Sichuan cuisine is known for its mouth-tingling, lip-numbing heat, and the menu at Z&Y Restaurant puts it front and center. Stop by the restaurant for a variety of regional cuisines such as yakitori skewers, Lanzhou ramen, hot pot, and a selection of Z&Y's classic Chinese favorites.

This vibrant restaurant is one of the top Sichuan restaurants in the Bay Area, featuring dishes including duck blood with pickled veggies and vermicelli, griddle-cooked intestine stew, and braised fish head with chili peppers. Order the fried rice with black truffle and a few greens, such as stir-fried Napa cabbage or dry-sautéed string beans, to balance off the intensity. Bring a bunch of spice-loving friends to this laid-back place to catch up over dinner — the round tables with lazy Susans are ideal for family-style dining.

Address: 655 Jackson Street, San Francisco

Website: https://www.zandyrestaurant.com/

Henry’s Hunan is a family-owned business that was started back in 1974 by Henry and Diana Chung. At Henry's Hunan, those who enjoy spice and heat will feel completely at home. Dishes here are gān là, which means "dry and spicy" (unlike Sichuan cuisine, in which Sichuan peppercorns afford some mild numbing).

After the excellent smoked ham sautéed alongside bamboo shoots, or the twice-cooked pork with cabbage and spicy bean sauce, you'll probably want to cool down your mouth with some fresh greens, so order the chicken salad with peanut dressing, or the "Diana's Special" (deep-fried dough sandwiched between a bed of meat sauce, parmesan cheese, and lettuce) – a must-try if it's your first visit. While you're bringing a group of friends or family, sit in one of the comfy booths – and if you're waiting for a seat, have a drink at the dimly lit full bar next door (the two places are connected).

Address: 110 Natoma St., San Francisco

Website: https://www.hhunan.com/

Shanghai-style Chinese cuisine is served at Bund Shanghai Restaurant. Bund Shanghai's dishes are inspired by the restaurant's namesake city, where braising and steaming are common cooking methods and meals have mellow aromas and a slight sweetness.

It is recommended by the Michelin Restaurant Guide. Lion's Head Pork Meatballs, Mongolian beef or lamb, Angus Beef with Mushroom, Fish Fillet in Wine Sauce, Spinach with Tofu, a variety of dumplings, and Shrimp Fried-Rice are among the most popular dishes for delivery. Even if the rest of you stay in San Francisco, your taste buds will travel to China. Bund Shanghai's home-style eats and welcoming atmosphere will make you feel as if you're dining in a friend's cozy kitchen. This restaurant is ideal for a casual dinner if you're in the area with a small group.

Address: 640 Jackson St., San Francisco

Phone Number: (415) 982-0618

Hing Lung Company is the Chinatown restaurant known primarily for crackly-skinned roast pig and succulent char siu. You will realize that meat is the star of the show when you see roast ducks hanging in the storefront of Hing Lung Company.

The restaurant specializes in Cantonese barbeque. Look through the meats on display and order a plate of soft roast duck, luscious barbecue ribs, or crispy pig belly, all of which are prepared fresh daily and sold by the pound. The poached chicken (whole or half) is also incredibly juicy, and it comes with your choice of sauce. Serve them with other dishes for dinner at home and save yourself some time in the kitchen. You may also order a small portion of beef with rice and veggies for a perfect working lunch.

Address: 1261 Stockton St, San Francisco

Website: (415) 397-5521

Chong Qing Xiao Mian offers Chinese cuisine and Chinese noodles of excellent quality, especially Sichuan food. It specializes in tongue-tingling thin, springy noodles, as well as other Sichuan classics like hot chili oil wontons and spicy numbing beef tendon.

If you're looking for something a little sour, try the braised pork intestine noodle soup or the one with the pickled mustard fish filet. It's wonton soup with chicken broth all the way on days when you really want to stay under the covers. On a hot summer day, cool noodles with crunchy peanuts and crisp cucumber slices are always a good choice. Regional noodles from all around China are served at the restaurant, including Wuhan (hot dry noodles), Guilin (rice noodle soup), and Chongqing (the restaurant's namesake city) (spicy and numbing noodles).

Address: 915 Kearny St., San Francisco

Website: https://www.chongqingxiaomian-sf.com/

You must down a short staircase from Jackson Street to reach this basement-level restaurant. The restaurant has had several owners over the years (it has been open for over a century), but it continues to serve homestyle Cantonese cuisine at unbeatable rates - many of the meals are under $10 per.

You could order anything on their extensive menu and be satisfied, some of the highly recommended dishes are steamed pork hash with salted fish (probably the juiciest giant meat patty you'll ever eat), salt-and-pepper prawns-in-shell with a spicy tingle on your tongue, and roast chicken stuffed with glutinous rice. Try one of the clay pot meals, such as salted fish with chicken and eggplant or chicken and roast pork, which are always boiling hot and full of umami.

Address: 699 Jackson St, San Francisco

Website: https://www.newwoeyloygoey.com/

There's nothing like watching your favorite dim sum fresh from the steamer rolling out of the kitchen on a push-cart. The cart-style dim sum at City View is some of the best in the city, and you can't go wrong with anything you order.

Among the 80 items on the menu, the Pork While Preserved Egg Congee is one of the most popular, and the Pork Siu Mai and the Pork And Preserved Egg Congee are two of the most popular dishes ordered together at this midday hangout. The scallop Siu Mai, chicken feet, and sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf are all recommended. Finish your lunch (or weekend dim sum brunch) with taro puffs packed with a slightly sweet, creamy filling. If you're ordering for a large gathering, remember to order two or three of each item — most baskets only offer two to four items.

Address: 662 Commercial St, San Francisco

Website: https://cityviewdimsum.com/

Hunan Home's Restaurant, dubbed "Chinatown's best-kept secret", attracts Chinese food aficionados with its award-winning cuisine. The extensive menu includes everything of the customary Kung Pao chicken, Mongolian beef, and eggplant with hot garlic sauce that you'd expect to find.

Chicken with orange peel, prawns with honey walnuts, potstickers and hot and sour soup are some of the most popular dishes. Try the Hunan smoked pork, which is sautéed with cabbage and green peppers in a delectable spicy sauce that you'll want to slurp up by the spoonful. To cool down, order the chicken with orange peel - deep-fried chicken chunks covered in a mildly sweet, citrusy sauce – and a light vegetable dish like garlic-sautéed snow pea leaves. An authentic and satisfying meal experience is rounded up with attentive service. You may also ask about the spiciness with the servers, who would willingly adjust the heat levels to suit everyone in your group.

Address: 622 Jackson St., San Francisco

Phone Number: 415-982-2844

This colorful restaurant has the vibe of a diner (there's a TV and images of famous dishes on the walls). It is well-known in North Beach as a late-night dining destination, which is one of the few places in Chinatown that stays open until 1 a.m. on most days.

Yuet Lee is one of Chinatown's best restaurants for tasting a variety of Cantonese seafood dishes. The extensive menu of Yuet Lee includes a variety of appetizers such as chow mein and chow fun noodles, beef dumplings with soup, and barbecued pork with noodles. Rice porridge with abalone and preserved duck, as well as fried rice with shrimp, crab, or chicken, are available. The roasted salt-and-pepper prawns in shell are perfectly crisp, the sautéed clams with black bean sauce are dripping with flavor, and the sautéed crab with ginger and green onion is a must-order. Don't miss the delicious clay pot dishes, such as the braised catfish with black bean and roast pork, which is perfectly good food after a night out. Early bird deals are available at Yuet Lee, which also offers beer and wine.

Address: 1300 Stockton St, San Francisco

Phone Number: +1 415-982-6020

Although Chinatown is typically congested, the occasional rooftop access provides a magnificent view. Mister Jiu's diners may glance down Commercial Street to the Transamerica Pyramid and the neighborhood's distinct beauty. It's not a 360-degrees picture of the Bay, but it's a beautiful and uniquely San Francisco scene.

Cantonese tastes are reinterpreted at Mister Jiu's to offer unique dishes that highlight California. Grilled Wolfe Ranch fowl with glutinous rice and lap cheong, sourdough scallion pancakes, and chicken "dirty" rice with shacha sauce are some of the dishes on the menu. This Chinese American restaurant's menu varies seasonally, so you can expect fresh dishes every time you go. A lovely, airy atmosphere is created by soft lighting, stunning brass chandeliers, and exquisite artwork, perfect for celebrating a special event or having a romantic night out.

Address: 28 Waverly Place, San Francisco

Website: https://misterjius.com/