San Francisco, home to the breathtaking Golden Gate bridge and colorful Victorian houses, is the cultural, commercial, and financial center of Northern California. However, did you know that San Francisco is also home to the largest “Chinatown” outside of Asia?
San Francisco’s Chinatown covers a span of 1.34 square miles, only about one-fourth of San Francisco’s area. In spite of that, Chinatown is the “the most densely populated urban area west of Manhattan” according to the San Francisco Planning Department. With 15,000 residents living within 20 square blocks, the cramped but cozy city is bustling with life.
As the oldest Chinatown in the United States, its establishment in 1848 has been a highly influential point in the history of Chinese immigrants. San Francisco’s Chinatown was the only port city open to those from the southern Guandong province. The region was the only city in the United States that allowed Chinese immigrants to inherit private property.
With a strong Cantonese predominance, San Francisco’s Chinatown is home to a variety of authentic restaurants. Stores like Kam Po Kitchen on 801 Broadway sell a variety of Hong Kongnese dishes that are hard to find outside of Asia.
Just wandering around Chinatown, you automatically feel a sense of Chinese culture. From the side streets to the small produce shops, you will really feel as if you’ve left the United States.
Sources:
https://www.inside-guide-to-san-francisco-tourism.com/chinatown-san-francisco.html
I would love this
My family and I went last summer, we went to eat at some restaurants. Unfortunately, we did not get to do everything. If I get to go again this summer, I’d love to try to finish my “journey.”
Whenever I visit cities around the world, I always make a trip to that city’s Chinatown at least once. I can always find good foods there, and find people sharing similar culture with me. Can’t wait to visit Chinatowns in the west coast in the future!
whoa! I did not know that San Francisco had a Chinatown!
Marvelous Maya! When I went to San Francisco, I was blown away by how elaborate and intricate Chinatown was. It’s so fascinating to learn about other places, especially in terms of their relevance to China.
Amazing work, Maya. I feel that the Chinese culture is ever so prevalent in those parts of the globe, just as they are on the East Coast. Keep up the amazing work, this was a true pleasure to read.
Wow, what an amazing article, I’m so proud of Chinese people because even though Chinatown only covered about a span of 1.34 square miles but it is still the most densely populated urban area west of Manhattan, thanks for telling me this, I learned a lot from this article!
I did not know that San Francisco has the largest Chinatown outside of Asia and that it is the oldest in the United States. I especially liked that you included historical details. Good job.
This is almost unbelievable! Even though its only 1.34 miles, the fact that it takes up 25% of San Francisco is already mind blowing. I can almost imagine the smell of the Chinese culture wafting through those San Franciscan streets!
Wow!!! I never knew that there was a Chinatown in San Fran! Thanks for sharing so many diffferent facts about the place; I really want to go see it for myself some day,
Wow!!! I never knew that there was a Chinatown in San Fran! Thanks for sharing so many different facts about the place; I really want to go see it for myself some day,
I can’t believe there is a Chinatown in San Francisco. And even though it is 1.34 miles, it still takes up one-fourth of San Francisco! That’s crazy! It’s nice how Chinese culture is being spread around the World!
不论是旧金山还是其他地方的中国城，对于我们来说都是很重要的。中国城在异国他乡能够起到文化交融贯通的作用，同时对于留学生来说，中国城就像是最接近家的地方
Is this Chinatown like Chinatown in New York? Can you do an article on the one in New York?
随着时代的变迁，越来越多的人选择走出国门到世界各地去游玩或者定居。这也导致了越来越多的地方有中国城。这对于很多在国外的人们更多的机会感受到中国的风情。
Great job on this article, Maya! I’ve learned so much about San Francisco’s Chinatown. I’ve been to the one in Manhattan many times. Hopefully, I can go to this one in the near future. I’m glad that there are places in the United States that make people from China feel like they are at home. Thanks for sharing!