If you have plans to visit New York City in the near future I want to share a few of the Chinese restaurants in Manhattan where I like to eat.
You can't go wrong with the eateries and restaurants in any of the three NYC Chinatowns. Yes besides Manhattan Chinatown, there is Sunset Park Chinatown in Brooklyn and Chinatown in Flushing, Queens with the latter being the world's largest Chinatown.
The image above shows where roughly the three Chinatowns are located in NYC. Please contact me for recommendations and directions if you would like to visit one of them.
1. Tipsy Shanghai
I think the translation of this restaurant's name is very smart. While "Shanghai", a well-known Chinese metropolis, is highlighted in the name, the Chinese name of the restaurant is Jiang Zhe. Jiang 江（short for Jiangsu 江苏 Province) and Zhe 浙 （short for Zhejiang 浙江 Province）.
The dishes served in Tipsy Shanghai are Jiangnan 江南 classics. Jiangnan means "South of the River" (Yangtze River). However, Jiangnan is commonly used to describe the area of Shanghai, south of Jiangsu and north of Zhejiang.
My hometown is Suzhou which is located in the south of Jiangsu Province. I found the food here tastes like home.
Address: 228 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012
2. Mala Project
If you like spicy Chinese food, you probably know Sichuan cuisine. If you like Sichuan dishes you probably know the flavor mala.
Ma 麻 means numbing (from Sichuan peppercorns) and la 辣 means spicy (from chili peppers). The signature dish of Mala Project is dry pot, ganguo 干锅 or xiangguo 香锅. It's like a spicy hot pot without the broth.
Mala Project might be the first Chinese restaurant in New York City that I went to after I moved here. The quality of the food really impressed me and my friends.
East Village Location: 122 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10009
Midtown Location: 41 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036
3. Chow House
Chow House is located in Greenwich Village near a few comedy clubs my husband regularly performs at. My husband Turner Sparks is a stand-up comedian. Shout out! Check him out.
This casual restaurant specializes in spicy Sichuan cuisine, but other classic home-style Chinese dishes on the menu will surprise you too.
Address: 181 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012
4. Szechuan Mountain House
Szechuan is another way of spelling the province of Sichuan 四川. “Sichuan" is Chinese Pinyin, or the preferred romanization used in Mainland China.
This restaurant offers authentic Sichuan food. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu.
Queens Location: 3916 Prince St G03, Flushing, NY 11354 Manhattan Location: 23 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003
5. Mei Lai Wah
This cafe, like the majority of the restaurants in Manhattan Chinatown, specializes in Cantonese food and food that originated in Southern China.
While Mei Lai Wah is most famous for its baked BBQ pork buns, I love the other items on the menu too, especially their rice rolls and beef noodle soup.
Address: 64 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013
6. South of the Clouds
I am a big fan of rice noodles. I can't remember how many times the steaming hot bowl of Yunnan rice noodles has warmed me up on cold winter nights.
There are dried noodles and soup noodles on the menu. The small plates of appetizers are also worth trying. The location is great. It is near NYU and Washingtons Square Park.
Address: 16 W 8th St, New York, NY 10011
Enjoy! Please let me know your feedback if you ever get to check these places out.