Proud New Yorker chef Calvin Eng is known for his daring reinterpretations of Chinese cuisine. Here's where he goes when he wants homestyle Chinese food, from dim sum to egg tarts.

Though its original Chinatown in Lower Manhattan – dating to the 1870s – is the most well-known, New York City is actually home to nine official Chinatowns spread across its five boroughs; each reflecting the rich regional diversity of Chinese cuisine.

The city's first Chinatown took root when Chinese immigrants, many from southern China, arrived either directly or relocated from the US's West Coast, fleeing anti-Chinese sentiment. Early businesses were mostly rice shops and teahouses, but by the early 1900s, full-service restaurants emerged, drawing curious diners from all over New York. By the mid-20th Century, Chinese food, in all its glorious forms, had become as associated with New York City as the humble bagel or the New York slice.

The SpeciaList

Brooklyn-born Calvin Eng is the chef and owner of Bonnie's, which has been praised in the New York Times, The New Yorker, Grub Street, Eater and Bon Appétit. Eng is a James Beard Emerging Chef finalist, a Food & Wine Best New Chef, a Forbes 30 under 30 recipient, a StarChefs Rising Star and a two-time James Beard Best Chef: New York State Semifinalist. His cookbook, Salt Sugar MSG, was published on 18 March 2025.

Among the new generation carrying this legacy forward is chef Calvin Eng, the owner of Bonnie's; a Cantonese American restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, that has been lauded for its inventive interpretations of Cantonese cuisine. Eng grew up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, learning to cook the food of Guangdong (formerly known as Canton) from his mother, the eponymous Bonnie. Weekends were spent visiting his grandparents on Bayard Street in New York City's Lower Manhattan Chinatown, where he developed a deep connection to the neighbourhood and its food.

"There's just so much good food in such a small area," Eng says. "You learn what's worth lining up for and what's best eaten on a subway platform." These days, Eng gets his Cantonese fix at a variety of New York's Chinatowns, from Sunset Park to Bensonhurst, each offering its own take on Chinese flavours – from the seafood-heavy dishes of Guangdong to the bold, spicy flavours of Sichuan and Hunan.

Despite the breadth of regional styles found across the city, Eng's focus remains rooted in the cuisine of southern China. Unlike other styles, Cantonese food is known for its lightness and simplicity, emphasising fresh ingredients, particularly seafood – a reflection of the region's coastal geography. Heavy spices are rare, and rice – not wheat – is the dominant starch.

"Cantonese food is very low on acid and heat," Eng explains. "We use minimal ingredients that allow the main ingredients to shine."

Here are Eng's favourite places to get Chinese food in New York City.

Insiders know that in Chinatowns across the world, some of the most unassuming places have the best food. Yi Ji Shi Mo – a tiny, below-street-level........

© BBC