Utopia Cafe
139 Waverly Place (near Grant)
San Francisco, CA
415-956-2902
Hours: Daily 11am-10pm
Reviews
SF Weekly
On Waverly, one of Chinatown's classic little alleys, this restaurant serves excellent claypot dishes like lamb stew, curry chicken, and an absolutely stunning version of salt-and-pepper tofu — precise cubes, warm and melting within, a gray crust filming the outside.
LA Times
Prices: $9.95-$12.95
If you're searching for utopia, you'll find it on a side street in Chinatown. Utopia Café may be an odd name for a neighborhood Chinese restaurant, but it's appropriate in a global sort of way: great food, quiet location, rock-bottom prices and a squeaky-clean environment.
This 12-table restaurant offers a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of its colorful neighborhood. You'll have to search a bit because it's tucked away, but it's worth the effort.
The menu offers dozens of items, from $4.25 for two egg rolls to $12.95 for a whole chicken. But the real deal is the special lunch or dinner. You'll pay $9.95 for hot and sour soup, egg roll, vegetable fried rice and a choice of entrees, such as sweet and sour pork or vegetables with beef, a veritable feast of fresh and flavorful ingredients.
We loved: finding calm amid the stormy streets of Chinatown.
We didn't love: how difficult it was to find. Calling ahead didn't help because of language problems. Use MapQuest or a GPS.
