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Chinese Immigrants Share Best Restaurants in NYC for Authentic Taste of Home

April Xu
AND Nancy Chen

Sep 20, 2023

15 JULY 2023, FLUSHING, QUEENS: The Royal Queen restaurant, located inside the New World Mall in Flushing. CREDIT: SARAH BLESENER FOR DOCUMENTED NY

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In New York, the vast number of Chinese restaurants is a staple of the city’s economy, provides opportunities for many immigrants to survive and thrive in the city, and offers a home away from home to newly arrived New Yorkers from China, while also connecting Chinese Americans with their cultural roots.

Also Read: 4 Can’t-Miss Restaurants Recommended by New York’s Chinese Immigrants

Chinese cuisine is not a singular entity; rather, it encompasses eight distinct major styles, each rooted in its own original region. These styles are characterized by unique local ingredients, cooking techniques, and flavors that harmonize with the preferences, climate, and culture of the local population.Each region boasts its unique flavors and signature dishes, making the question of favorite dishes or restaurants a diverse and varied topic.

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As an organization dedicated to serving immigrants, Documented discovered the most beloved Chinese restaurants among Chinese immigrants in New York. The Chinese immigrants in NYC we surveyed nominated 51 distinct restaurants from luxurious banquet venues, fast-food noodle chains, intriguing hot pot establishments, historic Cantonese cuisine spots in Chinatown, and numerous small eateries near Chinese communities.

Our aim in compiling this list is to provide you with a glimpse into the diverse landscape of Chinese restaurants in New York. If you get the chance, we encourage you to explore the eateries recommended by Chinese immigrants and experience the authentic tastes of China right here in the city. Happy dining!

The list below is sorted first by the ZIP code and then the alphabetical order of the restaurants.

Manhattan Chinese Restaurants

Golden Unicorn: 18 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002

Spicy Village: 68 Forsyth St., Ste. B, New York, NY 10002

Our readers say: “The taste is good and the price is affordable. It brings me the taste of hometown.”

Cafe Hong Kong: 51 Bayard St., New York, NY 10013

Hop Lee: 16 Mott St., New York, NY 10013

House of Joy: 28 Pell St., New York, NY 10013

Our readers say: “The taste is authentic, the dining environment is clean, the price is reasonable, and the service is good.”

Jing Fong Restaurant: 202 Centre St., New York, NY 10013; 380 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10024

Joe’s Shanghai: 46 Bowery St., New York, NY 10013

Kong Sihk Tong: 65 Bayard St., New York, NY 10013

Our readers say: “I’m from Hong Kong and I remember going to this restaurant all the time. This place has some of my childhood favorites like Hong Kong milk tea, curry fish balls, rice rolls with peanut butter sauce, Hong Kong style borscht soup and so on. Reminds me of home and the restaurant is always clean! Very reasonable prices too!”

Mrs. Fish (Sichuan Hot Pot Cuisine): 34 Pell St., New York, NY 10013

Our readers say: “The taste is authentic, the price is reasonable, and it serves tasty lunch meals.”

Royal Seafood: 103 Mott St., New York, NY 10013

Shanghai 21: 21 Mott St., New York NY, 10013

Wo Hop Next Door: 15 Mott St., New York, NY 10013

Little Alley: 550 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10016

Our readers say: “Best soup dumplings in NYC (thin skin) with variety of soup options and not just the typical options.”

KungFu Kitchen: 610 8th Ave., New York, NY 10018

Our readers say: “The taste is authentic, the Michelin guide recommended appetizer is very authentic. It serves meals fast, and the sliced noodles are fresh and flavorful.”

Blue Willow: 40 W. 56th St., New York, NY 10019

Our readers say: “Variety of food from noodles, to soup, to dry pot so it’s easy to satisfy demands from a lot of people. Food is good. Prompt service. Food is served quickly. The ambience is nice and there’s a lot of seating.”

Chai: 353 W 46th St., New York, NY 10036

Our readers say: “Nice environment.”

Staten Island Chinese Restaurants

HKS Kitchen: 1434 Richmond Road, Unit D, Staten Island, NY 10304

Our readers say: “It has a big menu. The taste is good.” “The dishes are authentic.”

Precious Island Tea Shop: 366 New Dorp Lane, Staten Island, NY 10306

Brooklyn Chinese Restaurants

Howong Seafood Restaurant: 6718 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11204

Our readers say: “Authentic Cantonese BBQ, Taishan specialty snacks.”

Golden Palace: 1619 86th St., Brooklyn, NY 11214

Affable Eatery: 912 65th St., Brooklyn, NY 11219

Chong Qing Wharf Hot Pot: 6324 Fort Hamilton Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11219

Our readers say: “Fresh ingredients, good service, reasonable price.” “Fresh food, thoughtful service.”

Bamboo Garden (Jinhuang): 6409 8th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11220

East Harbor Seafood Palace: 714 65th St., Brooklyn, NY 11220

Pacific Palace: 813 55th St., Brooklyn, NY 11220

Park Asia Restaurant: 6521 8th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11220

Roast 28: 5124 8th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11220

Xia Chao: 5722 8th Ave., Ste. B, Brooklyn, NY 11220

Our readers say: “Its Uber Eats takeout food is good and is cost-effective. It is a good option when I miss the taste of Taiwan.”

Season: 1321 Ave. U, Brooklyn, NY 11229

Wing Hing Seafood Restaurant: 1217 Ave. U, Brooklyn, NY 11229

Queens Chinese Restaurants

698 Cafe: 39-07 Prince St., Ste. 1H, Queens, NY 11354

Asian Jewels: 133-30 39th Ave., Queens, NY 11354

Chongqing Lao Zao: 37-04 Prince St., Queens, NY 11354

Our readers say: “It’s spicy enough!” “Spicy enough to be addicted to it, feel so satisfied!”

HaiDiLao Hotpot: 138-23 39th Ave., Queens, NY 11354

Our readers say: “Good dining experience.”

Royal Queen: 136-20 Roosevelt Ave., 3rd Fl., Queens, NY 11354

Our readers say: “Authentic dim sum and unique dining experience.”

Wang Wang Queens: 37-34 Union St., Queens, NY 11354

East Buffet: 42-07 Main St., Queens, NY 11355

Shun Won Chinese Restaurant: 41-27 Main St., Queens, NY 11355

Little Pepper: 18-24 College Point Blvd., College Point, NY 11356

Our readers say: “A restaurants opened by an immigrant family to fulfill their American dreams. It also servers as a stepping stones for them to settle down in America, and satisfies New Yorkers who have spicy taste buds with authentic Sichuan-styled cuisine.”

Citywide Chain Restaurants

99 Favor Taste in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island

Our readers say: “The dining experience is good, it provides buffet hot pot or barbecue. Hot pot is also a traditional food with Chinese characteristics.”

CheLi in Manhattan and Queens

Our readers say: “The taste is authentic. The dishes are exquisite.” “The food is delicious and the environment is elegant.”

Congee Village in Manhattan and Queens

Dun Huang in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens

Hot Space in Brooklyn and Queens

LaoJie Hotpot in Brooklyn and Manhattan

Nai Brother in Brooklyn and Queens

Our readers say: “The taste is good, the restaurant offers a lot of dish choices, and the price is very favorable.”

Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao in Manhattan and Queens

Our readers say: “The taste is good, size is big and the price is suitable.”

Szechuan Mountain House in Manhattan and Queens

The Dolar Shop in Manhattan and Queens

Xi’an Famous Foods in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens

Xiang Hotpot in Brooklyn and Queens

April Xu

April Xu is an award-winning bilingual journalist with over 9 years of experience covering the Chinese community in New York City.

@KEXU3

Nancy Chen

Hongyu (Nancy) Chen is a Chinese-English bilingual reporter who graduated from Columbia Journalism School. She writes about immigrant communities and older adults in New York City. She also specializes in documentary filmmaking. Prior to Columbia, she studied International Relations at the Australian National University.

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