FABULOUS FOOD! PASTRIES AND MILK-TEA IN CHINATOWN.

The other day I watched as a little girl reacted to the display of pastries. You could tell from her rapt fascination that it was an enchanting sight, so tempting, so delicious. Remarkably, she did not importune her parent, but calmly accepted the charsiu bun as sufficient delivery on the promise.
Evenso, the items with icing and chocolate still held her attention.

Perhaps she imagined a distant place, where there are palm trees, sunlight, a gently rolling surf, friendly seagulls, and absolutely NO glass barriers in front of slices of cake.

Nor the prospect of dinner to limit her.

I also think of such things.

Often.

Usually because when I wander into a bakery in Chinatown it is late in the day and I forgot all about breakfast and lunch. Low blood-sugar levels do things to the mind.
You've seen it here before: Hong Kong style milk-tea and a snacky-poo.
Followed by smoking a nice pipe-full of aged Virginia.
I am boring and regular in my habits.
As well as food-obsessed.

But I am easily distracted, which is why breakfast and lunch are irregular at best. I've probably had more ill-advised midnight snacks than actual decent breakfasts in the last few years, and I fervently wish that Chinese coffee shops were open late in the evening.

Milk-tea, yummy pastry, and a walk through quiet streets after darkness.
Yes, that is what the ideal tropical paradise would offer.


Here's a relatively full listing of bakeries in Chinatown.
Or leastways, places that offer one or the other.
Tea (港式奶茶), pastry (糕點同餅類).


好食嘢 GOOD EATING THING!


永興餅家茶餐廳 ('wing hing beng gaa chaa chaanteng')
AA BAKERY & CAFE
1068 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-981-0123
舊金山，市德頓街1068號。

Once saw some northern girls here with impossibly short skirts and curvy golden gams, but that is NOT the reason I like the place. It's frantic, crowded, has great pastries, and there's always a bunch of old men whose conversation I can listen in on.


ABC大餐廳 ('a-b-c daai chaanteng')
ABC BAKERY & CAFE
650 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94133.
415-981-0685
舊金山，昃臣街650號。

The service can be slipshod, the pastries are reliably standard. Many locals go here, not only for bakery items but also quick no-thought meals. The milk-tea is not that good, and may have a swimming pool in the saucer.
It can be loud.
And odd.


幸福餅家 ('hang fuk beng gaa')
BLOSSOM BAKERY
133 Waverly Pl
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-391-8088
舊金山，天后廟街133號。

Quite one of my favourite places. I love their charsiu sou, and they're always willing to make me a cup of milk-tea. Friendly and courteous people, mostly male customers having a cuppa after work.
It's often peaceful in late afternoon.
Very old-fashioned.
Nice.


新檀島咖啡餅店 ('san taan tou ka fei bing dim')
CAFE HONOLULU
888 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-982-6688
舊金山，市德頓街888號。

Open later than many other places, and a good selection of cha chanteng foods in addition to the bakery items. Older people and Mandarin speakers like this place, and it's a comfortable spot to while away some time while watching a Hong Kong soap opera on teevee. You could also read here.
Bittermelon and pork, spaghetti, and darn good milk-tea.


得利點心 ('dak lei dim sam')
DICK LEE PASTRY & DIM SUM
716 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94133.
415-397-0788
舊金山，昃臣街716號。

They used to be much better, and less tourist-oriented.
I often wonder how they stay in business.
Perhaps it's just hard work.


東亞餅家 ('tung a beng gaa')
EASTERN BAKERY
720 Grant Ave
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-982-5157
舊金山，都板街720號。

The classic. Coffee crunch cake, dow sa bing (豆沙餠) and several interesting well-made pastries to choose from. Famous for their mooncakes. Open till eight.


小麥田 ('siu mak tin')
FANCY WHEAT FIELD BAKERY
1362 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94133.
415-982-1368
舊金山，市德頓街1362號。

Fast, frenetic, a frantic battlefield, forsooth. With absolutely some of the best HK baked goods on the planet. Lovely bread, divine little Portuguese custard tarts, and everything looks so beautiful and delicious.
No wonder people go mad in here.
Deservedly.


嘉頓餠家 ('gaa duen beng gaa')
GARDEN BAKERY
765 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94133.
415-397-5838
舊金山，昃臣街765號。

Some good stuff. But you'll probably never get a seat near the window.
And for some reason my accent in Cantonese excites comment.
Consequently I do not go here often.
Sometimes not in months.
No milk-tea.


金門餅家 ('kam mun beng gaa')
GOLDEN GATE BAKERY
1029 Grant Ave
San Francisco, CA 94133.
415-781-2627
舊金山，都板街1029號。

They used to have tables and chairs, but their egg-tarts are now so popular that you can no longer sit there. It has a well-earned reputation.


好旺角包餅店 ('hou wong kok bao beng dim')
GOOD MONG KOK BAKERY
1039 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-397-2688
舊金山，市德頓街1039號。

Line out the door. Baked goods, steamed things.


iCAFE SAN FRANCISCO
57 Walter U. Lum Place
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-392-2682
舊金山，花園街57號。

Milk-tea, espresso drinks, pastries of a non-Chinese variety. Friendly people, and a place to sit. A perfect place for hiding out. Portsmouth Square is just across the street, so there's always something interesting passing by.
Three enterprises pay the rent here: the cafe, a florist, and a maker of dynamite lap cheung ('dry pork sausages and preserved meats'). I bought some extremely nice pressed dry duck there when it was still just the sausage king (廣州皇上皇臘味). Yes, I like this shop.


MAGGIE'S CAFE
848 Grant Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-986-6668
舊金山，都板街848號。

Fancy Euro pastries, espresso drinks, and also milk tea. Good place to sit watching tourists stumbling down Grant Avenue.
An oasis for scared foreigners.
Prices are too high.


美香餅家 ('mei heung beng gaa')
MEE HEONG BAKERY
1343 Powell Street
San Francisco, CA 94133.
415-781-3266
舊金山，跑華街1343號。

A bare-bonesy bakery with a neighborhood feel. Real people go here, to pick up something nice to nibble on. Kids come in and say 'hi' to the folks behind the counter.
Far from the madding crowd.


美美餅食公司 ('mei mei beng sik gungsi')
MEE MEE BAKERY
1328 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94133.
415-362-3204
舊金山，市德頓街1328號。

Fortune cookies and mooncakes, and that is all.


拿破崙餠屋 ('na po luen beng uk')
NAPOLEON SUPER BAKERY
1049 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
415-951-8133
舊金山，市德頓街1049號。

I used to go here more often, then the Filipinas discovered it and I can't even get in the door. But they do some very good stuff.


安娜閣 ('on naa gok')
NEW ANNA BAKERY
715 Clay Street
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-989-8898
舊金山，企李街715號。

Small, with a fairly standard selection. But they also prepare hot food, and it's a good place to have a decent lunch with a friend or two. Soup, rice, three dishes, low price.
Nice people.


荷里活茶餐廳 ('ho lei wut chaa chanteng')
NEW HOLLYWOOD BAKERY & RESTAURANT
652 Pacific Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94133.
415-397-9919
舊金山，柏思域街652號。

Been going here for years. And old stand-by, with quality pastries, and a nice cosy atmosphere. Plus their cha-chanteng menu is appealing. The braised lamb with dried tofu over rice is one of my favourites.
Also think of ox tails.


富祥點心 ('fuk cheung dim sam')
NEW FORTUNE DIM SUM & COFFEE SHOP
815 Stockton Street, between Clay and Sacramento.
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-399-1511
舊金山，市德頓街815號。

Not really a bakery. But they do have a small selection of baked goods.
Mostly cheap eats and dim sum. Very affordable.
I like the food, and I like the owners.
A frequent haunt.


好好味 ('hou hou mei')
SWEET MART
727 Washington Street
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-788-5555
舊金山，華盛頓街727號。

Milk-tea to go, lots of candies, limited supply of baked goods, and souvenir tzatzkies for the tourists.
Plus stuffed animals.
No place to sit. But they wouldn't want you to do so anyway.


心意甜品 ('sam yi tim pan')
SWEETHEART CAFE
909 Grant Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-262-9989
舊金山，都板街909號。

Tapioca teas and many strange snacks, including kaidanchai (雞蛋仔). Their sweet crepes are quite good. Popular among younger people.
Bubble drinks.


嘉賓閣咖啡餅店 ('gaa ban gok gaa fei beng dim')
VIP COFFEE & CAKES SHOP
671 Broadway
San Francisco, CA 94133.
415-989-7118
舊金山，布律威街671號。

Walnut tarts very good. Some excellent pastries. Sizzling platters.
I've never felt at home, possibly due to the clientele.
Perhaps because of the tables.
All sticky, lah.


華麗餠家 ('waa lai beng gaa')
WA LI BAKERY & CAFE
1249 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94133.
415-986-1660
舊金山，市德頓街1249號。

Sometimes it's packed. Sometimes it's empty.
Just a normal bakery.


華盛頓茶餐廳 ('waa seng duen chaa chaanteng')
WASHINGTON BAKERY AND RESTAURANT
733 Washington Street
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-397-3232
舊金山，華盛頓街733號。

I like this place. It often feels empty by the time I get here, but they also do hot food, and their milk-tea hits the spot. Their menu suits me. It's very much a cha chanteng, but quality.


好旺利 ('hou wong lei')
WONG LEE BAKERY
732 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-986-3759.
舊金山，昃臣街732號。

No place to sit, everything to go. Large buns, lots of freshness, little English. The great big monstrous chicken bun is a marvelous thing. This location was where Yong Kee (容記糕粉 'yung gei kou fan') used to be.
You can also get bubble tea here.


人仁西餅麵包 ('yan yan sai beng min baau')
YUMMY BAKERY
607 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-989-8388
舊金山，昃臣街607號。

Open till nearly eight o'clock, good milk tea, fine cheesecake, and some altogether fun snacking.
Two tables only, but a splendid refuge for hiding-out late in the day.
They make several excellent and unusual items.
It's another favourite place.


金華點心快餐 ('gam waa dim sam faai chaan')
YUMMY DIM SUM & FAST FOOD
930 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94108.
415-308-3819, 415-828-0856, 415-986-2783
舊金山，市德頓街930號。

Their bakery counter is small, as most of their business consists of hungry locals coming in for a cheap lunch. Good rice porridge (and they have oil-stick), some lovely dim sum items, and a decent selection of cheap steam table eats to dump over rice.
I think you get good value for your money.
There are hardly any white customers.
Tourists look around and leave.
These are good things.



To the best of my knowledge none of these places have a wine list.
They don't cater to an entitled crowd.
In any way at all.
Enjoy.




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