Press for Z & Y Restaurant

The Best Chinese Restaurants In San Francisco

The Infatuation

by Julia Chen, Lani Conway & Ricky Rodriguez, February 23, 2024

Mouth-numbing wizardry via fiery flavors is going down at Z&Y in Chinatown. These Sichuan dishes demand your attention. Specialties include fish filet soaked in hot chili oil, mapo tofu with lip-tingling spice, and clay pots filled with chilis and an aquarium’s worth of shellfish. We never leave without that mapo tofu and a bowl of hot and sour soup. The snug space is málà heaven for anyone who loves a good mouth burn.

Where To Find The Best Asian Food In San Francisco

Forbes

by Lisa B. Zimmerman February 20, 2024

This tiny spot in Chinatown is home to a chef who cooked for the consul general of San Francisco and his food is both refined and accessible. The tea-smoked duck is outstanding and the chicken skewers with lettuce delicious. The braised oxtail is heavenly and the choy prepared with chili-garlic sauce crunchy and savory. Executive chef Lijun Han has worked with two U.S. presidents and was the former executive chef at the Chinese consulate in San Francisco.

Stir Fry Crab with House Spicy Sauce - Sea Food - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

6 Restaurants Celebrating The Year Of The Dragon With Lunar New Year Menus

San Francisco Magazine

by Kat Bein, February 9, 2024

Z&Y Restaurant is nestled right in the heart of this cultural haven, and the celebratory menu features dishes from the mind of Z&Y owner and executive chef Lijun Han. Feast on authentic Szechuan sliced pork with spicy garlic sauce, Szechuan style chicken, tea smoked duck, salt and pepper crab, fish filet with flaming chili oil and more.

This SF Chinatown staple and Michelin favorite restaurant goes all out for Lunar New Year

SFgate

by Margot Seeto February 8, 2024

Opened in 2008 by married couple Lijun Han and Michelle Zhang, Z & Y (the initials of Michelle’s last name and Chinese first name) quickly made itself a Chinatown staple, becoming a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in 2012 and retaining the endorsement every year since. It held a place in the SF Chronicle’s Top 100 Restaurants for years (the Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms) — but it’s not just critics who love Z & Y. Chef Han has cooked for a slew of Chinese presidents and foreign ministers. The restaurant has also been featured on KQED’s award-winning “Check, Please! Bay Area.

Black Pepper Steak - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco
New Sizzling Prix Fixe Menu - Z & Y Restaurant, San Francisco

Peking duck, Taco Tuesday and BBQ jackfruit: Best things we ate this week

The Advocate

by Jan Risher, February 2, 2024

Michelin-starred Z&Y Restaurant in San Francisco’s Chinatown (my introduction to the dish)

Central California road trip: Food and Drink highlights from a 3 week trip around the Golden State

Sounds Tasty

by January 8, 2024

We knew we had to go for Chinese food in SF’s iconic Chinatown, knowing this wouldn’t be a huge feature of the rest of our trip. As Szechuan cuisine is a relative rarity in the UK, we decided to head down to the much-recommended spot Z&Y.

Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

Hum: I went to San Francisco to eat as much stellar Asian food as I could fit into four days. It was bliss

Ottawa Citizen

by Peter Hum November 30, 2023

I had excellent soup dumplings and beef rolls at Z & Y Restaurant, a Sichuanese eatery in Chinatown that has the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand designation for good quality and good value.

Food in the San Francisco Bay Area: A Guide to the Best Eats!

Family Destinations Guide

by Emily Appelbaum August 5, 2023

Packing for a family trip to the San Francisco Bay Area? Don’t forget your appetite. The Bay Area isn’t just a sightseer’s delight, it’s also a gastronomic wonderland.

Hot Spicy Lamb in Mini Flaming Pot - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco
Braised Ox Tail with Red Wine in Stone Pot - Chef's Specialty - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

Eating Around SF: The Mostly Asian Version

Forbes

by Liza B. Zimmerman, July 24, 2023

To get you started on your exploration of the City by the Bay’s historically significant Chinatown, here are three must-try restaurants that offer incredible cuisine and memorable dining experiences.

All the Michelin Bib Gourmands in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mapped

Eater SF

by Dianne de Guzman, Clair Lorell, and Paolo Bicchieri July 20, 2023

Michelin has updated its California guide for 2023, with a fresh round of stars and an updated list of Bib Gourmand selections, the designation for restaurants that offer “a three-course meal at a reasonable price.”

The original Chinatown, in San Francisco, reinvents itself through contemporary art and cuisine while preserving its intrinsically kitsch character

South China Morning Post

by Peter Neville-Hadley, July 18, 2023

San Francisco’s Chinatown remains one of the Californian city’s key attractions even to visitors from China, thanks to its blend of Chinese and American culture

Three Authentic San Francisco Chinatown Restaurants To Celebrate AAPI Month

Forbes

by Chelsea Davis, May 17, 2023

To get you started on your exploration of the City by the Bay’s historically significant Chinatown, here are three must-try restaurants that offer incredible cuisine and memorable dining experiences.

Tea Smoked Sliced Duck - Poultry - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco
Black Pepper Steak - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

The Best Restaurants In San Francisco’s Chinatown

The Infatuation

by Megan Zhang, Julia Chen & Ricky Rodriguez May 8, 2022

San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest in North America, and it’s been a culturally important area since the enclave was established more than 150 years ago. In this energetic neighborhood, streets are lined with restaurants, bakeries, and cafes serving everything from juicy xiao long bao and hand-pulled noodles, to freshly baked pastries and other dishes that highlight the many different regions of China and its incredible diversity. Here are the 14 best spots in Chinatown.

Chinatown’s 5 Best Restaurants Include Michelin Stars, an Anthony Bourdain Favorite and More

Inside Hook

by Ali Wunderman April 21, 2023

San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest in North America and the largest outside of Asia. Though it’s not the only SF neighborhood offering superior Chinese cuisine — we see you, Clement Street — it is a historically and culturally significant part of the city with incredible options for dim sum, noodles and more. Head to these restaurants to enjoy what Chinatown has to offer.

Szechuan Dishes - Menu - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco
Fish Filet with Flaming Chili Oil - Chef's Specialty - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

An A to Z Guide To San Francisco’s Food Scene

San Francisco Magazine

by Kyrie Sismaet May 31, 2023

San Francisco’s food scene is, well, huge! To obtain a full understanding of all of the cuisine, eateries, food trends, and neighborhoods that define the city, we’re taking you through its ABC’s.

California dreaming: i sensazionali filoni gastronomici del Golden State

Michelin Guide

by In Viaggio March 27, 2023

Anello di congiunzione tra oriente e occidente, negli ultimi due secoli la California ha assimilato popolazioni, culture ed etnie provenienti da Europa, America Latina e nazioni dell’estremo Oriente. Dalla prospettiva culinaria, i risultati dei flussi migratori hanno creato le precondizioni ideali verso l’eclettica e colorata offerta gastronomica del Golden State, che trova a sua volta riscontro nell’indirizzario Guida Michelin California

Xiao Lung Bao Soup - Staple Food- Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

Turn Up the Heat With These Hot and Spicy San Francisco Dishes

Eater SF

by Paolo Bicchieri March 23, 2023

“Spicy” means lots of things to lots of people these days. Sure, it’s a term for hot takes and cancellable moves online, but it’s also a way of eating that adds a bit more pep to your meals. One can trot around the globe, dipping their toes into everything from capsicum to peppercorn to jalapeño to ajilo, but in San Francisco, there are a ton of ways to try out all these various iterations of spice, as this list caters more toward that which is traditionally described as “hot.”

Take a culinary adventure through San Francisco’s Chinatown

SF Gate

by Amy Copperman Feb 8, 2023

San Francisco’s Chinatown attracts more tourists each year than the Golden Gate Bridge, but that doesn’t mean the neighborhood lacks locally loved haunts. In fact, some of the best restaurants in Chinatown are loved by locals and visitors alike because they are just that.

Tan Tan Noodle - Noodles - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco
Szechuan Dishes - Menu - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

Best San Francisco Szechuan Restaurants That Truly Bring The Heat

San Francisco Magazine

by Kat Bein, Kyrie Sismaet January 20, 2023

He who controls the spice controls the universe, and in culinary terms, that crown goes to the Sichuan region of China. These flavor masters have been cooking up mouth-tingling taste sensations for centuries, and we here in the Bay Area are blessed to have some truly authentic takes.

The Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate This Week

Eater SF

by Lauren Saria, Dianne de Guzman, and Paolo Bicchieri Oct 28, 2022

The colors popping off of chef Lijun Han’s plated ode to vegetables at Jackson Avenue’s Z&Y Restaurant testify to the dish’s freshness: the three varieties of peppers were served lightly fried with enough cloves of garlic to make a TikToker blush.

Braised Ox Tail with Red Wine in Stone Pot - Chef's Specialty - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco
Grill Fish with House Spicy Sauce - Hot & Spicy - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

Celebrate Earth Month With Award-Winning Z & Y’s Fresh Vegetarian Menu

San Francisco Magazine

by Kyrie Sismaet, April 14, 2022

San Francisco sits proudly at the intersection of significant Chinese history and passionate environmentalism, and the city’s own Z & Y Restaurant aims to celebrate this.

Located at 655 Jackson St in the heart of Chinatown, the award-winning Z &Y offers deliciously fresh and exquisitely refined vegetarian and vegan Chinese cuisine…

The 31 Most Essential San Francisco Food Experiences

Thrillist

by Lauren Sloss May 5, 2022

A category that deserves many thousands of words and ample praise, San Francisco’s dumpling scene is strong. How to tackle it like a pro? Sample made-to-order dumplings at Yuanbao Jiaozi on Irving Street, followed by the juicy, lamb-filled Westlake Dumplings at Old Mandarin Islamic on Vicente. Cruise out to Shanghai Dumpling King for Pan-Fried Pork Buns, and stop by Bini’s Kitchen for outstanding Lamb and Turkey Momos. Oh, and don’t forget Dumpling Time’s marvelous creations, including a Tom Yum-inspired soup dumpling. Or Z&Y Restaurant’s spicy dumplings…

Creamy Prawns with Honey Walnuts - Sea Food - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

Get A Taste Of Authentic Szechuan Cuisine With A Side Of Kung Fu Tea At San Francisco’s Z & Y Restaurant

Forbes

by Chelsea Davis March 25, 2022

Located in the heart of San Francisco’s bustling Chinatown is Z & Y Restaurant, the city’s award-winning and dignitary destination for authentic Szechuan cuisine prepared by Chef and Owner, Lijun Han. Dining at Z & Y Restaurant is an experience to remember…

What Are the Best Kid-Friendly Delivery Options?

Eater SF

by Becky Duffett April 22, 2020

Z & Y Restaurant is still offering delivery from Chinatown. Those who insist on mild can load up on potstickers and tan noodles, while more adventurous eaters can have the scallion pancakes and chicken with explosive chiles all to themselves…

Hot & Spicy Pig's Feet - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

Announcing Michelin’s Bib Gourmands in SF and Beyond

Eater SF

by Ellen Fort, May 28, 2019

This year’s list includes three Sacramento restaurants: Canon, Frank Fat’s, and Mother. San Francisco’s two newbies are both Chinese restaurants: Harborview, the Embarcadero dim sum restaurant from the R&G Lounge team, and Z & Y Bistro, the spinoff of relentlessly popular Z & Y restaurant…

Check, Please! Bay Area reviews: Z & Y Restaurant, Pausa, Souley Vegan

KQED

by Check, Please! Bay Area April 25, 2019

This week, we begin at Z & Y Restaurant, one of the hottest Sichuan restaurants in San Francisco, known for catering to tourists, locals, presidents, and foreign ministers alike…

Diners at Z & Y Restaurant in Chinatown, San Francisco
Christmas in Chinatown in San Francisco

TBI’s 5 Best: Chinese Restaurants for Christmas Dinner

The Bold Italic

by The Bold Italic Editors December 21, 2018

Recognized by some very famous people (ahem, former President Barack Obama), this restaurant is ready to make your Christmas dinner one for the books…

Part magic, part martial art: Sichuan tea master performs in SF

SF Chronicle

by Jonathan Kauffman January 23, 2018

In the hands of Xumin Liu, a long-spouted copper teakettle becomes a rapier, a whip, a copper-colored wash of light. Three lunches a week, Liu travels from table to table at Z & Y Restaurant, swirling the kettle around his head in intricate circles and letting it pirouette in the air…

Bian Lian face changing at Z & Y Restaurant,Chinatown - San Francisco
Fish Filet w/ Flaming Chili Oil - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

A Feasting Guide to San Francisco’s Newly Glam Chinatown

The Wall Street Journal

by Jay Cheshes 2016

The country’s oldest Chinatown is stirring up a culinary revival, with modern riffs on traditional fare, hidden cocktail dens and the city’s best dim sum…

Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants 2016

SF Chronicle

by Michael Bauer 2016

After eight years in business, owner Li Jun Han, who worked for two Chinese presidents and also owns Chili House in the Richmond District, has developed a devoted following.

Dumpling Soup - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco
Spicy Prawns in Clay Pot - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

5 Bars and Restaurants to Try This Weekend-San Francisco Eater

Eater SF

by Patricia Chang April 15, 2016

For my first proper dinner in San Francisco’s Chinatown, I headed to Z & Y Restaurant where living legend Cecilia Chiang took the wheel and ordered for a table of friends from San Francisco and New York City. Some standouts from our order, which I never would have found on my own: The couple’s delight, a chilled dish of beef…

Z & Y, the place to go for great Sichuan food in Chinatown-SF Gate

SF Gate

by Michael Bauer April 4, 2016

After digging into the mound of dried chiles and finding the nuggets of fried chicken it felt like I was on a treasure hunt. Every time I thought I had dug out the last morsel, I discovered another. It was like the best-fried chicken I’d ever had, but with a spirited buzz from the dried pods.

Crispy Garlic Crab - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco
Authentic Traditional Szechuan Dishes - Menu - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

Chinatown’s Z & Y balances fiery spice and deft cooking-San Francisco Chronicle

SF Chronicle

by Michael Bauer April 1, 2016

I stopped by the Chinatown restaurant. It was during that visit that I became acquainted with the chicken with explosive chile pepper ($13.95), where nuggets of golden fried dark meat are buried like treasures in hundreds of dried red chiles. It was one of the best fried chicken dishes I’ve had, with the bonus of a bold buzz at the end.

Way Beyond Canton: S.F.’s 15 Best Regional Chinese Restaurants -San Francisco Magazine

Modern Luxury

by Luke Tsai March 30, 2015

Even though this southwestern province is notorious for the sweat-inducing fire of many of its well-known dishes, its cuisine’s signature ingredient isn’t the chili pepper but the Szechuan peppercorn (hua jiao), a citrusy, tongue-numbing spice that creates a deliciously addictive effect called ma la, or numbing heat. The best Szechuan meals are balanced and nuanced, with prominent vinegary and garlicky flavors.

Xiao Lung Bao Soup - Staple Food- Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco
Steamed Napa Cabbage w/ Garlic - Chef's Specialty - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

SFoodie’s Favorite 50 Dishes 2012

-SF Weekly

by Jonathan Kauffman March 30, 2015

The next time your best friend pretends she’s not dieting but is “cleansing” her body of “toxins” with a little bout of self-starvation, one-up her by embarking on an “internal sweat lodge,” otherwise known as Z&Y’s fish with flaming chile oil.

10 restaurants to take tourists in San Francisco

-San Francisco Chronicle

Inside Scoop by Michael Bauer March 19, 2015

Every tourist seems to want to go to a restaurant in Chinatown, and the best I’ve found is this modest place in the heart of the neighborhood. You can get some standards, including whole steamed fish and several clay pot dishes, but the spicy dishes star – chicken in a mountain of dried red peppers; spicy fish in flaming chile oil;
and ma po tofu.

Wan Zhou Grilled Whole Fish - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown San Francisco
Beef Pancake - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown San Francisco

Z & Y Restaurant: Heat Heaven in San Francisco

– Food and Beverage World

by Bonnie Carroll March 9, 2015

It’s nearly impossible to know which one to choose, but during our afternoon jaunt we opted to skip the place and just wandered into a place that looked authentic and inviting called Z & Y Restaurant. It was not until I was leaving that I saw the many Zagat ratings on the front door, and this was a good thing because despite the fact that I love food with heat, and had spent time in Thailand last year eating more green curry than anyone could believe possible, I was amazed by the super heat in the food served at Z & Y Restaurant.

Michelin unveils Bib Gourmand picks for San Francisco Bay Area

-San Francisco Chronicle

Inside Scoop by Paolo Lucchesi October 15, 2014

There are 13 new Bib Gourmand selections this year: Anchor Oyster Bar, China Village, Chino, Coqueta, Grace’s Table, Great China, Hong Kong Lounge II, Iyasare, Kin Khao, Michel Bistro, The Farmer & The Fox, Yuzuki, and Z & Y.

Spicy Clams - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco
Beef with Grilled Spicy-Pepper in Clear Broth - Z & Y Restaurant, Chinatown - San Francisco

Best Chinese Restaurants in San Francisco by Neighborhood

-San Francisco Travel

by Dan Rosenbaum August 21, 2014

If spice is your game, then you need to put your name on the waiting list here. Home to the spiciest food in the neighborhood and to the mouth-numbing chicken, their dishes will be leaving you in tears (which is a good thing). Most Popular Dishes: Chicken with explosive chili pepper, spicy numbing beef tendon.

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