North America’s oldest Chinatown is to be found in San Francisco. Enter this historic section of town through the ornate gate located on Grant Avenue. Walk right past the kitschy, tourist-ridden stores hawking plastic Buddhas and postcards, and head straight to the locals-only restaurants serving dim sum — small meat dumplings and nibbles consumed for breakfast with hot tea. The not-so-easy-on-the-eyes, but very-easy-on-the-wallet Dol Ho serves up an incredible siu mai (meat dumplings filled with crunchy bits of vegetable) and steamed pork buns filled with sweet barbecued meat. For a more refined dim sum outing, head to Hang Ah Tea Room, located in a tiny alley. The specialities at the city’s oldest dim sum house include shrimp dumplings and sticky rice with pork.
Where
Dol Ho, 808 Pacific Ave (at Stockton St), San Francisco, CA 94133; 415-392-2828.
Hang Ah Tea Room, 1 Pagoda Place (at Sacramento St), San Francisco, CA 94108; 415-982-5686