Congee Village

Even though it boasts an extensive menu of Chinese favorites served family-style, the namesake rice porridge, a Cantonese specialty strewn with the likes of squid, veggies or sliced pork, is the real reason to eat here. As kids slurp up tasty spoonfuls, they'll be equally charmed by the festive decor (Polynesian bamboo on Allen Street, and more-traditional Chinese style on the Bowery).