Tim Ho Wan

You’d think New Yorkers had never seen dim sum before, given the lines for Tim Ho Wan. Granted, it’s rare to find such exquisite steamed shrimp and pork dumplings outside of Chinatown. This 60-seat attractive East Village venue is the first US location of a Michelin-starred Hong Kong-based enterprise. There are no reservations, no delivery or takeout, so your best bet to avoid a wait is to arrive mid-afternoon. Weekends are the busiest, especially Sundays when Chinese families converge. Other killer under-$5 items to checkmark: baked buns with sweet-savory barbecue pork and deep-fried eggplant with shrimp.