

The Times story added that business owners and community leaders are worried that people won't return to Chinatown due to racism and xenophobia amid the pandemic even though the neighborhood has a lower rate of confirmed coronavirus cases than the city-wide average. The New York Times reported in March that 17 restaurants and 139 ground-floor stores across Chinatown have shuttered during the pandemic, citing a decline in tourists and foot traffic as well as social-distancing restrictions.

Speaking to Insider, Wo Hop's co-owner David (who chose to withhold his last name over privacy concerns) guesses that they were able to stay afloat through the pandemic, even as many other restaurants shut down, because they've been in business for close to a century and are well-known around the city. We learned that their story is emblematic of what's happening all over the city. The Infatuation called it "a true NYC institution, where you might see lawyers from the DA's office and '80s headshots of former Broadway stars."Īware of how beloved the Chinatown eatery is among tourists and locals alike, Insider reached out to Wo Hop to see how they are faring amid the pandemic and rise in anti-Asian violence.

In 2010, Sam Sifton wrote for The New York Times that there is "great comfort" in eating the food served at Wo Hop. In addition to popularity with customers, the restaurant also has positive press coverage. Inside, every square inch of wall is covered with postcards, family photographs, dollar bills with inscriptions, and police patches that Wo Hop has gathered from past patrons over the last 80 years while serving Cantonese food with an American twist.
#Wo hop kitchen menu Patch
It's hard to spot a single patch of blank white wall at Wo Hop.Ī walk down a short flight of stairs leads customers to the unassuming but busy restaurant. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.
