Alex Eats Too Much Favorite Restaurants: Chinatown Inn

I’m regularly asked what my favorite restaurant is in Pittsburgh. The answer is Chinatown Inn downtown. I’ve been eating here for 17 years, since before I officially moved to Pittsburgh, and it’s the only restaurant I can say I still go to often after all these years. They feature Cantonese, Szechuan, and Hunan dishes and flavors.

I first discovered this restaurant when I came to Pittsburgh as an intern. One of my new intern friends was brought here by his coworker. Then, he introduced this gem of a restaurant to me. There were periods of time when I still worked downtown, and I was eating at Chinatown Inn at least once a week.

First, a little background about Chinatown Inn. It is the last remaining building of Pittsburgh Chinatown. Pittsburgh Chinatown was founded in the 1870s. It was one of the first Chinatowns in the eastern US where Chinese Immigrants started civic organizations and owned businesses to serve the community. Unfortunately, in the 1920s, the construction of the Boulevard of the Allies displaced residents when many buildings were demolished. Chinatown Inn didn’t open until 1943, after all the changes to the neighborhood. The building retains many of the pagoda-style features on the exterior. The interior is a reminder of classic American Chinese restaurants. The restaurant has remained popular for all these years. Today, it is in its third generation of owners. Actress Ming-Na Wen is the owner’s sister in law. They have a bulletin board featuring signed posters from her different roles. I have some links below to some of my favorite articles about Chinatown Inn, which fully detail the history and importance to the neighborhood.

The reason I keep going back to Chinatown Inn is the food. As it should be with any good restaurant, especially one that has been open for over 80 years. My order may vary based on the time of day I am visiting.

My favorite item on the menu is the egg roll. Their egg rolls are larger than many other restaurants. It is filled with more cabbage and meat than most other restaurants. They are very crispy on the outside.

My lunch order is almost always General Tso’s Chicken with fried rice and a chicken egg roll. General Tso’s Chicken might be the stereotypical Americanized Chinese food dish, but they have always done a few things that I liked compared to other restaurants. The first is that they use larger chunks of chicken that are lightly breaded and wok-fried. The second is that their sauce is a little looser than other restaurants, so it is a little less sugary and sticky. The third is that the lunch portion is pretty large for lunch. It’s still about half the dinner portion, but it’s a lot to eat.

My dinner order will constantly change based on who I’m with and what we’re in the mood for. I will always start with the egg roll, but I might also add in the wonton or hot and sour soup. Their hot and sour soup is loaded with a lot of tofu, and mushrooms. I really like their Moo Shu Pork. It’s a nice savory mix of cabbage and pork with the sweetness of the plum sauce. The Szechuan Beef or Szechuan Pork are great options with lots of vegetables and the spicy brown sauce. I’ve also loved baby corns since I was a kid. A last favorite of mine is the War Shew Chicken. This is a golden-fried boneless breast of chicken, served over a bed of shredded fresh vegetables in a brown sauce.

Chinatown Inn continues to be my favorite place to eat in Pittsburgh, even with so many new and innovative places that have opened. However, sometimes you want that comfort meal. For me, it’s going to be here.