Brief
San Francisco’s Rice Roll Express draws long lines for sub‑$10 cheung fun
The Chinatown eatery’s $9‑$11 rice noodle rolls have become a TikTok hit, prompting crowds and a mayoral visit.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Rice Roll Express, a no‑frills Chinatown restaurant, has become a lunchtime magnet in San Francisco, with patrons waiting up to 25 minutes for its $9.21 Rice Roll Express special and $10.78 shrimp roll, according to a recent SFGATE visit.
What happened
The spot, which opened two years ago on Stockton and Pacific, serves thin steamed rice noodle sheets wrapped around beef, pork, barbecue pork, egg or shrimp. Prices stay well below the Bay Area average restaurant ticket of $25.51 in September, as tracked by Market Pulse.
What was said
Mayor Daniel Lurie posted on Facebook that he tried the BBQ pork roll, noting the chili oil and sweet soy sauce, and called it "delicious." The article attributes the description to the mayor’s own social‑media post.
How it came about
Owner Tom Zhen, who grew up eating cheung fun in China, prepares the noodles by soaking rice overnight, grinding it and steaming the sheets. A DIY sauce station lets diners add house‑made chili oil, sweetened soy sauce, vinegar and sriracha.
Key facts
- Rice Roll Express serves cheung fun rolls for $9.21 to $10.78. (nypost.com)
- Customers wait about 25 minutes for lunch, per SFGATE. (nypost.com)
- Mayor Daniel Lurie visited and praised the BBQ pork roll on Facebook. (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “The viral under-$10 California lunch people can’t stop lining up for”
