The Ultimate SF Chinatown Food Tour: Private & Chef-Led

Learn about the history and cuisine of San Francisco's Chinatown

Experience the real flavors of the oldest Chinatown in North America, guided by dumpling Chef Eddie Lo. Step away from the tourist traps and dive into the hidden alleyways, bustling local markets, and family bakeries that make San Francisco’s Chinatown a local culinary destination.

Chef Eddie will guide you through the history, culture, and food of Chinatown:

Chef-Curated Bites: Learn about the ingredients, cooking techniques, and flavors directly from a culinary instructor.
Insider Access: We will visit the mom-and-pop shops and hidden gems that chefs and locals love.
A Full Meal: Come hungry! This isn't just a light tasting. It’s a feast that spans savory dim sum, roasted meats, and sweet pastries.

Sample Itinerary

Stop 1: Dim Sum Feast

We kick off the tour by sitting down at one of my favorite neighborhood spots for a classic dim sum experience. We'll taste traditional har gow, perfectly roasted barbeque pork, and learn the etiquette of a Chinese family-style dim sum feast.

Stop 2: Secret Alleyways & Bustling Markets

Walk off the first course as we navigate Chinatown's historic alleyways. We’ll stroll past local produce stands and herbal medicine shops, where I'll introduce you to the vegetables and ingredients we use in my dumpling cooking classes.

Stop 3: Cheung Fun & Other Street Food

Otherwise known as rice rolls, cheung fun can have a number of different stuffings. We'll also stop by my favorite dumpling spot in the neighborhood for some steamed dumplings made from scratch.

Stop 4: Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory

We’ll watch the mesmerizing art of folding fortune cookies by hand and taste them while they are still warm and flat right off the press.

Stop 5: The Sweet Finish

No trip to Chinatown is complete without an iconic Cantonese Egg Tart (Dan Ta). We'll visit a legendary local bakery to grab a warm, flaky, custard-filled tart to end the day on a sweet note.

Why tour with a Chef?

As I’ve traveled the world, I’ve found the best tours are those with a chef who knows ingredients and cuisine intimately. You learn a lot more and there is much more opportunity for a customized experience.

Tours by large companies are often disappointing as it’s just contracted out to a guide who takes you on a standardized route with cheap quality dishes and very little color on the flavor profiles, meaning of the foods, and cultural context.

With that ethos, I do offer food tours but on a private, request-only basis. This is perfect for people who have done my dumpling courses and want a deeper dive into dim sum and Chinese cuisine. The spots I will curate are based on guest’s curiosities and interests, if they have any.

How to Book

1. Get a group of 1-5 together.

All private tours start at $900 with a maximum of 5 guests. This includes all food, and no additional gratuity is expected.

2. Share your focus.

If there are specific dishes you'd like to try, please discuss ahead with Chef Eddie. We can also visit some markets (vegetable, fish, meat, and herbal) to discuss ingredients, sauces and flavor. Otherwise, for a typical tour, expect to share 4-5 dim sum dishes at a sit down restaurant, street food like dumplings and rice noodles, a bowl of wontons, and a dessert, all included in the cost. No matter what you choose, we will discuss cooking technique, flavor, cultural context and history with each dish you have. Come hungry.

3. Request some dates.

Tours are recommended to start at 11am and last 2.5-3 hours. However, you can start as early as 10am and as late as 2pm. Note that most of Chinatown closes up shop around 5pm. Inquire about a private food tour >