9 different Chinatowns around the world to visit when you travel
One of the great things about travel is the way it allows you to explore other worlds, or more often than not, worlds within worlds. Visiting a new city gives you a sense of the area neighbourhood by neighbourhood and never is this more distinctive than when it comes to the global Chinese community and their mark upon a city. The Chinatowns of so many cities around the world are a distinctive enclave, rich in authentic Chinese experiences but always through the filter of another land.
In celebration of this vibrant community and the upcoming Chinese New Year, here’s a rundown of Chinatowns around the world to add to your travel list.
London
Left image courtesy of Crosa, right image courtesy of Alejandra Palés.
Although it’s not the oldest, London’s Chinatown, close to Shaftsbury Avenue is probably one of the best known in Europe and while there has been a Chinese community in London for centuries, Chinatown as we know it in London only came together in the 1970s. Check out Chinatown’s website for a list of talks, news and local tips for the quarter and if it’s food you're after, you are spoilt for choice: try Baozi Inn on Newport Court or for some delicious dumplings head along the road to Jen Café where you can spy the cooks hard at work in the window and you can be well fed for under a tenner – not bad for such and expensive city.
Liverpool
Image courtesy of Peter.
Perhaps surprisingly, the port city of Liverpool in the north of England is home to Europe’s oldest Chinese community, with the iconic Chinese Gateway on Nelson Street the largest of its kind outside of China. 1000 Chinese lanterns are to be let off here to mark the Chinese New Year, giving you a sense of the size of the Chinese community in this city. Head to North Garden on Nelson Street for an authentic Chinese meal or for something a little more upmarket, try Matou on Pier Head.
Toronto
Left image courtesy of Richie Diesterheft, right image courtesy of Montagious.
The Cantonese community of Toronto created the city’s first Chinatown but like many such enclaves, the area has now become home to a diverse range of East Asian communities. Spreading outwards from Dundas West and Spadina Avenue, the market stalls and buzz of street life have a completely different feel to many of the quieter avenues of the Toronto. Pick up some dumpling from the famous Dumpling House on Spadina Avenue then make your way south along the avenue to the Fashion District where you’ll find plenty of vintage and retro-styled shops as well as some great nightlife. Toronto is also well-known for it's collection of street art and graffiti and if you take some of the side streets off Spadina Avenue you'll find some fantastically vibrant murals.
Vancouver
The Chinatown of Vancouver is one of the most tourist-friendly I know of and gives you a great opportunity to actually engage with Chinese-Canadian culture rather than simply being a spectator. From May to September a night market is held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings and makes for a great way to start a night out in the city. The market is conveniently located just next to the Dr Sun Yay Sen Classical Chinese Garden, a traditional, artfully designed Chinese Garden in the heart of the city. Book a tour of the garden if you are in any way horticulturally inclined and then spend the evening sampling as many of China’s culinary delights as you can.
Singapore
Image courtesy of Wunna Phyoe.
From the free weekly walking tours to the enormous New Year celebrations that take over at Marina Bay, Chinatown in Singapore in a neighbourhood that wants to invite you in. The River Hongbao celebrations (pictured above) to mark the Chinese New Year take place for a full week and the fireworks display is not to be missed. If you can’t make it for New Year however, the Chinatown Visitor Centre will be more than happy to point you in the right direction. The walking tours take place by day and night, so whether it is Chinese food, medicine, culture or customs, there is something to suit all tastes.
Melbourne
Cover image courtesy of Mike Coughlan.
The oldest Chinatown in the southern Hemisphere is in the southern Australian city of Melbourne and has been in existence since the gold rush of the 1850s. If you’re interested in the history of the Chinese community in Melbourne a visit to the Chinese museum and visitor centre is well worth while but if you’d rather learn more about the present-day Chinese community, then amble your way through the arcades of Bourke Street that dot the neighbourhood. If it’s the food you’re after however, then a visit to Flower Drum Restaurant is a must. The standard of restaurant throughout Melbourne is quite high and the communist-themed Double Happiness bar on Liverpool Street is a great cocktail spot to end your evening.
New York
Image courtesy of Eric Chan.
Possibly one of the best known Chinatowns in the world, this Manhattan neighbourhood on the east of the island is a great spot to explore, particularly if you want to do a bit of shopping. The shops in Chinatown are a mixture of Chinese-style stores, tea shops and cafes but also non-Chinese boutique designers for those in the know. For a souvenir that won’t take up too much space in your suitcase however, try Yunhong Chopsticks Shop on Mott Street between Bayard and Pell and then polish off your evening with some Chinese karaoke in Asia Roma on Mulberry Street by Columbus Park.
San Francisco
Image courtesy of Cliff.
As the largest Chinese community outside of Asia, there is plenty for you to see and do in Chinatown without ever setting foot in the rest of San Francisco. The Chinese community arrived with the influx of people during the gold rush in California and today the Chinese Historical Society on Clay Street is a great place to go to learn about the Chinese community’s history in San Francisco and the rest of the United States. For something more contemporary, head to Portsmouth Square where T’ai Chi classes are often held and keep an eye on the neighbourhood’s events page for a list of upcoming Chinese events in Chinatown and the Bay Area.
Lima
Image courtesy of Brandon.
The Barrio Chino of Peru’s capital city Lima is a wonderful space to get a look at the history of immigration in Peru, with the area initially being founded in the nineteenth century but really came to life in the 1970s. The archway to signify entry to the neighbourhood was a gift from the people of Taiwan and while the area was once run down, renovations in the late 1990s have seen the area pedestrianised and decorated with images from the Chinese zodiac. Peruvians know Chinese restaurants as chifas and there is a distinctive style of fusion food between Chinese and Peruvian culture that is not to be missed. Try the arroz chaufa, a variation of Cantonese fried rice or tallarin saltado for a South American take on chow mein.
Cover image courtesy of Wunna Phyoe.
Written by Mary Plunkett
Mary’s curious personality means that she is forever looking to explore new places and cultures. Like many Irish kids, Mary first got a taste for travel on family camping holidays to France.
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