Shopping · San Francisco · United States
Shopping in San Francisco
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Shopping runs from Union Square's department stores to independent boutiques in Hayes Valley, vintage on Haight Street and food shopping at the Ferry Building. Best souvenirs: Sourdough, Ghirardelli chocolate and Fortune cookies.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 5
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Sourdough
Where to shop
Union Square
Department stores and flagship brands around the square and along Grant Avenue.
Hayes Valley
Design boutiques, independent fashion and homeware shops.
Haight Street
Vintage clothing, record stores such as Amoeba Music and counterculture souvenirs.
Fillmore and Union Streets
Upscale boutiques and home stores in Pacific Heights and Cow Hollow.
Valencia Street
Independent bookshops, design stores and the quirky pirate supply store at 826 Valencia.
Markets
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
Local produce, flowers and prepared food outside the Ferry Building on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Alemany Farmers' Market
The city's oldest farmers market, held on Saturdays in Bernal Heights, with lower prices than the Ferry Building.
What to buy
Sourdough
Boudin and other bakeries sell sourdough loaves and dried starter kits to take home.
Ghirardelli chocolate
Boxes and bars from the shops at Ghirardelli Square and Union Square.
Fortune cookies
Bags of freshly made cookies from the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory in Chinatown.
Napa and Sonoma wine
Bottles from local wine shops; check the import allowance for your home country.
Alcatraz and cable-car memorabilia
The official shops on Alcatraz and at the Cable Car Museum sell books and historical reproductions.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Embarcadero
Ferry Building Marketplace
The 1898 Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street, with its tall clock tower, houses a marketplace of local food producers selling oysters, cheese, bread, coffee and chocolate.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Architecture
- History
Neighbourhood · Chinatown
Chinatown
Dating from the Gold Rush era, San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest in North America.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- History
- Shopping
Street · Russian Hill
Lombard Street
One block of Lombard Street between Hyde and Leavenworth twists through eight hairpin bends lined with flower beds, earning its 'crookedest street' nickname.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Photo spot
- Views
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Sourdough bread, Irish coffee, It's-It and Hot fudge sundae at Ghirardelli Square. Boudin at Fisherman's Wharf, plus artisan bakeries in the Mission and at the Ferry Building. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Union Square | $$$ | Department stores, theatres and the Powell Street cable car turnaround |
| North Beach | $$$ | Italian cafés, Beat Generation bookshops and Telegraph Hill |
| Nob Hill | $$$$ | Grand hotels, Grace Cathedral and cable cars on California Street |
| Mission District | $$ | Murals, taquerias and Dolores Park in the city's sunniest neighbourhood |
| Hayes Valley | $$$ | Design boutiques, beer gardens and Patricia's Green near Civic Center |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in USD. Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink at bars, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares, and a few dollars per bag for porters. Surcharges for staff healthcare are separate and not a tip.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February; the busiest months are July–August.
- February: Chinese New Year Festival and Parade in Chinatown and around Union Square (usually February)
- April: Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown (usually April)
- April: San Francisco International Film Festival (usually April)
- August: Outside Lands music festival in Golden Gate Park (usually August)
- October: Hardly Strictly Bluegrass — free music festival in Golden Gate Park (usually early October)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and solo travellers
Union Square
Department stores, theatres and the Powell Street cable car turnaround
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in San Francisco?
Sourdough, Ghirardelli chocolate, Fortune cookies and Napa and Sonoma wine.
+Where is the best shopping in San Francisco?
Union Square: Department stores and flagship brands around the square and along Grant Avenue.
+What are the best markets in San Francisco?
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and Alemany Farmers' Market.