China Live — San Francisco, USA

The Chinese answer to Eataly, Mario Batali’s tribute to Italian food in New York City, China Live is one of the biggest openings to hit San Francisco.
Located at the intersection of Chinatown and North Beach, the multi-faceted food emporium is the project of veteran restaurateur, George Chen and his partner Cindy Wong, and features a retail section; a tea and pastry café; a speakeasy; two restaurants (including a fine-dining option) and a soon-to-open rooftop destination with views of Oakland Bay Bridge and downtown San Francisco.
For those on the run, Oolong Café offers a curated list of artisanal teas, sourced directly from farmers in Taiwan and China along with quick grab ‘n go bites, but we suggest lingering in the ground floor Market Restaurant, where all sorts from dim sum and dumplings to noodles and rice bowls are served from open kitchen stations.
All designed by New York-based AvroKO, expect the design firm’s usual cultural references laced with a sense of place, like the bespoke blue and white Chinese tiles depicting images of The City by the Bay.
INFORMATION
Website
ADDRESS
644 Broadway
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Lauren Ho is the Travel Director of Wallpaper*, roaming the globe, writing extensively about luxury travel, architecture and design for both the magazine and the website. Lauren serves as the European Academy Chair for the World's 50 Best Hotels.
-
Ramzi Mallat’s London Design Festival installation is a bittersweet ode to Beirut
Created as a memorial to the 2020 Beirut Port Blast, Mallat's ‘Not Your Martyr’ installation at the V&A (until 19 October 2025) is made of 260 colourful glass ma’amouls
-
Bocci and Anna Carnick join forces on a showcase of evocative design practices in Berlin
'Crafting Community' is on view at Berlin's Wilhelm Hallen until 14 September 2025
-
The story behind a one-of-a-kind Dieter Rams handbag, reborn by German leather brand Tsatsas
A new exhibition at Vitsœ’s London store celebrates the ‘931’ bag, designed by Dieter Rams for his wife Ingeborg in 1963 and reborn over half a century later in a collaboration between Rams and German leather accessories brand Tsatsas
-
The best dinner party in San Francisco is thrown at this bistro and vinyl bar
A new chapter begins in Mission Creek as Side A opens in the former Universal Café space
-
Daisy Margarita Bar reimagines the Mexican tavern with vaquero flair in Los Angeles
From frozen guacamole margaritas to lamb shank with frijoles puercos, this new Sherman Oaks destination mixes playful gastronomy with tradition
-
Javier's, a new cathedral-inspired restaurant in downtown LA, offers a divine take on Mexican cuisine
At the restaurant's newest location, discovery lies around every corner – and on every plate
-
Why everyone in LA is talking about Café Tondo
Helmed by chef Valeria Velásquez and designed by Aunt Studio, this new spot delivers Latin American buzz all day long
-
Size doesn’t matter at Now Now, a micro-hotel for solo travellers in New York
Can you pack style into 32 square feet? We find out
-
At this LA dining hotspot, go Spanish or Japanese as you please
A dual-concept dining destination designed by the Rockwell Group brings Mediterranean warmth and Japanese precision to Century City
-
The Benjamin’s chic new upstairs bar is Hollywood’s hottest hideaway
At Bar Benjamin, speakeasy mystique meets elevated snacks, cocktails and views
-
More is more at Bar Issi, a maximalist new dining destination in Palm Springs
Fettle studio fuses eco-conscious materials with bold design gestures in this playful space inside the new Thompson Hotel