RestaurantChinatown
Mei Lai Wah
Order a baked roast pork bun and rice noodle rolls and congee at this no-frills, always delicious Chinese spot. Yes there’s a line, yes it’s worth the wait.
Photo by Effie Liu for Beholdr
In The Area
Coffee Shop & BakeryLower East Side
Koré Coffee
Fuel up (or refuel) after you’ve explored the NoLita galleries at this white brick and wood-clad, family-run coffee shop on Elizabeth Street. Try the famous Tiramisu blend.
GalleryChinatown
Ulrik
Take the pulse of the new New York scene at this spacious, sunny second-floor gallery overlooking Canal Street, where artistic careers are launched and revitalized.
Coffee ShopChinatown
Derby Cup Coffee
One of those rare places that becomes part of how you live in Chinatown. Oxblood walls, striped ceilings, jockey art, and leather banquettes that hold an afternoon. Order the pistachio iced latte, cozy in, and get to know the neighborhood regulars filing in and out.
BarChinatown
The River
Founded by the brains behind fashion label BODE and designed by the Green River Project, this downtown saloon is wood-lined, with Western-core wallpaper and chairs made from branches and twigs.