Good Restaurants in Chinatown (San Francisco)

Sellers Markets

You can buy the best of salads, sandwiches and pizzas here, all cooked with locally grown ingredients. The menu is as eco-friendly as it can possibly get, and offers a vast array of dishes. Flatbread Frittatas, Pancetta Cobb Salad, Turkey and Triple Cream Brie Sandwiches, Rosemary Lemon Free-Range Chicken, Ham & Cheddar Tartines—the list seems endless! So if you wish to lunch on some healthy, tasty fare, head to Sellers Markets today.

Four Seasons Restaurant and Cocktails

There is a cachet to being seen at Four Seasons Restaurant and Cocktails on the local restaurant scene. For 40 years politicians from city supervisors to presidential candidates have looked in and their photos cover the walls. Identifying them is a popular pastime for locals and tourists who sit at the bar waiting for a table while sipping tropical drinks or a refreshing Chinese beer. Once seated in the dining room, patrons enjoy heaping plates of delicious dim sum or Mandarin beef. The service is great from a staff that has a smile and a million great stories about celebrities who have dined here.

Fifth Floor Restaurant

This is a cozy spot for local foodies to have breakfast or dinner (no lunch is served) surrounded by an airy, modern decor inspired by the 1920's-1940's Arte Moderne movement. Chef Laurent Manrique produces cuisine that blends classic cooking techniques from the Southwest of France with California feeling and seasonal ingredients. The menu features such luxurious offerings as the Matelote d'Anguille (oxtail and Japanese eel braised in Bordelaise sauce) or the Poulet au Pot (poached free range chicken stuffed with foie gras), and for dessert, Souffle a la Poire (pear souffle). The wine list (prices vary) and the service are both outstanding. There is also a no reservation lounge with lighter menu options.

Nook

This little restaurant at Nob Hill has a wholesome feel to it. Breakfasts just get better with coffee, bagel sandwiches, quiches and breads, all served hot and piping. The area is well lit so you can solve that crossword while sipping on a soda. Lunch and dinner also have good variations of dishes. The wines are worth a try. And since it is popular with locals, the food runs out often. So be warned!

Campton Place Bar And Bistro

The deep auburn madrona wood and the caramel-colored leather upholstery at the Campton Place bar makes for an inviting and comforting atmosphere. A full bar serves you specialty cocktails and fine wines. In addition to the drinks, the bar serves bistro-style food. With the ambiance of a club, the Campton Place Bar can be a nice place to have a romantic date or a rendezvous with friends. The drinks served here let you unwind after a tough day at work.

SIP Bar & Lounge

There's nothing more satiating than well mixed drinks in a laid-back ambiance to unwind on weekends. SIP Bar and Lounge offers you all this and much more. A contemporary minimalist style defines the interiors of this place and the leather couches are inviting and comfortable. Select your poison from the cocktail menu which has everything from 'classic' concoctions to 'caffeinated' and 'refreshing' ones. Music by celebrity DJ's takes the fun factor a notch higher. There is no particular dress code you need to follow, however make sure you're cordial with other guests and the staff as good manners are priority here. A good venue for hosting private parties, SIP promises to make your event a memorable one.

Henry's Hunan Restaurant

Hunan cuisine is characterized by its spice - the predominately red color scheme at Henry's Hunan Restaurant could be a tribute to that fiery tradition. Food can be ordered in a milder version, but for a three-alarm dining experience, this is the place. Items include classic kung pao chicken, delicious salt and pepper prawns, as well as some of the hottest pot stickers in the city. The service is quick, which is good for the financial district types on a tight schedule, who drop in for a quick bite. You will also find Chinese ex-pats homesick for a taste of the old country, and tourists.

Ho's Bar & Restaurant

This tidy little eatery does most of its business by delivery, which means that the dining room usually has plenty of seats for those who prefer to dine in. Granted, the decor is no great shakes, but it is attractive with crisp linen tablecloths and well-chosen prints on the wall. The food itself may not be fancy, but it is well prepared and tasty. The Kung Pao Chicken in particular has its loyal fans around the city, as do the braised noodle items with chicken, pork, seafood or vegetables. The family-run operation always offers a warm welcome and great service, too.

New Fortune Dim Sum and Cafe

More a take-out counter than a sit-down cafe, the dim sum here is much more elegant than the surroundings in which it is sold. Generic glass display cases hold a delicious assortment of dumplings, egg rolls, pork and chicken buns, as well as toothsome custard tarts and doughy sesame balls, sometimes dubbed Chinese donuts. There are a few tables and chairs, but most of the customers that include Chinese ex-pats, Chinese Americans and tourists get their orders to go from the quick but sometimes harried counter staff. No credit cards are accepted.

Vietnam Restaurant

The look is spare, but the greeting is friendly whether first thing in the morning or just before closing in the wee hours. Find a good selection of down-home cooking Vietnamese-style with rich and hearty bowls of 'pho' full of noodles, beef and veggies. It is a favorite with the local crowd for breakfast or a late-night snack. Also on the menu are huge Imperial Rolls bursting with shrimp and pork as well as Vietnamese sandwiches, a baguette hollowed out and filled with tasty barbecue pork, beef, or chicken (watch out for the extra hot whole chilis). Payment is in cash only.

My Canh

There are only a handful of tables in this tidy little place called My Canh, but if you are in the mood for excellent Pho, it is worth the wait judging by the regulars who frequent the place and the tourists on a break from sightseeing. The wait staff keeps things moving briskly here, so while you will not be encouraged to linger over a rich and hearty bowl of Beef Broth, thinly sliced steak and an abundance of noodles, you will be dining on some terrific food at great prices. Lunchtime brings bargain lunch plates of flavorful Five-Spice Chicken and seafood flavored with lemongrass, among others.

Zazang Korean Noodle

If you're eager to try the flavors of Chinese-Korean cuisine for a reasonable price, visit Zazang Korean Noodle in Chinatown. Here, you can try the traditional Zazang noodle dish with a dark, rich black bean sauce—a plate so famous that it makes the name of the restaurant. Try the Seafood Gan Zazang with calamari, mussels, shrimp and fish which is a delicious variation of the original. Plates tend to be hefty, so save room or share with a friend!