"Hwa Yuan was one of Chinatown’s most popular restaurants until it closed in the 1980s, and it’s credited with introducing New York to cold sesame noodles. The reboot, which opened in 2017, is located in the original space on East Broadway, and everything in the massive two-floor space feels brand new. The whole Peking duck—featuring picture-perfect crispy skin—is a bucket-list NYC dish, and it’s worth a trip on its own. Another must-order, the famous cold sesame noodles have just the slightest kick of spice, and you should absolutely get the soup dumplings. They're impeccably constructed, with thin, delicate skin. Bring a big group, sit at a big round table, and order food until you can no longer see that table." - Bryan Kim, Neha Talreja, Hannah Albertine, Kenny Yang, Carina Finn Koeppicus
