Customers lined up outside Jing Fong in February of 2021.
Jing Fong, once Chinatown’s largest restaurant, will completely vacate its space at 20 Elizabeth St. by the end of the month. The dim sum destination and banquet venue closed its 800-seat dining room back in March, promising to find a new smaller location somewhere in the neighborhood. That’s apparently happening. Claudia Leo, the restaurant’s marketing manager, told the New York Post that Jing Fong would move to a 125-seat spot in late June, although she did not disclose the location.
The restaurant had kept a kitchen going even after the dining room went dark to support outdoor dining, takeout and delivery. While it’s a positive sign that Jing Fong may survive in some form, the downscaling leaves Chinatown without a large banquet hall. That’s something many family associations and nonprofit groups counted on for large gatherings, especially during Lunar New Year celebrations.