Nom Wah Tea Parlor is Chinatown’s oldest restaurant, dating back to the 1920s. It was founded by Ed and May Choy, who served dim sum as an add-on to their primary business as a tea parlor and bakery. Back then, Nom Wah was famous for its traditional mooncakes and crispy almond cookies. Tea parlors and dim sum houses like this one were popular places to socialize during the Bachelor Society era, a period in time when Chinese men outnumbered women due to the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act.

In 1974, the Choy family sold the business to their longtime employee Wally, a dishwasher at Nom Wah. The current owner, Wilson Tang, took over the business from his Uncle Wally in 2010. With his corporate finance background, Wilson updated its menu, created a new website, and started serving dim sum all day while preserving its vintage, old-school charm. The ambiance of the restaurant is still similar to what you’d find in the 1950s. So next time you’re in the neighborhood, make sure to stop by Nom Wah to get a taste of old Chinatown.

Tip: Come early on the weekends as the lines can get quite long.

📍 Nom Wah Tea Parlor
13 Doyers St, New York, NY 10013