Where To Eat In Philadelphia's Chinatown

Food is at the heart of community in Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood. The savory meats hanging in store windows and tempting smells wafting onto the street are enough to lure in hungry patrons. Inside, family cooks and acclaimed chefs pile on the flavor for a multisensory experience at tiny takeout-only operations and spacious family-style restaurants. In the small, densely packed area between 8th and 11th streets and Vine and Arch streets, the menus offer tastes of Hong Kong, Cantonese, Fujianese, Sichuan and Taiwanese, Korean, Thai, Malaysian and Burmese cultures, to name a few.

Dining out (or in) in Philadelphia is a bit different these days. Many restaurants are take-out only, while some offer delivery and others have limited indoor or outdoor seating. It’s best to call ahead to determine how restaurants are operating on a given day.

Check out this guide to 25 fantastic restaurants in Chinatown, compiled with help from the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation.

1. BAI WEI: The staff at what was formerly Sakura Mandarin specializes in Szechuan and Hunan cuisines and dim sum. Pan-fried or steamed, the soup dumplings come filled with pork, chicken, shrimp or vegetables. Also on the menu: stir-fry and smelly pots, dry pots and plenty of spicy dishes.
2. Bar-Ly: A bar full of beer taps and a food menu full of Asian American pub fare make Bar-Ly the perfect game-watching spot to catch up with friends. Pours are local, national and international, which means there’s always something to pair with the noodle-based bun dish, a bowl of pho, lo mein, nachos or chicken wings.
3. Bubblefish Bubble Tea & Sushi: The name is in the menu at this modern Arch Street restaurant. More than 60 tea varieties (mint chocolate milk tea, honeydew green tea, taro milk tea, guava oolong tea and others) come hot and cold, while milkshakes, smoothies and fresh juices round out the robust drink menu. To eat? Tuna tacos, shrimp tempura and a seemingly endless list of sushi.
4. Canto House: At Canto House, the menu is extensive, and there’s always something on special. Meat, meatless, noodle-based and barbecue dishes are on rotation, as is a variety of congee. The chef recommends goose feet with mushrooms, the lamb clay pot and clams with black bean sauce.
5. Chu Shang Spicy: Singapore rice noodles, curry chicken with onions, salt and pepper squid and mapo tofu are among the fiery offerings at Chu Shang Spicy, which certainly lives up to its name. More reserved palates can find just as many delicious options, starting with egg drop soup at the top of the menu all the way down to green tea ice cream. In between: pad thai, stir-fried eggplant and egg foo young.
6. Chubby Cattle: Refrigerated Mongolian food served via a conveyor belt makes for a fun dining experience at Chubby Cattle. Patrons can start with a broth-based pot and watch as shrimp, mushroom and other skewers pass by, followed by a choice of sauces — all ready to be heated up according to the restaurant’s instructions.
7. Cily Chicken Rice: Modern decor and pop art greet patrons at Cily Chicken Rice, where it’s all about Thai street food. Diners can fill up on appetizers like tom yum soup, veggie spring rolls, fish cakes and the potato-pumpkin golden bag, or save room for a platter of chicken over ginger rice and an iced green tea.
8. Dim Sum Garden: Fifth generation chef Shizhou Da brought her Xiao Long Bao recipe to Philadelphia in 2013 when she opened Dim Sum Garden. Now the steamed dumplings fill up customers every day, and come filled with crab meat, pork, chicken, vegetables and more. DIYers can even order batches of frozen dumplings to cook up at home.
9. Emei Restaurant: Spicy Szechuan is served family style at EMei Restaurant, where the large round tables have plenty of room for passing and sharing. There’s no Americanized cuisine here. Chef Zhao pledges to keep things authentic with fiery flavors from chili oils and peppercorns familiar to those with roots in Western China.
10. Kurry Korner: Kurry Korner’s family curry recipe includes flavors from Southeast Asia and Japan. More than 30 ingredients go into pork-, chicken-, shrimp-, fish filet- and veggie-based dishes, with sides of rice, fried eggs and more. Patrons can balance the savory plates with a mango tapioca smoothie.
11. David’s Mai Lai Wah: A well-known spot for Philly’s post-shift restaurant workers for years, David’s Mai Lai Wah offers budget-friendly eats. While the experience is no-frills, the salt and pepper chicken wings, roast pork noodle bowls and walnut shrimp provide tasty sustenance.
12. Penang: This spacious restaurant half a block from Chinatown’s iconic Friendship Gate specializes in dishes from the northwest coast of the Peninsular Malaysia. The best way for diners to enjoy the offerings is to ask their server for advice as the menu instructs. Meals here often begin with a penang rojak (a fruit salad served with shrimp paste), followed by noodle-, meat- and tofu-based entrees.
13. Philly Poke: Hawaiian-style raw fish salads fill the menu at this spot inside the Chinatown Square food hall. While sushi and hot dishes are among the offerings, a signature bowl is the surest way to get a real sense of what the restaurant does best. Diners can add toppings, protein and sauces of their choice to the rice-based bowls for a custom experience.
14. QT Vietnamese Sandwich: Those craving a hoagie in Chinatown head to QT Vietnamese Sandwich for bahn mi — a delicious take on Philly’s second-most famous sandwich, the hoagie. Made with mayo, pate, cucumber, pickled carrots cilantro, jalapeno and a choice of protein, these satisfying sandwiches go great with a boba tea or one of many canned Asian drinks on offer. QT also has a food truck in University City.
15. Rangoon: Serving Chinatown since 1993, this woman-owned restaurant brings tastes of Burma to Philadelphia. Philadelphia Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan recommends the spicy lentil patties and thousand-layer bread, while the chef suggests spicy curry dishes and chicken and shrimp dishes with okra or pumpkin.
16. Ray’s Cafe & Teahouse: Coffee might not be in the name, but it’s a big part of the business at Ray’s. An elaborate slow-drip setup on the counter serves customers in house and to-go. The strong, smooth blend is the perfect cap to any meal here and is often served with a diner-style cookie.
17. Sang Kee: Sang Kee has been a Philadelphia staple since 1980 and, as the name suggests, Peking duck is the star of the menu. Served half or whole, the boneless duck is also available for takeout or delivery with hoisin sauce and pancakes or buns, as well as reheating instructions.
18. ShangHai 1: Dim sum, noodles and casseroles round out the offerings at ShangHai 1, which focuses on Chinese and Taiwanese cuisines. The paneer casseroles are served with beef, chicken, fish, shrimp, frog and other proteins that complement the cheesy base.
19. Shimiaodao: Rice noodle soups from Shimiaodao are a great all-weather treat, and the platters are both filling and affordable. The original crossing bridge rice noodle with lamb, first on the menu, is a pork-and-chicken-bone soup served with lamb, quail egg, ham, marinated chicken wing, ground pork, corn, black fungus, pickled cabbage, chives, scallions, cilantro, tofu skin and lettuce.
20. Siu Kee Duck House: Honey barbecue pork, roast pig, scallion chicken and, of course, a variety of duck dishes (roast, Peking, tongue and more) are on the menu here.
21. Tai Lake: Tai Lake has been filling customers up with Hong Kong-style Cantonese seafood since 1988. Fish tanks greet patrons in the spacious dining room, hinting at what to expect on the menu. Though there are plenty of land-based dishes to enjoy, skipping seafood here would be a mistake. Squid, shark, flounder, lobster, grouper and more are among the offerings.
22. Terakawa Ramen: The hand-drawn noodles at Terakawa fill bowls of Kyushu-style broth at this Japanese restaurant, where the servers are happy to advise on the flavor profile of the broth, which simmers for two days before making its way to your bowl. The signature dish comes with roast pork, bamboo shoots, kikurage mushrooms, red ginger, scallions and a boiled egg. Terakawa’s other Philly location is in University City.
23. TT Skewer: Located near the northern border of Chinatown, TT Skewer is all about hotpots and skewers. Lamb, beef, cauliflower, chicken gizzard and other skewer varieties are easy to-go options best enjoyed while exploring the neighborhood.
24. Vietnam Restaurant: Chef Benny Lai continues the legacy his family established at Vietnam Restaurant in 1984 — a companion to West Philadelphia’s Fu Wah Market and Vietnam Cafe. The restaurant dishes out 10 varieties of vermicelli noodle bowls, protein-based entrees and claypots, and drinks from the upstairs bar, including a selection of Polynesian cocktails.
25. Yakitori Boy: It’s all about the sushi and karaoke here. Before or after guests belt out their favorite tune (or three), they can enjoy japas (Japanese tapas) of tempura, teriyaki and sushi dishes, and one of the bar’s specialty cocktails. A sake bomb is sure to loosen up the vocal cords before any given performance.

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