Popular restaurant in downtown Belleville to reopen with original chef, recipes

If you haven’t been to downtown Belleville’s West Main Street lately, I have some tasty news for you.

The storefront of Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant, which closed at the end of June, displays a banner stating that the restaurant will soon reopen.

Starting Wednesday, Sept. 4, folks will be able to enjoy the same food that Golden Dragon served for many years under the ownership of Truc Truong.

Truong said in a phone interview that one of his former employees asked to take over the restaurant. Golden Dragon will reopen under the ownership of Dat Nguyen, the chef who worked for Truong for 20 years.

In a separate phone interview, Nguyen said that the restaurant had two different owners over the last two years since Truong closed the business in 2022.

Since reopening, the previous owners had changed the food that customers enjoyed over the years, according to Nguyen. Now Nguyen and his business partner, Han Bui, are bringing back the menu’s original recipes. (This is the part where you cheer, good readers.)

Truong still owns the building at 128 W. Main St.

Golden Dragon’s long history in Belleville

Truong closed Golden Dragon in April 2022 , saying they had too much business and not enough employees to accommodate them.

He sold the business to Dung Ng Phan, who reopened the restaurant Aug. 1, 2022 .

Nguyen said that Phan later transferred ownership to another party before the closure earlier this summer.

Son Dien To and Nam Van Nguyen first opened Golden Dragon in November 1988 at 203 W. Main St.

Truong bought the business in February 1995 and reopened the restaurant a few weeks later. In December 2002, he announced that the restaurant would move to 128 W. Main St.

About Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant

Golden Dragon is located at 128 W. Main St. in downtown Belleville. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

For more information, call 618-233-7714.