Quiet Places to Sit and Talk in Chinatown
Homegirl Café
Homegirl Café is the cafe side of the Homeboy Industries operation, serving baked goods, sandwiches, wraps, and salads out of their Chinatown home base. It is genuinely well liked by a lot of people, and you can reserve a table, order to go, or get it delivered.
CBS Seafood
A casual, no-frills Chinatown staple at 700 N Spring St doing rolling dim sum carts and Cantonese seafood at budget-friendly prices. It moves a lot of covers, so expect a wait on weekends, but a large to-go menu makes it easy to grab and head out.
The Courtyard Cafe at The California Endowment
Tucked inside The California Endowment building on N Alameda, this cafe is one of the more quietly beloved spots in the area, with a strong and consistent track record across a large number of reviews. Worth knowing about if you're nearby.
Quickly
A counter-serve stop on N Hill for Taiwanese bubble tea in a wide range of flavors, plus Asian desserts and snacks. It's a chain, but a reliable and affordable one when you want a quick drink fix in the neighborhood. Order at the counter and take it to go.
Now Serving
A cookbook and food-writing bookstore on N Broadway that has built a real reputation in a short time. If you care about food literature, it is worth going out of your way for.
Ten Ren's Tea Time
Ten Ren's on N Hill is a neighborhood cafe with a following, well regarded by the people who frequent it. Takeout only, so plan accordingly.