Spend a perfect day in Chinatown, the largest Chinatown outside of Asia and the oldest in North America.
Start your morning with delicious dim sum from Lai Hong Lounge. Or pick up a milk tea coffee at Home Coffee Roasters and people watch in Portsmouth square.
Head up to Clay St. for amazing exhibits at the Chinese Historical Society of America or to Chinese Cultural Center to see the latest in contemporary art from the Asian diaspora.
Lunch is a highlight as there is so much to choose from: Penang Garden for the best roti and even some midday crab! R&G Lounge is a staple, known for its special crab as well as special beef dish.
Afternoon Activity - visit Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory for the tastiest gift for those back home. Be sure to walk through the alleys for a self guided mural tour. Or fill your instagram with pictures under the lanterns. Shopping at Kim + Ono for a beautiful silk robe.
Ready for a midday snack? Head to Jade Chocolates and Tea for a sweet treat. Try the rice patties, which customers purchase in multiples!
Dinner spots abound in Chinatown. Check out China Live, Hot Pot Champ, or Mister Jius if you can snag a reservation.
Grab a drink at the famous Li Po Lounge or Buddha Lounge, known for its authentic Buddha beer, Chinese Mai Tais, juke box, and dice games!
In the evening, unwind at Lion's Den for music and drinks. Check out what live show is happening at the Great Star Theater, a historic theater that originally opened in 1925.
You can access Chinatown by BART with a little bit of walking via the Montgomery Street Station. Head north on Montgomery St. or Sansome St. until you reach Bush St, then left on Bush toward the Chinatown Gate. Take a right on Grant through the gates. SFMTA bus lines 1 and 30 run through Chinatown. You can also take the MUNI subway via the T/Third Street line to Chinatown.
San Francisco has the oldest Chinese American community in the United States. The Chinese were participants at Portsmouth Square when San Francisco celebrated the admission of California into the Union. The Square was the heart of San Francisco and while the City expanded, the Chinese stayed in the area. For over 100 years, Chinatown has stood in this same location. In no other ethnic community of the City can be found such concentration and continuity of history. Today, the San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade is the largest celebration of its kind in the world, attracting over three million spectators.
Shop Dine SF is an initiative of the Office of Small Business, and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development.
Its aim is to bring attention to the local businesses and neighborhood corridors.
Spending money at local small businesses helps merchants, creates jobs, and is critical to San Francisco's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shop local. Even a small increase can have a big impact.
Questions? Email shopdinesf@sfgov.org