opened in 1920 (and already a fixture during Doyers Street’s torrid ‘Bloody Angle’ years), this old-school Chinatown stalwart serves up steaming baskets of shrimp siu mai, plump roast pork buns, and all the dumplings your heart could possibly desire. Vintage photos line the walls, and if that retro tiled floor could talk, well, the tales it could tell.
Sure, you might have to queue at busier times, but there’s a reason this place has been operating for over a century and, believe us, the payoff is well worth the wait. Share a plate of famous scallion pancakes or crispy turnip cakes, and sip on endless cups of tea served in delicate hand-decorated pots.
Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
The Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is a treat whatever the weather. What we’re saying is: you don’t have to wait for a warm day. After all, almond cookie and peanut butter are still going to taste just as good in the depths of a New York winter. Located on Bayers Street in the heart of Chinatown, the CICF has been serving up the cold stuff for five decades. Pop by for an icy blast of trad Asian flavors – green tea, lychee, pandan and coconut fudge – or choose from the ‘exotic’ menu, including chocolate, rocky road, strawberry cheesecake, and so on. Look out too for blink-and-you’ll-miss-em special flavors: maple bacon, banana durian and honey lavender for the win.
Tai Pan Bakery
Tai Pan Bakery
Baked goods aren’t difficult to come by in Chinatown or, indeed, just about anywhere in Manhattan, where pastries, cakes and tarts are practically a way of life. But the Taipan Bakery on Canal Street is just a little bit special. Brace your sweet tooth for a treat, as you pick and choose from classic egg tarts, fluffy coconut cream buns and decadent mango mousse cakes, to name just a few. Can’t choose? Go full Augustus Gloop mode and fill a selection box, before retreating to nearby Columbus Park or your hotel to scoff your epic cake haul in peace.
Looking for more NYC neighborhood inspiration? Hit up the highlights of Astoria and get the lowdown on all the best stuff to do in Chelsea.
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