I think the food scene in SF Chinatown should get more accolades than it does. There’s been so much growth in good new stuff, younger people taking over family businesses (like at 606); doing trendy new things (Four Kings). There’s the high end Chinese food I love (Empress Boom, Mister Jiu) and the super low key local Chinese bakeries (Yummy Bakery, Garden Bakery, etc).
There are the good grocery stores (Sun Kau Shing) and amazing snack shops where you can get different instant noodles in single packs (Pang Kee). There’s a great tea store (Red Blossom); a good matcha place (Maiko). There’s locally made tofu (Wo Chong. You get this at grocery stores but they have more types here); 150+ yr old artisanal Chinese sausage and cured meats businesses (Mow Lee Shing Kee). Good quality dried goods that I need for my soups and congees (Chung Chou).
Personally I prefer the *type* and density of Chinese foods in Chinatown vs the west side Chinese spots that people like. I also just much prefer the urban density here.