A view of a street in Chinatown, San Francisco.
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“Chinatown is my second home. All of Chinatown, from every street corner to alleyway, has memories inked in my mind,” says San Francisco chef and restaurateur Kathy Fang. She was, in fact, born at the Chinese Hospital in Chinatown, attended school in the neighborhood and spent a good chunk of her free time at her parent’s Chinatown restaurant, House of Nanking. “Chinatown was my playground as a kid and now as an adult it’s the spot where I go to eat, run errands, see family, and relive memories,” Fang says.
Of course, in the decades Fang has frequented the neighborhood, she’s seen it change, “a lot.” The nightlife in Chinatown has slowed down, with fewer late night restaurants, and the adjacent neighborhoods of Broadway and Little Italy have tempered down as well. “I have fond memories of eating incredible dishes like salt and pepper lobster with congee and hakka tossed noodles past midnight,” she says. Still, there is much to love about the neighborhood, though her business is rooted about half a mile south of Dragon’s Gate, in SoMa.
Now, Fang’s eponymous restaurant, attracts Chinatown residents, local regulars, and a steady flow of tech bros, whom Fang observes during the lunchtime rush on a summer weekday. As two regulars rave about their salt and pepper fish and pork buns, Fang remains humble, not announcing herself as the chef and co-owner of the multigenerational restaurant she’s run with her father for ten years. Though Fang Restaurant sits distinctively away from Chinatown, Fang still has a soft spot for the neighborhood in her heart. Below, Fang shares her favorite culinary gems in the neighborhood.
“This classic bakery sells the best Egg Tarts and BBQ Pork Turnovers in the city and quite possibly the West Coast. I’ve been eating their Egg Tarts and Turnovers since I was young and still nobody does it better than they do.”
“For old school Hong Kong style Wonton Noodle Soup, Hon’s Wun Tun hits the spot. They only focus on wonton noodle soups, from dry, tossed, to in soup, accompanied by traditional sides like braised beef brisket, tendons, etc. Their thin delicate wonton skins can be bought in store if you wish to make your own and so are their fresh noodles.”
Crispy short ribs at Fang Restaurant
Fang
“Baked pork chop over fried rice is all you need to know. This spot makes the best Hong Kong style Cha Chan Tang dish. The pork chop is cooked perfectly and the sauce that is baked over it is just right. The egg fried rice below makes it a decadent enough meal for two. This joint has been here forever and judging by the patrons around you, they have been loyal customers forever as well.”
“For those days when I’m running around finishing errands in Chinatown, either buying produce for the restaurant or picking up goods for home, and I need a fast pick me up or snack, Delicious Dim sum is the spot. I walk in order a few dim sum morsels and eat it while I walk to my next errand. Served in a plastic bag or a small plastic container with a to-go fork, it’s all you need. It’s fast, delicious and very affordable. This was my favorite snack of choice as a kid after school.”
Tourists visitors and residents at the historic Dragon Gate Arch South Chinatown entrance in San Francisco, California.
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“This is the ultimate dry goods grocery store in Chinatown. When I come here to find things, I can get lost exploring. From sauces, to snacks, to cookies, noodles, flours, etc. You name it, they got it. Any Asian spices or seasoning you can’t usually find, you can find here.”
I have so many fond memories of eating here with my dad throughout my youth. During those growing teenage years when my appetite seemed like a bottomless pit, this place was perfect. Roasted pork over rice, Pork with onions over rice, BBQ Pork with eggs over rice, Curry Oxtail…think All-American classic dishes fused with a little Chinese influence. Everything here is no frills but done well. Occasionally when I’m feeling extra hungry, I came here just for old times sake with my dad.
“I don’t know anyone who lives or visits Chinatown who doesn’t frequent Fancy Wheat Field Bakery. This new-age bakery serves an endless variety of baked goods. Think Curry Baked Buns, Hot Dog Corn Scallion Buns, Pineapple Buns, Matcha Buns, Coconut Cocktail Buns, Pork Floss Scallion Rolls – the list goes on. It’s our go- to spot to buy pastries for our staff at Fang and House of Nanking.”
Jackson Street in San Francisco.
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“Hands down the best Vietnamese spot in Chinatown. I come here for their Pho Bo, Bun Bo Hue, and their Vermicelli Noodle Bowls. No matter what time you come here, this spot is always bustling.”
“I love that in the middle of old school Chinatown, you find this hip lounge that serves great cocktails, hip music, and traditional Chinese Dishes with a fun twist as bar bites, things like Salt and Vinegar Shrimp Chips, Dutch Crunch BBQ pork buns…it’s a great spot to hang, drink and eat at.”
“This is as hole in the wall as you can get. It’s not even located on the ground floor. You have to go to the basement to eat and the service is non-existent. But for traditional Cantonese Fare, this place does it right. Pei Pa Tofu (Tofu Croquettes with Garlic Broccoli), Claypot Catfish with Smoked Pork Belly and Tofu Skin, Claypot Rice with Frogs, Chinese Sausage, and Shitake Mushrooms…are just some of their standout dishes. For real authentic fare you would image eating in HK, come here.”
Wonton soup at House of Nanking
House of Nanking
“I grew up eating at my parents spot my entire life, which I now help run. And there are some classic dishes we have here that always makes me think of my childhood. Dishes that have been served for over twenty-plus years like potstickers with peanut sauce and the sesame chicken. Just give me a bowl of peanut sauce and a bowl of rice and I’m in heaven. Our house noodles with secret black sesame sauce is also out of this world. Whenever I’m in the kitchen I have to get a bowl of it to snack on.”