San Francisco is home to one of the largest Chinese communities in the United States ( New York has the largest), much of it centered in Chinatown . The official entrance to Chinatown is on Grant Avenue at Bush Street , where the famous Chinatown Gate invites visitors to step into a world of herb shops, hanging roast ducks and incense-laden Taoist temples. Numerous Chinese trading companies line the streets, selling everything from silk robes and hand-carved toys to designer knockoffs. In San Francisco , eating Chinese "dim sum" for brunch or lunch is as much a cultural experience as a dining experience. Although many of the waitresses who wheel around little carts of bite-size goodies don't speak English, you need only point at what looks appetizing to be understood (get there by noon for the best selection). Map 2, D4