Trip Through San Francisco’s Chinatown
Chinatown photo uploaded by legge e mare
In honor of the Chinese New Year, we’re kicking off our series highlighting San Francisco’s diverse neighborhoods with a look at its world-famous Chinatown…
San Francisco’s Chinatown has come to be known as “a city within a city” for its ability to transport you to another world. Not only is it the oldest Chinatown in America, but it is still one of the largest and most culturally authentic in North America. The best way to enjoy Chinatown is to just walk. By wandering aimlessly, you’ll be sure to pick up on the aspects of Chinatown that are uniquely San Francisco and those that attract billions of tourists each year.
The best time to explore Chinatown is Saturday afternoons when the live markets take over Stockton Street. Fresh produce, Chinese delicacies, and live animals turn this San Francisco Street into an Asian Mecca. Tourists should definitely stroll Grant Avenue if looking for souvenirs and the classic Chinatown experience.
However, a look into Chinese heritage is best found off the main drag, where you can try the best Dim Sum outside of Asia, learn how they make fortune cookies, and glimpse the inner workings of this amazing community.
For those of you looking for more advice than “walking aimlessly,” here are a few tips and must-see spots to experience both the classic and off-the-beaten-path Chinatown.
Perhaps you would like to start your journey at the Chinatown Gate, which marks the entrance to Grant Avenue’s Chinatown and the neighborhood’s center. Another historical landmark is the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, where more than 20,000 fortune cookies are handmade a day by two women. You can pick up a bag of 40 cookies for $3, take a picture of the sight for fifty cents, and browse the tiny factory for free. It is the only fortune cookie factory in the city where the treats are still made by hand the old fashioned way.
The Chinese Historical Society is one of the oldest and largest organizations devoted to the study and appreciation of Chinese culture and history. The main gallery focuses on the experience of Chinese Americans in the US from the gold rush to present day.
When hunger hits throughout your journey through Little Asia, it doesn’t matter where you are, you are bound to be near something delicious, authentic, and surprising. Do what I do when I want to make sure I am getting the best the city has to offer: I follow my nose to the nearest restaurant that is 1. Packed 2. Packed preferably with people who aren’t speaking English and 3. Where you have to ask to see a menu in English. Often, following the locals, even if it means you stand out like sore thumb is well worth it for the authentic experience.
Ok, ok. I’m back to preaching about my holistic approach to sight-seeing. As promised, here is an overview of few restaurants. Although, keep in mind a review of fifty restaurants would not even scratch the surface.
Empress of China is a lavishly decorated six-floor restaurant, It may impress with its expansive views and ornate décor, but in comparison to the smaller mom ‘n pop restaurants, the atmosphere far exceeds the food. Still, as it is a Chinatown landmark it is well worth the look, even if you decide to eat a cheaper, more tastebud-exciting place.
After you marvel at the views, murals, and statues head over to the Hang Ah Tea Room, located on one of the tiny side streets. Here you can devour some of the best Dim Sum in the city in a colorful and cozy restaurant. Located at 1 Pagoda Place. (415) 982-5686
If fortune cookies haven’t satiated your appetite for something sweet, head to the Golden Gate Bakery on Grant Ave. The glass cases are filled with confectionary goodness. You won’t be able to resist filling boxes and boxes of cookies, custard-filled goodies, pork buns, and sweet lotus seed moon cakes within minutes.
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