Rub tummy for luck! Where to get lucky in your Binondo food crawl

New year, new me? Asa. It’s New year, new stir-fried siomai with chili oil, toyo, and calamansi. Kahit magdagdag ka pa ng ginko biloba for health and prosperity.

Feeling unlucky this Chinese New Year? Ikain mo yan.

Welcome to the Binondo food crawl where the lines are long and the siomai is steaming. Ito ang libingan ng magigiting na diet plans, at tahanan ng mga magagandang buddha. Also serving you red-hot lanterns and even hotter green tea drinks for water. Gong Xi Fa Cai! (But make it busog.)

1.      Wai Ying? Why not?

Our food crawl officially kicks off at the holy grail of Binondo dim sum: Wai Ying Fastfood. Located at 810 Benavidez St., this place is an institution. Eating here will make you feel that fortune is definitely in your favor. Di man sa bulsa, at least ang tiyan, tiba-tiba.

2.      The “Digestive Stroll” and vibe check

​Before hitting the next resto, we had to do the mandatory "digestive walk" to make room for more dumplings. In Binondo, Lunar New Year preparations ay sensory overload, literally—red lanterns everywhere, fruit stalls overflowing with "lucky" round food items, and tons of lucky charms. Kung wala kang pictures ng mga ‘to, did you even visit Binondo?

3.      The OG

Second stop: Chuan Kee, aka "Binondo’s Oldest Fast Food" since 1940. The vibe here is legendary and the queue is basically a rite of passage. Hindi ka nakalibot sa Binondo if hindi ka nakakain dito.

4.      The Purple Empire

You can’t say you went to Binondo without a stop at the Great Purple North. Eng Bee Tin is the final boss of every food crawl. But in this case, ito and pahinga from the deep fry and spicy noodles. Ang 12:00 sa mahabang 9 to 5. Matamis muna. Whether you’re grabbing the classic Ube Hopia or some fresh tikoy, this place is the gold standard of "pasalubong culture."

5.      Binondo Bites

Just outside the purple empire, you'll find Binondo Bites. The line here is legendary for a reason — ’di lang fried dumplings ang meron sila. Pati fried custard.

​6. The Final Boss: Ongpin Veggie Select

To end the marathon, we hit Ongpin Veggie Select. Because after all that meat, kailangan din natin isipin na kahit papaano, matuloy ang “new year, new me” para feeling healthy, also guilt-free... pero matamis parin ang binili.

And that's a wrap on the CNY food crawl! Whether you're here for the hopia or the “lucky” aesthetic, hindi ka bibiguin ng Binondo.

Here are more photos from the Binondo experience.