After more than a century of service, the iconic Sam Wo restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown has closed, leading to an outpouring of memories and hope for a potential revival. Known throughout the Bay Area for its rice rolls and unforgettable character, the 116-year-old establishment served its last meal yesterday. Owner and head chef David Ho, who has dedicated 40 years of his life to the restaurant, is now retiring; customers flocked to relish the flavors of the beloved barbeque pork rice rolls one final time, with chef Ho rolling each by hand as he has done for decades, as reported by NBC Bay Area.
In what seemed like a fitting send-off, the community gathered to bid farewell to the restaurant and its chef, a background adorned with pictures and memories of patrons, celebrities like Ken Jeong, Chef Martin Yan, and Conan O’Brien, complimenting the deep-rooted nostalgia resonating within the walls. Co-owner Steven Lee was seen removing the restaurant's signage after the final patrons entered. As per ABC7 News, he expressed an interest in keeping the legacy alive stating, "We don't want people to be disappointed if we gave it to another family or another chef who doesn't want to keep the legacy going."
Despite the closure, there appears to be a glimmer of optimism. The future of Sam Wo depends on finding the right successor to uphold its storied legacy, with co-owners indicating their intention to take a break, clean up, and refurbish the restaurant before making any definitive decisions. Sam Wo is no stranger to hardship, having previously shut down in 2012 due to safety violations but was later resurrected by its current investors.
Last year's hunt for a new chef and buyer proved futile, yet there are ongoing negotiations with potential offers to take over the reins of Sam Wo. Both local fans and the co-owners share the prayer that the essence of Sam Wo will endure, Lee mentioned as he posed for one last photo with Chef Ho and his family. Everyone's praying, in fact, however, whether the restaurant retains its cherished identity remains unseen, as Michelle Veneracion, a long-time customer, remarked to NBC Bay Area, "If you had to name one item on the menu, 10 out of 10 people would d say the rolls, the Chai sui rolls," encapsulating the sentiment that any change might make Sam Wo different from what it has been for the past century.
