Local Tastes of Chinatown Food Tour in San Francisco

Here, fresh laundry air dries from clotheslines, and intricately designed temples glow in technicolor at night against the strings of red lanterns that hang above the alleyways.

On this small-group walking food tour, your Bay Area local guide weaves history and storytelling into a handful of stops that showcase San Francisco's Chinese-American heritage. Begin under the archway of the intricately designed gateway to North America's oldest Chinatown. Throughout the tour, you zigzag across Kearny, Grant, and Stockton streets — often cutting through alleyways — to see the elaborate architecture, eat at some of Chinatown’s oldest restaurants, and more.

Wave hello or stop to talk to the business owners and makers we know along the way. You'll discover many of the restaurants and bakeries we visit have been owned by the same families since the early 1900s.

The only two things you really need to know for this tour: wear comfortable shoes and come hungry! Chinatown teems with delectable places to eat and places to shop, all along mostly flat sidewalks.

One of the first stops is at an iconic Chinese bakery in San Francisco, where you get to try complimentary moon cakes. It opened in 1924, and has been a neighborhood mainstay ever since. In 2020, loyal customers ensured this beloved bakery stayed open, with many people special ordering its popular coffee crunch cake and moon cakes with homemade filling.

We also stop in a wonderful local spot for a variety of tea tastings where you learn Chinese customs regarding tea ceremonies, as well as the health benefits of the tea leaves you taste.

With your sweet tooth satiated, stroll through the Stockton Street markets to experience what it’s like to be in the heart of Chinatown. You’ll see people buying up fresh produce, meats, and other goods here. It may be far from Hong Kong, but the lively energy along the sidewalks in this part of Chinatown may stir up memories or fantasies of what it is like across the Pacific.

Enjoy everything from BBQ Pork Buns, Sui Mai, Rice Cakes, Shrimp Dumplings, and more from Chinatown's favorite restaurants. Savor Dim Sum; from onion pancakes to Shanghai Dumplings and more, at local Chinatown eateries.

No visit to Chinatown is complete until you've seen the landmark Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. Since 1962, this small operation tucked away on Ross Alley has been making people smile at the crack of a handmade fortune cookie. On this tour, you get to go inside to taste the freshly baked goods firsthand and meet the people responsible for bringing joy to so many lives for more than half of a century.

In addition to generous samples, this tour also includes a sit-down meal at a favorite local spot in Chinatown. Enjoy Peking Duck, potstickers, sesame balls, and tea, as you chat with your small group. Vegetarian and vegan options can be added!