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How will you ring in the Year of the Rat next weekend? That’s easy: Head to San Francisco’s Chinatown, the nation’s largest and oldest hub for Chinese family-owned businesses, including densely-packed dim sum restaurants, tea houses and cocktail bars.
Start with our list of new and original spots, beginning with Moongate Lounge on quiet, lantern-decked Wavery Place. Chef-owner Brandon Jew of Michelin-starred Mister Jiu’s opened the lunar-themed bar and lounge last spring, further reviving this storied corner of Chinatown.
Located above Mister Jiu’s restaurant in the historic Four Seas banquet space, Moongate Lounge is a showstopper: a moody, stunning bar that pays homage to Chinese history and culture, with innovative cocktails and bites inspired by the lunar calendar.
In Chinese architecture, a moon gate refers to a circular passageway. There is one here: The original double doors of Four Seas, where for half a century, families poured in for weddings and red egg and ginger ceremonies. And we found other dome-like touches, from the arcs behind the bar to the massive skylight in the center of the room, that were equally transportive — especially at night, when they’re all lit up and you can easily see the restored mural of philosopher Han Xiang Zi.
On our visit, the moon gates cast a pinkish-purple glow across the high-ceilinged room, where mid-century modern love seats and ultra-tall banquettes are always in high demand: Moongate’s reservations, available 21 days in advance, are time-limited depending on party size. The bar is reserved for walk-ins, but we wouldn’t take our chances.
The drinks are a big draw. The bar offers six house cocktails ($15 each) named after moons, like Kerberos, a gin-based lip-smacker made with green chartreuse, salted kiwi, celery and pink peppercorn, and Deimos, a savory bourbon sipper featuring oolong, green walnut and brined black-sesame honey. There are also six seasonal cocktails (also $15) made with fruits, flowers and spices. Currently, that includes the Minor Snow, made with mezcal, lapsang souchong, lemon, condensed milk and shave ice.
To pair with the cocktails, Jui and his team have created some pretty memorable small plates ($16 each). The playful Chicken in a Spacesuit is easily the tastiest thing we’ve eaten so far this year. Two housemade chicken sausages are wrapped in bao dough that’s grilled, then topped with lemon aioli and pickled bits. Look for other clever takes on Chinese-American classics, like Smoked Black Cod Rangoon, plus nibbles ($8 each) such as Winter Citrus with Osmanthus, and desserts (also $8), including a Parisian-style egg tart.
With its singular drinks and vibe, Moongate is drawing a generation of bar-goers who may not typically frequent this part of the city.
Details: Opens at 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday at 28 Waverly Place, San Francisco; www.moongatelounge.com.
Looking for other enticing Chinatown finds? Here are four more favorites, from a designer kimono boutique to the neighborhood’s best dim sum spot.
Et al. Gallery
Art galleries can exist in unlikely places, including the basement of Chinatown’s Union Cleaners. Co-director Aaron Harbour and his partners opened this 400-square-foot experimental space, formerly a travel agency, in 2013. They’ve since mounted 10 shows a year, drawing art seekers through the dry cleaner’s doors to catch cutting-edge work from contemporary artists living in the Bay Area and beyond.
Now through Feb. 26, Et al. is home to a suite of small bas-relief paintings and sculptures by New York City artist Dennis Witkin, who creates “dreamlike images that are closer to allegory than being purely illustrative,” often of people and animals “struggling and surviving in very relatable ways,” Harbour says. In 2017, Et al opened a visible storefront gallery in the Mission District, but this hidden one is still worth the trip.
Details: Free. Open from noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and by appointment at 620 Kearny St.; https://etaletc.com
Good Mong Kok Bakery
This tiny Chinatown fixture boasts some of the best dim sum in the city, and it’s a good first stop on a walk through Chinatown, especially if you come via the Stockton Street Tunnel. Expect long lines that move relatively quickly — 20 minutes on a late Tuesday afternoon — and have your order ready for the quick-paced staff to pile into bags and pink bakery boxes. There’s no seating inside.
You can perch on the sidewalk while stuffing your face with giant, impossibly delicious, steamed barbecue pork buns ($1.20 each), shrimp dumplings (3 for $2.80) and beef shu mai (3 for $2.80). Also look for custard-filled pineapple buns and baked scallion buns. The buns were sold out on our visit but come highly recommended. And yes, the bakery accepts credit cards.
Details: Open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at 1039 Stockton St., San Francisco.
Kim + Ono
Open since 2018 on the lantern-strewn stretch of Grant Avenue, this bright, showroom-style boutique specializes in handcrafted botanical-themed kimonos made in a range of fabrics, from affordable satin to charmeuse and the poshest silks. Sisters Renee and Tiffany Tam have been selling Asian-inspired robes online since 2004, but their stylish brick and mortar adds that much-needed touch factor to the shopping experience.
You really need to shimmy and sway in these colorful, boho-chic kimonos, which are designed in-house, hand-painted and come in a variety of lengths. While there, take in the pristine white shelves lined with curated wellness products and the stunning floral mural by local designer Valerie Santillo. Kim + Ono feels like a respite from the typical Chinatown hustle and bustle.
Details: Open from 10 a.m. daily at 729 Grant Ave, San Francisco; https://kimandono.com
China Live
George Chen’s four-story epicurean destination has been drawing foodies to Chinatown since it first opened in 2017. The street-level Market Restaurant is the heartbeat of the 30,000 square-foot emporium, featuring four exhibition kitchens, eight specialized stations and seating for 120. There’s also the casual, tea-centric Oolong Cafe and upstairs, a Scotch bar called Cold Drinks and the high-concept Eight Tables by George Chen, an upscale, tasting-menu experience.
Through Feb. 8, Market Restaurant is offering Chinese New Year menu specials such as red seafood dumplings, steamed whole fish, Niam Gao and red bean mochi. Look for weeknight baijiu — a distilled spirit — tastings and a complimentary dumpling workshop on Feb. 1 at noon. Cold Drinks Bar will feature a movie night and Year of the Rat cocktail on Jan. 27.
Details: Open from 11:30 a.m. weekdays (from 10:30 a.m. weekends) at 644 Broadway; https://chinalivesf.com