Dumplings & Buns

Take a Bao

Upscale Dim Sum in Pac Heights

None Back in the day, you’d go to a certain neighborhood for a certain type of food.

Mission: Mexican.

North Beach: Italian.

Chinatown: well, that’s obvious.

But now it’s a free-for-all.

And we’ve found another spot ready to fan those flames of globalization...

Welcome Dumplings & Buns, an upscale temple of dim sum and other Asian comfort foods, opening Monday in Pacific Heights.

The Pac Heights address is your first clue that this is nothing like your typical Chinatown hangout. There won’t be any metal carts in this dime-sized spot. And since it might fit 20 people at a few elevated tables and the wraparound mahogany counter, there also won’t be any lazy Susans in sight.

Instead, this is the place you’ll run into for a quick bite during the day—think: chicken or BBQ pork bao individually or in half-dozen increments, mix-and-match buns and dumplings, and maybe an order of wonton soup.

If you’ve been dying to get into the home dumpling game, there’s a section with sauces, dressings and condiments—including a vegan kimchi in case Natalie Portman or Bill Clinton drops by.

And while you won’t find any alcohol for sale, they’ve concocted three different liqueur-infused Boozer Buns that are like Chinese beignets with a Kahlúa, amaretto, Cointreau—and soon, rum—kick.

Another thing you won’t find in Chinatown.

Vitals

Dumplings & Buns
2411 California St
(at Fillmore)
San Francisco, CA, 94115
415-292-6209
website

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