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Chinatown is impressive in large part for its food. The neighborhood draws huge crowds of Thais who spend big bucks on specialties like shark's fin and bird's nest, which you'll see advertised on nearly every restaurant's storefront. Most of the food is Cantonese; many of these restaurants are indistinguishable from what you'd find in Hong Kong. In the middle of Chinatown, just off Yaowarat, there's a massive Indian cloth market known as Phahurat, and many Indian restaurants do business nearby. Don't overlook Chinatown's street food, the noodle and dumpling shops, and the fruit and spice markets.
In business since 1956, this expensive but worthwhile Chinatown classic takes you straight to Hong Kong with its excellent Cantonese roast meats, dim sum, clay pots, and service that is authentically brusque. Hua Seng Hong has other locations across Bangkok, including at CentralWorld mall in the city center, but this is the original and most beloved for its bustling atmosphere—from inside to outside on Chinatown’s main vein, Yaowarat Road.
