Things to do nearChinatown

Chicago's Chinatown traces its roots to the late nineteenth century, when Chinese immigrants first settled near the intersection of South Wentworth Avenue and Cermak Road. The community grew steadily through the twentieth century, and today the neighborhood stands as one of the few Chinatowns in the United States that has expanded rather than contracted, with a thriving residential population alongside its commercial core.

Wentworth Avenue is the neighborhood's main artery, lined with roasted-meat shops, herbal medicine stores, jewelry boutiques, and dozens of restaurants serving regional Chinese cuisines from Cantonese to Sichuan. Chinatown Square, an open-air shopping plaza a short walk from the elevated train station, adds another layer of dining and retail, along with a series of public sculptures representing the Chinese zodiac. The area around Chicago's Chinatown is also within easy reach of the broader city; visitors often pair a meal here with a trip to Millennium Park or a stroll along the Chicago Riverwalk.

Food is the neighborhood's greatest draw, and the range runs from decades-old banquet halls to compact stalls serving scallion pancakes and bubble tea. The Pui Tak Center, housed in a 1928 landmark building, reflects the community's long investment in education and social services. Chicago's Chinatown is a living neighborhood that has earned its place as one of the city's most distinctive and welcoming destinations.