Where to eat Chinese food in San Mateo.

Downtown's Third and Fourth Avenue blocks bring Shanghai dumplings, Fujian snacks and malatang close together. Park Place, Laurie Meadows Drive and South El Camino Real add separate meals elsewhere in San Mateo; every branch here is within the city.

7 restaurants · 5 list delivery · checked

An unranked, researched shortlist from operator menus and locations. No ratings, and no claimed visits. How we research.

AI illustration of An imagined shared table with steamed dumplings, peanut-sauce noodles, a vegetable dish and a bowl of malatang, illustrated without depicting a real restaurant.
An imagined San Mateo-inspired table. AI illustration, not a restaurant photograph.

A shorter path to dinner.

Choose an area, a kind of meal, or only restaurants that list delivery. These filters narrow the quick list; all 7 detailed profiles stay below.

7 restaurants to explore

“Lists delivery” means the operator’s ordering page or a checked platform listing showed delivery on October 8, 2026. Availability depends on your address and time. “Vegetarian options” means a specific option is named on the checked menu, not an allergen or cross-contact guarantee.

Ways to make a meal.

Fujian snacks and a noodle bowl

Pair peanut-sauce noodles with Shaxian wontons, then compare the Fujian crystal pork siu mai with the shrimp-pork version. Check the evening ordering cutoff and allow for the waits written into some steamed-item labels.

Taste of Sha Xian

Steamed dim sum with vegetable choices

Choose har gow, pork-shrimp shumai and vegetarian bao from the pickup menu. Add Eggplant & Tofu or a noodle dish if the table wants a larger meal, and ask about sauces when ordering for a dietary requirement.

Bao Express

Beijing noodles and a meat pie

Start with Beijing Zha Jiang Noodles and Jing Dong Meat Pie, then add Beijing Style Braised Eggplant. Use the current El Camino address and confirm Monday lunch by phone because the operator and delivery platform disagree.

Peking Alley

Different kitchens, different meals.

Bao Express

Cantonese steamed dim sum and vegetarian-labeled bao

Park Place

1040 Park Pl, San Mateo, CA 94403650-240-1668

Bao Express's Cantonese menu combines steamed bao, har gow and shumai with rice plates and wok dishes. The linked pickup menu also labels vegetarian bao, dumplings and pot stickers, giving a mixed table several named choices.

Build an order. Start with Shrimp Har Gow (Gf) (4) and Pork Shrimp Shumai (4), then add Steamed Vegetarian Bao (3). Beef Chow Fun or Eggplant & Tofu can turn the dim sum selection into a larger meal; confirm dietary preparation with the restaurant.

Before you go. The operator publishes daily hours of 11:30 AM-9 PM and links online pickup ordering. The pickup menu was already marked closed with pre-order offered during the evening check, so confirm the ordering cutoff. Use that menu's prices: the homepage quotes different rice-plate and prawn prices.

Dishes to know. Siu mai, Beef chow fun

Delivery: via apps The operator's exact-branch website names Uber Eats and DoorDash delivery, alongside its own online pickup link. Confirm the 1040 Park Place branch, address eligibility and fees in the chosen app.

Menu snapshot

Shrimp Har Gow (Gf) (4) 蝦餃 $8.50 · Pork Shrimp Shumai (4) 燒賣 $8.50 · Steamed Vegetarian Bao (3) $7.50

Operator-linked online pickup ordering menu; prices checked 2026-10-08. Homepage summary prices differ for some other dishes; tax, fees and delivery-channel prices may differ. Checked ; before tax, tip and fees. Prices can change, and delivery-app prices are often higher than the restaurant’s own.
Sources & verification

Operator information checked October 8, 2026. These sources support the menu and logistics; our order suggestions are editorial, without a claimed visit.

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Taste of Sha Xian

Fujian snacks, peanut-sauce noodles and wontons

East Fourth Avenue

38 E Fourth Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401650-393-4715

The operator connects Taste of Sha Xian to Shaxian County in Fujian. Its menu makes the distinction concrete with peanut-sauce noodles, Shaxian wontons, fish-ball soup and a Fujian crystal siu mai filled with glass noodles and minced pork.

Build an order. Build a snack meal around Shaxian Noodles W Peanut Sauce and Shaxian Wonton Soup. Sha Xian Crysal Pork Siu Mai offers a different filling from Shrimp Pork Siu Mai (6) (15 Minutes Waiting). Vegetarian Dumplings(8) are named on the menu; ask about sauces and preparation. Other prepared variants are Steamed Soup Dumplings W/ Crab Meat (6) (15mins Waiting) $13.98 and Cherry Blossom Shimp & Pork Soup Dumplings $13.98; the latter label states no count.

Before you go. The operator contact page publishes 11 AM-3 PM and 5 PM-10 PM without a weekly day list. The linked Chowbus page showed Thursday ordering until 9:50 PM, so distinguish the ordering cutoff from the posted close. Soup-dumpling labels explicitly ask for a 15-minute wait.

Dishes to know. Soup dumplings, Siu mai

Delivery: direct The operator-linked Chowbus page for 38 E Fourth Avenue exposes a Choose Service selector with Delivery and Pickup. Address eligibility and delivery fees are not established by the pre-address menu view.

Menu snapshot

Steamed Soup Dumpling (6) ( 15mins Waiting) $11.98 · Sha Xian Crysal Pork Siu Mai $9.98 · Shrimp Pork Siu Mai (6) (15 Minutes Waiting) $11.98

Operator-linked Chowbus online pickup ordering menu; prices checked 2026-10-08 before tax, options and fees. The selected items have a single displayed price; some other menu items show point-linked and regular amounts together. Checked ; before tax, tip and fees. Prices can change, and delivery-app prices are often higher than the restaurant’s own.
Sources & verification

Operator information checked October 8, 2026. These sources support the menu and logistics; our order suggestions are editorial, without a claimed visit.

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Shang Dumpling

Shanghai soup dumplings and pan-fried pork buns

East Third Avenue

213 E 3rd Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401650-733-9333

Shang Dumpling's operator site names Shanghai cuisine and highlights soup dumplings, pan-fried pork buns and Shanghai noodles. Its linked menu adds Cantonese dim sum and vegetable dishes, but the Shanghai buns make the meal distinct from a dim sum box.

Build an order. Pair Pork Shanghai Soup Dumpling with Pan-Fried Pork Buns and Stir-Fried Thick Noodles. Har Gow Shrimp Dumplings and Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai are also listed. Braised Eggplant w/ Tofu or Vegetables with Garlic adds a named vegetable dish; ask about sauce ingredients. Other soup-section labels are #10 Pork & Crab Soup Dumpoings $13.95, #11 Pork & Aged Ham Dumplings $13.95 and #12 Pork & Truffle Dumplings $15.95. The descriptions identify #10 Pork & Crab Soup Dumpoings as Kurobuta Pork & Crab Soup Dumplings (6 pcs); #11 Pork & Aged Ham Dumplings as Kurobuta Pork & Chinese Cured Ham Soup Dumplings (6 pcs); #12 Pork & Truffle Dumplings as Kurobuta Pork & Black Truffle Soup Dumplings (6 pcs). Those description counts are not part of the labels.

Before you go. Monday is closed. The operator lists Tue-Thu 11 AM-3 PM and 5-9 PM; Fri 11 AM-3 PM and 5-9:30 PM; Sat 11 AM-4 PM and 5-9:30 PM; Sun 11 AM-4 PM and 5-9 PM. The ordering page showed Thursday 11 AM-9 PM without the break; confirm service during that gap.

Dishes to know. Soup dumplings, Siu mai

Delivery: direct The operator-linked Qooway ordering page matches 213 E 3rd Avenue and 650-733-9333 and states Delivery & Pick-up Available. Confirm delivery eligibility, timing and fees for the address before ordering.

Menu snapshot

#9 Pork Shanghai Soup Dumpling $12.95 · #21 Har Gow Shrimp Dumplings $9.95 · #22 Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai $9.95

Operator-linked Qooway online ordering menu; prices checked 2026-10-08 before tax and fulfillment fees. The pork soup-dumpling description says six pieces, but its item label does not state a count. Checked ; before tax, tip and fees. Prices can change, and delivery-app prices are often higher than the restaurant’s own.
Sources & verification

Operator information checked October 8, 2026. These sources support the menu and logistics; our order suggestions are editorial, without a claimed visit.

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No.5 House

Braised-pork rice and Taiwanese-named stir-fries

South Ellsworth Avenue

5 S Ellsworth Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401650-727-3142

No.5 House's broad menu gives a rice-centered alternative to the nearby dumpling meals. Braised Pork and Rice sits beside bentos, while Taiwanese Three-Cup Chicken, Taiwanese Hakka Stir-Fry and Taiwanese Braised Pork Noodle establish the Taiwanese dishes by name.

Build an order. Choose Braised Pork and Rice with Taiwanese Three-Cup Chicken or Three-Cup King Oyster Mushrooms. Pork Xiao Long Bao(6 pieces) $13.95 and Cantonese Shrimp Dumplings(8 pieces) $16.95 are optional dim sum additions. Vegetable Udon Noodle is also named on the menu; confirm broth ingredients. Prepared dim-sum variants are Spicy Pork Xiao Long Bao(6 pieces) $15.95, Chicken Xiao Long Bao(6 pieces) $16.95 and Crab Pork Xiao Long Bao(6 pieces) $18.95.

Before you go. Tuesday is closed. The operator site lists Mon and Wed-Fri 10:30 AM-2:30 PM and 5-9 PM, with Sat-Sun 10:30 AM-9 PM. MealKeyway showed Thursday's evening opening at 4:30 PM instead of 5 PM; call if planning an early dinner. Its Start Order dialog offers pickup.

Dishes to know. Soup dumplings

Pickup only The operator-linked MealKeyway Start Order dialog identifies 5 S Ellsworth Avenue and offers a Pickup Order with a pickup time; no delivery service is offered in that selector. Confirm other arrangements by phone.

Menu snapshot

Braised Pork and Rice $12.95 · Pork Xiao Long Bao(6 pieces) $13.95 · Cantonese Shrimp Dumplings(8 pieces) $16.95

Operator-linked MealKeyway online pickup ordering menu; prices checked 2026-10-08 before tax and options. Frozen take-home dumpling packs are separate menu items and are not the prepared-food prices quoted here. Checked ; before tax, tip and fees. Prices can change, and delivery-app prices are often higher than the restaurant’s own.
Sources & verification

Operator information checked October 8, 2026. These sources support the menu and logistics; our order suggestions are editorial, without a claimed visit.

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Town of Dumpling

A dumpling meal chosen by filling

Laurie Meadows Drive

29 Laurie Meadows Dr, San Mateo, CA 94403650-349-3066

Town of Dumpling's menu extends beyond soup dumplings to pork with dill or sour cabbage, lamb with Chinese vegetables, fish with chives and vegetarian dumplings. Choosing contrasting fillings makes this a different meal from Shang Dumpling's pork buns and Shanghai noodles.

Build an order. Choose Pork w. Dills Dumplings alongside Vegetarian Dumpling, or compare a lamb or sour-cabbage filling. 35. Shanghai Soup Dumpling (6) 灌汤小笼包 is a separate dim sum option. The menu also names Vegetarian Pot Stickers (6) and Fresh Noodle with Mustard Green as a vegetarian dish.

Before you go. The operator lists 11 AM-9:30 PM every day except Wednesday, which is closed. Its visible Order details selector offers Pick up and Dine-in, with no Delivery choice. The online menu warns that special preparation and extra items can incur charges beyond the displayed total.

Dishes to know. Soup dumplings

Pickup only The public Order details selector on the exact-branch operator menu offers Pick up and Dine-in, with no Delivery option. The branch is 29 Laurie Meadows Drive; confirm any separate delivery arrangements by phone.

Menu snapshot

35. Shanghai Soup Dumpling (6) 灌汤小笼包 $8.95 · Pork w. Dills Dumplings $11.95 · Vegetarian Dumpling $10.95

Operator Chinese Menu Online pickup ordering menu; prices checked 2026-10-08 before tax and special-preparation charges. Counts are retained only where the item label states them. Checked ; before tax, tip and fees. Prices can change, and delivery-app prices are often higher than the restaurant’s own.
Sources & verification

Operator information checked October 8, 2026. These sources support the menu and logistics; our order suggestions are editorial, without a claimed visit.

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Tang Bar San Mateo

Malatang broth bowls or malaban savory mix

East Fourth Avenue

62 E 4th Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94401650-581-1304

Tang Bar's operator menu distinguishes malatang broth bowls from its savory mix, or malaban. Build-your-own options sit beside Meat Lover, Seafood Lover and Feeling Veggie bowls, so a group can choose ingredients rather than another dumpling assortment.

Build an order. Choose a BYO Malatang or a Feeling Veggie bowl from the Malatang section, then compare a broth bowl with BYO Savory Mix. Feeling Veggie names winter melon, cucumber, potato, cabbage, lotus root, tofu and mushrooms; ask about broth and sauce before making a dietary choice.

Before you go. Opening hours are Mon-Thu and Sun 11 AM-8:30 PM, Fri-Sat 11 AM-9 PM. Pickup and delivery close 30 minutes earlier: 8 PM or 8:30 PM respectively. Bowl prices are published as starting prices and depend on selections; review the chosen size and additions before checkout.

Delivery: direct The operator publishes direct online delivery with a 5-mile-circle fee of $6.50 and no minimum, plus separate delivery hours. The website also advertises free delivery on orders of $50 or more; confirm address eligibility and the checkout fee.

Menu snapshot

BYO Malatang $22.95+ · Feeling Veggie (Malatang) $23.25+ · Coconut Sago with Sichuan Jelly $5.95

Operator GloriaFood online ordering menu; prices checked 2026-10-08. Bowl amounts marked with + are the menu's From prices; chosen size, ingredients, tax and fees can change the total. Checked ; before tax, tip and fees. Prices can change, and delivery-app prices are often higher than the restaurant’s own.
Sources & verification

Operator information checked October 8, 2026. These sources support the menu and logistics; our order suggestions are editorial, without a claimed visit.

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Peking Alley

Beijing noodles, meat pies and braises

South El Camino Real

4300 S El Camino Real, San Mateo, CA 94403650-349-0298

Peking Alley's operator describes Peking-style cooking, and the priced menu follows through with Beijing Zha Jiang Noodles, Jing Dong Meat Pie and Beijing-style braises. Its pancake and noodle sections supply a separate meal from the soup-dumpling and dim sum picks.

Build an order. Pair Beijing Zha Jiang Noodles with Jing Dong Meat Pie and Beijing Style Braised Eggplant. Smoked Chicken, Lamb & Carrot Dumplings(12) and Vegetable Mu Hsu are other named choices. Ask about eggplant sauce and the meat-pie filling before deciding on dietary substitutions.

Before you go. The operator lists Monday dinner only, 5-8:30 PM; Tue-Thu and Sun 11 AM-3 PM and 5-8:30 PM; Fri-Sat 11 AM-3 PM and 5-9 PM. Beyond Menu also lists Monday lunch, conflicting with the operator. The operator ordering page was closed for the night and showed pickup resuming the next morning.

Delivery: via apps Beyond Menu's current listing matches 4300 S El Camino Real and publishes Delivery hours, a $6.98 fee within 10 miles, no minimum and order-ahead availability. Confirm eligibility and fees on that platform; direct delivery was not verified on the closed operator menu.

Menu snapshot

Beijing Zha Jiang Noodles $15.95 · Jing Dong Meat Pie $15.95 · Beijing Style Braised Eggplant $17.95

Operator-linked MealKeyway online pickup ordering menu; prices checked 2026-10-08 before tax and options. Beyond Menu is cited for delivery availability, not for these meal prices. Checked ; before tax, tip and fees. Prices can change, and delivery-app prices are often higher than the restaurant’s own.
Sources & verification

Operator information checked October 8, 2026. These sources support the menu and logistics; our order suggestions are editorial, without a claimed visit.

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Choose a district. Then choose a table.

Downtown / East Third Avenue

Shang Dumpling's operator page places its Shanghai menu at 213 E 3rd Avenue. This is a downtown restaurant block, as listed by Downtown San Mateo's restaurant guide.

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Downtown / East Fourth Avenue

Taste of Sha Xian is at 38 E Fourth Avenue and Tang Bar is at 62 E Fourth Avenue. Their menus offer different meals on the same street: Fujian snacks and malatang.

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South Ellsworth Avenue

No.5 House lists 5 S Ellsworth Avenue. Its bento, Taiwanese-named dishes and dumplings provide another meal near the downtown avenue blocks.

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Park Place

Bao Express lists 1040 Park Place in San Mateo. Its Cantonese steamed dim sum and vegetarian-labeled bao make this a separate stop from the downtown dumpling restaurants.

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Laurie Meadows Drive

Town of Dumpling lists 29 Laurie Meadows Drive. Its filling choices include dill, sour cabbage and lamb, alongside Shanghai soup dumplings and vegetarian dumplings.

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South El Camino Real

Peking Alley's current operator and ordering pages agree on 4300 S El Camino Real. Use this address when checking its Beijing-style noodle and pancake menu.

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AI illustration of braised chicken with ginger and basil in a clay pot
Three-cup chicken. AI illustration, not a restaurant photograph.

Menus change. Check before you go.

Prices are a snapshot.
Each profile names the channel: dine-in menu, online ordering or a delivery app. Delivery apps commonly add fees and mark up dishes.
Delivery is address-specific.
A delivery listing shows a restaurant serves some addresses, not yours. Confirm on the restaurant’s own ordering page or by phone.
Learn the dishes first.
Read the dish guides and regional starting points to decide what to order.

A little more clarity.

Where are the Chinese restaurants in this San Mateo guide?

Several are around downtown's East Third and Fourth Avenue blocks, with No.5 House on South Ellsworth Avenue. Bao Express is on Park Place, Town of Dumpling is on Laurie Meadows Drive and Peking Alley is on South El Camino Real. Every listed branch has a San Mateo address; this guide does not use neighboring-city restaurants.

Where can I find dim sum and soup dumplings in San Mateo?

Bao Express lists har gow, pork-shrimp shumai and vegetarian bao on its Cantonese pickup menu and publishes daily hours of 11:30 AM-9 PM. Shang Dumpling, Town of Dumpling, No.5 House and Taste of Sha Xian list soup dumplings. Their weekly closures, breaks and ordering cutoffs differ, so check the individual planning notes.

Which regional meals do these menus cover?

Taste of Sha Xian identifies Shaxian and Fujian snacks; Shang Dumpling names Shanghai cuisine; Peking Alley offers Beijing-style noodles, pancakes and braises; Bao Express names Cantonese dim sum; and Tang Bar names Sichuan malatang. No.5 House's menu explicitly names Taiwanese noodles, three-cup chicken and Hakka stir-fry.

Which menus name vegetarian or vegetable dishes?

Bao Express labels vegetarian bao, dumplings and pot stickers, while Town of Dumpling and Taste of Sha Xian also name vegetarian dumplings. Tang Bar names a Feeling Veggie bowl, No.5 House lists vegetable noodles and king oyster mushrooms, and Shang Dumpling and Peking Alley list vegetable dishes. Ask about broths, sauces and preparation; a menu name alone does not establish every ingredient.

Are the quoted prices dine-in prices, and which restaurants deliver?

The quoted prices come from operator or operator-linked online menus, mostly pickup ordering. Tang Bar's bowl amounts are starting prices. Bao Express names Uber Eats and DoorDash, Peking Alley has a branch-specific Beyond Menu delivery listing, and the checked Tang Bar, Taste of Sha Xian and Shang Dumpling ordering sources list delivery. Town of Dumpling and No.5 House showed pickup options without a delivery option. Address eligibility, fees and ordering hours can differ from dining hours.

All menu terms

A guide you can check.

We selected 7 San Mateo restaurants for different meals. This is not a numerical ranking or a record of dining visits. We checked operator menus, exact locations, delivery options and practical constraints on October 8, 2026, and left out places we could not verify.

Order suggestions are editorial. Food illustrations are locally generated AI images, not photographs of any restaurant. See the editorial approach. Other guides: all city guides.