Ferry Building Marketplace

Stop on San Francisco Waterfront Tour, a free self-guided tour.

The Ferry Building is San Francisco's culinary crown jewel and a beloved landmark. This Beaux-Arts building with its distinctive 245-foot clock tower was completed in 1898 and served as the city's transportation hub before the bay bridges were built - at its peak, 50,000 commuters passed through daily. After decades of decline and being obscured by the freeway, the building was beautifully restored in 2003 and reopened as a gourmet food marketplace. Today, it houses some of Northern California's finest food purveyors, showcasing the region's phenomenal local and organic food movement. Browse artisan cheese at Cowgirl Creamery, fresh oysters at Hog Island Oyster Company, bread from Acme Bread Company, and Vietnamese food at The Slanted Door. The Saturday morning farmers market is legendary, drawing top chefs and food enthusiasts. The building's Grand Nave is a light-filled architectural gem. Multiple ferries still operate from here, traveling to Sausalito, Tiburon, Alameda, and Oakland. The Ferry Building represents San Francisco's evolution - from Gold Rush-era commercial hub to transportation center to its current incarnation celebrating food, sustainability, and public space. Sitting on the bay-side plaza with gourmet treats while watching ferries depart is quintessential San Francisco.