My favorite thing about San Francisco is its food culture and enthusiasm for local, fresh, organic, hard-to-find, and artisan-crafted food products. For this reason, the first place I always recommend first-time visitors go is the Ferry Building in San Francisco. This sprawling, bay-front market houses gourmet food vendors of all sorts and is a great place to start on a food lover’s visit to the city.
Three times a week, they have a huge Farmer’s Market outside of the building (Tuesday: 10am–2pm; Thursday: 10 am – 2pm; Saturday: 8am-2pm), so visit then if you can, for the full experience. At the Saturday and Tuesday markets, volunteers from San Francisco City Guides offer free walking tours of the Ferry Building that start at noon.
When you visit, here are some of my favorite stops:
The most unique shop is probably Far West Fungi. This store carries dozens of varieties of fresh, locally-harvested, and dried mushrooms, mushroom infused oils, and mushroom growing and wild mushroom foraging supplies.
My favorite find at the store is their candy cap mushroom-flavored ice cream bar. For only $3, its sweet, nutty maple flavor is unique to this variety of naturally sweet mushrooms. Mushroom ice cream?!? Yes, please!
Cowgirl Creamery is a local cheese producer from right over the Golden Gate Bridge, in Marin County. We are huge fans of local Marin cheeses, and I love to browse the beautiful cheeses they carry here at the Ferry Building. Because it’s always so crowded, it’s sometimes difficult to taste cheeses. But nearly whatever you want, they’ll have.
More Highlights:
A labyrinthine display case of sausages and salumi (or is it salami?) cured in an Italian tradition at Boccalone.
Brightly colored heirloom tomatoes at the Farm Fresh To You indoor market. They stock fresh, organic produce seven days a week, so you can find it even on non-farmer’s market days.
The Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant serves wines from across California and around the world. Stop in for a glass and ask the waiter for a recommendation; it’s a great place to try something new from one of California’s many wine regions.
The back of the building offers stunning views of the Bay Bridge and Treasure Island, and is adjacent to the ferry terminal. From here, ferries go to Oakland, Alameda, and Vallejo.
If you are on a budget, it’s easy to blow it on the many tasty, but often pricey, food options in San Francisco. The San Francisco Ferry Building offers a convenient way to sample some of the best flavors the city has to offer.
Looking for more foodie things to do in San Francisco? Check out these posts:
- 10 Free & Cheap Things to Do in San Francisco
- A Sweet Day in San Francisco
- Visiting a Sake Brewery… in San Francisco?
- Exploring San Francisco’s Mission District with Rick Bayless
- An East Bay Beer Crawl
Want to save this post for your next trip? Click here to pin it on Pinterest.
Find these shops on Urbanspoon:
Far West Fungi 
Cowgirl Creamery 
Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant 
Have you been to the Ferry Building? What’s your favorite foodie find?
So tantalizing! I would be all over those delicious cheeses and a mushroom popsicle in a heartbeat.
I knew you would be adventurous enough for it 🙂 We’ve gotta get you out here soon!
I’m glad you did a post on the Ferry Building! I love this place… good job, Cassie!
Thanks, Vee! Glad you love the place like I do! I think it’s an especially good place for tourists because new, hot restaurants come and go throughout the city, but you can always be sure to find unique and tasty things at the Ferry Building.
Oh, they have Cowgirl Creamery here in DC also… love it!!!
Oh cool, I saw that on their website when I went to add the link! You happen to know if they are making their own cheeses on the East Coast? Or maybe partnering with local dairy producers?
Mmmm, Cowgirl Creamery: the cheeses are mighty fine, and they also go well with a good bread. Thanks for highlighting the Ferry Building and the great local food sold there! I’ve gotta try that cream-of-mushroom-sicle! 😉
Thanks, Henry! You are right, I forgot to mention that they sell Acme Bread there, which is a great Berkeley-based breadmaker. You’re making me hungry! And I love your name for the popsicle! Appropriate, though it brings back memories of the canned soup I ate as a kid, rather than a sweet treat 🙂
Yup, this place is definitely somewhere I’d go! And the view is a plus!
I’m usually browsing and tasting things when I’m there so I forgot to even mention the great restaurants! You would love it, let me know when you’re coming to SF!
Great article, Cassie. Thank you for the plug. The name of the “wine store and wine bar” is the FERRY PLAZA WINE MERCHANT – http://www.fpwm.com
We specialize in delicious wine made by small producers across the globe. Come by and visit our store and wine bar! Oh…and we have 85+ artisanal beers to choose from, too, at our bar.
If any of you readers are in need of booking a group wine and food tasting event in San Francisco, contact me (Linda Kelley) at [email protected] . We’d love to accommodate you!
Thanks for reading, Linda! I’ve updated the post to provide better information on the name. I can’t wait to learn more about your beer selection, too. 🙂
Thank you, Kevin, for the update! Yes…the beer is delish. And the wine. And the nibbles. Come by and see us!