Café China

"We love the chandeliers, vintage posters, and general speakeasy vibes at this three-story Sichuan spot from the Birds Of A Feather team, not to mention the crowd-pleasing food. Go for lunch or dinner and get the tender cumin lamb, the fatty short ribs with a sweet soy broth, and the shrimp fried rice, plus some dumplings off the dim sum menu. Café China is best enjoyed with a group, with portions perfect for sharing, so recruit your work wives, work husbands, and maybe even your work in-laws to come along with you." - bryan kim, neha talreja, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah

"Originally opened in 2011 and known for its Sichuan cuisine, Cafe China moved to a new location in 2022. It had an old location that was taken over by the restaurant Chili." - Nadia Chaudhury

"This Sichuan mainstay moved a couple of blocks west and became much grander, seating over 300 with three full floors of dining rooms with a 1930s theme. The food remains every bit as good, if a bit pricier. Recommended dishes include pork dumplings in hot oil, luffa and dried scallops, ma po tofu, and especially braised beef in red soup." - Robert Sietsema

"For spicy beef and vats of chili oil, head to this Sichuan restaurant. Preferably with a group. There’s an extensive dim sum menu to sample, not to mention their supersized portions of mapo tofu, peppercorn-covered fish, and saucey lobsters. The checkered floors, chandeliers, and vintage posters make random Tuesday nights feel celebratory, so you might want some people around to drink an extra cocktail with. " - neha talreja, bryan kim, hannah albertine, molly fitzpatrick

"Right now, you could be eating spicy cumin lamb, chengdu wontons, and mapo tofu from Cafe China. Turn your night around with some exceptional food from this Midtown restaurant, available for pickup or delivery when you order on their website. " - neha talreja, bryan kim, hannah albertine