The world's largest Chinatown
With colorful awnings printed in both English and Chinese characters, the brine-y smell of fresh fish markets, crowds packing Canal Street shoulder-to-shoulder and a rainbow of Asian languages spilling onto the sidewalk, Chinatown packs a one-two punch on the senses. It is a dense neighborhood like no other because unlike many other Chinatowns, this actually serves as the home for the majority of NYC's Chinese population. As a result, some of the best Chinese food in the city can be found here, along with regional specialties such as Shanghai soup dumplings and Hong Kong's dim sum. Other Asian populations have also settled in the neighborhood, and Vietnamese and Thai restaurants are increasing in number. Chinatown's Canal Street is a tourist paradise for fake designer goods and bootleg DVD's, but things settle down significantly as you head along side streets.
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