Chinatown

A one-person coffee bar tucked into Far East Plaza in Chinatown, run by Jack Benchakul, a former biochemist who trained as a pastry chef before this. He pulls every cup himself, which sets the pace. The space holds a handful of people at a time.

Roughly 9am to 6pm. The open days have shifted more than once, so check before you go

Thirty-two acres of open ground on the site of the old River Station rail yard, reopened as a park in 2017 after a long fight over whether it would be warehouses instead. The path along the top of the slope gives a clear line back to the downtown towers. The Metro A Line stops at its north end.

Daily, 8am to 5pm

Vinyl nights run during the week at this small Hill Street bar in Chinatown. Sunday is karaoke. Jazz on Tuesdays is a standing fixture. It is dark and cheap, and it stays open until 2am every night.

Mon to Fri 5pm to 2am. Sat and Sun 3pm to 2am

Opened in 1908 and at the Alameda Street address since 1951, when the original building was taken for the 101 freeway. Sawdust covers the floor. Long lines form at carving stations where you order by shouting your sandwich. The tables are communal. Coffee is still famously cheap.

Daily, 6am to 10pm

Founded in 1938 by Fung Chow Chan and Wai Hing Chan, the year new Chinatown was built after the old one was cleared for Union Station. The strawberry whipped cream cake was created after the war by the founder's younger brother and is still the reason most people come in. Almond cookies are sold by the bag at the counter.

Mon to Thu 10am to 4pm. Fri 10am to 5pm. Sat and Sun 10am to 6pm

Opened on Broadway in 1977 under the old Bing Wong Hotel, in a space that had been a diner. The slippery shrimp is what everyone orders and the portions are built for sharing. It is a two-part dining space with paper menus and fast service.

Sun to Thu 11:30am to 8:30pm. Fri and Sat 11:30am to 9:30pm