How a 150-year-old tradition became America’s favorite Christmas dinner alternative

Chin's Kitchen

Looking for a Chinese restaurant for Christmas night dinner? Portland has a plethora of options, from local favorites to Michelin-recognized Taiwanese fare like Din Tai Fung.

Chin's Kitchen

Reaching for the Chinese takeout menu on Christmas has become an American tradition, even for those who celebrate Christmas.

It was depicted humorously in the 1983 classic film “A Christmas Story.” Ralphie is recalling his childhood in the 1930s in the movie, when he remembers going out to a Chinese restaurant with his family.

The tradition was started by a relationship between two non-Christian immigrant groups and was founded on mutual respect and a little business acumen.

In the mid-19th century, America saw an influx of immigrants from Europe and Asia. On the northeast coast, like in New York, many of these immigrant populations lived close to one another.

“There wasn’t a mass decision to start eating in Chinese restaurants, as much as [it was] probably the adjoining neighborhoods and its availability,” Rabbi Joshua Eli Plaut, rabbi of the Metropolitan Synagogue of New York, told History.com.

Chin's Kitchen

Throughout the 20th century, Chinese restaurants were reliably open on Sundays and Christian holidays because early Asian immigrants weren’t Christian; they largely practiced Buddhism or Taoism.

There were no historical ties of discrimination between Chinese and Jewish people and Chinese restaurants lacked the Christian iconography that could be found in Greek, Italian, German, Polish, Hungarian and other restaurants that served European foods.

The cuisine itself used familiar ingredients like garlic, onions and vegetables and did not often incorporate dairy and meat together, a food combo that’s non-Kosher for Jews.

“Chinese restaurateurs themselves knew about it also, and made it a selling point in their ads posted in the Jewish newspapers. They would say, ‘we offer Sunday chicken [and] steak meals’ or ‘we are open late on Sundays,’” said Shiyong Lu, a doctoral researcher in Hebrew and Judaic Studies and History at New York University.

This tradition has endured and grown. Chinese restaurants across the nation report that Christmastime is one of the busiest times of year. Restaurants specializing in other Asian cuisines like Japanese, Thai, Indian and others can also often be seen catering to guests on Dec. 25.

It’s great to call your favorite local spot ahead of time to make sure they’ll be open and that there aren’t any rules regarding order size or wait times.

Chin's Kitchen

But if you’re looking for a new spot, The Oregonian/OregonLive has recommended more than a few delicious spots over the years:

Noodle Man

Noodle Man offers authentic hand-pulled noodles and a show because each order is pulled and cooked fresh. In 2019, The Oregonian/OregonLive named Noodle Man the best hand-pulled noodles around.

Noodle Man is located at 15888 SE Happy Valley Town Center Drive in Happy Valley. It’ll be open on Christmas 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Chin’s Kitchen

Chin’s Kitchen offers Dongbei-style dumplings, sure to warm you up even on the chilliest Portland day. Dongbei is China’s frigid northeast region, where temperatures can reach as low as -4° F. The cuisine is homestyle and meant to warm from the inside out. Chin’s Kitchen made The Oregonian/OregonLive’s list of best dumplings in the city this year.

Chin's Kitchen

Chin’s Kitchen is located at 4216 N.E. Broadway in Portland. It will be open on Christmas from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., then Chin’s Kitchen closes for an hour before supper, reopening at 4 p.m. and remaining open until 9 p.m.

Chan’s Steakery

Chan’s Steakery is a pillar of the community in the suburb of Milwaukie, just outside Portland. Their menu is sprawling with East meets West fusion dishes that scream Chinese-American 60s throwback like Prime Rib and chow fun.

Chin's Kitchen

Chan’s Steakery is located at 10477 SE Main Street in Milwaukie. It’ll be open on Christmas from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.

Bing Mi

Back in 2015, The Oregonian/OregonLive called the Bing Mi food truck the best of the year. It makes jianbing, a savory crepe-like wrap stuffed with egg and other delicious things. It has since opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant where you can get their jianbings as well as noodles, rice dishes and dumplings.