5 editor-picked cantonese restaurants across 4 cities.
A guide to cantonese restaurants worth a trip, by city. We list operators, signature dishes, and the rooms locals book first.
Hei La Moon on Essex Street has rolled cart dim sum on weekends in Boston's Chinatown since 1997. Two-floor banquet room, Cantonese roast meats midweek, carts Saturday and Sunday only.
Signature: Cart dim sum, Roast duck
Order: Cart dim sum at 10:30 weekends: har gow, shumai, char siu bao.
Tip: Cart service Saturday and Sunday only; weekdays are menu service. Arrive by 10:30 to beat the family rush.
Wu's Wonton King on East Broadway carves a $58 Peking duck table-side in New York City. Big rooms, Lazy Susan service, two-bird minimum on busy nights.
Signature: Peking duck, Wonton soup
Order: Peking duck, three courses; wonton soup to start.
Tip: Order the duck when you book; same-day requests are routinely refused. BYOB with a small corkage.
Calvin Eng's Williamsburg Cantonese American room in New York City runs roast pig, cha siu sui mai and orange-shrimp toast. Open since 2022, Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Signature: Roast pig, Cha siu sui mai
Order: Roast pig with crackling, shared between four.
Tip: Walk-ins at the bar from 17:00. The roast pig sells out by 21:00 most nights; pre-order it when you book.
Yuet Lee in San Francisco is the Chinatown all-night Cantonese counter at Stockton and Broadway, open to 03:00, with salt-and-pepper squid the late shift orders.
Signature: Salt and pepper squid, Beef chow fun, Steamed live fish
Order: Salt and pepper squid, plus a steamed live fish from the tank.
Tip: Cash only after midnight; the kitchen window seats fill the fastest at 23:30.
Mike's Noodle House in Seattle's International District is the city's most enduring Cantonese noodle counter: wonton soup, brisket noodles, congee, every day until 21:00.
Signature: Wonton noodle soup, Beef brisket noodle, Congee
Order: Wonton noodle soup with beef brisket and a side of choy sum.
Tip: Cash and card; the queue moves fast and there is no reservation policy.
More cities are in research. Want cantonese covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.