The First Vietnamese Restaurant In San Francisco Is Still Serving Up Its Famous Noodle Dishes To This Day

San Francisco's culinary scene is rich, diverse, and steeped in history. For a bite of Asian plates in a restaurant that's been a cornerstone of the neighborhood since 1971, you've got to check out Thanh Long. It's considered the first Vietnamese restaurant in the city, and it continues to serve locals with exceptional noodle dishes today, with its garlic noodles being a certified crowd pleaser and one of its signature dishes. Fans of the restaurant say the dish is one of the best in San Francisco due to its creamy consistency and harmonious interpretation, where the garlic flavor shines without being overpowering. It certainly is a prime example of using crushed garlic to its full potential. The famous dish is whipped up with its secret house-made sauce, and it's so iconic that you'll find several SF-style Vietnamese noodle recipes floating around online, hoping to recreate Thanh Long's very own.

The garlic noodles are often enjoyed with roast Dungeness crab, with delicate notes of garlic and its homemade spices — and the San Francisco gem doesn't go easy on the flavor, either. People who enjoy the maritime feast are impressed with the flavor punch, accompanied by a satisfying tender texture. It's pretty simple, proving that a delicious dish doesn't need multilayered flavors, but just fresh, high-quality ingredients that shine in every bite. If you only have 24 hours to eat in San Francisco, look no further.

If you need a tip on finding a ridiculously good Vietnamese restaurant, here's one: Book a flight to San Francisco and head to Thanh Long. The restaurant's garlic noodles are also enjoyed with other savory bites, like the Thanh Long fish, which is a basa fish that's pan-broiled, so the meat stays succulent while the outer layer is nicely crisped. There's also the aromatic addition of dill and turmeric, which are common combinations in the Vietnamese dish chả cá, so you're really getting a classic experience of Southeast Asian cuisine. The colossal royal tiger prawns are another exceptional pairing with garlic noodles, which are grilled with spices that the restaurant keeps hush-hush. Their impressive smokiness really ties everything together, especially with the decadent noodles on the side.

While it's famous for its noodle dish, Thanh Long doesn't offer a lot of variety — and actually, it doesn't really have to. But if you want to stray from the best-selling garlic noodles, there's also the wok egg noodles that come with either chicken or prawns, along with vegetables and chili soya for added complexity. Despite being Thanh Long's underdog, people were generally pleased with it, though it's overshadowed by the garlic noodles. Perhaps there's no wrong choice when dining at this local fixture, though, if it's your first time, you might want to dive headfirst into its bestsellers.