A Nearly 90-Year-Old Chinatown Restaurant Expands
According to neighborhood group Welcome to Chinatown, which advocates for local businesses, the reason for the additional storefront wasn't just about more seating: It 'answers a practical need' to make the subterranean restaurant more accessible to its 'longtime patrons, now in their 50s, 60s, and older, to continue dining at Wo Hop without climbing a steep staircase,' a spokesperson says. But the original location has long served its purpose. 'Perhaps its hidden location helped it resist the changing fashions of Chinatown above, as most chop suey houses vanished by the 1960s,' according to a Welcome to Chinatown release.
When the upstairs tenant vacated, the team took over for a dual 17 Mott Street venture. The new space is a collaboration with David Leung, the second-generation owner of Wo Hop, and T.K. Justin Ng, a Chinatown-born architect (who also designed Welcome to Chinatown's office hub).
Wo Hop is not to be confused with Wo Hop Next Door, also on Mott Street, which has nuances in its distinct ownership tree and a slightly different menu. It's also often considered the more touristy one; in an interview with Resy, Joanne Kwong, Pearl River Mart president, said: 'Don't trust anyone who says they like both.' The rivalry continues.
Wo Hop has weathered a lot: most recently, during COVID, when Chinatown in particular was affected by xenophobia and decreased foot traffic. And now, even as the neighborhood has sprung back to life, its tenure has become all the more notable in the face of encroaching gentrification. An investment in an expansion is an investment in keeping Chinatown alive. See More: NYC Restaurant News
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