DXG Restaurant: Hotpot on Paramaribo's Chinatown Strip
A steamy, low-key Chinese kitchen tucked into Gompertstraat's Chinatown corridor.
Why Go
Gompertstraat is the closest thing Paramaribo has to a Chinatown ΓÇö a one-kilometer stretch of neon shopfronts, spice importers, and steamy little kitchens near the Maretraite mall. DXG sits at number 16, in the thick of it, part of the wave of family-run Chinese spots that quietly feed this neighborhood every night. It's not the sort of place with a glossy website or a curated Instagram; it's the sort of place you find because a taxi driver, a shopkeeper, or a hotel receptionist tells you to just walk down Gompertstraat until something smells right.
The Experience
Expect the classic Paramaribo-Chinese formula: fluorescent lighting, plastic-covered menus with pictures, a big lazy Susan on the round tables, and the constant clatter of the wok from an open kitchen. Come in a group if you can ΓÇö the menu is built for sharing, with steaming platters landing family-style. It's casual enough to walk in wearing shorts after a day exploring the historic center, but lively enough that you'll get a real feel for the Sino-Surinamese community that has shaped this stretch of the city for generations. Service is efficient rather than fussy; the tempo picks up sharply around 7pm when local families and workers from nearby shops fill the room.
What to Try
Lean into what Gompertstraat does best: a bubbling hotpot for the table, Cantonese-style stir-fries loaded with kouseband (long beans) or bok choy, and a plate of tjauw min (Surinamese-Chinese chow mein) that tells you exactly how the two cuisines met. Ask whether they have moksi meti ΓÇö the local roast-meat combo of char siu pork, roast duck, and crispy pork belly over rice ΓÇö it's a Paramaribo classic and the litmus test for any Chinese kitchen in the city. Wash it down with an ice-cold Parbo beer or a glass of dawet.
Insider Tip
Don't try to order like you're at a Cantonese restaurant back home. The best dishes here are the Surinamese-Chinese hybrids ΓÇö anything with sambal, kouseband, or telo (fried cassava) on the plate. And bring cash: many Gompertstraat spots either don't take cards or add a surcharge, and the nearest reliable ATM is a short walk toward Maretraite.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Gompertstraat 16, Paramaribo. Best reached by taxi or a short drive from the city center ΓÇö parking is on-street and can be tight in the early evening. Hours aren't published online, so call ahead if you're coming late; most Gompertstraat kitchens open around lunch, close mid-afternoon, and reopen from about 6pm until 10ΓÇô11pm. Cash (SRD) is safest, though larger notes may be accepted in USD or EUR. Expect a very affordable bill by international standards ΓÇö mains typically land in the low single digits USD.
Pair It With
- 101 Suites Guide — A convenient nearby stay if you'd rather roll straight from dinner into bed than cross town after a hotpot marathon.
- 597SpeedUp Watertubing Guide — Burn off the tjauw min the next morning with a high-adrenaline river tubing session ΓÇö a classic Suriname pairing of heavy Chinese dinner and outdoor recovery.
- Aanansi ATV Tours Guide — Book an early ATV tour and use DXG as your carb-loading dinner the night before ΓÇö filling, cheap, and close to most Paramaribo hotels.