The End of Mission Chinese Food in New York City | Bon Appétit
"Starting as a San Francisco food cart and later expanding to New York (including Lower East Side and Bushwick locations), this restaurant became a landmark of early-2000s dining for its rule-breaking, loud, ferociously spicy, and cross-cultural cooking that felt distinctly Chinese American rather than simplistic fusion. Its highly curated, picture-ready rooms and offbeat ambiance helped popularize bold flavors, spicy dishes, and a queer, transgressive kitchen aesthetic while making its chefs cultural figures; many diners, especially Asian Americans, said it made them feel seen. The founders and key cooks became stars, but the restaurant’s legacy is complicated by workplace controversies: a 2018 lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and ongoing reports from former staff about abusive behavior and a gap between the progressive image and the reality of working there. Although the suit was settled, the principals have since apologized and moved on to other projects, and the recent closure of the last New York location feels like the end of an era even as the broader Asian American restaurant scene advances beyond any single creative chef." - BySerena Dai
