Restaurant
Zuni Café
Zuni Café is a Market Street institution open since 1979, known for its roast chicken for two with warm bread salad, oysters and a daily-changing menu.
Yank Sing
Yank Sing is a third-generation family dim sum restaurant, founded in 1958, serving more than 100 rotating dishes from traditional pushcarts on Stevenson Street.
At a glance
- Type
- Cantonese dim sum
- Area
- Financial District, San Francisco, United States
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Official site
- yanksing.com
Good to know
- Dim sum carts
- Covered outdoor seating
- Takeaway
- Reservations
Why we recommend it
Yank Sing's story begins with George and Alice Chan, who settled in San Francisco after leaving China and started making the restaurant's chilli pepper sauce in 1949. Their first restaurant opened in 1958 at 1357 Powell Street with only 35 seats. Their son Henry and his wife Judy opened on Stevenson Street in 1974, and since 2001 their daughter Vera Chan-Waller and Nathan Waller have run the business, with Vera in the kitchen every day. The restaurant holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and a James Beard Foundation America's Classics Award. After 27 years at Rincon Center, it now operates from its long-standing address at 49 Stevenson Street, just off Market Street.
The experience centres on the carts. Staff wheel more than 100 rotating dishes around the contemporary dining room on traditional pushcarts, and you point to what you want as they pass. Dishes the family highlights include Peking duck with lacquered skin and soft buns, char siu bao, pork xiao long bao and har gao shrimp dumplings. Because the selection rotates, it is worth waiting for a cart or two to see what else appears before you fill the table. If there is something you are hoping for, ask your server.
Dim sum is best with a group, so you can try more dishes and share, and Yank Sing works well for family gatherings, weekend brunch with friends or a business lunch. Children usually enjoy the carts. Plates add up quickly, so keep an eye on the tally if you are on a budget.
Opening hours are 11am to 3pm Tuesday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on Saturday and Sunday; it is a daytime restaurant, so plan it for lunch rather than dinner. Weekends are busiest, so book a table online through OpenTable or arrive early. Indoor and covered outdoor dining are both available, and you can order takeaway and delivery online.
Stevenson Street is just off Market Street in the Financial District, so the restaurant is easy to reach from central hotels on foot or by taxi. A dim sum lunch here fits neatly into a day of sightseeing downtown, leaving the afternoon free for museums or shopping.
Yank Sing FAQs
What are Yank Sing's opening hours?
Tuesday to Friday 11am to 3pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 3pm.
Where is Yank Sing?
At 49 Stevenson Street, just off Market Street; the Rincon Center location has closed.
Can you book a table?
Yes. Reservations can be made online through OpenTable.
How does dim sum service work?
Staff bring more than 100 rotating dishes around on pushcarts, and you choose as they pass.
Is Yank Sing family-run?
Yes. It was founded in 1958 and is a third-generation family business.
What are the signature dishes?
Peking duck, char siu bao, pork xiao long bao and har gao shrimp dumplings.
Is there outdoor seating?
Yes. Covered outdoor dining is available.
Can you order takeaway?
Yes. Takeaway and delivery can be ordered online.
Is Yank Sing open for dinner?
No. It is a daytime restaurant, closing at 3pm.