FOOD NEWS
San Francisco Is The Location Of America's Oldest Dim Sum Restaurant
BY LISA CURRAN MATTE
San Francisco's Hang Ah Tea Room has been operating since 1920, and it's tied with New York City’s Nom Wah Tea Parlor for the title of oldest dim sum restaurant in the country.
The identity of Hang Ah Tea Room's founder has been lost to time, and the restaurant has survived five changes in ownership throughout its century-long operation.
Current owners Billy Lai and Frank Chui bought the restaurant in 2014. They assured their predecessors, who retired after 40 years, that they wouldn’t change a thing.
While they’ve kept their promise for the most part, the restaurant is now open seven days a week, and the menu has grown to include dozens of extra dim sum offerings.
Chui calls Hang Ah a "living museum." One customer traveled to the spot because his parents had their first date there, while another always visits on his late father's birthday.
Today, you can enjoy "the good old days, and also build new memories for generations to come," as Chui says. The menu offers traditional dim sum plus dishes like mochi pancakes.