Nom Wah

In the heart of Chinatown on Doyers Street stands the neighborhood’s oldest restaurant, Nom Wah Tea Parlor. Opened in 1920 by Ed and May Choy, it began as a tea parlor and bakery that served dim sum on the side. In 1950, Wally Tang immigrated from China and got his first job at Nom Wah. Within four years, he worked his way up from the kitchen to managing the entire restaurant. In 1974, the Choys retired and sold the building and business to Tang.

The bakery, especially the almond cookies and mooncakes, was popular with locals until business began to decline in the 1990s. In 2010, Wally passed Nom Wah to his nephew, Wilson Tang, who renovated the restaurant and modernized the dim sum service to made-to-order dishes served until 9 p.m. Since reopening, both longtime regulars and a younger generation have flocked back to this historic establishment.

13 Doyers Street, New York, NY 10013