Chinese Community • New York City
Taiwanese Community in New York City
40,000–50,000 metro population • 58% in Queens • Population doubled 2010–2021 • Taiwan Center est. 1987 • Passport to Taiwan: 50,000 attendees • Kung Fu Tea founded in Flushing 2010
New York City is home to an estimated 40,000–50,000 Taiwanese Americans — the second-largest Taiwanese metro in the country after Los Angeles. Taiwanese immigrants built Flushing, Queens into “Little Taipei” starting in the 1970s, and today the neighborhood anchors a community infrastructure that includes the Taiwan Center (est. 1987, connecting 30 organizations), TECO New York on 42nd Street (de facto consulate), Fo Guang Shan temple, the 99 Ranch Market that opened in 2025, and the Passport to Taiwan festival at Union Square — the largest Asian American outdoor event in New York City, drawing 50,000 visitors annually. Kung Fu Tea, now America’s largest boba chain, was founded in Flushing in 2010 by four Taiwanese entrepreneurs.
Last updated: March 2026 • Full Chinese Community guide for New York City →
Why Taiwanese Families Choose New York City
Taiwanese immigration to NYC follows two distinct pipelines. The first is professional opportunity — finance, tech, academia, and medicine draw highly educated Taiwanese professionals to the city. Taiwanese American median household income nationally is $133,300, well above the Asian American average of $105,600, and over half hold college degrees. The second pipeline is entrepreneurial — Flushing’s commercial ecosystem was built by Taiwanese business owners who opened restaurants, grocery stores, tea shops, and real estate offices from the 1970s onward. The Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of New York, founded in 1976, is the first Taiwanese business association in North America.
What keeps Taiwanese families in the NYC metro is institutional depth. The Taiwan Center in Flushing connects nearly 30 organizations under one roof. TECO on 42nd Street handles every consular need. Professional networks span every career stage — TCCNY for established executives, TJCCNY for professionals aged 20–40, TAP-NY for young professional networking, and ITASA (founded at Columbia in 1991) for college students. Three major Taiwanese Buddhist organizations — Fo Guang Shan, Dharma Drum Mountain, and Tzu Chi — all have NYC branches. No other East Coast city comes close to this infrastructure.
And the community is growing. NYC’s Taiwanese population more than doubled from 5,643 to 13,673 between 2010 and 2021. The arrival of Din Tai Fung on Broadway in 2024 and 99 Ranch Market in Flushing in 2025 signals a community that is expanding, not shrinking.
Where Taiwanese Families Live in New York City
Taiwanese settlement in NYC is a story of eastward migration. The community built Flushing in the 1970s, choosing it over Manhattan’s Cantonese-speaking Chinatown because it was a fresh start — a quiet, predominantly white neighborhood with good transit. As the community grew and mainland Chinese immigration transformed Flushing’s demographics, Taiwanese families expanded eastward into Whitestone, Oakland Gardens, Douglaston, Long Island, and New Jersey — while keeping Flushing as the institutional and commercial center.
Flushing, Queens — The Historic Epicenter
Flushing is where Taiwanese America on the East Coast began. In the 1970s, Taiwanese immigrants — more affluent, Mandarin-speaking, and highly educated than the Cantonese community in Manhattan’s Chinatown — chose this Queens neighborhood as their base. They built it into “Little Taipei” (小台北), establishing the restaurants, shops, and institutions that define the corridor today. The Taiwan Center at 137-44 Northern Blvd anchors the community. 99 Ranch Market (opened July 2025, 37,000 sq ft) and New World Mall on Roosevelt Avenue provide comprehensive grocery shopping. 85°C Bakery Cafe at Tangram Mall serves Taiwanese pastries. Main Street Imperial Taiwanese Gourmet on Main Street is the flagship Taiwanese restaurant. Fo Guang Shan temple on Barclay Avenue offers meditation, cultural classes, and summer camp. Flushing’s demographics have shifted — mainland Chinese immigration since the 1990s means the neighborhood is now majority mainland Chinese — but Taiwanese institutions remain deeply rooted.
Elmhurst, Queens — Adjacent Community Hub
Taiwanese Gourmet at 8402 Broadway has been serving Taiwanese food here for over 40 years — one of the oldest Taiwanese restaurants in the city. The Reformed Church of Newtown at 85-15 Broadway offers a Taiwanese worship service alongside English and Mandarin services in one of Queens’ most historic church buildings. The Chan Meditation Center (Dharma Drum Mountain) on Corona Avenue provides Chan Buddhist practice in the tradition of Master Sheng Yen. Elmhurst is more ethnically mixed than Flushing — South Asian, Latin American, and various East Asian communities share the neighborhood — but its Taiwanese institutional presence is well-established.
Whitestone, Oakland Gardens & Douglaston — The Eastward Expansion
Since 2000, thousands of Taiwanese Americans have migrated from Flushing into these eastern Queens neighborhoods. The appeal is clear: more residential, suburban-feel streets with single-family homes, while remaining close enough to Flushing’s shops, restaurants, and the Taiwan Center. Whitestone in particular has seen significant Taiwanese growth. Oakland Gardens and Douglaston represent the community’s continued push east toward more space and top-rated school districts. This is the classic immigrant suburbanization arc playing out within Queens itself.
Nassau County, Long Island — Suburban Growth Frontier
The eastward migration continues beyond Queens into Nassau County. Communities in Great Neck, Jericho, and Syosset have growing Taiwanese populations, drawn by top-rated school districts and suburban housing. The Taiwanese American Association on Long Island (TAALI), incorporated in 2006, serves this community. Tzu Chi Academy Long Island was approved as a TCML site in 2023. Nassau County represents the next stage of the Flushing diaspora — families who want excellent schools and quiet neighborhoods but drive back to Flushing on weekends for groceries and dim sum.
Northern New Jersey — The Cross-River Community
Edison has the largest Taiwanese-born population in New Jersey. Other clusters include Parsippany, East Brunswick, West Windsor, Holmdel, and Cherry Hill (serving the Philadelphia-area community). The Taiwanese Association of America, New Jersey Chapter (founded 1981) and Tzu Chi Academy Northern NJ (teaching bopomofo and traditional characters) anchor the institutional infrastructure. Many NJ-based Taiwanese families maintain strong ties to Flushing’s institutions while benefiting from New Jersey’s lower housing costs and strong public schools.
Taiwanese Organizations
NYC has one of the most organized Taiwanese community networks in America, with professional associations spanning every generation, a physical community center, political advocacy organizations, and the country’s oldest Taiwanese business association. A new Taiwanese immigrant can find their professional, cultural, and civic community within weeks of arrival.
Taiwan Center (台灣會館) — The Community Hub
Founded 1987 • 137-44 Northern Blvd, Flushing, NY 11354 • nytaiwancenter.org
The physical heart of Taiwanese community life in the NYC metro. Established by donations from Taiwanese Americans in Greater New York, the Taiwan Center connects nearly 30 Taiwanese and American societies across New York and New Jersey. It houses the Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning (TCML), hosts the annual 228 Memorial commemoration, and provides space for cultural events, language classes, and community gatherings. If you are new to NYC, this is your first stop.
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York (TECO)
Address: 1 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017 • Phone: (212) 317-7300 • Consular hotline: (212) 486-0088 • roc-taiwan.org/usnyc_en
Hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–4:30 PM • Consular applications Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–1:00 PM • Pickup Tue & Fri 3:00–4:00 PM
Taiwan’s de facto consulate in New York. Essential for passport renewals, visa processing, document authentication, and notarization. TECO also organizes the annual Double Ten Day reception with U.S. officials and community leaders. Every Taiwanese national in the NYC area will need TECO at some point — go early, bring all paperwork, and expect wait times during peak periods.
Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of New York (TCCNY)
Founded 1976 • tccny.org
The first Taiwanese business association in North America. A 501(c)(6) nonprofit serving well-established entrepreneurs and top corporate executives across finance, real estate, construction, hospitality, accounting, and legal services. Members are generally 40+ with significant business portfolios. A member of the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce of North America under the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce.
Taiwanese Junior Chamber of Commerce of New York (TJCCNY)
Reinstated 2017 • Ages 20–40 • tjccny.org • @tjccny
The younger counterpart to TCCNY. Hosts a networking banquet and business expo, real estate seminars for newcomers, Lunar Gala with Asian Night Market, monthly networking events, and entrepreneurship talks. Past speakers include YouTube co-founder Steve Chen. Covers finance, tech, arts, and real estate. The on-ramp for young Taiwanese professionals looking to build business connections in NYC.
TAP-NY (Taiwanese American Professionals — New York)
Official TACL chapter since 2010 • tap-ny.org • @tapny
The primary young professional networking organization for Taiwanese Americans in NYC. All-volunteer, open to all backgrounds. Events include “TAPpy Hour” socials, industry meetups, curated dinner series with senior business leaders, cultural workshops (like learning to make ba-wan), and volunteer days. If you’re a young Taiwanese professional new to the city, this is how you build your network.
Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) — NY Metro Chapter
National est. 1982 • 44 chapters, 2,700+ active members • fapa.org
Grassroots advocacy organization informing U.S. policymakers about Taiwan-related issues. The NY Metro chapter organizes advocacy events and art exhibitions (including “Between Shores: Reimagining Formosa” at One Art Space, June 2025). Coordinates annual Taiwanese American Heritage Week proclamation campaigns — in 2025, 48 elected officials issued proclamations including 7 governors, 21 mayors, and 8 U.S. Representatives.
ITASA — Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association
Founded 1991 at Columbia University • itasa.org
National nonprofit growing the Taiwanese American college community. Founded when representatives from Columbia, NYU, and other schools convened at Columbia. Organizes intercollegiate conferences and leadership development. Active campus chapters include CU TASA at Columbia and TASS at NYU. The beginning of the professional pipeline that feeds into TAP-NY and TJCCNY after graduation.
Taiwanese Churches, Temples & Buddhist Organizations
The Taiwanese religious landscape in NYC spans three major traditions: Taiwanese Protestantism (particularly Presbyterian and Reformed churches), Humanistic Buddhism (Fo Guang Shan, Dharma Drum Mountain, Tzu Chi), and cross-denominational community churches. Unlike most Chinese communities in America where Buddhism predominates, Taiwanese Americans have a strong Christian tradition rooted in the Presbyterian mission history in Taiwan.
Taiwan Union Christian Church (TUCC)
Est. 1970s • 30-55 31st Street, Astoria, NY 11102 • tuccny.org
Denomination: Protestant (Reformed Church in America) • Languages: Taiwanese (Hokkien) and English services
One of the earliest Taiwanese churches in the NYC area. Services are offered in Taiwanese (Hokkien) — a rarity in New York and deeply meaningful for immigrants who grew up speaking Taiwanese at home. The church serves both long-established families and new arrivals from Taiwan.
Reformed Church of Newtown
85-15 Broadway, Elmhurst, NY 11373 • newtown.church
Denomination: Reformed Church in America • Languages: English, Taiwanese, Mandarin
One of the oldest churches in Queens, with a historic building and a trilingual congregation. Initiated a Taiwanese worship service in response to the community’s growth in Elmhurst. A bridge church for families navigating between Taiwanese, Mandarin, and English.
Fo Guang Shan New York
154-37 Barclay Avenue, Flushing, NY 11355 • fgsny.org
Tradition: Humanistic Buddhism (Fo Guang Shan, founded in Taiwan by Venerable Master Hsing Yun)
A major branch of Taiwan’s Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order. Features impressive architecture, serene gardens, and meditation halls. Offers meditation sessions, cultural classes (flower arrangement, traditional instruments, traditional medicine), a Chinese school, summer camp, and Chinese New Year celebrations. Functions as both a spiritual center and a cultural learning hub.
Chan Meditation Center (Dharma Drum Mountain)
90-56 Corona Avenue, Elmhurst, NY 11373
Tradition: Chan (Zen) Buddhism — Dharma Drum Mountain (founded in Taiwan by Master Sheng Yen)
NYC branch of one of Taiwan’s four major Buddhist organizations. Focuses on Chan meditation practice with regular meditation sessions, chanting services, and dharma talks. A quieter, practice-oriented complement to Fo Guang Shan’s broader cultural programming.
Tzu Chi Foundation — Northeast Region
137-77 Northern Blvd, Queens, NY • Additional location on Upper East Side, Manhattan • tzuchi.us/ny
Tradition: Humanistic Buddhism (founded in Taiwan by Dharma Master Cheng Yen, 1966) • U.S. est. 1989
More than a temple — Tzu Chi is a global humanitarian organization with extraordinary community services. Flushing branch provides direct assistance to needy households, operates a soup kitchen serving elderly in Chinatown, organizes blood drives, and maintains the world’s largest Chinese bone marrow registry. If you want to volunteer and serve the community through a Taiwanese Buddhist lens, Tzu Chi is the organization.
Taiwanese Restaurants & Food
NYC’s Taiwanese food scene is experiencing a historic boom. From 40-year-old community institutions in Flushing and Elmhurst to Michelin-recognized modern Taiwanese-American restaurants in Brooklyn and Manhattan, the range is extraordinary. The scene spans from $5 pork chop plates to elevated beef noodle soup interpretations — and it’s all Taiwanese.
Win Son — The Modern Taiwanese-American Standard-Bearer
159 Graham Ave, East Williamsburg, Brooklyn • winsonbrooklyn.com
Opened: 2016 • Founders: Trigg Brown (chef) and Josh Ku (Taiwanese-American)
Signature dishes: Lu rou fan, three-cup chicken, fly’s head (stir-fried chive buds), Taiwanese breakfast items
Awards: Michelin Bib Gourmand, Food & Wine Best New Chef, James Beard shortlist “Best Chef, New York City”
Cookbook: “Win Son Presents a Taiwanese American Cookbook” — named best cookbook of the year by LA Times and Food & Wine
One of the most important Taiwanese restaurants in America. Win Son put modern Taiwanese-American food on the national map. Win Son Bakery across the street (est. 2019) is known for its BEC sandwich; a second bakery location opened in East Village in March 2025.
Din Tai Fung — The Taiwanese Global Icon
1633 Broadway, Midtown Manhattan • dtf.com
Opened: July 18, 2024 — first East Coast location
Specialty: Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) — over 10,000 made fresh daily via open kitchen behind glass wall
Hours: Mon–Thu 11 AM–10:30 PM, Fri 11 AM–12 AM, Sat 10 AM–12 AM, Sun 10 AM–10:30 PM
Founded in Taipei in 1972 by Mr. Bing-Yi Yang. Michelin-starred globally. Din Tai Fung’s arrival on Broadway was a milestone for Taiwan’s culinary presence on the East Coast.
Ho Foods — The Beef Noodle Soup Devotion
110 East 7th Street, East Village • hofoodsnyc.com
Opened: January 2018 • Chef/Owner: Richard Ho (grew up in San Gabriel Valley to Taiwanese immigrant parents)
Specialty: Taiwanese beef noodle soup — tender beef shank and tendon in 24-hour beef bone broth with chewy wheat noodles
Awards: Bon Appetit “Highly Recommend,” Fine Dining Lovers “Must-Try Hidden Gems in NYC”
A temple to a single Taiwanese dish. Three NYC locations. If you miss the beef noodle soup from home, this is your spot.
Jaba — Elevated Taiwanese Comfort Food
230 East 58th Street, Midtown East • jabanyc.com
Hours: Tue–Sat 5:00–10:00 PM • Chef: Tony Inn (26 years of experience, former chef de cuisine at 3-Michelin-star Masa)
Signature dishes: 8-hour beef noodle soup with star anise and cinnamon, grilled sweet sausage, lo ba beng, salt-cured mackerel
Chef Inn’s love letter to Taiwanese food — 24 dishes, all homages to “the uncles and aunties who never went to culinary school.” The most elevated Taiwanese dining experience in NYC.
Taiwan Pork Chop House — The Chinatown Institution
3 Doyers Street, Chinatown, Manhattan • (212) 791-7007 • taiwanporkchop.com
Hours: Mon & Wed–Sun 10:30 AM–9 PM (closed Tue) • Cash only
Specialty: Affordable Taiwanese pork chop plates in multiple styles
A Chinatown institution on historic Doyers Street. Quick, cheap, authentic Taiwanese food. The pork chop plates are the draw.
Main Street Imperial Taiwanese Gourmet
5910 Main Street, Flushing • (718) 886-8788
Specialty: Taiwanese breakfast items, stinky tofu, traditional Taiwanese comfort food
Flagship Taiwanese restaurant on Flushing’s Main Street corridor. Classic, no-frills Taiwanese food in the heart of the community. This is where Flushing’s Taiwanese residents actually eat.
Taiwanese Gourmet
8402 Broadway, Elmhurst • (718) 429-4818 • Mon–Fri 11 AM–10 PM
Open for over 40 years — one of the oldest Taiwanese restaurants in New York City. A true community institution in Elmhurst that has outlasted trends and economic cycles.
Grocery Stores & Markets
99 Ranch Market — Flushing, Queens (37,000 sq ft, two stories). Opened July 25, 2025 — the first NYC location of the quintessential Taiwanese-American grocery chain (founded 1984 in Southern California by Taiwanese immigrant Roger Chen). Includes an underground food hall with 23 vendors. This is THE Taiwanese grocery store.
New World Mall / J-Mart Supermarket — 136-20 Roosevelt Avenue, Flushing. Over 100 specialty shops and a basement food court with 30+ vendors. J-Mart on the 2nd floor carries a wide range of Taiwanese products.
85°C Bakery Cafe — Tangram Mall, 133-33 39th Ave, Flushing. First NYC location of the iconic Taiwanese bakery chain (founded 2004 in Taipei). Known for affordable pastries, sea salt coffee, Marble Taro, and Coconut Twist. Come early — shelves empty out.
Language Schools & Heritage Education
For Taiwanese families, the choice of language school carries identity weight. Taiwanese heritage schools teach traditional Chinese characters (as used in Taiwan) and the zhuyin/bopomofo phonetic system — fundamentally different from mainland Chinese schools that use simplified characters and pinyin. This distinction matters: it connects children to Taiwan’s education system and cultural identity.
Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning (TCML) at the Taiwan Center — Flushing, Queens. Affiliated with Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council. Hybrid format: new lessons in-person on Saturdays, online review/oral practice on Wednesdays. Beginner through intermediate. Traditional characters and Taiwanese pedagogical methods. The primary TCML-designated center in NYC.
Tzu Chi Academy — Northern New Jersey — Heritage curriculum teaching bopomofo phonetic system and traditional characters. Affiliated with the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation. Important for families wanting their children to learn to read Chinese the Taiwanese way, not with pinyin.
Tzu Chi Academy — Long Island — Approved as a TCML site in 2023. 3 sessions per year, 24 classes total, 3 hours per class. Serves the growing Taiwanese population in Nassau County.
CMP Chinese School — NYC. Focuses on Mandarin listening and speaking, supplemented by reading and writing. Traditional characters, Taiwanese culture and folklore. TCML-affiliated.
Arts, Culture & Boba
Passport to Taiwan — The Signature Event
Union Square, Manhattan • Annually during Taiwanese American Heritage Week (May) • 12 PM–5 PM • p2tw.org • @p2tw.nyc
Founded: 2002 • Attendance: ~50,000 visitors annually
The largest outdoor Taiwanese American event in the United States and the largest Asian American festival in New York City. Features Taiwanese night market foods, tea tastings, traditional aboriginal music and dance, live music, crafts, and activities for all ages. If you attend one community event all year, this is the one.
228 Memorial Commemoration
Taiwan Center, Flushing • Annually around February 28
Remembrance service honoring victims of the February 28, 1947 incident in Taiwan. The most emotionally significant community gathering — particularly meaningful for older-generation Taiwanese Americans whose families were directly affected by the 228 Incident and the White Terror period that followed.
Taiwanese American Heritage Week
Second week of May (designated since 1999 under President Clinton). In 2025, the NY State Senate adopted Resolution J823 designating May 28 as Taiwan Heritage Day in New York State. Across the country, 48 elected officials issued proclamations — including 7 governors, 21 mayors, 8 U.S. Representatives, and 6 U.S. Senators. A week of cultural programming, community gatherings, and civic recognition.
Taiwanese American Arts Council (TAAC)
taac-us.org
The most important grassroots arts nonprofit on the East Coast for Taiwanese culture. Selected as a resident art organization on Governors Island for two consecutive years, bringing 100+ Taiwanese and international artists together. Runs the NYC Art Bridge program with Yale’s CHATogether Group and participates in international artist exchanges with Tainan City, Taiwan.
Kung Fu Tea — Born in Flushing
Original location: 136-20 38th Ave, Flushing • Founded: April 30, 2010, by four Taiwanese entrepreneurs (Michael, Allen, Ray, Sean)
Now the largest bubble tea chain in the United States with 400+ stores nationwide. The founders started it from frustration with low-quality boba in the U.S. after returning from Taiwan. Boba tea — invented in Taichung, Taiwan in the 1980s — is arguably Taiwanese America’s most visible cultural export. The Flushing original remains the spiritual home. Kung Fu Tea also founded National Bubble Tea Day on April 30.
Notable Taiwanese American Political Figures
NYC has produced some of the most prominent Taiwanese American political leaders in the country. John Liu — born in Taiwan, first Asian American on NYC Council (2001), first Asian American citywide official (NYC Comptroller), first Taiwan-born NY State Senator (2018, 11th District). Grace Meng — born in Queens to a Taiwanese American family, first Asian American elected to U.S. Congress from New York (2013, NY-6). Jimmy Meng — Grace’s father, first Asian American in the NY State Legislature (2005). This political engagement reflects a community that actively participates in American civic life.
Data Sources
U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2022 5-Year Estimates) • Community organization websites and direct verification • Local school district enrollment data • Zillow and Apartments.com (rent estimates) • Glassdoor and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (salary data) • Redfin (home price data). Community population estimates reflect available Census language data combined with organization-reported figures. Read our full research methodology →