Chinatown's comforting Cantonese eats since '67. Old-school charm, homey vibes, and flavorful dishes that'll transport you.
Established in 1967, this Chinatown gem offers a taste of traditional Cantonese comfort food that feels like home, especially for those with Hong Kong roots. It's a humble, no-frills eatery with a warm, inviting atmosphere, complete with old-fashioned registers and wood menus. The experience is a nostalgic journey, a rare find in NYC, perfect for sharing laughs and authentic flavors.
Specializing in traditional Cantonese comfort food, this cafe is a favorite for its authentic flavors. Highly recommended dishes include the salted fish with pork patty over rice, siu mai, and shrimp cheung fun. The zongzi are also a standout, noted for their generous stuffing and large size, with some calling them the best in the city. The cafe also offers good Chinese/Malaysian beef jerky, which is noted to freeze and transport well. Other mentions include club sandwiches and a thicker, chewier cheong fun.
"The zongzi, particularly the Toishan style, are highly lauded for their size and stuffing. Other recommended items include salted fish with pork patty over rice, siu mai, and shrimp cheung fun."
Customers overwhelmingly praise the authentic, home-style Cantonese comfort food and the nostalgic, humble atmosphere. It's a cherished spot that evokes a strong sense of belonging and tradition.
Important Note
The cafe has been noted to close early, and one visitor found it closed during their attempted visit. It is also mentioned as being cash only in one of the Instagram highlights.
"This user recommends Mee Sum Cafe, describing it as a 'hole in the wall' with excellent dim sum, suggesting it to someone staying in Chinatown."
Positive"Suggests Mee Sum Cafe for cold Zongzi to take home. These sticky rice items are wrapped in leaves and can be refrigerated or frozen."
Positive"Recommends Mee Sum Cafe's Toishan zongzi as the best in Chinatown, noting they freeze and transport well."
Positive"This commenter simply mentioned 'Mee Sum Cafe' in response to the original post."
Neutral"This cafe is suggested as a place that offers thicker and chewier cheong fun, potentially matching the desired noodle texture."
Neutral"A user on the thread recommends Mee Sum Cafe as a good place to buy early morning lunch."
Positive"The commenter notes that Mee Sum Cafe closes early and expresses a preference for Toishan style zongzi, which includes a variety of fillings."
Positive"The commenter attempted to visit Mee Sum Cafe but found it was closed at the time of their visit."
Neutral"The commenter recommends Mee Sum Cafe, stating their zongzi is 'better than Zongzi Lady's' despite being more expensive, as they are larger, have more filling, and are suitable as a meal."
Positive"The user lists Mee Sum Cafe as one of their runners-up for the best zongzi, indicating a positive opinion."
Positive"The user recommends Mee Sum Cafe for zongzi, stating they believe it has the best in the city due to their huge size and abundant stuffing."
Positive"Mee Sum Cafe is a personal pick for ZongZis, especially if they are not available where the user is from, and also offers good Chinese/Malaysian beef jerky suitable for bringing back."
Positive"This cafe serves club sandwiches."
Neutral
