18 Splendid Chinese Restaurants in San Francisco
The best soup dumplings, Cantonese barbecue, and hand-pulled noodles across San Francisco
The history of Chinese food in San Francisco goes back about as far as the history of Chinese food in the United States — back to the days of the gold rush, the intercontinental railroad, and, of course, the start of the country’s oldest (and still vibrant) Chinatown. These days, San Francisco is still home to the kind of robust dim sum scene that befits its Cantonese roots, but over the years the city has also seen a burgeoning of other regional Chinese cuisines, especially out west in the Richmond and Sunset neighborhoods.
China Live
The casual first-floor market restaurant in George Chen’s massive, multi-venue complex is known for customer favorites like its crisp-bottomed sheng jian bao and its Peking duck sesame pockets.
The rest of the menu offers everything from fried scallion bread and butter garlic noodles to Dongbei-style long potstickers. While you’re there, might as well stock up on the housemade condiments.