4 Of The Best Places To Eat & Drink In Boston’s Chinatown

Famous for their delicious soup dumplings, Gourmet Dumpling House has been serving the Boston area dishes like: lamb soup Northern Chinese style, spicy salt and pepper fried calamari, and mini juicy dumplings with pork for over ten years. The restaurant is not only scrumptious but also affordable, as most items on the menu are under $10 and the servings are more than generous. At the time of writing this, the dumpling house is offering indoor seating, although be warned it is not exactly spacious inside. It is not uncommon for hosts to seat multiple parties at a table, which is an aspect that only enhances the charm of the dining experience.

Located in a city aesthetic basement space, Royaltea has an overwhelmingly long list of options on its menu ranging from cheese teas, fruit teas, and boba teas. The boba pearls are exceptionally tasty, which can often be a struggle to find for boba lovers. Each drink will run you around $5 which is not bad for a city price, and the cups are very Instagrammable (see above.) At the time of writing this, the restaurant is not allowing indoor seating, however, boba and teas are best enjoyed being sipped while strolling through the streets of Boston.

Calling all vegans, this is a 100% animal product free, Thai-inspired café. Voted as Boston’s best Thai vegan restaurant, the menu offers classic Thai dishes, including: pad see ew, pad thai, kang-ped bhet-gamg, and tom yum gai. The protein options are incredibly impressive, spanning everything from vegan shrimp to vegan duck. As far as taste goes, the “vegan” aspect is virtually undetectable with flavors and textures that could challenge traditional recipes. Additionally, the dine-in atmosphere of the restaurant is one of the best parts of the experience. Tall ceilings with an industrial architecture, bright windows lining the entirety of two walls allow a great view of Washington Street, and a multitude of beautiful green plants give the best possible atmosphere for enjoying delicious food. As far as prices go, a big portion that will likely provide two meals rings in right around $10 for most of the options on the menu. Oh, it has vegan bubble tea too!

If you’re looking for more of a multiple course experience, try The Q, a Chinese hot pot spot. Start your feast with a roll of gourmet sushi, followed by your choice of tapa, and finish off with a traditional style Mongolian hot pot. Although the prices are a bit on the higher end, running about $50 for a dinner serving two, the portions are generous and the overall experience makes the price more than justified. The atmosphere is incredibly relaxing as well, allowing a smooth flow between each course for diners to truly savor their experience.