Wo Hop
Chinese restaurant · Chinatown ·
Classic American-Chinese fare, fried dumplings, chow fun
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4043632/chinamerWoHopInterior.0.jpg "Wo Hop by Robert Sietsema")
Classic American-Chinese fare, fried dumplings, chow fun
"A Chinatown lunch with a friend had me steering us away from dim sum lines and back to this gritty basement stalwart I hadn’t visited in over a decade; it proved the reliable workhorse I hoped for, even if the food was a little greasier and the vegetables slightly less vibrant than I remembered. The excellent beef chow fun, with glistening meat, slippery noodles, toothsome bean sprouts, and a slick, savory sauce coating it all, is exactly the kind of Cantonese classic this place still does so well. Chinatown changes a little each time I visit, but Wo Hop is forever." - Melissa McCart
"A long-running, 90-year-old institution that has expanded for the first time by moving into an upstairs location, retaining its historic presence in the neighborhood." - Melissa McCart
"Established in 1938 in Chinatown, this long-running basement restaurant—operating for nearly 90 years—has added its first street-level storefront, a sleek, modern space that updates the business while improving accessibility for longtime patrons (many in their 50s and older) who previously had to climb a steep staircase. The expansion, a collaboration between third-generation owner David Leung and architect T.K. Justin Ng, was driven not just by the need for more seating but to make the subterranean dining room easier to access; the original tucked-away location is credited with helping the spot resist changing culinary fashions. Distinct from the nearby similarly named Next Door location, which has different ownership and a slightly different, more touristy menu, the restaurant has weathered challenges including pandemic-era xenophobia and reduced foot traffic, and its investment in a new storefront is framed as a commitment to sustaining Chinatown amid ongoing gentrification." - Emma Orlow
"Founded in 1938, Wo Hop is the second oldest restaurant in Chinatown. The old-guard Cantonese American menu remains largely intact. This is one of the only restaurants in Chinatown where you can still find chop suey. The walls of the subterranean space are lined with snapshots of patrons, including celebrities." - Eater Staff
"Unfortunately, Wo Hop isn't open late anymore. But even though you can no longer stop by at 3am for a plate of noodles, this restaurant is still an NYC institution. It's been around since 1938, and it's the kind of place where you'll see lawyers from the DA’s office, a steady stream of police officers getting takeout, and ’80s headshots of former Broadway stars. Bring cash, be prepared for a short wait, and then head down the stairs to eat some intensely crispy fried dumplings, as well as big plates of chow fun, lemon chicken, and beef and broccoli." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, neha talreja, will hartman
