Good food. A little curiosity. San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Chinatown EatsSAN FRANCISCO • A FOOD FIELD GUIDE

THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SERVED WELL

Come hungry.
Leave curious.

Steaming baskets. Busy bakeries. One more thing to try. Your field guide to eating your way through San Francisco’s Chinatown.

Find a place to eat ↗First time here? Start with this.
Illustration of har gow and siu mai in a steaming bamboo basket with tea and chili oil
Food illustration · a taste of what’s ahead
San Francisco ↗ Chinatown
Dim sum ✳ Noodles ✳ Bakeries
Read a little. Eat a little better.

FOLLOW YOUR APPETITE

What are you in the mood for?

All food guides ↗
01
DIM SUM & TEA

A table full of little things

How to plan a dim sum meal, from a quick takeaway basket to a long lunch with tea.

Explore the guide ↗02
BAKERIES & SWEETS

Something sweet for the walk

Coffee crunch cake, mooncakes, fortune cookies—and room for a second stop.

Explore the guide ↗03
DINNER PLANS

Make an evening of it

Sichuan heat, Cantonese sharing plates and contemporary Chinese cooking.

Explore the guide ↗

THE FIRST-TIMER’S FIELD NOTES

A good day starts
with a loose plan.

Choose one meal to anchor your visit. Leave room for the places you notice along the way.

Your first Chinatown food walk ↗
01—0301   Start with tea and a steamer basket ↗02   Take the long way to the bakery ↗03   Let the neighborhood set the pace ↗

FROM THE LOCAL FOOD PRESS

Good meals deserve a second opinion.

Ten attributed review digests: the praise, the reservations and the dishes that caught local writers’ attention.

Explore local reviews ↗