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5 Under-the-Radar Spots to Eat Like a Local in L.A.'s Chinatown

Three stores stand along a road. The store on the left has a red and yellow sign that reads, "Hong Kong BBQ." The store in the middle has a sign that reads, "Queens Bakery." In between the words is a crown logo. Underneath are Chinese characters. The store to the right has a big yellow sign with Chinese characters in red. Below are the words, "Wing Wa Hing Gifts and Arts Co" in blue lettering.
The Queen's Bakery storefront in Chinatown, Los Angeles. Queen's Bakery is one of five Chinatown spots recommended by Southeast Asian Community Alliance founder Sissy Trinh. | Carren Jao
By Jean Trinh
February 15, 2022
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Sissy Trinh, who’s the founder of Southeast Asian Community Alliance (SEACA) in Chinatown, is the kind of person who goes into the neighborhood with a sense of curiosity.

On any given day, she’ll visit three or four businesses in a half hour walk around Chinatown and pick up items from markets, bakeries and restaurants. Trinh will also make an effort to order unfamiliar dishes at a restaurant and engage with owners, asking them what their specialties are.

At SEACA, her nonprofit empowers local Southeast Asian communities through educating the youth about leadership and community organizing, and advocating for groups in regards to socio-economic and racial justice issues.

In her time being committed to the Chinatown community, she’s also found a few under-the-radar restaurants and markets that she frequents. Here are some of her favorite spots.

Long’s Family Pastry

The interior of Long's Bakery. Golden orange-yellow pastries are on trays behind glass cases. Behind the counter is an open kitchen. Just above the counter are three flat screen televisions displaying the menu. The floors are tiled.
The interior of Long's Bakery. Golden orange-yellow pastries are on trays behind glass cases. Behind the counter is an open kitchen. Just above the counter are three flat screen televisions displaying the menu. The floors are tiled.
1/4 Long's Bakery in Chinatown, Los Angeles is a Cantonese bakery serving up pastry sweets and dim sum items. | Carren Jao
A tray of golden yellow and toasted buns sits behind glass. Below are trays of sesame balls.
A tray of golden yellow and toasted buns sits behind glass. Below are trays of sesame balls.
2/4 Sweet buns on display at Long's Bakery in Chinatown, Los Angeles. | Carren Jao
Sliced chicken and marinated in sticky sauces inside of a sweet rice form the tamale. The tamale is cut in half and sits on banana leaves.
Sliced chicken and marinated in sticky sauces inside of a sweet rice form the tamale. The tamale is cut in half and sits on banana leaves.
3/4 A Chinese tamale, served at Long's Bakery, cut in half. The sweet rice dim sum item is wrapped in banana leaves. | Carren Jao
Golden yellow cookies formed in the shape of a smiling Buddha sit on a tin tray. A small sign that is clipped onto the tray. It reads: "Buddha cookie" at the top followed by a line with Chinese characters below. Below the Chinese characters reads, "$2.60/ea."
Golden yellow cookies formed in the shape of a smiling Buddha sit on a tin tray. A small sign that is clipped onto the tray. It reads: "Buddha cookie" at the top followed by a line with Chinese characters below. Below the Chinese characters reads, "$2.60/ea."
4/4 Buddha cookies on display at Long's Bakery in Chinatown, Los Angeles. | Carren Jao

At this Cantonese bakery, glass cases are filled with sweets such as pineapple buns and sesame balls. It’s also a place where you can get quickly grab dim sum items, like steamed har gow, siu mai and char siu bao. But for Trinh, her favorites are the egg tarts and rice porridge, noting how you can get a full breakfast for just a few bucks.

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Returning to Chinatown
Returning to Chinatown

It’s the atmosphere that draws her to Long’s as well. "I used to love going there before the pandemic in the mornings because you would see a bunch of seniors coming together having breakfast and gossiping," Trinh said. "It had a very neighborhood scene."

715 N. Spring St., Chinatown, (213) 622-5255.

Yue Wa Market and China Book Store

Two elder women converse with one another outside of a storefront. The storefront is completely covered in boxes and crates of various fruits and vegetables on display. Some of the produce include long string beans, leafy vegetables and oranges. The doors to the store are open and the inside is full of shelves from floor to ceiling. The shelves are stocked with various cans and boxes.
Two elder women converse with one another outside of a storefront. The storefront is completely covered in boxes and crates of various fruits and vegetables on display. Some of the produce include long string beans, leafy vegetables and oranges. The doors to the store are open and the inside is full of shelves from floor to ceiling. The shelves are stocked with various cans and boxes.
1/3 A customer and vendor converse amongst the produce outside the Yue Wa Market and China Book Store in Chinatown, Los Angeles. | Carren Jao
Bundles of Chinese long beans bundled in bunches with rubber bands. The long beans are in a red plastic crate among other boxes and crates full of other produce.
Bundles of Chinese long beans bundled in bunches with rubber bands. The long beans are in a red plastic crate among other boxes and crates full of other produce.
2/3 Chinese long beans bundled in bunches in front of Yue Wa Market and China Book Store. | Carren Jao
Two elder women lean over a box of crates and cardboard boxes full of produce.
Two elder women lean over a box of crates and cardboard boxes full of produce.
3/3 Two women shop for produce at Yue Wa Market and China Book Store in Chinatown, Los Angeles. | Carren Jao

Outside of Yue Wa Market and China Book Store (a produce market which just so happens to have a book store name), a bounty of fresh Asian fruits and vegetables spill out of the shops and onto tables on the sidewalks. Trinh loves finding ginger, long green beans, bok choy and mangoes at these stores. She’s even picked up some banh chung, a banana leaf-wrapped sticky rice specialty, at China Book Store during Lunar New Year.

But one of her favorite things about going to these markets is hearing different Asian languages being spoken, from Vietnamese to Chinese dialects. "Part of what I love about Chinatown is having these little interactions that are really hard to get in other neighborhoods," Trinh said.

Yue Wa Market at 658 N. Broadway, Chinatown, (213) 680-4229.
China Book Store at 652B N. Broadway, Chinatown.

Jade Wok

The exterior of a restaurant building. A royal blue shade sits over the entrance. The words, "Jade Wok" are printed in white on the shade. Just above the restaurant windows is a white sign with green lettering that reads, "Jade Wok Chinese Restaurant." The restaurant is nestled in a larger building shared with other businesses. A bare tree stands in front of the restaurant, its branches casting shadows on the restaurant storefront.
The exterior of Jade Wok in Chinatown, Los Angeles. One of their popular dishes, the house special tofu is a recipe that has been in the business for over 30 years. | Carren Jao

While Jade Wok’s menu can be an intimidating one because of its sheer number of dishes, one of its most popular ones is the "house special tofu," a favorite of Trinh’s.

When Trinh was part of a martial arts troupe that practiced at the Alpine Recreation Center, she would regularly go to Jake Wok after sessions with some friends. One day, someone in her group suggested they try the house special tofu, and Trinh remembers it being a game changer: "We were like, ‘Oh my god, this is delicious. We've been missing out this entire time.’"

Mama Los Angeles, a platform that highlights multicultural cuisines and dishes, recently made an Instagram video about Jade Wok’s house special tofu, learning that it was a recipe that has been in the business for over 30 years. It was a Malaysian family dish that has been passed down from owner to owner. The tofu is made from scratch and lightly deep fried, and then served swimming in a rich sauce that has mushrooms, fermented black beans, and ground pork.

625 W College St #109, Chinatown, (213) 628-8288, jadewokchinese.com.

Far East Plaza, Chinatown

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Zen Mei Bistro

While customers can find familiar dishes like kung pao chicken and honey walnut shrimp at the longstanding Zen Mei, it’s also a seafood lovers dream. The restaurant carries specialties like sautéed scallops with chives, clams with black bean sauce and braised sea cucumber.

Trinh’s favorite is getting Zen Mei’s lobster, which is served in a variety of ways, from stir fried with scallions to slathered in a house special sauce. It’s at a more affordable price point than you’ll find at most restaurants, Trinh said.

800 Yale St., Chinatown, (213) 626-7113.

Queen’s Bakery

Three stores stand along a road. The store on the left has a red and yellow sign that reads, "Hong Kong BBQ." The store in the middle has a sign that reads, "Queens Bakery." In between the words is a crown logo. Underneath are Chinese characters. The store to the right has a big yellow sign with Chinese characters in red. Below are the words, "Wing Wa Hing Gifts and Arts Co" in blue lettering.
Three stores stand along a road. The store on the left has a red and yellow sign that reads, "Hong Kong BBQ." The store in the middle has a sign that reads, "Queens Bakery." In between the words is a crown logo. Underneath are Chinese characters. The store to the right has a big yellow sign with Chinese characters in red. Below are the words, "Wing Wa Hing Gifts and Arts Co" in blue lettering.
1/4 The Queen's Bakery storefront in Chinatown, Los Angeles. | Carren Jao
Two slices of sponge layer cakes sit on a white plate. The cake slice on the left is layered with a light brown chocolate cream and topped with a dark chocolate design on top. The cake slice on the right is a lighter color with layers of mangos and white cream.
Two slices of sponge layer cakes sit on a white plate. The cake slice on the left is layered with a light brown chocolate cream and topped with a dark chocolate design on top. The cake slice on the right is a lighter color with layers of mangos and white cream.
2/4 A chocolate cake and a mango cake from Queen's Bakery. | Carren Jao
A close-up photo of a golden yellow pastry in the shape of a swan. The pastry is filled with a white cream and the whole thing sits atop a wax paper cupcake liner.
A close-up photo of a golden yellow pastry in the shape of a swan. The pastry is filled with a white cream and the whole thing sits atop a wax paper cupcake liner.
3/4 A swan puff pastry served at Queen's Bakery. | Carren Jao
The interior of Queen's Bakery where three glass cases filled with trays of pastries. The photo is taken from outside the store, the store doors framing the scene indoors.
The interior of Queen's Bakery where three glass cases filled with trays of pastries. The photo is taken from outside the store, the store doors framing the scene indoors.
4/4 The interior of Queen's Bakery in Chinatown, Los Angeles. | Carren Jao

It’s hard to miss the pink facade of Queen’s Bakery, a trusty mainstay in Chinatown for Chinese and European-style pastries. Known for their rice puff cakes, taro rolls and pineapple buns, Queen’s glass cases are always stocked with sweet treats. Trinh’s favorite thing to get is their mocha cakes.

And pro-tip: If you need a last-minute birthday cake, Queen’s usually have them on hand and ready to go.

809 N. Broadway, Chinatown, (213) 622-9749.

Lanza Brothers Market

While technically in Lincoln Heights, Lanza Brothers Market, a place that has been around since 1926, is just a mile away from Chinatown and is one of Trinh’s favorite local spots.

"They make Italian sandwiches and it's owned by a Korean family," Trinh explains.

Customers can find Italian deli meats, like mortadella, capocollo and salami on the sandwiches. And there are grab-and-go items in its market, such as chips, beer and ice cream.

1803 N. Main St., Lincoln Heights, (323) 225-8977.

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