Chow Fun 2026 Features Filipino Food Crawl in San Francisco
Chow Fun Filipino Food Crawl at Creative Ideas Cafe, a restaurant owned by Lina Mills in Leland Ave. in Visitacion Valley that treats participants with lechon-sisig empanada and ube-inspired drinks and desserts (San Francisco PCG photo)
San Francisco, California – The Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE) and community leader Al Perez organized the 2026 edition of CHOW FUN in San Francisco. In celebration of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, this 15-day event spotlights the city’s incredible neighborhood food culture across Excelsior, Ocean Ave., Geneva Ave., Portola, and Visitacion Valley.
The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, together with the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Silicon Valley and the Philippine Department of Tourism Office-San Francisco, supported the promotion of Filipino food and businesses through the CHOW FUN Filipino Food Crawl. The event featured visits to participating Filipino and non-Filipino restaurants serving well-loved traditional dishes that showcased the richness of Philippine culture and hospitality. During each restaurant stop, the Consulate also explored potential opportunities to connect businesses with suppliers of quality Philippine products and ingredients.
From the savory sandwiches of Ocean Subs, the pancit palabok and sweet turon of Baby’s Eatery & Palabok, to the comforting adobo of 7 Mile House Sports Bar & Grill and the kare-kare of Turo Cafe & Grill, as well as the lechon-sisig empanada, guava-calamansi-lemonade, and ube-inspired food and drinks of Excelsior Coffee and Creative Ideas Cafe, each stop highlighted the passion and creativity of Filipino entrepreneurs who continue to strengthen the City’s diverse culinary landscape.
CHOW FUN continues to show how San Francisco’s neighborhood corridors—Mission Street, Ocean Avenue, Geneva Avenue, San Bruno Avenue, and Leland Avenue—are home to deeply rooted immigrant culinary traditions and family-owned businesses. With more than 70 participating merchants this year, the event highlights the city’s remarkable Asian and Pacific Islander food culture while supporting local small businesses.
The Closing Culinary Event is on Saturday, 16 May 2026 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., hosted by Out the Road, in the Portola neighborhood at 2636 San Bruno Avenue. Enjoy cultural performances, food sampling, and community networking opportunities.
Founded in 1994, FAAE has helped preserve and promote Filipino American arts, culture, and community traditions in San Francisco for more than three decades.END
Al Perez, Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE) President introduces Excelsior Coffee and their specialty coffee and ube-inspired pastries (San Francisco PCG photo)
Pinakbet, giniling, ginisang munggo, pancit palabok, ang okoy as part of the day’s menu at Baby’s Eatery & Palabok along Excelsior (San Francisco PCG photo)
Lee Opelina (2nd from the left), owner of Ocean Subs sharing his culinary journey during the Chow Fun Filipino Food Crawl from the neighborhood of Ocean Ave.
(San Francisco PCG photo)
Turo Cafe & Grill in San Jose Ave. offers the bestselling-Filipino dishes in their menu, including kare-kare and lumpiang gulay during Chow Fun Filipino Food Crawl
(San Francisco PCG photo)
Turo Bar & Grill owner, Josephine Santos (center) welcomes the Chow Fun Filipino Food Crawl participants to taste their bestselling kare-kare, dinuguan, ginataang laing, and bicol express (San Francisco PCG photos)
7 Mile House Sports & Grill owner, Vanessa Garcia (leftmost) shares interesting stories about the restaurant and the crowd-favorite adobo and sisig (San Francisco PCG photo)
Creative Ideas Cafe, a Colombian restaurant owned by Lina Mills (3rd from the left) in Leland Ave. showcases Filipino-inspired lechon-sisig empanada and guava-calamansi-lemonade concoction during the Chow Fun Filipino Food Crawl (San Francisco PCG photo)
The Chow Fun Filipino Food Crawl’s last stops include Mission Blue (right photo) and Buffalo Kitchen (left photo) along Leland Ave. in Visitacion Valley
(San Francisco PCG photos)
