Manhattan’s Chinatown is a thriving ethnic district, home to many generations of Chinese and Chinese American families as well as plenty of residents without Chinese heritage, but an appreciation for the neighborhood. While Chinatown is bustling in the daytime, most neighborhood establishments close by 9 p.m., fairly early by New York standards, making it a quiet residential area. Chinatown, a warren of little, winding streets, is bounded by Broadway on the West, Rutgers and Essex Streets on the East, Madison and Worth Streets on the South and Broome, Grand and Canal Streets on the North. Canal Street is known as the main thoroughfare in Chinatown, crowded with vendors selling infamous knock-off bags, jewelry and electronic accessories. Other shopping in the neighborhood consists of neighborhood supply stores, a great place to find cheap kitchen accessories and specialty grocery stores that sell everything from durian to vegan lobster. Of course, dining in Chinatown is essential. $5—in cash, of course – can easily buy you a tasty plate of dumplings at locations like C & C Prosperity Dumpling or Lam Zhou Handmade Noodle. Doyers Street, known as “Murder Alley†or “Bloody Angle†thanks to some activity in the early 20th Century, is now home to plenty of popular eateries, like the oldest dim sum parlor in New York, Nom Wah Tea Parlor. Trendy speakeasy Apotheke and Tasty Hand-Pulled Noodles, which always has a line out the door are also on the ominous block. Chinatown is popular with tourists, especially on weekends when out of town guests (usually not from China) are eager to get a bite of Peking duck and try their luck at a real-looking Louis Vuitton bag. It’s also a popular lunch spot for those serving on Jury Duty. Many subway lines run through Chinatown. The #6 Lexington line, the Indepent line’s N, R, Q, W trains stop at Canal Street. The B and D stop at Grand Street and the J, M, Z make stops at Canal/Centre and Chambers Flushing in Queens and Sunset Park in Brooklyn are also homes to Chinatowns, with Queens’ Chinatown being one of the biggest in the country. By Melissa Kravitz
Trains:
Buses:
Rental Prices:
$2,500 ― $7,100Sales Prices:
$597,000 ― $1,700,000Landmarks:
ChinatownSchool Districts:
2Police Precincts:
5
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