When you live in one of the One Manhattan Square condos, just moments away from Chinatown, dim sum no longer has to be reserved for special occasions—which is not to say it won’t still feel like an occasion, whether you choose to feast in a legendary New York destination like Nom Wah Tea Parlor or opt for extravagance at Golden Unicorn. The beauty of living in these condos at the intersection of some of New York’s most exciting dining neighborhoods is that every night can be a form of culinary exploration. The wide range of dim sum restaurants introduces you to the foundations of this beloved culinary culture and, most importantly, will lead you to the dim sum incarnation that most excites your palate.
Nom Wah is the place to go when you want to experience a Downtown legend. Perched at the alleyway-like curve of Doyers Street, Nom Wah has been serving tea and dumplings since 1920, harkening back to the early tea houses of the Silk Road where dim sum first came into being. Now helmed by Wilson Tang, who took over the business from his uncle Wally, Nom Wah has expanded with outposts in other cities and a brisk dumpling delivery service now available on Goldbelly, but it’s the Doyers Street location that embodies a sense of history as a favorite of generations of New York foodies and nightcrawlers.
Royal Seafood is famous for its classic carpeted interior, its braised tripe, spareribs, and siu mai, and the quality of its food in general. One of The Infatuation’s favorite dim sum spots in the city, it’s the kind of place casual enough for the spur of the moment but lavish enough to celebrate a birthday.
Michelin has placed two local dumpling houses on its list of the Best Dim Sum in New York. Golden Unicorn is known for its sprawling red and gold dining room buzzing with the soft hum of the classic dim sum carts circling the tables with specialties like the stellar steamed pork bun, lobster dumplings, and the kid-friendly steamed piglet bun, which looks like a cartoon pig and is stuffed with egg custard. The Michelin writers also love Dim Sum Go Go, about which they say, “This wildly popular joint is still packed to the gills most days, and for good reason: the Cantonese fare and dim sum served here is as good as the food you’ll find in those authentic places in far-flung Queens.” It’s the perfect place to come for dinner after an art opening at a local gallery, where you and a crowd of art and food lovers can grab a table and fill in the cards with rice rolls with duck and scallions or chive and shrimp dumplings whose “crystal skin” is so delicate you can see the green of the chives peeking through. It’s the kind of thing you taste once and find yourself dreaming about all week. Then you realize it’s such a short walk from your home at One Manhattan Square that it can be yours whenever you crave it.