Chinatown

If you are looking for a hub of culture, delicious food and a sense of community, Chinatown is the place to go. Tucked away on the border Center City, Chinatown is a friendly melding of all Asian cultures. Restaurants and shops combine a variety of dialects and authentic cuisines, ranging from Vietnamese and Chinese to Thai, Korean, Cantonese, and many more. The streets are wrought with vendors selling meat, produce and small souvenirs.

Chinatown is in a very central location, and is within walking distance of Old City and Center City East. The nightlife is vibrant, featuring lively bars and music venues. The popular Trocadero is in the heart of Chinatown, which is a hot stop for touring artists from around the world. Many of the bars are known for their karaoke and friendly environment, like the infamous Yakatori Boy.

The culture of Chinatown is a huge draw for tourists. As a result, there are always crowds. This is one of the reasons that parking is near impossible – luckily public transportation is very accessible. The Chinatown Station at 8th and Vine provides access to all parts of the city, and the Broad Street Line and Market-Frankford line are both within walking distance. The Chinatown bus is also a convenient way to get to New York City and Baltimore.

There are a number of inexpensive studios and small apartments above shops and restaurants, making Chinatown a great location for students and young professionals looking for a vibrant place to live. For older professionals, there are many condos and luxury apartments – these different housing options draw even more diverse crowds to the already diverse area.

Like most cities, Philadelphia's Chinatown is a hot spot for cultural immersion and great, authentic Chinese food. Walking around the streets of Chinatown, you'll see everything from meats hanging in windows to knick-knacks.

Chinatown is also home to festivals throughout the year, the biggest of which happening on the Chinese New Year. There is also a mid-Autumn Festival, a Moon Festival and the Chinatown Night Market, when food trucks, live bands, arts & crafts and more lined the streets of 10th and Race Streets.

Visiting Chinatown is one of the more touristy things to do in Philadelphia, so just like Old City, there are bound to be crowds here whenever you visit. This also makes parking a nightmare, so take public transportation or be prepared to park in an expensive parking garage when visiting.

Chinatown is also a great place to live because of the relatively low cost of living and the easy access to Center City. There are several large loft/condo buildings in addition to row homes. By walking just a few block to the south, you'll hit Market Street and other popular Center City streets. However, be careful when walking this neighborhood at night, as crime is an issue just like in other parts of the city.

If you've reached the Friendship Gate, you have arrived in Chinatown. The gate, located at 10th and Arch Streets, was the first Chinese gate built in America in 1984. It was a joint project between Philadelphia and the Chinese sister city Tianjin, with all the materials brought over from China.

Chinatown in Philadelphia is a lot smaller than in most cities. No matter how small it may seem though, it is still a place where you feel like you've left Philadelphia and entered another world.

One of the best things about Chinatown is the food. With cuisines from all around Asia, there is always a new food to try and the dishes are well worth it. There are also grocery stores with products imported straight from China to give you the proper ingredients to make your own meals right at home.

The streets of Chinatown are a constant tourist trip. Bright and breathtaking art and sculptures done by Chinese artisans line the entire neighborhood. There are tons of gift and specialty shops where you can pick up trinkets to share your experiences with friends and family.

If you've had a long work week and are in need of some serious TLC, Chinatown is a great place to be. Some of the best massage parlors in the city reside in this neighborhood. They always make sure that you leave with a smile across your face and stress rolling right off your back.

There are two schools within the bounds of Chinatown, one Catholic and one Charter. If you are looking for a public school, the School District of Philadelphia zones children to schools in surrounding neighborhoods.

Bus routes around the area, as well as Market East Train, makes transportation a breeze. Parking is available through lots and garages around the neighborhood. There is street parking but it is limited due to the Gallery shopping mall and the Convention Center. This also makes for more foot traffic around the neighborhood.

Living in Chinatown consists of studios and apartments above many of the shops. There are also beautiful row homes with crafted arched doorways. All are generally spacious and you always know Asian culture is right outside your door.

Chinatown is a wonderful area especially if you are the type of person who loves learning about different countries and cultures. There is a lesson with each step you take.

Philadelphia’s Chinatown is in Center City along a seven block section of Arch Street. Among the many restaurants there are a plethora of services for the community. Fabric shops, herbal stores and acupuncture providers line the side streets. It is a tight knit community where you can find many dialects routinely spoken in the shops and restaurants. Cuisine from Canton, Fuji, Northern Sichuan, and Taiwan are located alongside of restaurants featuring Burmese, Japanese, and Vietnamese foods.

Midway on Arch Street there is the Chinatown Friendship Gate symbolizing the ties between Philadelphia and Tianjin, China. It was the first gate built by Chinese artists in America and portends good luck for the residents and visitors.

The area is in walking distance to the Historic District where the Liberty Bell and Christ Church are located. Recently CHINATOWN NIGHT MARKET was held whereby food vendors provided various dishes in a festive atmosphere of music, art and a lion dance.

Philadelphia’s Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC) oversees the stability of the area. It was the prime opponent which galvanized the community against the proposed Phillies ballpark. The PCDC would not allow the same razing of the area that occurred during the urban renewal days of the 1960s.

Transportation is excellent with close proximity to the trolley lines which run westward and the Market Frankford line which runs from east to west. Buses take you north and south.

Chinatown, located in Center City, is a predominantly Asian American community. It is a rather expensive and crowded section of Philadelphia to live in because it is located so close to Center City. There are not a lot of row homes to live in but there are a substantial amount of condos and luxury apartments.
Chinatown offers many restaurants, bars and music venues. There are nearly a dozen different Hong-Kong-styled bakeries located on the corner of 10th Street and Race Street as well as restaurants that serve Burmese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Taiwanese cuisine. One of the most famous venues in Chinatown is called the Trocadero, located at 10th Street and Arch Street. This large, two-story music venue hosts talents from all across the world and also features two bars.
There are many sources of public transportation that make it easy to get around Chinatown. The Chinatown station, located on 8th and Vine Streets, gives residents access to SEPTA, the city’s bus system. In addition, China Airlines provides a private bus service to J.F.K. International Airport in New York City. There is also a Chinatown Bus that takes people directly from Chinatown, Philadelphia to Chinatown, New York and Chinatown, Baltimore.
If you like living in a fast paced, culturally diverse environment, Chinatown is perfect for you. It is in the heart of the city and gives you full access to everything Philadelphia has to offer.

If you are looking for a sensory overload Chinatown can provide it for you. Everything from ducks hanging in the window to Asian souvenirs falling off the shelves, you are bound to find more than one thing that catches your eye.
There are loads of dining options with eat in and take out restaurants on every street, as well as Asian supermarkets for those who like to cook at home. It’s not all food though, you can also hit up karaoke bars like Yakatori Boy or see a concert at Trocadero.
The neighborhood is loud and crowded with people darting in out of the streets, so driving through Chinatown is a nightmare. If you’re not yelling at the pedestrians you are cursing at the cars around you. People double park, stop abruptly in front of you and cut you off and this can happen within a one block radius. So give yourself plenty of time if you are driving through the area because what should take 3 minutes often takes 20.
You want to avoid driving and parking— another test of patience, Chinatown is easy to get to via public transportation. The neighborhood also has its own bus system which will take you to and from Chinatown New York for $20 round trip.