Earlier this week I had a serious hankering for Chinese food. Sitting at my home in Fishtown I picked up the phone about a half hour before getting ready to eat and called my go-to bodega Chinese spot. Normally when I order from this place I’m generally astounded at how quickly they get to my house, however this time their phone just kept ringing. So I tried another place, and another and another until I had called every hole in the wall Chinese delivery spot within 3 miles of my house, none of them answered! I opened up my Uber Eats app and proceeded to order from a Thai place down the street that I really don’t like, but I needed to fill the hoisin sauce void in the pit of my stomach. Note that I only use Uber Eats as a last resort. They take roughly 30% from each restaurant order making it really hard for the restaurants to make money from delivery through their service. And don’t even get me started on Grubhub, I deleted that app from my phone.
So today, scrolling through my newsfeed I come across a post on Facebook from Philly restauranteur (and owner of a few of the places below) Kenny Poon. He compiled a list of some great restaurants open in Chinatown during the coronavirus pandemic along with their direct phone numbers and open hours! I’ve also added a link to their Google listings so you can check out reviews and food pics before ordering. Kenny encouraged his followers to share his post, I’d like to implore you to do the same as these restaurants could certainly use the business. As for the rest of the asian restaurants in Philly, stay strong… I’ll be your first order when you open back up!