Cynthia Huie remembers when Chinatown wasn’t the place for block parties (opens in new tab), DJ sets (opens in new tab), or night markets where thousands filled the neighborhood’s historic, narrow streets.
That time was only a few years ago. “I’ve seen a lot of change since my sister Jennifer and I opened On Waverly (opens in new tab) in 2023,” Huie says. Dropped into the hood’s mix of legacy businesses, the sisters’ colorful gift shop is stocked with Chinese cookbooks, AAPI fiction, pantry items from local businesses like Mama Teav’s chile crisp, and “Toisan United” stickers.
A year ago, Huie also took over a funky former dentist’s office upstairs from the shop and added wallpaper in an oversize floral print and mismatched vintage furniture. She introduced the stylish space as The Clubhouse (opens in new tab), which has hosted Rotary Club mahjong nights and dumpling-making classes.
Huie in On Waverly’s clubhouse. | Source: Poppy Lynch for The Standard
Huie’s On Waverly compound has not only become one of Chinatown’s coolest additions but is creating space for young Asian Americans to infuse new life into an aging community, all while celebrating their own identities. “Growing up Chinese American, I had an interior life and an exterior life,” Huie says. “It was like I wasn’t Chinese enough or not American enough. But now, as an adult, I get to live both freely.”
Though Huie was raised in Fremont, her family shopped in Oakland’s Chinatown, where her grandfather and great-grandfather ran a chop suey house. Her grandfather was the one who cooked the family dinners. “He made very Chinese American dishes. I’m super ABC,” she laughs about being “American-born Chinese.” “I like tomato-beef with scrambled egg.”
So while she’s happy to witness Mister Jiu’s get glowing reviews from The NY Times (opens in new tab), she is also a big fan of supporting off-the-radar mom-and-pop restaurants — many of which serve the kind of Chinese American comfort food she grew up with.
From restaurants to bakeries, these are the spots that make Huie feel at home.
Where to eat in Chinatown, according to a neighborhood insider
Joong come in many flavors at iCafe. | Source: Poppy Lynch for The Standard
The bakery calls them “Chinese tamales.” | Source: Poppy Lynch for The StandardiCafe
Located across the street from On Waverly, this long-standing bakery with everything from pork floss buns to coconut cocktail buns also specializes in joong, also known as zongzi — or, in the restaurant’s cross-cultural parlance, Chinese tamales ($6.50 each). Most feature sticky rice filled with fatty Kurobuta pork (Huie’s favorite) or red bean paste, tied up in bamboo leaves. But there are untraditional options made with oats, quinoa, and millet. “My grandmother used to make these at home — it was never something you bought,” Huie says. “Being able to buy them is unusual, and really special.” 133 Waverly Pl.
Rice Roll ExpressHuie adds peanut sauce to her rice noodles at Rice Roll Express. | Source: Poppy Lynch for The Standard
This popular, no-frills counter-service spot that opened in 2024 is Huie’s go-to for a quick lunch. A pescatarian, she orders the shrimp-and-egg rice roll ($8), a tangle of thin, wide noodles tossed with corn and cilantro — which, when ready, is announced over an airport-level loudspeaker. From the condiment selection, she adds both sweet soy with jalapeños and peanut sauce. “That’s the move,” she says. 1131 Stockton St.
Wycen Foods
Wycen Foods specializes in lap cheong. | Source: Poppy Lynch for The Standard
Huie didn’t know that the parents of B. Patisserie’s celebrated pastry chef Belinda Leong have long owned this famous lap cheong store, hung with an assortment of the skinny, hard, dried sausages. (But, in a small-world moment, Huie’s family does know Leong’s uncle, because he is their dentist.) “I don’t eat any other brand than Wycen’s,” she says. She prefers the classic pork ($12.30) and the duck liver ($12.50). As a self-described “super basic cook,” Huie recommends throwing the sausages into a pot of rice with frozen corn. “For years, that was my kids’ breakfast.” 862 Clay St.
New Hollywood
Huie discovered this Chinese American bakery and diner through her friend Pat Nishimoto, who is part of the celebrated senior burlesque troupe the Grant Avenue Follies. While the back of the restaurant has a counter that sells treats like egg tarts and Swiss rolls, the front offers almost 100 dishes ranging from sandwiches to wonton soup. “One day, Pat brought me some leftover chow fun with fish and bitter melon [$14] from here,” Huie says. “As a kid, I wouldn’t eat bitter melon. But I was like, ‘This is delicious.’ It was a real coming-of-age moment for me — and it was just a couple of months ago!” 652 Pacific Ave.
Moongate Lounge
The authors who do readings at On Waverly often head to Moongate Lounge (opens in new tab) afterward for a drink. Featuring six seasonal and six signature cocktails ($20), the lunar-themed listening lounge located above Michelin-starred Mister Jiu’s, led by chef Brandon Jew, also has a variety of rotating low-ABV options. “As your night progresses, you can make good drinking choices accordingly,” she says. “Also — I love Brandon’s shrimp chips. Whenever there’s a chip in sight, nothing else matters.” 28 Waverly Pl.
New Lun Ting Cafe
New Lun Ting Cafe is also known as the Pork Chop House. | Source: Poppy Lynch for The Standard
Also known as the Pork Chop House, this old-school Chinese American spot, complete with special to-go meals for seniors, leans into hearty dishes like rib-eye roast ($25), which comes with pot stickers, soup, hot tea, and rice. “I love bringing people here, because it gives you a sense of what Chinatown was when I was young,” Huie says. She orders the roast pork ($13.95) with gravy and rice. “It’s, like, the most serious comfort food.” 670 Jackson St.