Excellent Chinese restaurants have a long history in New York City, showing both the fusion cuisine developed by immigrants in the country and the culinary customs of almost every province in China.
The city offers a wide range of dining alternatives, whether you want to try hot Szechuan cuisine at quaint Chinatown eateries, have a traditional weekend brunch with dim sum at a local landmark, or order outstanding takeout or delivery to enjoy at home. These are NYC’s top Chinese restaurant menus.
The Best Chinese Restaurants
1. New Fu Run
When it closed a few years ago, we believed we had lost a Flushing institution. However, we later learned that Great Neck, Queens, had a second location. The three northernmost Chinese provinces of Dongbei, once known as Manchuria, are also represented through their cuisine. Try the green-bean sheet jelly (mung bean noodles, pressed tofu, and cloud ear fungus with tahini in a sort of toss-it-yourself salad), sweet and sour fish, and pork with sour cabbage.
3. Grand Sichuan
A Chinese chain owned by Xiaotu “John” Zhang has become somewhat of a cult. When Zhang established a branch in Chelsea in 1998, he offered authentic Szechuan cuisine to the area. His menu ardently explains the origins and preparation methods of each dish, giving diners a thorough introduction to the meal to come. Start with a bowl of dried peppercorn-filled, sinus-clearing dandan noodles or go for the tongue-tingling gui zhou chicken, which blends dry-fried fiery chilies and Szechuan peppercorns. Choose a basket of eight delectable pork soup dumplings if you’re searching for something a little softer.
4. Nurlan Uyghur Restaurant
The greatest Chinese food in NYC is served at this undiscovered Queens restaurant, as you’ve never had it before. The history of China’s persecuted Uyghur minority is fascinating. Some incredibly distinctive Chinese recipes with an Uzbek touch are inspired by their culture’s Islamic roots.
If you are unfamiliar with Uyghur culture, Nurlan Uyghur Restaurant is a genuinely fascinating dining establishment to check out. In addition to enjoying some of the best Chinese food in New York City, you can admire the original artwork and musical instruments hanging on the walls of this laid-back cafe.
5. MáLà Project
At this East Village restaurant, owner Ning Amelie Kang and chef Qilong Zhao present a brothless version of Chinese hot pot, which is typically simmered with thinly sliced meats, veggies, and stock. The restaurant’s signature dish is a variation on the Chongqing-hailing dry pot, a stir-fry-like spread made with a choice of 52 add-ins. The names “numbing” and “spicy” are literal translations for the ingredients that give the food its name. Beef tenderloin, pig artery, fish fillets, squid balls, and frog are among the available meats. Beyond the pot, customers can draw up to a marble-topped bar for treats like steaming egg custard or a 15-seat communal table.
6. Xi’an Famous Foods
Jason Wang, a restaurateur, founded his business with the opening of its first location in Flushing. As word of its spicy, fragrant style of cooking from northwest China spread, branches started popping up all over the city. Try the spicy cumin lamb burger with any of the hand-pulled noodles; the meat is rich, the bread has a crunchy exterior sear, and the bun soaks up a lot of lamb juices.
7. Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao
The tastiest dumplings and Shanghai-style Chinese cuisine in NYC can be found at Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, also known as Nan Xiang XLB. With plenty of seating, Nan Xiang XLB is a terrific place to take a big family and taste the best Chinese food in NYC. If you have to wait for a table, be prepared to peruse the menu because this place can get busy.