Kimberly Lim Legaspi

The cheong fun cart in Chinatown is one of those spots I keep coming back to, and for good reason. My usual order is the pork and egg steamed rice roll, and every time it hits the spot. The rice rolls are perfectly silky and smooth that melt-in-your-mouth kind of texture that only comes from freshly steamed rice batter made on the spot. Watching them spread the thin rice slurry over the hot steamer tray, then layering in pork and cracking an egg before rolling it all up, feels like seeing a small performance of tradition and skill. Cheong fun (腸粉), or steamed rice rolls, is a Cantonese dim sum classic with roots in southern China, especially Guangzhou and Hong Kong. The name literally means “intestine noodle,” not because of what it’s made of, but because the long, thin rolls resemble intestines in shape. The batter is made of rice flour, sometimes mixed with tapioca or wheat starch for elasticity, which gives it that glossy, silky finish when steamed. It’s then filled with different ingredients pork, beef, shrimp, egg, or even just plain with soy sauce and rolled up into soft, delicate sheets. What makes this version so good is the combination: the pork adds savory richness, the egg makes it fluffy and hearty, and when you drizzle over that slightly sweet soy sauce, it ties everything together. Some stalls even top it with a little sesame oil, scallions, or toasted sesame seeds, which lift the flavors without overpowering the rice roll itself. The dish is humble but deeply satisfying, a street food classic that has stayed popular for decades because it’s simple, fresh, and comforting. Every bite is soft, silky, and full of flavor a perfect balance of texture and taste. It’s the kind of food that reminds you why Cantonese cuisine is so beloved: clean flavors, beautiful textures, and a focus on freshness. Eating it on the street in Chinatown, steaming hot right out of the cart, just makes the experience even better.

Cass

How they churn this out in that space is truly so impressive. One lady to take the money and one to make all the rice rolls lol. Absolute queens. Very solid rice rolls with lots of sauce. I liked the bbq pork a lot. The rice rolls aren’t the thinnest or silkiest in the world (or city), but they’re really solid. And well priced. There are some benches around to eat if you wander. Cash only.

+10

Andrew Brandon

Amazing beef and pork noodles, made by very friendly ladies in a little street side cart. Definitely understand why there were people lined up to try it! One of our favorites of the food crawl :)

Coryne S Suzuki

$4.25 for a small container of thick, chewy rice noodle rolls with fresh, perfectly cooked, shrimp and an egg! Breakfast of Champions! No line when I went around 9am and service was fast and efficient. No chitchat but I wasn't there for small talk 😉 After I recieved my order, I took a few steps back and just dug in! Yum! Great cheap eats in NYC! 🙌

Ruby

Wonderful little staple in Chinatown. Portions are generous, and the soy sauce and hot sauce work really well with the incredibly freshly made rice noodles. Definite recommendation if you have somewhere comfy to sit and enjoy (or devour/inhale) your meal!

Wichayamas “Gift” Paekul

We got one fresh shrimp and one bbq pork rice rolls, both in a small size. The sauce was not a lot in the shrimp bowl, so some parts were no special taste (just a taste of plain rice rolls). We liked the bbq pork better as it was more flavorful. If you want to add some spice to it, ask them to add sriracha sauce to your bowl. There was a line when we were there (around 11 am ish on Saturday), but it moved rather quickly. I think they only accept cash, so don’t forget to bring some (please correct me if I’m wrong)

Gary Chan

Heard alot of hype about this place. Finally made my trip here today to try it out. It’s hot and fresh but the texture is not very authentic to be honest. It’s chewy and the soya sauce is not the taste Chinese people use. Price, can’t beat it.

Stephanie

Super cheap eats but a bit bland. Somehow even with the soy sauce, it tasted flavourless. We tried the BBQ pork (char siu), fresh shrimp and beef. All of the toppings tasted the same and were indistinguishable from each other. The noodles were really soft and fresh though. Practically melted in your mouth! The portion was generous (we got the small size). You can’t beat the price but I don’t think it’s worth the line up unfortunately.

+1

Alfred Doe

My aunt likes this place, she bought 7 orders. The pork, and fresh shrimp is probably the best, but so is an 'off menu item', cilantro cheung fun, love it. The beef, chicken, and dried shrimp, not my favorite(Not for me). Don't add peanut sauce, it just muddles the flavors, making it, less enjoyable. Sadly to say this was the last full meal, she ever got to eat.

+5

Sapphira Bella

For my taste, I am big on sauce and texture. The rolls for me are too soft and squishy, and they did not give enough sauce. Fortunately enough, I had brought my own. I got a dried shrimp and egg, it was OVERALL OK, nothing special. With the added sauce, made everything better. Price wise, this place was the most affordable and you can choose between small and large. A small would have been just fine for me.

Matthew Chen

This food cart in Manhattan Chinatown is a true Cheap Eats of NYC. $1.75 for a beef rice roll is probably one of the best deals in the city, and the portion size you get for that price makes it very worth it. That being said, while I liked the texture of the rice roll, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the sauce. IMO, the sauce makes the rice roll too salty, and I’ve definitely had better in the city. For $1.75 though, still a good deal for a quick bite. Note: I waited in line for ~15 minutes on a Saturday morning, the line does move a bit slow

T L

Waited 30 minutes in 27°F weather, then another 20 minutes after ordering—almost 50 minutes total for a food cart. Ordered four large Cheong Fun (2 shrimp, 1 BBQ, 1 chicken) and was very clear, multiple times in Chinese: NO scallions on all orders. The order was repeated back to me and confirmed. Got home and every order was full of scallions, with cilantro mixed inside one shrimp order. This wasn’t just on top—you can’t remove it. I had to throw everything away. The menu doesn’t list scallions or cilantro, and traditional Cantonese Cheong Fun doesn’t include either. If you add them, fine—but listen when customers ask for none. Spent $22.50, froze in line, and left with nothing edible. With so many good Cheong Fun spots in Chinatown, this wait and order inaccuracy aren’t worth it. Won’t be back.