North Dumpling

North Dumpling is one of our all-time favorite snack break destinations in Manhattan’s Chinatown. So if you’re ever feeling lousy, walk to their spot on Essex Street with cash in your pocket. (They don’t take cards.) By the time you finish eating an order of their pork and chive fried dumplings (probably on a bench in Seward Park), you’ll no longer feel like you want to throw your phone in the East River. 

Their extra-gingery pork and chive dumplings, offered fried or steamed, have a dedicated following in the neighborhood, so expect to see lines of skaters, NYPD parking ticket enforcers, and people who have lived in Chinatown for 50 years. We usually order our dumplings pan-fried because we love the way the bottoms crisp up and get sticky with vinegar and soy poured on top, but the boiled version will also satisfy. If you insist on straying from the dumplings, try the flaky sesame pancake with chives or the noodles with mixed vegetables.

Sub a future beverage break for a dumpling break the next time you need a pick-me-up. Each order costs less than a bullsh*t coffee that has too much oat milk (even though you said “a splash”). And make sure to buy a bag of frozen dumplings—or maybe even a chic t-shirt—so you can take the party home.