Notes
Chinese-Latino Culture and History in New York City
Amid political turmoil and economic instability in Latin America, many Chinese Latinos immigrated to the United States, particularly to New York City. During the latter part of the 20th century, the arrival of Chinese-Cubans contributed significantly to the vibrant Chino-Latino cuisine scene. In the late 1960s, these immigrants began opening restaurants on the Upper West Side to serve the working-class Latino community. La Dinastia, perhaps the most famous Chino-Latino restaurant in New York City, stands as a symbol of this cultural heritage.
A photo of Juan Lam, the founder of La Dinastía, in the early 1990s with his restaurant, given to the New York Times.
One reason I believe Chino-Latino restaurants are such important and unique spaces is that the coexistence of Asian and Latino identities in these settings is not viewed as "other." In the United States, there is often a binary expectation to fit into and fully embody a singular racial category. For many, the Chinese-Latino identity can be particularly complex—even for myself, at times. Race, ethnicity, and nationality are not concepts that can be fluid in the ways we are taught about them in school. Moreover, Chino-Latino restaurants have served as spaces where my community has been able to positively contribute to the local community, while also persevering our rich culture and history when it is often untold.
Despite the importance of Chino-Latino restaurants, many have faced decline due to gentrification, prompting an ongoing fight to preserve AANHPI culture and history through these culinary spaces. “Specifically on the Upper West Side, there used to be so many Chino-Latino restaurants,” said Richard Lam, whose father founded La Dinastia, in an interview with Audacy. “Literally on almost every corner on Broadway from about 72nd Street to 101st Street. It was kind of just the trend back then.”
This loss highlights the complexities of cultural identity and local history. However, the efforts of community members, particularly on social media, have sparked a reemergence of support for the Chino-Latino restaurant scene. In a 2023 New York Times article titled "A New Hope for Manhattan’s Chino Latino Restaurants: TikTok," Christina Morales reports on how social media has helped repopularize Chino-Latino restaurants. "Mr. Lam’s [the owner of La Dinastía] struggle to stay relevant recently received a boost from an unlikely source: a series of widely viewed TikTok videos posted in the last few months from the account @RighteousEats, which has brought scores of new customers to the diner. The videos have ranged from highlighting dishes on the menu to explaining the restaurant’s history in Spanish."
As you explore the sources below, reflect on what it means to be Chinese-Latino and the significance of Chino-Latino restaurants within both the diaspora and the history of New York City. Do any of the experiences shared resonate with your own? How might these perspectives influence or reshape your understanding of what it means to be “Asian” and “Latino”? Consider how cultural traditions and personal identity intersect, and how this might present new insights or familiar connections for you.
Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York
Here, you can see two community responses to the closing of Chino-Latino restaurants through Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York Blog. Visit the site directly, reading through the comments on the blog posts, and focus on New York residents’ insights regarding the closure of Chino-Latino restaurants. Reflect on the implications of these closures, considering aspects like cultural significance and community identity. Think about how the loss of these restaurants affects local communities and what it reveals about broader socioeconomic changes in the city.
Chinese-Cuban Food is a New York essential
“Chinese-Cuban cuisine, often called ‘Chino-Latino,’ has always been a part of the fabric of New York City. But these days, La Dinastia is one of the last surviving restaurants serving this beloved food. We're excited to present Righteous Eats' debut collaboration with legendary TV producer Helen Cho (Parts Unknown, Takeout with Lisa Ling, United Shades of America with Kamau Bell): LA DINASTIA, the story of one of NYC's last Chino-Latino restaurants.”
Chinese Latino Fusion || Barrio USA
“Explore the delicious cultural food fusion of Chinese-Latino cuisine found in NYC with host Kat Lazo. Ever craved tostones with your lo mein? What about fried wontons with your ceviche? Maybe mofongo with sesame chicken? Thrillist's Kat Lazo is diving into the delicious beast of Chinese-Latino takeout in NYC at delicious restaurants Chifa and Caridad China.”
Latin Asians | Asian American Life
“Korean Dominican? Chinese Cuban? According to the latest census bureau, almost a half a million Asian Latinos now live in the United States – mostly residing in New York, Texas, and California. Reporter Tinabeth Piña traces the immigration history of this ethnic population and their contribution to American arts and culture.”
Oral History Archive: The Chino-Latino Project, Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA)
This collection consists of interviews with people of Chinese descent that immigrated to Central and South America before coming to the United States. The interviews explore the themes of Chinese-Latino identity in New York. A culminating exhibit was presented at MOCA and at the Bronx Museum of the Arts in 1998.
Local Chinese-Latino Restaurant Recommendations
La Dinastía: 145 W. 72nd Street and 4059 Broadway
La Dinastía has been a long beloved Chinese-Cuban restaurant. It has largely been considered a landmark of Chino-Latino cuisine in New York City.
La Nueva Victoria, formerly Nuevo Jardín De China, at 32-05 Broadway, Queens, NY 11106
Image from their grand re-opening in June, 2024.
La Nueva Victoria serves Chinese-Cuban cuisine. You can look at their old menu here if you want to get a feel for common Chino-Latino dishes at such restaurants.
Flor De Mayo has three locations in New York City; 2651 Broadway (between 100th and 101st St), 484 Amsterdam (between 83rd and 84th St), and 4160 Broadway.
Flor de Mayo is a Chinese-Peruvian establishment. The restaurant says that their name, Flor de Mayo, “represents the same attitude that we share with the Pilgrims, setting sail across the sea to an unknown land to ensure their own prosperity.” During the COVID-19 Pandemic, they were featured in an article by ABC News about small business hopes for the COVID Relief Bill. Read more here.
Calle Dão has three locations in New York City; 38 W 39th St (between 5th & 6th Avenues), 461 W 23rd St (between 9th & 10th Avenues), and 543 LaGuardia Place
Calle Dão is a Cuban-Chinese establishment that seeks to evoke the vibrant atmosphere of Havana's historic Chinatown, El Barrio Chino. It was founded by Marco Britti, an Italian immigrant inspired by the Chinese-Cuban restaurant scene in New York. You can read more about the restaurant here.
Caridad China, 108 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Caridad China is a Chinese Puerto-Rican restaurant. Although they do not have much published online, I have visited here with my friends numerous times and find their food delicious. Something that stood out to me was the fact their dining tables have flags imprinted on them from various Latin American countries, adding a very nice touch. I personally highly recommend it.
New Apolo has three locations in New York City; 508 Grand St, 1477 Myrtle Ave, and 2899 Fulton St
New Apolo serves Central American, Puerto-Rican, and Chinese-Dominican food. You can look at their menu here.
China Cocina, 103-10 Roosevelt Ave Queens, NY 11368
China Cocina serves Chino-Latino cuisine. As one Yelp reviewer writes, “It's always good to see more Chino/Latino fusion restaurants in the city--we need to keep these gems around.”
Sabrosura Restaurant, 1200 Castle Hill Ave, Bronx, NY 10462
Sabrosura’s website proudly describes the restaurant as a “casual Chino-Latino restaurant in the Bronx,” where they “prepare and serve a mix of traditional Caribbean dishes and innovative interpretations of Latino, Chinese, and American seafood cuisine.”
Time Out also writes that "According to one linguist, sabrosura ‘means more than its English translation of ‘flavor’; there is a hint of picante in the term.’ There’s also a hint of it in the food of Nelson Ng, who learned to cook in Santo Domingo’s Chinatown and opened this eclectic restaurant in the Bronx in 1982. Locals have been packing in under the candy-colored hanging lights ever since. You can get mofongo (a mash of fried plantains, garlic, and either shellfish or chicken), mojito-spiced charbroiled chicken, and excellent bone-in sweet-and-sour pork chops. Ng doesn’t limit himself to Chino-Latino; he also serves American-style seafood dishes, simply because he likes them.”