CheLi

With a line that’s almost always stretching out the front door, this hot spot in St. Marks Place remains one of the best places for elegant Shanghainese cooking. The décor itself is noteworthy: Red and cream lanterns add to the imperial décor with nooks and crannies snaking throughout. The menu is lengthy and there are plenty of familiar favorites to choose from, but first try asking the server about some regional highlights. Chicken soaked in Shaoxing wine; stir-fried rice cakes with pork and leeks; and peach resin stew with crabmeat are all worth consideration. Oddly enough, a recent stunner came straight out of the Sichuan lexicon: House special fish stew with Sichuan peppercorns is a must-order feast.
There is also a second location in Flushing.