Day 166: Pekin Noodle Parlor, Butte, Montana
📌APIA Every Day (166) - The Pekin Noodle Parlor in Butte, Montana, is recognized as the oldest continuously operating Chinese restaurant in the United States. Established in 1909 by Tam Kwong Yee and Hum Yow, it originally served as a noodle parlor and general store catering primarily to Butte's mining community. Over the years, it transitioned into a popular gathering spot, offering a menu featuring staple Chinese American dishes such as chop suey, chow mein, and lo mein. The restaurant also housed a basement gambling parlor until the 1950s.
Chinese immigrants were drawn to Butte in the late 19th century due to opportunities in the mining industry, particularly the extraction of copper. Many Chinese laborers contributed to building essential infrastructure like railroads, including the transcontinental railroad. Alongside their labor roles, they established businesses such as laundries, restaurants, and shops, which played crucial roles in supporting and integrating into Butte's diverse community.
Despite facing challenges like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which restricted Chinese immigration, Butte's Chinese American community, exemplified by figures like Yee and Yow of the Pekin Noodle Parlor, left a lasting imprint on the Butte-Anaconda Historic District [See Day 116 Post]. Today, under Jerry Tam's management, the Pekin Noodle Parlor remains operational and has garnered recognition, including being designated as an American Classic by the James Beard Foundation in 2023. It symbolized Butte's multicultural heritage and continues to serve as a popular destination for both locals and visitors seeking traditional Chinese American cuisine.
LEARN MORE:
Smithsonian Magazine: The First Chinese Restaurant in America Has a Savory—and Unsavory—History
Thrillist: How the Country’s Oldest Family-Owned Chinese Restaurant Has Survived for 114 Years
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