Like a trip to China without the 12-hour flight, San Francisco’s Chinatown makes you feel like a time traveler: in a blink you go from the suit-and-tie orderliness of the city’s financial district to the largest Chinatown outside of Asia (and the oldest in the U.S.), with crowded sidewalks filled with Cantonese and Mandarin chatter, overflowing food stalls, dim sum restaurants, and mysterious-looking shops. It’s a trip in every sense of the word, and probably as close as you can get to Asia without a passport.
While it’s fine to stick to Chinatown’s main artery of Grant Street, a shopping thoroughfare lined with markets and trinket and jade shops (the latter especially clustered around the Chinatown Gateway at the neighborhood’s southern end), strike out onto quieter streets to find even more surprising discoveries. Here are eight worthwhile destinations and activities; for an even more in-depth experience, consider joining a guided walking tour, such as All About Chinatown walking tours or food-centric Wok Wiz.
Chinese New Year Festival & Parade
Time your trip to coincide with Lunar New Year (typically in late January or February, to match the lunar calendar) for a real treat: the Chinese New Year Festival & Parade. First started in 1860 to commemorate the homeland of the city’s booming population of Chinese immigrants (drawn to San Francisco during the Gold Rush), the event—now the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside Asia—includes fireworks, floats, lion dancers, drummers, and the crowning of Miss Chinatown.
Chinese Historical Society of America
Inside the landmark Chinatown YWCA building, designed by architect Julia Morgan in 1932, the museum does a knockout job with exhibits and programs related to Chinese culture and Chinatown history. You can find out about various Chinatown events here as well. Admission is free.
Edge on the Square
A 2023 addition to Chinatown, this cultural hub and collaborative space hosts art events that seek to bring people together in the shared pursuit of creativity, expression, and the promotion of civic engagement. Drop by to see the latest exhibitions or events. Open Wednesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tin How Temple
Go back in time in the century-old Buddhist temple, housed in a four-level apartment building, where locals pray, burn incense, and get their fortunes read. A donation is requested.
Hop Hing Ginseng Company
Feeling lethargic? Let the helpful proprietors of this long-respected Chinese apothecary recommend revitalizing teas and tonics prepared with dry herbs, or buy their famous ginseng and other herbs by the pound.
R & G Lounge
Chinatown’s restaurants are one of the district’s main attractions; this one is a long-time favorite beloved for its high-quality signature Cantonese dishes. Notable favorites include tender glazed spare ribs, and delicate salt-and-pepper Dungeness crab.
Vital Tea Leaf
Sample the many brews served at this tea bar and shop, which has three locations. It’s filled with an extraordinary variety of teas, with intriguing blends such as baby chrysanthemum and ginger pine, as well as more traditional green, white, and oolong teas.
Ming Lee Trading
This old-timey grocery and de facto candy and snack emporium seems to carry everything from litchi gummies and green-tea Kit Kats to dried and salted fruits, noodles, and spices.
Golden Gate Bakery
If you’re in the market for fresh dan tat, the traditional Chinese egg-custard tart with a flaky, buttery crust, then make a beeline to this amazing bakery. Don’t be daunted by lines; the treats are worth the wait.
The Wok Shop
The best thing about a visit here is witnessing owner Tane Chan in action as she whirls from one customer to the next, chatting, laughing, and helping to select the best wok for each shopper.
Insider tips: Most of Chinatown’s shops open around 10 or 11 a.m. and close around sundown. Visit sfparkingguide.com for information about where to park in Chinatown.
