After years of planning and preparation, the curated marketplace center for restaurants, food, wine and other items recently unveiled its primary floor to guests of China Live in San Francisco.

VIPs and the Who’s Who of the food and nightlife world appeared to see the offerings of this one-of-a-kind venture. The brainchild of restaurant impresarios George Chen and partner/wife Cindy Wong-Chen, China Live is a multi-level building at the busy intersection of San Francisco’s Chinatown and Italian North Beach districts.  The choice appears to appeal to both locals and to tourists alike.

As the pair have described the concept: “China Live is an interactive culinary and cultural destination in the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown, offering an in-depth exploration of Greater Chinese gastronomy. Our mission is to demystify Chinese ingredients and recipes while educating guests on the rich history and influence.”

The food is quite delicious, with a surprising standout being the fried chicken, whose unique flavors could qualify as some of the best in the entire SF Bay Area.

We have often referred to the concept as a bit like a Chinese version of New York’s extremely popular Italian gourmet food destination, Eataly, and as such it includes not just food but also a fascinating selection of culinary gifts and accessories, such as pots, dishes, silverware and glasses, and first-class ingredients like hard to find mushrooms, rices, and wines.

Of course, the first floor is only the beginning. There are several other levels of China Live SF to come.

China Live
644 Broadway, San Francisco CA 94133
Chinalivesf.com