The top new restaurants in Chinatown range from popular bar-types spaces serving a mix of Chinese and fusion snacks to bubble teahouses with colourful drinks and cheap eats. These places are injecting new blood and a few new ideas among the old guard in Chinatown.

Here are my picks for the top new restaurants in Chinatown.

People's Eatery
People's Eatery, formerly an unassuming spot in Chinatown, was given a full makeover last year thanks to the folks behind 416 Snack Bar. The bar and kitchen are open till 2 am and, similarly to 416, you get umami-rich snacking, stiff cocktails, and brusque mid-meal seat shuffling.

Stay Cafeteria
First time owners Tao Zhang and Jianing Hu definitely brought something new to Chinatown. Here they showcase playful food with Asian influences, all the time keeping things accessible and affordable. Expect unexpected pairings like Teriyaki eel baked with mozzarella cheese on rice topped with Japanese sea sedge and white sesame ($10).

Anne's Magic Kitchen
While the decor is relatively modern the food is traditional Chinese at Anne's Magic Kitchen on Dundas east of Spadina. Open only a few months, this place is developing a reputation for its well-prepared dishes and generous portions. Try the braised beef noddle soup made with fresh homemade noodles made in house.

Taste of Yunnan
Taste of Yunnan is all about ancient recipes and culinary wisdom from the south-west region of China. Located on Dundas just off Spadina, the perks are definitely the prices with tons of options under $7.

Easy Drink Easy Go
Easy Drink Easy Go is a Taiwanese-based bubble tea joint. This is the second Toronto location of this franchise (the other one is near Yonge and Finch.) In addition to drinks like their signature Hokkaido Milk Tea ($5.20), you can also sample their snack size food items like their South East Asian-style curry beef rice.

What's missing from the list? Add your suggestions for the top new restaurants in Chinatown to the comments.

Photo of Stay Cafeteria by Jesse Milns