The NYC Chinatown Dim Sum Challenge
There’s a solid chance you’ve taken down at least a dozen dumplings on a Sunday afternoon with zero prompting or reason, so we’re fully expecting you to launch yourself into this: the NYC Chinatown Dim Sum Challenge.
We tracked down Oscar Nilsson -- the dude behind the incredible San Francisco Mission Burrito Challenge -- and gave him a list of the 19 best dim sum-eries in Chinatown, then he went to work, laying them out in a hybrid map/checklist. Your job? To house down on dumplings, scallion pancakes, buns, pork ribs, and must-haves at ALL 19 SPOTS by the end of the year.
Stop drooling, friend, and click HERE to see the whole map/checklist -- you’ve got work to do. Oh, and keep us posted on your progress on Instagram with the #DimSumChallenge hashtag and we'll post the best photos to our Instagram, @Thrillist.
Ping’s Seafood
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 10:30am-4pm
Service: Cart
Must-have dishes: Steamed crab dumplings with leeks, cilantro, and roe; seafood-stuffed chili peppers with garlic and breadcrumbs
Dim Sum Go Go
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 10am-10:30pm
Service: Cart
Must-have dishes: Pumpkin cakes; mushrooms stuffed with seafood paste
Nom Wah Tea Parlor
Chinatown
Hours: Sun-Thur 10:30am-9pm, Fri-Sat 10:30am-10pm
Service: Waiter
Must-have dishes: Taro dumplings with pork and dried mushrooms; roast pork bun; lots of gluten-free options
Buddha Bodai
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 10am-4pm
Service: Waiter
Must-have dishes: Mock-shrimp* dumplings; mock-meat* bun (*all dishes are vegetarian and kosher)
Jing Fong
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 10am-3pm
Service: Cart
Must-have dishes: Pan-fried fish cake with Chinese sausages; green bean pastry puffs; ROVING CHAMPAGNE CART
Vegetarian Dim Sum House
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 10:30am-10:30pm
Service: Waiter
Must-have dishes: Mashed taro treasures boxes; mock-roast pork buns
88 Palace
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 9am-4pm
Service: Cart
Must-have dishes: Salt-baked squid; steamed dumplings with pork and peanuts
Oriental Garden
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 10am-4pm
Service: Cart
Must-have dishes: Taro with shrimp; lotus leaf sticky rice
Shanghai Cafe
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 11:30am-10pm
Service: Waiter
Must-have dishes: Fried tiny pork buns; Shanghai wonton soup with shepherd’s purse
Hop Shing
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 7am-3pm
Service: Cart
Must-have dishes: Baked pork bun; coconut bun
Excellent Dumpling House
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 11am-9pm
Service: Waiter
Must-have dishes: Scallion pancake; chicken dumpling soup
Red Egg
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 10am-11pm
Service: Waiter
Must-have dishes: Spareribs with olive sauce; egg cream rolls
Golden Unicorn
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 9:30am-3:30pm
Service: Cart
Must-have dishes: Pork shumai; pineapple buns
Grand Harmony Restaurant
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 8:30am-3pm
Service: Cart
Must-have dishes: Steamed shrimp hakao; stuffed noodles
Mandarin Court
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 11am-4pm
Service: Cart
Must-have dishes: Crispy Buddha’s delight roll; fried squid with spicy salt
456 Shanghai Cuisine
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 11am-4pm
Service: Waiter
Must-have dishes: Steamed juicy buns with pork and crabmeat; fried tiny buns
27 Sunshine
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 9am-4pm
Service: Cart
Must-have dishes: Steamed shrimp hakao; clams in black bean sauce
Royal Seafood Restaurant
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 8am-2pm
Service: Cart
Must-have dishes: Sticky rice balls with peanuts and black sesame paste; turnip cake with dried shrimp, Chinese sausages, and scallions
Delight 28 Restaurant
Chinatown
Hours: Daily 8:30am-3pm
Service: Cart
Must-have dishes: Deep-fried taco dumpling; steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce
Andrew Zimmer is Thrillist's NYC editor and he knows what he’ll be doing this weekend (this, it’s this). Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
Oscar Nilsson is a San Francisco-based advertising professional and freelance designer who may be needing to make a trip out to NYC very, very soon. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
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