"“Hey! Chiu Quon isn’t a restaurant!” We don’t care—the pastries and dim sum at this counter-service bakery are so good that technicalities don’t matter. This legendary cash-only Chinatown staple has been around for over 40 years, and there isn’t a better place in the city for steamed rice cakes with shrimp, soft and fluffy baked BBQ pork buns, and egg tarts so pleasantly flaky they should come with a vacuum. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacktime, Chiu Quon is a wise choice for any meal—just make sure you stop by an ATM first." - john ringor, adrian kane