Chinatown Vietnamese Mainstay New Dong Khanh Will Close in Early August

But, the family behind the 32-year-old restaurant says to stay tuned for future endeavors.


New Dong Khanh

Bún Mắm photo by New Dong Khanh via Yelp

In the midst of rapidly changing times in Chinatown, one of the neighborhood’s best dining options and one of Boston’s oldest Vietnamese restaurants is shutting down. New Dong Khanh will close after service on Sunday, August 4.

Established in 1987, New Dong Khanh is family-owned and operated, and supplements a menu of pho and other soups, rice dishes, herbaceous Vietnamese-style spring rolls, and more with bubble teas and fresh fruit smoothies. From a tiny kitchen, the restaurant serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.

The second-generation owners announced plans to close on Facebook last week—but the message suggests it’s not really over for them on August 4.

“It was a hard decision, but it was the right time,” the social media post reads. “I want to share that this is not the end, but just the beginning. We will be back soon. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram @NewDongKhanh. We hope you will continue to support us. See you for now.”

In a public post on his personal Facebook page, Luu’s son, Joey Nguyen, adds, “It is sad to see it end here but keep in touch with us on Facebook or IG because it doesn’t mean it’s over. We are gonna move forward and see what the future is going to have for us.”

Boston has reached out to the family behind New Dong Khanh and will update this story if and when more information becomes available.

In the meantime, there are nearly two weeks left to get your fix of barbecue lemongrass chicken bun, tamarind-scented cahn chua (a sweet-and-sour soup with bean sprouts), pork-and-seafood-stuffed rice flour-coconut milk crêpes, and more authentic fare from one of Boston’s original Vietnamese restaurants and Chinatown mainstay. The family would love to feed you: “Without [our customers], none of this would be possible. Thank you for the love and support you have given us. We are eternally grateful,” New Dong Khanh shared on Facebook. “We have certainly noticed the increased volume of customers even though the weather has been hot and humid and you could be spending it at the beach or a nice air conditioned place, but you came and you showed us love. It makes working in the kitchen with the heat index well above 100 worth it.”

83 Harrison Ave., Boston, 617-426-9410, newdongkhanh.com.