Share Philly’s Asian American Heritage
Philadelphia. City. China. Town.” These words adorn the top
of the vibrant and ornate Friendship Gate as symbols at 10th and Arch streets,
considered the entrance to Chinatown. This is the first authentic
Chinese gate built in America by artisans from China. In 1982,
Philadelphia commissioned artisans from sister city Tianjin to
create the structure. Beyond it lies a Chinatown with bustling
streets lined with more than 50 restaurants, 15 grocery stores,
and rows of shops. Local chef Joseph Poon offers the Wok N
Walk Tour where you can get hands-on cultural experience and
hear about the preservation of many Chinatown traditions. Such
an Asian influence is not limited to Chinatown, but is also woven
into restaurants and shopping centers east of 12th Street along
Washington Avenue.
