Welcome to Hang Fung Tai Corporation
Nestled in the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown, Hang Fung Tai Corporation has been a beloved destination for over 20 years, specializing in a vast array of dried goods, herbs, and seafood. Known for its exceptional quality and competitive prices, this bustling international grocery store offers a unique selection that includes dried scallops, shrimp, and an impressive variety of herbs. Customers rave about the personalized service from owner Pauline, who is always willing to share cooking tips and recommendations. The store’s intimate atmosphere and friendly staff make it a cherished part of the community, inviting both seasoned chefs and curious cooks to explore its rich culinary offerings.
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1050 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133 Hotline: (415) 421-5257
Welcome to Hang Fung Tai Corporation, a hidden gem nestled in the heart of San Francisco's vibrant Chinatown at 1050 Grant Ave. This quaint international grocery store has been a beloved spot for over two decades, satisfying the culinary cravings of locals and tourists alike. With a reputation for quality and affordability, Hang Fung Tai specializes in dried goods, including an impressive variety of dried seafood and herbs. It is here that you can find everything from dried shrimp to scallops, as well as essential cooking components like bean curd and unique Asian herbs.
Many loyal patrons, like Grace G. and Cyrus P., rave about the exceptional quality and reasonable prices that Hang Fung Tai offers. Customer favorites include the flavorful seaweed and white fungus, which are integral to various traditional Asian dishes. The store provides a bustling yet friendly atmosphere, where you will always be greeted with a smile. Pauline, often noted for her helpfulness, has a knack for guiding customers through the aisles, assisting both newcomers and seasoned shoppers. Marko C. even mentioned how she helped him select ingredients for a traditional Chinese soup, turning a simple shopping trip into a memorable culinary lesson.
- Diverse Range of Products: The store is well-stocked with a variety of dried products that promise to elevate your cooking experience.
- Welcoming Atmosphere: Customers consistently emphasize the friendly and patient service from staff, which makes shopping here an enjoyable experience.
- Community Trust: With many reviews citing loyal patronage over the years, it’s clear that Hang Fung Tai has earned a trusted spot in the community.
- Bargaining Opportunities: For the savvy shopper, bargaining is encouraged here, especially for unique items like ginseng and abalone.
The ambiance can be bustling, particularly during peak hours, providing an authentic Chinatown experience. While the tight quarters may feel claustrophobic to some, it only adds to the charm of this local favorite. Elena N. shared her experience accompanying her mother, reminiscing about familiar ingredients that shaped her childhood. This sentiment resonates with many, as Hang Fung Tai allows not just for shopping but a trip down memory lane, connecting families through cooking.
Hang Fung Tai Corporation stands as a testament to community and culinary tradition. Whether you are stocking up on essential cooking ingredients, hunting for gourmet products, or simply curious about the unique offerings, Hang Fung Tai is undoubtedly a must-visit. The delightful combination of high-quality ingredients, competitive pricing, and a warm shopping experience ensures that once you step through their doors, you’ll feel right at home.
I've been shopping here for over 20 years. This is my go-to place for dried goods - white fungus, seaweed, dried shrimp, dried scallops, dried bean curd, and other items. The quality is good and reasonably priced.
Hang Fung Tai is a a great place for all your dried herb and dried seafood needs. I've been coming here to purchase ingredients for my business. Pauline at the counter is very nice and helpful. Great prices and great quality. Highly recommend.
In Chinatown, you usually have several choices of stores from where you can shop, whether it be vegetables, meat/poultry, Asian foodstuffs, bakeries, etc. Having run out of salted fish during SIP, I went to Hang Fung Tai, which is my go to store, but it was closed during SIP orders. Hung Fung Tai sells dried seafood, herbs, and foodstuffs. With SIP orders moving to Phase 2, the store reopened and I was here to get my fish. The workers here are friendly and helpful. I asked the worker about a fish imported from Venezuela. He said that it hasn't been available for a while due to country's economic situation. I asked for his recommendation for the "mui heung" variety and he suggested two brands at the display. For the safety of all, they have a Plexiglas shield separating the cashiers and the customers. Hang Fung Tai is my go-to on a quieter Grant Ave versus the busy Stockton St,
I was in San Francisco on a hunt to find ingredients for Chinese soup. I had no clue what I was looking for and 5 other stores tried to sell me pre-made cheap packets of herbs. I walked into Hang Fung Tai and owner Pauline knew I needed help. Despite the place being crowded with customers, she took the time to help me find ingredients and to teach me how to cook it! I've made a new friend and she gained a dedicated patron of her company! Love it! I'll be back!
This is one of the go to places when we need to get goodies (dry scallop, rice wine, etc). It's a small place so you have get through the crowd by shoving your way through whether it's to buy a certain item or even paying. If you're claustrophobic, this place isn't for you unless you go at a not so busy time--but then again Chinatown shops itself are usually in a small tight place. This place is quite popular given the goods they sell especially those dry goods in a glass container so you can pick better quality at your own choosing.
After lunch, my mom wanted to do her usual Chinatown grocery shopping. I accompanied her to Hang Fung Tai Corp on Saturday, April 22nd around 2pm. Now, I don't cook. Well, maybe the occasional turkey jook after Thanksgiving. And some times I'll make noodles with dried shrimp, chinese sausage, etc, but I was kind of lost in this store at first. Following my mom around, I began to recognize ingredients she use to put in soups when I was little. I have no idea what they are called, but it was actually very comforting walking around and seeing familiar ingredients. I do love their dried seafood section as on the few occasions I do cook, I love using those ingredients. Though I'm not familiar with the pricing on these type of items, my mom is a bargain shopper, so I'm sure everything was priced on the lower side. Great store to grab items if you are trying to emulate your mother's Chinese home cooking. Maybe next time, I'll get a recipe, grab ingredients from here, and give it a shot!
So went to San Fran Chinatown and first thing after I have found a parking spot, I went and asked someone where to get dried shrimp. My parents told me that American Dried Shrimps are world best. Yes this is where they always buy dry shrimp inside of San Fran Chinatown. So I asked a local and they directed me to Hang Fung Tai Corp. This place is small but very busy. Prices is very reasonable and is lower than its competitor. So the American Dried shrimp was priced at $18.99 a pound and where as its competitor all priced over $20 and some so extreme to $25 per pound. I asked one of the people who works there to get me a pound. He was very helpful and I have to say his weighing skill is pretty good. He actually placed 1.1 lb in a bag for it and that is very close to 1lb. I will not be able to do it without a scale. So thumbs up to him. Impressive. I bought the dried shrimp home and my mom used it for cooking. It was really really fresh. I love it. Good quality food and good service. Hang Fung Tai Corp thumbs up to them.
The people working here are so nice and sweet even though they're thrown with rude demanding Asian customers....(yes, I'm embarrassed to admit it). My family loves shopping here cause they are so patient with you and if you're buying Chinese delicacies, they'll cut you a good price and still give you good service anyways. They even gave us a nice calendar. When my aunt asked for another one, they gave us a second one. I can see why my family shops exclusively here for Chinese goods whenever they are in the area. Fantastic!
If you like dried abalone, you are in luck! they have various sizes of abalones, and various kinds of abalones! If you are from Hawaii and you like to have sliced dried abalone as a snack, this place sells the not too hard kind. $350.00 a pound is the going rate; luckily a nice sized abalone is .25 pound. Tip: they will slice it for you if you like. I have already reviewed their high quality dried large shrimps and dried scallops.
On my recent USA trip with my parents, my mum was very keen to buy ginseng and abalone. So we chatted to some local ladies in the restaurant where we had lunch and they recommended Hang Fung Tai. Big tip coming up - we were advised to bargain!! We managed to get a sizeable bargain by doing so. This is an amazing place to wander through if you're not Chinese and see the amazing herbs etc. Being trained in western medicine, I'm not familiar with most of these products and it was really interesting. It was also amazing to see some of the prices. Ginseng varied from around $12 per pound to over £2000 per pound for the wild variety! Mum left happy with her purchases, especially as she had managed to bargain - we Malaysians regard haggling as a national sport!