Chinatown

With one of the densest populations of Chinese immigrants in the western hemisphere, Manhattan's Chinatown is a true New York story, the American Dream in action. The thriving immigrant population gives visitors access to far-flung wares and culinary delights, and to walk these streets is to walk through NYC's past. But most of us will want to start eating our way through Chinatown restaurants and shopping our way through the busy streets—so let’s get started!

Here are some of our favorite spots in Chinatown NYC!

Museum of Chinese in America     215 Centre St., 212-619-4785

This museum of the Chinese-American experience has become Chinatown's most refined tourist attraction devoted to telling the turbulent and relatively short history of the Chinese in this country. On the first Thursday of each month, the museum stays open till 9 pm and admission is free.

The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory   63-65 Bayard St., (212) 608-4170

This is a Chinatown New York institution! Here are some of the unique flavored ice creams you can try there: almond cookie, black sesame, lychee, pandan, red bean, green tea (my favorite), durian, pineapple and more! Open daily 11am-10pm

New Kam Man   200 Canal St., 212-571-0330

Here you'll find a roasted-meats station, where you can have prepared pork and duck and a noodle bar that serves soups, bubble milk tea and other treats. There's an area devoted to medicinal herbs, the top floor is given over to beauty supplies and the expansive lower level is filled with delightful housewares.

Columbus Park   Between Bayard and Worth Streets, and between Mulberry and Baxter Streets

The scene here is usually bustling, especially on weekends. You'll find troupes of amateur Chinese-opera performers, residents playing mah-jongg, folks practicing tai chi, learning kung fu and the stray fortune-teller. In the summer, you might even stumble upon a symphony of singing birds, as pet owners often hang their birds' cages in the trees during the morning.

Mahayana Buddhist Temple      133 Canal St., 212-925-8787

Visit the Mahayana Buddhist Temple, it's free, open to the public and offers a large meditation area with plenty of space to rest and reflect under the gaze of a 16-foot-high golden Buddha. Just don't expect silence here; there's usually a festive soundtrack playing (this is New York City, after all). Don't miss the series of intricate ivory carvings on display in the second-floor gift shop. Open daily 8:30am-6pm

Nom Wah Tea Parlor    13 Doyers St., 212-962-6047

Opened in 1920, Nom Wah Tea Parlor is NYC's oldest dim sum parlor located in the heart of China Town restaurants. Diners enjoy the incredible dim sum, such as har gow (a traditional Chinese shrimp dumpling) and the “original” egg roll (mixed veggies and chicken rolled in an egg crepe and then fried.) Open 10:30 am till 10 pm Sun-Wed and till 11 pm Thu-Sat.

Chinatown is easily reached on our Downtown tour, just hop off at stop #10 Canal Street!