This Tour Company Is Sharing the Untold Stories of Manhattan’s Chinatown With Local-led Tours

"Led by lifelong residents, this Manhattan-based tour company delivers intimate, immersive walks that felt personal and authentic to me—more like hanging out with friends showing you their neighborhood than a run-of-the-mill tour. On the Chinatown Underworld Premium Experience I joined, our guest hosts included Michael Lau, the former commanding officer of the NYPD’s 5th Precinct who patrolled the area during the 1980s and 1990s, and a former member of the Flying Dragons gang; walking with them, every building sparked lived memories, and standing on Pell Street, the gang’s former territory, I could ask candid questions I’ve never been able to ask elsewhere. Cofounders Roger Lee, who grew up here, and Bernice Pfluger created these tours to surface Chinatown’s resilience, culture, and untold local narratives and to help steer support to the neighborhood’s small businesses. Beyond the Underworld tour (also offered in a shorter format with a single speaker), there’s a food-focused Flavors of Asia experience with tastings at family-run spots spanning Malaysian roti canai, Vietnamese banh mi, Korean fried chicken, and Japanese desserts, plus a premium food tour guided by Chinatown native and Chopped winner chef Eric Kwan; no two tours are the same, and even well-known guests like Ronny Chieng, Andrew Fung, and CeFaan Kim have joined." - Rachel Chang Rachel Chang Rachel Chang is a travel and pop culture journalist who contributes to Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines