If you’re looking for frugal eats in New York City, Chinatown needs to be at the top of your list. There are countless restaurants, markets, and hole in the wall spots that are true hidden gems. It’s one of the few areas of Manhattan south of 110th that is driven by local demand, not social media and influencers. The result? Authentic, cheap cuisine.
I had a crisp $10 bill and some free time, so I embarked on a $10 NYC Chinatown cheap eats challenge.
I Gave Myself 2 Rules:
- No Google Maps
- No review reading
Turns out $10 can get you quite far!
Before I dive into what I ate, let set the scene with a rapid history of New York’s Chinatown:
Chinese immigrants began arriving in New York City in the 1870s. Some were traders and sailors coming right from China, but most were immigrating from the west coast looking for work and escaping the anti-Chinese wave that was starting in San Francisco. Before long, Chinatown was teeming with all types of stores and eateries. The growth was brought to a screeching stop with the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 (get a nice synopsis HERE).
Chinatown proceeded to become “the wrong side of the tracks”, so to speak. Opium dens, gambling halls, and prostitution riddled the streets as gangs vied for power. Chinatown continued to struggle as the United States government continued to create anti-Chinese, anti-Communist legislation.
Things finally turned around in 1965 with the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allowed 20,000 new Chinese immigrants a year. The population boomed from 20,000 to 95,000 people in just 25 years. Today, there are upwards of 150,000 residents in Chinatown and it’s a must-visit hub for shopping, eating, and people watching.
Now, to the main event, my $10 NYC Chinatown Cheap Eats Challenge
Stop 1: Shu Jiao Fu Zhou
What I got: 6 steamed pork and chive dumplings
Cost: $3
Verdict: The dumpling skin was decently thin and nicely chewy. There was an ample amount of filling that didn’t totally tumble down after one bite. The filling was missing flavor and wasn’t particularly memorable, but for $3, I wasn’t too mad!
Stop 2: Go Believe Bakery Inc
What I Got: Beef Rice Crepe
Cost: $2:55
The Verdict: The rice roll itself was delightfully gelatinous and chewy. The beef, however, was less than good. In fact… I’ll say it was bad and likely not beef. It has a salty, almost fishy flavor that was flat out inedible.
Stop 3: Spongies café
What I Got: plain sponge cake
Cost: $1
The Verdict: The sponge cake was ultra light, slightly sweet, and perfectly spongey. A delightful treat that I will certainly seek out again
Stop 4: Mei Lai Wah Bakery
What I Got: Pineapple Pork Bun
Cost: $1.85
The Verdict: Mei Lai Wah Bakery is the one spot on this $10 NYC Chinatown cheap eats challenge that I have been to before. It’s just too delicious to merely walk by! The pineapple bun was soft with a sweet, crispy exterior, and the pork filling was beautifully flavored and just salty enough to contrast the sweet bun to perfection.
Total Left in my NYC Chinatown Cheap Eats Challenge: $1.65
Some stops for hits, others were misses. But ultimately I had a fully belly whilst being under budget! I’d say challenged = won!
Hungry for more Chinatown eats? Check out my Chinatown Food Crawl HERE!
