Check Out Streetfest Fridays & Support Chinatown

The coronavirus pandemic has taken an immeasurable toll on the restaurant industry, with businesses in Chinatowns around the country some of the hardest hit. Since January, restaurant owners and workers have endured racism and xenophobia, vandalism, and devastating physical and verbal abuse, making it difficult for many Chinatown businesses to stay afloat.

So, how can you help? Support your local Chinatown restaurants by ordering from them directly - and if you’re in the area, head to Oakland Chinatown for Streetfest Fridays. Every Friday in August, the Oakland Chamber of Commerce is shutting down 9th Street to traffic (between Franklin and Webster) and setting up socially distanced tables for diners to encourage business in Chinatown and Downtown Oakland. This Friday and the next from 4-8pm, you can pick up food from the restaurant of your choice, and also enjoy live music. (Remember live music?) And while you’re there, please, always tip generously, and be kind.

In San Francisco, you can support SF’s Chinatown by heading over on weekends when the city closes down parts of Grant Avenue (between California and Washington Streets) and Commercial Street (between Kearny and Grant Avenue) to traffic. The streets are closed every Saturday and Sunday from 8am-9pm, until September 20th. We checked out Chinatown’s Shared Spaces program during its second week, and you can see our photo essay here.

If you’re looking for other ways to support, you can donate to small businesses through the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, or to organizations like Save Our Chinatowns, which is delivering meals from SF and Oakland Chinatown restaurants to vulnerable communities.

If you do decide to check out Streetfest Fridays in Oakland, look out for these deals:

• Alice Street Bakery: The bakery is offering 12% off all danishes, sandwiches, cakes, and drinks.

• Aburaya: On Fridays from 3-5pm, the fried chicken spot is offering a $2 Sapporo with the purchase of any entree.

• Blessed Garden Restaurant: For $32, you get three dinner dishes with complimentary soup and rice.

• Ming’s Tasty: The restaurant is offering a free taro coconut milk cake with any purchase of over $35.

• R’Noodles: Get one free drink with your food order.

• Ruby King Bakery: From 4:30-6pm, you can get a package of three random buns for $1.

• Sakura Bistro: You’ll get a free edamame with a purchase of over $30, and a free seaweed salad with a purchase of over $50.

• Sweetheart Cafe: The boba spot is offering a free drink upgrade when you order large curry fish balls and any Sweetheart drink.

• T4: If you purchase a food item from this boba shop, you’ll get an extra stamp (12 stamps and you get a free drink).