Mandalay is one of six recipients of the 2024 America's Classics Award, presented by Heinz. A Restaurant and Chef Awards category, the America's Classics Award is given to locally owned restaurants that have timeless appeal and are beloved regionally for quality food that reflects the character of its community.
Founded in 1984, Mandalay was not the first Burmese restaurant to open in San Francisco but is the oldest still in operation today. Current owner Kevin Chen tells the New York Times that his family members who started the restaurant wanted to introduce the American dining public to Burmese food, which was at that time, impossible to find. The country’s cuisine draws influences from India, China, and Thailand, all which border Myanmar. Today most diners at Mandalay order the famous tea leaf salad, which leans more traditional than versions offered at other local Burmese spots. Other standout dishes include the slightly sour samusa soup made filled with falafel, samusa, potatoes, lentils, shredded cabbage, and mint leaf, as well as the Mandalay special noodle.