Dim Sum

Asian food has long been part of the vibrant San Francisco food scene. Dating back to the days of the gold rush, Chinese cuisine has long been found on the streets and down the alleyways of San Francisco. In fact, it is said that San Francisco has the oldest Chinatowns in the US.

One of the most popular ways to enjoy Chinese food is dim sum. Dim Sums, think of it as Asian hors d’oeuvres or samples. Small pieces of food—such as dumplings, rice balls or wontons -—are served in a set of 4 -12 to be shared amongst your table of guests. Because of the smaller serving sizes, multiple plates can be ordered, allowing a range of dishes and flavours. That said, larger items can also be served such as roast duck, fried rice or noodles. These are all still shared with the table. Think of it like Chinese tapas. Dishes are also often served via carts which wait staff will push around to each table. You simple point to what you want and they record it on your bill so you can eat as little or as much as you like depending on what is brought around. Otherwise, you will be given a menu and an order sheet to mark which dishes you would like and they will cook them fresh for you (this is often better as the dishes are made to order and fresh).
There is no shortage of dim sum restaurants available in San Francisco but some are more popular than others. If you find yourself looking to dine on a rainy Saturday or Sunday for brunch or lunch you might need to line up. But then, this might just mean that that particular restaurant is extra-delicious!
Good restaurants to try are:

Yank Sing
Address: In the Rincon Center, 101 Spear St
Hong Kong Lounge
Address: 522 Geary Boulevard and 3300 Geary Boulevard

Kingdom of Dumpling Address: 1713 Taraval Street