The Best Asian Food & Drink Spots in NYC
As a Taiwanese American, it's probably no surprise that I have a soft spot for Asian food — but honestly, that's an understatement. One of my favorite things about living in NYC is the food scene, and more specifically, how the Asian restaurant scene keeps growing.
More cuisines, more cultures, more chances to sit down at a table and really understand where a dish comes from and the people behind it. That's the kind of eating I'm here for.
This list is a mix of everything — restaurants, cafés, teahouses, bars, even a popup or two — all spots I've personally dined at and loved enough to share. These aren't ranked, because frankly that's impossible when you're comparing hot pot in Flushing to a Burmese breakfast popup shop in Brooklyn.
Just know that every single spot on here is worth your time.
Bookmark this page, and drop a comment below letting me know which ones you've tried — or which one you're adding to your list next!
🇨🇳 Chinese
🌶️ Sichuan
Breeze 和煦 — Greenpoint, Brooklyn
A modern Sichuan restaurant with Chinese design elements, a packed dining room, and frankly one of the best Mapo Tofu in Brooklyn. The numbing spice is real — drench it over your white rice and thank me later. The Fei Hong Shrimp is also a must: fried with the shells on, totally edible, crunchy like chips.
Make a reservation. They're always full.
Ye's Apothecary 夜莺 — LES, Manhattan
A Sichuan-inspired speakeasy below the street level on Orchard Street.
The vibe is vintage apothecary meets dim cocktail bar, with small tapas that are bold, spicy, and made for sharing. Go for the Truffle Mushroom Salad and the HK Milk Punch — Filipino rum, black tea, condensed milk. I've been three times. Reservations are a must.
🍲 Hot pot
Chongqing Lao Zao 重慶老灶 — Flushing, Queens
This is seriously the real deal — flavors straight from Chongqing, two floors, red lanterns, and a birthday dragon dance mid-dinner that I was not expecting.
Their "mild" broth will still set your mouth on fire. They hand out red aprons to protect your outfit and white cover bags for your purse. Order the mala quail eggs and Peach Blossom Wine, and be prepared to wait in line for a longgggg time. But trust me, it’s worth every minute for the food and the experience.
🍵 Dim sum
Golden Unicorn — Chinatown, Manhattan
The second-best dim sum spot in the city with the actual full cart experience — servers pushing the carts through a packed dining room just like when I was a kid eating dim sum with my family after church on Sundays lol.
Get the shrimp har gow, sesame balls, and mango pudding (my personal fave).
Grab a ticket number at the door and wait for your turn. This is a first-come, first-served type of situation. The bigger your group, the better your experience = more dishes to try.
☕ Teahouse
Duo Cafe — East Village, Manhattan
A tiny Chinese teahouse in the East Village with hand-drawn menus and rare teas you won't find anywhere else — White Peach Oolong, Osmanthus Oolong, Red Bean Coix Seed Black Tea. The sweets are not too sweet (very Asian palate), and the Duo Matcha Cake is incredible.
90-minute seating limit, but honestly, that's all you really need.
🥢 General
Púsù 璞素 — South Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Beautifully designed restaurant in Brooklyn — minimalist wooden panels, irregularly shaped skylights; it genuinely feels like you’re dining in a museum.
Originally a vegan Chinese restaurant, they've since brought in a new chef and expanded their menu to include a regular Chinese selection. The Crab Meat Tofu and Black Truffle Fried Rice are absolutely incredible. Still worth the visit.
Land to Sea — East Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Not your typical Chinese bakery — think pineapple bread, sausage hot dog buns, and milk tea with a Brooklyn edit. Simple, good, and cozy. Perfect for a slow morning when you want something familiar but low-key.
🇭🇰 Cantonese
NoMad Tea Parlour — NoMad, Manhattan
Retro Hong Kong meets modern Manhattan.
The glowing vintage signs above the bar and silver teapots at the entrance makes you feel like you’re walking the streets of Hong Kong. The Lobster Yee Mein is pricey but seriously worth every penny — juicy lobster, perfectly chewy noodles, even the leftovers the next day were incredible.
Go with a group of 4+ and order the Pineapple Cake cocktail.
🇹🇼 Taiwanese
Wenwen 文文 — Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Taiwanese classics but elevated, from the same team behind 886 in the East Village.
The LobaBeng is a must-order, the seaweed fries are addicting, and the 80s Taiwanese KTV disco bathroom is an experience in itself. Cozy, fun, vintage-meets-industrial vibes. Great for groups.
Win Son — East Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Brooklyn vibes with a touch of retro Asian decor and food that's made for sharing.
Get there before 6:30 PM if you want a quieter table — this place fills up fast and gets loud. Small groups walk-in only; parties of 6 to 9 people can reserve via Resy.
Papa D'Amour — Greenwich Village, Manhattan
A French-Taiwanese bakery born from a love story. French baker Dominique Ansel married a Taiwanese woman and dedicated this spot to his love for his family — and you feel it the moment you walk in. The menu blends French pastry technique with Taiwanese flavors, and honestly, the sweetest thing here isn't the pastries. It's the story behind them.
🇵🇭 Filipino
Naks — East Village, Manhattan
I'm still dreaming about this dinner.
We couldn't get brunch reservations (nearly impossible), so we went for dinner — and it was frankly incredible. The fish was flavorful, the Ube cocktail was delish, and the vibes and service matched the food. Save room for their Ube dessert; you’ll thank me later. Filipino flavors done with intention.
Book ahead, because people clearly know about this place.
Urban Backyard — Nolita, Manhattan
My first-year-in-NYC spot and still one of my fave go-to spots for coffee.
Urban Background is a Filipino-owned café with ube and matcha drinks that hit different, and delicious handmade cupcakes by the owner herself — they sell out fast for a reason. The kind of place you keep going back to without needing a reason.
🇰🇭 Cambodian
Bong — Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Little did we know there was something this good just right around the corner.
Bong started as a pop-up and is now a proper brick-and-mortar in Crown Heights, which they recently opened in May. They have limited indoor seating, with outdoor seating opening up as the weather warms.
Get the fish (and flip it — eat both sides), and yes, get the durian dessert. I know what you're thinking. Durian? Trust me, it’s good. Alsoooo, when they say spicy, they mean spicy, but the flavor is absolutely worth it. Even when you’re fanning your mouth trying to cool yourself down.
Reservations goes fast. So be quick and be ready.
🍜 Japanese
Don Udon — Crown Heights, Brooklyn
A small, neighborhood udon spot with authentic vibes and Brooklyn energy. The broth is deeply comforting — one bowl and you feel like you've been transported straight to Japan. Perfect for a cold night when you need something warm and hearty.
🇮🇳 Indian
Luthun — East Village, Manhattan
Intimate fine dining led by Chef Nahid Ahmed, who's lived and traveled through London, Singapore, Vietnam, Peru, France, and more — and it shows when you’re tasting each dish.
The seasonal tasting menu changes often, the open-kitchen counter seating is, frankly, the best seat in the house, and Chef Nahid even came over to chat with us after dinner. It felt super personal that you don’t really get at most restaurants.
🇹🇭 Thai
Khao Nom — Elmhurst, Queens
Thai food with authentic street food-style desserts in Queens. Every time we’re around the area, we always somehow end up going back to Khao Nom and ordering different types of desserts.
The Kao Pod Tod (sweet corn fritter) and Thai iced tea are non-negotiable, and when they mark something spicy on the menu — they mean it, Thai-style, not American-Thai spicy. The dessert display at the counter has things not even listed on the menu.
Come with a tote bag because you'll want to take some home.
🍜 Vietnamese
Bricolage — Park Slope, Brooklyn
Vietnamese-French fusion that goes way beyond pho. The portions are massive, the food is hearty and seriously so good, and the dessert holds its own too. We've been here twice and never had a bad experience — this is the kind of spot that quietly earns its regulars without needing the hype.
🇲🇲 Burmese
No Last Names — Dumbo, Brooklyn
I had been dying to try this spot, and it did not disappoint.
No Last Names is a Burmese breakfast popup serving dishes I haven't seen anywhere else in the city.
The Mohinga comes with just a spoon — and you mix everything together, tangy, spicy, and nourishing all at once. Perfect for a good wake-me-up in the morning. The Milk Tea + Mochi-stuffed E Char Kway reminded me of Taiwanese fried donuts (yóutiǎo), which was unexpected, but also felt like a complete circle in Asian culture.
We even chatted with one of the co-owners at the end, who's currently expanding the menu. Rooting hard for them to get a permanent spot!
check out my recent travel vlog!
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