Ferry Building Marketplace

The Ferry Building Marketplace occupies the restored 1898 ferry terminal at the foot of Market Street on the San Francisco Embarcadero, in California. The long central nave, lined with independent food shops, cafes and a handful of gift and book stores, functions as an indoor food hall devoted to local and artisan producers. Goods sold include Northern California cheese, charcuterie, bread, chocolate, coffee, wine, olive oil, mushrooms, oysters and cookware, which differ from generic shopping in being specialist food products from named small businesses rather than mass-market souvenirs. Vendor quality is consistently high, and nearly everything is genuine regional produce; the ratio of tourist trinkets is low. Prices are higher than in supermarkets, and the shops are fixed-price with no bargaining. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, and cash is rarely necessary. International visitors should note that California sales tax applies to purchases and is not refundable to tourists. The atmosphere is busy but polished, particularly on Saturdays when the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market operates outside and foot traffic is heaviest, and on weekday lunchtimes when office workers fill the counters. Eating options are the main draw: oyster bars, coffee roasters, bakeries, sandwich counters, ice cream and sit-down restaurants, many with tables facing the bay. The building's clock tower and high-ceilinged nave are attractions in their own right, and the rear promenade offers views of the Bay Bridge and the ferries that still dock here, running to Oakland, Alameda, Sausalito and other bay destinations. For gift shopping, specialty food boxes, jars of preserves and cookbooks are the typical purchases. Merchant hours vary, so individual shops may open later or close earlier than the building's general hours, and the website lists current tenants. Visitors planning a meal as well as a shopping trip often arrive hungry and graze between stalls, which is the most common way to experience the marketplace.