Chinatown in Manhattan is famous for its vibrant streets, delicious cheap eats, and knockoff bags galore. But there’s another Chinatown in NYC that most tourists don’t know about, and it’s arguably more authentic, more diverse, and some might say flat out better: the Chinatown in Flushing, Queens.
Walking around the Flushing Chinatown is like being transported back to Asia. The chaotic streets are lined with people selling everything from spices to t-shirts. Mandarin and Cantonese take precedent before English. Massive Asian grocery stores are on each block. And there is a seemingly endless number of food options ranging from hot pot to dim sum. Many of these qualities are akin to the Chinatown in Manhattan, minus all the tourists.
I made the trek out to Flushing Main Street with one goal in mind: food.
Before diving into my Flushing Chinatown food crawl, let’s set the scene with a little history.
Flushing began as a Dutch colony in 1645, and was originally named Vlissingen. In line with Holland values, freedom of religion was allowed to all residents. The area became a haven for religious minorities, including the Quakers, and some say that Flushing paved the way for freedom of religion in the New World. (For a more in-depth look, click HERE). The area was taken over by the English in 1683 and incorporated into Queens County, followed by being incorporated into New York City in 1898.
Fast forward to the 1970s. Mandarin-speaking Taiwanese immigrants were looking for a place to settle. The Chinatown in Manhattan was missing quality housing, and most residents spoke Cantonese. Immigrants flocked to Flushing, and it quickly became Little Taipei. Since then, Flushing has attracted diverse populations from Taiwan, China, South Korea, and Malaysia, among other Asian countries.
Now… Time for the Flushing Chinatown Food Crawl Rundown.
Stop 1: Eight Jane for Jianbing, $5
Jiangbing is a popular Chinese breakfast street food that you will find across China and Taiwan. It’s a crepe filled with egg, cilantro, scallion, a crispy fried wonton, and perhaps a healthy slather of chili for fellow heat lovers. I noshed on jiangbing in Taiwan, but how would it stack up at Eight Jane?
Well… I wasn’t too wowed. While the texture was nice, the jianbing from Eight Jane was disappointingly flavorless. There was an odd flavor that reminded me of vegemite, but apart from that, it didn’t taste like too much other than salt.
Foodies rave about Eight Jane, so perhaps I caught them on an off day.
Stop 2: White Bear for Chili Oil Wontons, $10
White Bear is a small restaurant with quite a large menu, and the second stop on my Flushing Chinatown food crawl. The No. 6 chili oil wontons are what this spot is known for. One order comes with 12 steaming wontons, and I took them over to the adjacent Bland Playground to dig in. Ironic to be eating in Bland Playground, because that’s exactly what the wontons were. The wontons themselves were missing flavor and the texture of the wonton wrapper suggested they had been made some time ago. Thank god for the chili and green onion on top, which saved the day.
Stop 3: Mochiido for a Black Sesame Mochi Donut, $3.75
Last spring I went on a quest to find the best mochi donut in NYC, so of course I had to pop in to Mochiido to give it a try. The donut had a nice flavor that wasn’t too sweet, and the texture was pretty solid- just chewy enough without an overbearing “bready” quality.
Stop 4: Random stall for a sesame ball, $1.75
This sesame ball was the best thing of the entire Flushing Chinatown food crawl. Amazing chewy texture, just enough filling, and the perfect touch of sweet.
Stop 5: Tian Jing Dumpling for Dumplings, $7
Tian Jian dumpling was the final spot on this Flushing Chinatown food crawl. I ordered 6 pan fried pork dumplings, and they were pretty darn tasty. Super juicy with a nice soy, onion, and cilantro flavor. I couldn’t resist two steamed “juicy buns”, which were just larger versions of the fried pork dumplings. Tasty, but my busting belt only allowed me a few bites
Wrapping Up This Flushing Chinatown Food Crawl
Walking around the streets of Flushing felt like being back in Asia. The smells, noises, and sheer chaos were invigorating and exciting. Did I find the best eats? Certainly not. But you better believe I’ll be back to try again.
