Experience Chinatown through its Legacy Businesses!
1. Start your day on the North End of Chinatown with a hearty egg breakfast and coffee or Hong Kong-style tea at VIP Coffee & Cake Shop.
2. After breakfast, stroll southward on the west side of Grant Avenue and explore the many interesting shops. You’ll find two locations of Dee Dee Boutique featuring exceptional skincare products, beauty consultations, and personalized service to customers of all genders and ages.
3. Stop in Ellie and Eva Company for their extensive collection of Chinese classical instruments and traditional Chinese pinwheels that symbolize good fortune.
4. Chinatown Kite Shop has the largest selection of kites, parafoils, and wind wheels, as well as a great selection of souvenirs and Feng Shui items.
5. Cross the street to Canton Bazaar on the east side of Grant Avenue, a gift store specializing in Asian-inspired merchandise. Their two floors are virtually a one-stop shopping experience for souvenirs and art.
6. Head north to The Wok Shop, where you’ll find woks, kitchenware, cookbooks, unique gifts, souvenirs, and more.
7. Don’t miss Long Boat Jewelry, the place to shop for unique and beautiful jewelry including exquisite bracelets, necklaces, rings, and earrings with pearls, jade, or precious and semi-precious gems set in gold.
8. There are several excellent lunch options. Try traditional Chinese recipes at Sam Wo Restaurant or a modern interpretation of classic dishes at San Sun Restaurant or Chinese-American comfort food at New Lun Ting Café also known as Pork Chop House.
9. Visit the Chinese Historical Society of America and immerse yourself in a gallery exhibition at their CHSA Museum highlighting the experiences of the Chinese in America.
10. San Francisco’s legendary Golden Gate Fortune Cookies is a unique experience that is not to be missed! Watch delectable fortune cookies being made from scratch and assembled in-store by hand on a cast iron rotating griddle wheel.
11. Have dinner at one of four notable restaurants: Far East Café is the oldest banquet-style Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. House of Nanking serves traditional Shanghainese dishes fused with local ingredients and is famous as “the place where the chef doesn’t let you order.” R&G Lounge has San Francisco’s most iconic Cantonese cuisine and is known for their salt & pepper crab and lychee martinis. Yuet Lee Restaurant serves some of the best Chinese seafood in San Francisco.
12. End the day with a Buddha beer at Buddha Lounge or a Chinese Mai Tai at Li Po Lounge.
Other Legacy Businesses in Chinatown:
Other Legacy Businesses in Chinatown:
Legacy Business Program
The Legacy Business Program is for businesses 30+ years old that add to San Francisco's culture. Legacy Businesses can get marketing help, business support, and grants. It is the first program of its kind in the United States.
About
Some of the wording on this page was drafted using ChatGPT.
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 and creates jobs.
Shop local. Even a small increase can have a big impact.
Questions? Email shopdinesf@sfgov.org