SF's New Chinatown & More
Clement Street is the most exciting food street in San Francisco. Two miles of restaurants, bakeries, and markets representing dozens of cuisines — and most of it is affordable, authentic, and brilliant.
The Richmond District's food identity was shaped by two major immigration waves: the Chinese community that spread west from Chinatown, and the Russian Jewish and Eastern European community that arrived in the mid-20th century. Today, the neighbourhood is one of the most culturally diverse in SF, and its food reflects every chapter of that history.
The Inner Richmond along Clement Street has the greatest concentration of restaurants. The Outer Richmond is quieter but has its own gems — particularly for dim sum, Burmese food, and the legendary restaurants that make Clement Street a destination for food lovers from across the Bay.
Clement Street Food Hub
Clement Street is SF's ultimate neighbourhood food corridor — dozens of restaurants serving Cantonese, Shanghainese, Vietnamese, Russian, Burmese, and more within a walkable strip.
Superior Dim Sum
Many SF food lovers argue the Richmond's dim sum spots outperform Chinatown — more diverse regional Chinese cuisines, often less touristy, and equally excellent quality.
Russian Bakeries & Delis
A remnant of the neighbourhood's Russian and Eastern European community, the Richmond still has excellent Russian bakeries and delicatessens offering Eastern European breads and pastries.
Burmese Food Destination
The Richmond's Burmese restaurants — particularly around Clement Street — are among the best in the country, with tea leaf salad, mohinga, and clay pot dishes of extraordinary quality.
Must-Try Dishes
The Burmese national salad — fermented tea leaves with crunchy legumes, tomatoes, and shredded cabbage.
Superior shrimp dumplings from the Richmond's Cantonese specialists — the translucent wrapper benchmark.
Dense, tangy rye bread from Richmond bakeries with Eastern European heritage — essential with smoked fish.
Burmese fish and rice-noodle soup — the national breakfast dish, complex and aromatic.
Aged fermented tea from the Richmond's Chinese tea houses — earthy, complex, and deeply satisfying.
Cantonese baked pastries filled with sweet red bean paste from the neighbourhood's many bakeries.
Neighborhoods & Food Districts
Every part of Richmond District SF has its own food character. Here's where to focus your eating:
The food heart — Clement Street between Arguello and Park Presidio is the densest, most diverse dining block.
Quieter and more residential with excellent Chinese, Vietnamese, and neighbourhood restaurants.
The neighbourhood's major commercial artery with diverse restaurants serving a local commuter crowd.