NYC food questions (Chinatown and Little Italy) (New York, Fulton: school, restaurants)

[decafdave]

Hello,
Some friends and I will be in New York this week visiting for a couple days.

In Chinatown, can you recommend a good inexpensive restaurant that serves dim sum-and if so do they only serve in the traditional time (not for dinner)?
Also if anyone can recommend where I could find some bubble tea (Taiwanese style, I believe) that would help alot!

Is Chinatown within reasonable walking distance from Little Italy? It appears so from the map but I'd appreciate confirmation since we'll be strapped for time.

If I wanted the quintessential New York pizza should I get it at Little Italy or is that only where the tourists go? What is the best pizza place that's easy to get to and cheap?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

[NJ Chutzpah]

Chinatown and little italy border each other

Most every restaurant has reasonable prices, just walk in and look at the menu

Dim Sum is served during lunch

Just walk in anywhere and ask for bubble tea, most bakeries will have it too

[decafdave]

Thanks-any specific recommendations? I don't want the misfortune of choosing a crappy or touristy place since my time will be so limited.

[Viralmd]

Jing Fong, on Elizabeth Street, up the escalator. Weekend mornings they have wonderful dim sum.

[Rudbeckia]

Cafe Napoli!!! in little itlay, i am not a tourist and I love to go there, yummy cheap food.

[danameless]

Originally Posted by Viralmd

Jing Fong, on Elizabeth Street, up the escalator. Weekend mornings they have wonderful dim sum.

This place is good and also big, so plenty of seating. However, it does get really packed on the weekends so make sure you plan accordingly as dim sum restaurants don't take reservations.

Another good place is Golden Unicorn on East Broadway, just off of Bowery. As well, they get pretty packed too.

For bubble tea, all bakeries will have it. There is a more commercialized chain called Quicklys on Grand Ave. and Bowery too, which is pretty good. If you walk around, there are also plenty of bubble tea cafes too where you can sit and enjoy a menu of 50+ drinks and snacks too.

[bmwguydc]

Pizza is always a matter of debate for a New Yorker, since there are so many varieties of it. There's brick/wood-fired oven, coal-fired oven, electric oven, and even gas oven, just for cooking method. It's highly subjective, but in Lower Manhattan, for pizza restaurants, check out:

Girgione: in SoHo on Spring Street

Adrienne's Pizza Bar: Stone Street by Hanover Square in the Financial District

In terms of ease of commute to the restaurant, check out Naples 45, which is in the MetLife Building (Park Avenue & 45th). This connects to Grand Central Terminal, which connects to Grand Central Station on the subway, so there's easy access.

There are some slice shops as well that offer some good options, though those are highly subjective.

Grimaldi's in Brooklyn on Fulton under the Brooklyn Bridge is also very popular. Be sure to bring cash, however, as they do not take cards.

[OyCrumbler]

Hop Shing on 9 Chatham Street is an inexpensive dim sum place with really good food. It's decor is a bit sparse which you can take as authenticity or unappealing.

[Dexterguy]

My favorite place in Little Italy is "Peasant", it is very old school good Italian, but it is expensive.

If you want a cheaper but not as good place in Little Italy look into Il Palazzo, Il Cortile, and Da Nico. They have good food, and it's not as much as Peasant.

Peasant is kind of off the beaten path in Little Italy though, it's NOT on Mulberry St, I believe it's on Spring St, look into that.