Ni-Hao Restaurant
Neighborhood Chinese comfort on Quaranistraat
Why Go
Suriname's love affair with Chinese cooking is written into everyday life, and Ni-Hao is one of those quiet Paramaribo kitchens where the wok never really stops. Tucked on Quaranistraat, it's the kind of spot locals lean on for a fast, filling plate of bami or a family-sized order of moksi meti that arrives hot and glossy.
The Experience
Ni-Hao sits in a workaday corner of Paramaribo, more takeaway counter and neighborhood diner than destination restaurant. Expect a straightforward dining room, quick service, and a menu that runs the full Surinamese-Chinese playbook: heaped noodle plates, rice bowls crowned with roasted meats, saucy stir-fries, and hearty soups. You order at the counter or grab a table, and dishes come out fast enough that it works equally well for a solo lunch break or a big family bundle to take home. It's a locals' spot ΓÇö practical, generous with portions, and forgiving on the wallet.
What to Try
Go for the Surinamese-Chinese classics that made this cuisine a national obsession: bami (stir-fried egg noodles) or nasi goreng with a side of moksi meti ΓÇö the mixed platter of roasted pork (bakabana-style), char siu, and crispy-skin chicken. Tjauw min with shrimp is a reliable order, tjap tjoi delivers the veg-forward stir-fry hit, and a bowl of wonton soup is the traditional add-on. Ask what's fresh from the wok that day; the specials board is usually where the kitchen shines.
Insider Tip
Chinese kitchens in Paramaribo are built for takeaway, and Ni-Hao is no exception ΓÇö call ahead (or WhatsApp) before you walk over, especially around 12:30 lunch rush and the 6ΓÇô8 pm dinner window, or you'll be waiting on the sidewalk while every office in the neighborhood picks up their bami. Portions are large: one 'grote' order easily feeds two.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Quaranistraat (corner of Napelsstraat), Paramaribo. Hours: MondayΓÇôSaturday, roughly 10:30 amΓÇô9:30 pm (closed Sunday ΓÇö confirm by phone). Phone +597 441-284, WhatsApp orders via 8480080. Cash in SRD is safest; card acceptance in small Chinese eateries is hit-or-miss so bring some notes. Best reached by taxi or a short drive from the city center; parking on the street is usually manageable outside peak hours.
Pair It With
- Palmentuin — Grab your bami to go and walk five minutes to Paramaribo's leafy palm garden for a relaxed picnic under the royal palms.
- Waterkant — After lunch, wander down to the Suriname River promenade for sunset views and a cold Parbo at one of the riverside terraces.
- Central Market (Centrale Markt) — Pair a Ni-Hao takeaway run with a morning browse through Paramaribo's chaotic, sensory market ΓÇö the perfect setup for understanding the Chinese-Javanese-Creole layers of Surinamese food.
- Fort Zeelandia — Round out a food-and-history afternoon at the 17th-century fort overlooking the river, a short ride from the restaurant.