Bakeries & tea · S Wentworth Ave
Chinatown
Wentworth Ave and Chinatown Square.
Chicago's Chinatown runs along S Wentworth Ave south of Cermak Rd, with the two-story Chinatown Square plaza on Archer Ave to the north. Come for egg tarts, bubble tea, herbal and dried-goods shops and small gift stores, all a short walk from the Red Line.
Bakeries · Tea · Gift shops
- In our directory
- 16 shopseach one verified
- Where
- S Wentworth AveBakeries & tea
- Right now
- Typical hours
- Getting here
- CTA Red Line: Cermak-ChinatownAt Cermak and Wentworth, by the Chinatown gate
The directory
16 shops, all in one place.
Tap a shop or a dot on the map to see it.
Food & drink4 places
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Hong Kong-style bakery whose main draw is barbecue pork buns, with Portuguese egg tarts, sesame balls and pineapple buns plus savory dim sum such as shumai and rice noodle rolls.
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Bakery-café branch on the 2200 block of Wentworth selling whole cakes and slices, pastries, donuts, shareable breads, breakfast sandwiches, salads and coffee drinks.
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Supermarket a few blocks south of the Wentworth strip, listed by the chamber under its Chinese name 香港市場 and licensed by the city as a grocery store.
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Korean-French bakery on Archer Ave selling breads, cakes, pastries and donuts, breakfast sandwiches, coffee, teas and blended drinks; the chamber's walking guide notes its restroom for customers.
Specialty3 places
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Bulk-goods store in Chinatown Square for traditional Chinese medicine shoppers, with herbal teas, natural remedies and dried goods such as scallops and mushrooms.
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Shop on Cermak Road listed under Retail in the Chinatown Chamber directory by its Chinese name 花甜, a short walk west of Wentworth near the Cermak Road businesses.
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Two-story outdoor mall between Archer Avenue and Wentworth with shops selling herbal teas, beauty products, imported snacks and souvenirs; individual shop hours vary.
Coffee2 places
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Chinese bubble-tea shop on the 2200 block of Wentworth known for fruit-based drinks such as the jasmine mango smoothie, with plant-based milk options on the menu.
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Bubble-tea shop on the first floor of 2116 S Archer Ave serving brown sugar boba milk, plus fruit and tea drinks such as passion fruit boba and lychee black tea.
Gifts2 places
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Toy and lifestyle shop for blind boxes, collectibles and gifts, with new merchandise drops every week, on Archer Avenue by Chinatown Square.
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Gift shop in Chinatown Square, listed under Retail in the Chinatown Chamber directory at 2171b S China Pl, a few doors from Bonchon and the chamber office.
Beauty2 places
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Personal-care business in the 2026 S Clark St building at the east edge of Chinatown, listed by the chamber in the same complex as Hello Jasmine.
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Beauty shop on China Place in the Chinatown Square plaza, listed in the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce retail directory; the listing gives a phone (312-631-3056) but no hours.
Jewelry1 place
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Jewelry and gift shop at 2347 S Wentworth Ave, at the south end of the Wentworth strip, listed under Retail in the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce directory.
Fashion1 place
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Clothing shop in unit B20 of the 2002 S Wentworth Ave building, which the chamber directory also lists as home to King KTV and several small food counters.
Dining1 place
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Taiwanese spot in the 2026 S Clark St complex on the east edge of Chinatown serving bento boxes, snacks and drinks, in the same building as Pink Mi Up.
No shops in that category here yet.
Insider guide
Shopping Chinatown.
The story
Chicago's Chinatown runs along S Wentworth Ave from Cermak Rd to 24th St. To the north, the two-story Chinatown Square plaza sits between S Archer Ave and S China Pl. This is a food-first shopping trip: egg tarts, bubble tea, herbal and dried-goods shops and small gift stores, all a short walk from the Red Line.
Bakeries and tea shops line the 2200 block of Wentworth, led by Chiu Quon Bakery, Paris Baguette and Molly Tea. Archer Ave is the place for The Midi's blind boxes, Tiger Sugar's brown sugar boba and Yin Wall City's herbal teas and dried goods. It suits snackers and gift hunters.
A Little History
Chinese businesses moved here from the Loop around 1912, after rents rose downtown, and the On Leong Merchants Association bought dozens of properties along 22nd Street, now Cermak Road. The On Leong building on Wentworth, today the Pui Tak Center, was finished in 1928.
The Chinatown Gate over Wentworth, just south of Cermak, was dedicated in November 1975, and Chinatown Square on Archer opened in 1992.
What to Expect
On Wentworth, Rose Premium Clothes sells clothing from unit B20 of the 2002 S Wentworth Ave building. The 2200 block is the bakery stretch. Chiu Quon Bakery (2253) is a Hong Kong-style bakery whose main draw is barbecue pork buns, with Portuguese egg tarts, sesame balls and dim sum such as shumai. Paris Baguette (2239) sells cakes, pastries and breads, and Molly Tea (2227) is known for fruit drinks such as the jasmine mango smoothie. Somi Jewelry & Gifts (2347) is at the south end of the strip.
On Archer, Yin Wall City (2112 S Archer Ave) stocks herbal teas, natural remedies and dried goods such as scallops and mushrooms. Tiger Sugar (2116) serves brown sugar boba milk, The Midi (2124) sells blind boxes and collectibles, and Tous les Jours (2144) bakes breads, cakes and pastries. Chinatown Square (2133 S China Pl) has shops for herbal teas, beauty products, imported snacks and souvenirs, including Korean Beauty (2121) and Dreamlight Creation Gift Shop (2171b). On the east edge, Hello Jasmine (2026 S Clark St) serves Taiwanese bento boxes and drinks.
Best Time to Visit
Chiu Quon opens at 7am every day and stays open until 9pm Sunday to Thursday and 10pm Friday and Saturday. Yin Wall City keeps 10:30am to 6:30pm daily. Tea shops open late morning and run into the evening, and shops in Chinatown Square set their own hours. Weekend street parking is tight, and during the Lunar New Year parade it is close to impossible. The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Museum (2245 S Wentworth Ave) opens only on weekends, and the free Chinese American Museum of Chicago (238 W 23rd St) opens Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday only.
If You Only Have an Hour
From Cermak-Chinatown, walk south on Wentworth to Molly Tea (2227 S Wentworth Ave) for a drink, then Chiu Quon Bakery (2253) for pork buns and egg tarts, with cash in hand. Head north to Archer for Yin Wall City (2112 S Archer Ave) and The Midi (2124), and finish at Tous les Jours (2144).
This week
In Chinatown this week.
Typical hours
Most shops keep the hours below.
Hours vary by individual store. Always check with specific retailers.
Eat, drink, stay
Between shops, close by.
Top restaurants nearby
All of Eat →- Qing Xiang Yuan DumplingsChinese / dumplings · Dumpling house in Chinatown Square; order a mix of boiled dumplings such as beef and onion, lamb and coriander, and tomato and egg.
- Golden Bull RestaurantCantonese · Small Cantonese spot on Cermak known for claypot rice; get the version with Chinese sausage and add the farmer's chicken.
- MingHin CuisineCantonese / dim sum · Large Cantonese dining room on Archer for dim sum; order the fried taro puffs, har gow and custard-filled sweet buns.
- Ken Kee RestaurantHong Kong cafe · Hong Kong-style cafe in Chinatown Square for cart noodles, salt and pepper pork chop, Ovaltine toast and a pineapple bun with butter.
- Dolo Restaurant & BarCantonese / dim sum · Dim sum restaurant on Archer Ave; order the clam shells stuffed with shrimp and pork and the crispy shrimp and leek dumplings.
- Xi'an CuisineNorthwestern Chinese · Casual counter on Cermak for hand-pulled noodles; get the cumin biang biang noodles, lamb skewers and a rou jia mo sandwich.
Ratings are the scores saved in our directory and are not live. Check the listing for the current score.
Getting here
Parking and transit.
The Chinatown Parking Corporation lots at Cermak & Wentworth and Archer & Wentworth charge $10.99 for the first hour and $18.99 for 3 to 24 hours. Many shops validate 3 hours for $3, so ask at the register. Early-bird parking is $6.99 if you enter after 5am and leave by 11am. Public restrooms are scarce; the chamber's guide points to the 2nd floor of HeungSeng Square, and to Starbucks and Tous les Jours with a purchase.
- PParkingThe CTA Red and Green Lines stop at Cermak-Chinatown, and several buses run on Cermak Rd and Wentworth Ave; the Chicago Water Taxi stops at Ping Tom Memorial Park in warmer months. Street parking is limited, especially on weekends; there is a Chinatown public lot near Chinatown Square, and the Chinese American Museum validates its tickets.
- SCTA Red Line: Cermak-ChinatownAt Cermak and Wentworth, by the Chinatown gateCTA fare
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Guides for Chinatown
All guides →
Chinatown Bakeries, Tea and Gifts
A food-first walk down Wentworth Avenue and through Chinatown Square: the neighborhood's oldest bakery, a moon cake and egg tart crawl, bubble tea, herbal teas and dried goods, blind boxes, dim sum, and how to get your parking validated.
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