The 14 Best Things To Do and See in San Francisco's Chinatown

If you’ve never seen a Chinese New Year in person, then this is your perfect opportunity. The parade usually begins at Second and Market Street, and will consist of the Flower Market Fair, the Community Fair, Chinatown YMCA run, ribbon cutting, Miss Chinatown pageant, and basketball jamboree. It lasts a couple of hours and is a great way to learn about some of the Chinese culture.

The Dragon Gate is the entry point to Chinatown off of Grant Avenue, the oldest street in San Francisco. It was given to San Francisco by the Republic of China to symbolize the most important street in the neighborhood. The gate is inscribed with a message from the first President of the Republic of China and is a great first stop in this amazing neighborhood.

The Fortune Cookie Factory is responsible for producing more than 20,000 fortune cookies a day. This amazing factory still makes its cookies by hand, something apparently no other factory does. It was opened in 1962 and is considered a hidden gem of San Francisco. It can be an extremely hard place for tourists to find because it is a tiny store front located on Ross Alley, but make sure to stop in and buy some fortune cookies…

Peking Duck is a storied dish from Beijing that’s been prepared for emperors and special occasions for centuries. Bottom line: It’s an important dish that, for anyone who likes duck, is a total must-try. San Francisco’s Chinatown has an abundance of restaurants that offer this crispy, succulent meal, all of which are worth a try. Hunan’s Home Restaurant is often cited as one of the best, alongside other mainstays like Sam Wo Restaurant.

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If it’s late and you’re in Chinatown, you should head toward North Beach and check out one of the karaoke bars near Columbus. The atmosphere is on the divey side, but drinks are usually cheap and the crowds are all just looking to relax and have a good time. Bow Bow Cocktail Lounge is the place to go if you want to get groovy and sing your heart out, while Mr. Bing’s and Red’s Place are also nearby and sometimes have karaoke going on.

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Although it isn’t always considered authentic Chinese architecture, the Sing Chong Building was the first to be rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake and fire that hit San Francisco, and this alone makes it a must-visit for any first-time Chinatown goers. It breaks records routinely for being one of the most photographed pieces of architecture in San Francisco, putting it at the top of the list for the most popular as well.

Another site steeped in history, the Bank of Canton was once formally known as the Chinese Telephone Exchange building. It began as the first public telephone pay station in 1891, and by 1894, was incorporating switchboards to serve subscribers to the telephone system. The workers were required to memorize each subscriber by name, address, and occupation, and to know five separate dialects of Chinese and English. The building was renovated after the 1906 earthquake and remained a telephone exchange until 1949, when rotary dial telephones took over.

Waverly Place is an alleyway in Chinatown known for being used in multiple films, like the Pursuit of Happiness, and you will recognize it because it is known as the ‘street with painted balconies.’ Waverly Place is an extremely unique area, because its history goes beyond that of Chinatown — it holds the first US post office that was located in San Francisco.

There’s plenty of tea shops around Chinatown to guarantee your caffeine fix at a moment’s notice. Most of these are chains, but Red Blossom Tea Company on Grant is a neighborhood original. They opened thirty years ago as an apothecary under the name Yau Hing, meaning ‘to flourish again.’ Today, Red Blossom specializes in quality teas and provides tastings that help shoppers understand the subtler difference between their product and Nestea. Free taste tests are available to sample the quality of specific varietals and their expert tea slingers will create a personalized flight of brews for just $35 per person.

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The Tien Hau Temple is the oldest Taoist temple in Chinatown and was founded in 1852 by the Cantonese clan association in San Francisco. Visitors must be aware they should make their way all the way to to third floor to see the temple, and to ensure they check out the different designs, too. This temple was extremely important to the people of San Francisco, which earned it a street name in Waverly Place.

Old St. Mary’s Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in California, and was built by Chinese laborers who used granite quarried from China and bricks from New England. The church began its use in 1854 and lasted until 1891, where it was replaced by a larger cathedral, changing St. Mary’s into a parish church. Old St. Mary’s Church managed to withstand the 1906 earthquake, but was almost destroyed by the fires that followed the earthquake. The building was renovated by 1909 and became an official California registered historical landmark. Old St. Mary’s Church is a must-see when visiting Chinatown because of its rich history and resilience.

Buddha’s Universal Church is the largest Buddhist church in the country. The building, which was built in 1961, stands five stories tall and is a symbol of religious freedom and devotion. Visitors should take time to visit all of the floors, as decorations range from the bamboo chapel to the rooftop garden. The church allows visitors an amazing view from the top terrace and is a great opportunity to get that perfect shot overlooking the city.

San Francisco has a pretty enormous place in cocktail history as one of the epicenters of Tiki culture (or, Polynesian Pop for liquor historians out there). The Mai Tai was invented across the Bay at Trader Vic’s before spreading across the world to become the most prominent example of South Pacific-inspired, rum-based libations. Li Po Cocktail Lounge in Chinatown puts its own spin on the Bay Area original with lychee liqueur. It’s a strong concoction with a neat twist that’s a steal for $11. Plus, Anthony Bourdain thought the drink was great, so that’s probably all you need to know.

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The best part about Chinatown is the fact that tourists can experience a completely different cultural side to San Francisco. Saturdays are the busiest days in Chinatown, and tourists should start at the Grant Avenue Dragon Gate entrance and make their way down this main tourist street. Take time to duck into small shops and look at anything that may catch your eye. If they want to immerse themselves and hang with the locals, tourists should make their way to Stockton Street, where locals do their shopping, bartering, and are often seen arguing over their game of dice.