Another fresh day by the bay
By Constance Hale and Maria Robinson Christine Krieg | Special to The Advertiser OPEN ALL WEEK OPEN ALL WEEK
The wedding-cake clock tower on San Francisco's Ferry Building was modeled after the 12th-century Giralda bell tower of Seville, Spain. If the Spanish beacon called the faithful to worship, though, its San Francisco progeny has become a mecca for Bay Area gourmets.
The neoclassical transportation hub, built in 1898, survived the 1906 and 1989 earthquakes before being reborn as a bustling market. Its renovation by Milanese architect Gae Aulenti earned kudos from the American Institute of Architects and, since reopening in 2003, it has become both a hangout for locals and a destination for visitors. Now home to 65,000 square feet of specialty food purveyors, retail shops and restaurants, the Ferry Building also hosts the city's favorite Farmers Market in its wide outdoor plaza.
If you're vacationing in the Bay Area — especially if you're staying in a unit with a kitchenette and want to do a little cooking — this is a must stop. Even if you've got no cooking facilities, you'll find plenty of products to bring back as omiyage, and lots of places to eat, too.
FRESH PICKS
Special to The Advertiser
The Saturday Farmers Market at San Francisco's Ferry Building is worth a visit whether you're food shopping or just sight-seeing — beyond the farmers' stalls, there are kitchen shops and many restaurants.
The San Francisco Ferry Building clock tower, modeled after a historic one in Spain, is a skyline landmark that leads to great food and shopping on the City by the Bay's waterfront.
You can readily put together a gift basket of Northern California specialties by browsing the San Francisco Ferry Building shops.
The San Francisco Ferry Building clock tower, modeled after a historic one in Spain, is a skyline landmark that leads to great food and shopping on the City by the Bay's waterfront.
The San Francisco Ferry Building clock tower, modeled after a historic one in Spain, is a skyline landmark that leads to great food and shopping on the City by the Bay's waterfront.
The San Francisco Ferry Building clock tower, modeled after a historic one in Spain, is a skyline landmark that leads to great food and shopping on the City by the Bay's waterfront.
The San Francisco Ferry Building clock tower, modeled after a historic one in Spain, is a skyline landmark that leads to great food and shopping on the City by the Bay's waterfront.
The San Francisco Ferry Building clock tower, modeled after a historic one in Spain, is a skyline landmark that leads to great food and shopping on the City by the Bay's waterfront.
The San Francisco Ferry Building clock tower, modeled after a historic one in Spain, is a skyline landmark that leads to great food and shopping on the City by the Bay's waterfront.
The San Francisco Ferry Building clock tower, modeled after a historic one in Spain, is a skyline landmark that leads to great food and shopping on the City by the Bay's waterfront.
The San Francisco Ferry Building clock tower, modeled after a historic one in Spain, is a skyline landmark that leads to great food and shopping on the City by the Bay's waterfront.
The San Francisco Ferry Building clock tower, modeled after a historic one in Spain, is a skyline landmark that leads to great food and shopping on the City by the Bay's waterfront.
The San Francisco Ferry Building clock tower, modeled after a historic one in Spain, is a skyline landmark that leads to great food and shopping on the City by the Bay's waterfront.
You can readily put together a gift basket of Northern California specialties by browsing the San Francisco Ferry Building shops.
You can readily put together a gift basket of Northern California specialties by browsing the San Francisco Ferry Building shops.
You can readily put together a gift basket of Northern California specialties by browsing the San Francisco Ferry Building shops.
You can readily put together a gift basket of Northern California specialties by browsing the San Francisco Ferry Building shops.
You can readily put together a gift basket of Northern California specialties by browsing the San Francisco Ferry Building shops.
You can readily put together a gift basket of Northern California specialties by browsing the San Francisco Ferry Building shops.
You can readily put together a gift basket of Northern California specialties by browsing the San Francisco Ferry Building shops.
You can readily put together a gift basket of Northern California specialties by browsing the San Francisco Ferry Building shops.
At the Saturday Farmers Market, inhale the scent of flowers and herbs, take in the baby greens of Star Route Farm, and sample the snap peas of Iacopi. At renowned purveyors like Niman Ranch and Hoffman Game Birds, imagine the quick leap from market to menu. Don't miss Frog Hollow Farm for the peach that inspired Alice Waters or Hamada's for the garnet grapes.
If you can't wait till Saturday, both Capay Organics and Farmer's Garden Produce are open seven days a week.
Far West Fungi carries exotic fresh mushrooms like moritake, blue foot and tree oyster as well as specialty dried mushrooms including large morels. The seductive, woodsy black truffle oil, made by an artisan family in northern Italy, takes pasta dishes to a celestial level when drizzled on noodles.
At Cowgirl Creamery, look for California chevres and imported gems from Britain's Neal's Yard and France's Jean D'Alos. Tasting is encouraged. The shop also carries cheese knives by French knifemaker Laguiole — perfect for your picnic by the bay.
HAUTE TO TOTE
Forget fast food; the Ferry Building is a center for haute cuisine. Start your day with a flaky croissant from Acme Breads or, on Saturdays, a fresh fruit mini-galette from the Downtown Bakery (prepare to stand in line).
Ultramodern and Tokyo-hip, Delica rf-1, a Japanese deli, is lined in white birch and stainless steel. The food exudes Zen perfection. Mix and match plates of hijiki and soybeans, wasabi garlic potatoes, shrimp cake and duck breast with soba. You can also pick up elegant black bento boxes and sushi to go.
Step through the moon gate at Imperial Tea Court, and you've entered a classical Chinese teahouse. Between bites of dim sum, you'll swear you saw a Hong Kong junk moored at the dock.
Mijita, with its yellow-tiled Mexican kitchen and pink foil lights, will have you lip-smacking over the mahimahi tacos and fresh corn tortillas with spicy filings. Celebrity chef Traci des Jardins' special tomatillo salsa and rich pork carnitas are pure south-of-the-border soul food. For dessert, golden homemade flans await you. So do dead-on views of Treasure Island.
Grab a plate-style lunch from Mistral Rotisserie Provencale, and then park yourself on a bench in the sun. Try the herbes de Provence roasted chicken or lamb plus a mesclun salad from French chef Fabrice Marcon.
So your taste is more American South than sud de France? Try the smoked baby back ribs from Butcher By the Bay-Golden Gate Meat Co.
SATISFY A SWEET TOOTH
Miette is a Parisian patisserie tucked into the north side of the interior market. Its luscious chocolate and lemon tartlets are easy to share, but you'll want to keep a macaroon — available in float-away flavors like vanilla lemon, strawberry, and chocolate hazelnut —for yourself.
Recchiuti Confections makes deluxe chocolates in the French tradition, with imaginative and savory fillings like Kona coffee, cardamom nougat, lavender vanilla and spring jasmine tea. Insider favorite: the S'mores Kit.
Ciao Bella Gelato hand-crafts gelato and sorbet using ingredients from Italy. Don't pass up the creamy pistachio and velvety dark chocolate gelato — or the bright blackberry-cabernet and blood-orange sorbets.
LIGHT LUNCH
The locals skip Fisherman's Wharf, instead grabbing their crab at Ferry Building Seafood. Fresh cracked crab, crab cakes and prawns — plus outside picnic tables and, inside, a white marble bar.
At Hog Island Oysters, enjoy briny fresh Sweetwater, Atlantic, Kumamoto, and Belon oysters at a jazzy silver bar with a jaw-dropping view.
Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Café serves imported and domestic caviars, champagne and sake. Fab favorites: American caviar sampler of four caviars on mini-buckwheat blinis with crEme fra"che and velvety smoked sturgeon.
TOP TABLES
With the ambience of a grand caffE in Florence, Market Bar offers casual dining nestled under the arches of the Ferry Building's north facade. Dine inside, or outside under bright-yellow umbrellas. The Florentine fare: authentic Italian pasta, grilled meats and fish, wines from all over Italy.
Like a modern museum floating on water, Slanted Door Restaurant has soaring ceilings, original artwork and a million-dollar view. It also has a monumental black granite bar and black leather sofas. Chef Charles Phan offers New Age Vietnamese cooking and a staff that welcomes you like you left your heart here. Insider's eats: The spring rolls, grilled Australian free-range lamb rack, and caramelized shrimp.
Can't get a reservation? Head for Out the Door, a Vietnamese street-food canteen that Phan built behind the restaurant. Chow down on grapefruit and jicama salad, crispy duck with watercress, Saigon roast pork sandwich and black rice pudding.
RETAIL MANIA
Colorful and quirky, worldly and eclectic, The Gardener embodies the Bay Area's design aesthetic. Here you find French totes in rhubarb red, funky sun hats, bamboo plates, Alessi sterling and San Francisco ceramics.
Culinaire is the only West Coast shop specializing in antiques related to gastronomy. Be enchanted by New England kitchen curiosities and French heirloom table linens.
Wine spectators are welcome at the Ferry Building Wine Merchant, run by Peter Granoff, San Francisco's own master of wine. Granoff hosts daily wine tasting flights, from France west to Napa and south to Chile.
The taste of Tuscany prevails at Boriana's Italian Specialties. Charmingly packaged cookies and cakes, Italian jacquard linens and emerald-green olive oil all hail from the Tuscan town of Montepulciano.
BOOKS BY THE BAY
A branch of cookware emporium Sur La Table features a local cookbook section with signed copies from the Bay Area's top chefs: Thomas Keller (French Laundry), Paul Bertolli (Oliveto) and Judy Rodgers (Zuni Cafe). Insider's read: "The San Francisco Food Lover's Guide" by Patricia Unterman.
Reminiscent of the quai-side stalls in Paris, Book Passage is the bookiniste by the bay. (It is also an outpost of the Marin County Book Passage mothership, home to writing conferences, the Left Coast Literary Salon, and highbrow author events.) Sink into a leather armchair as you browse the unmatched collection of travel books, or join literary San Francisco for a noontime reading.
BEST BAYSIDE BRUNCH
San Francisco Sundays are rich and indulgent at Boulette's Larder, a Parisian-style food emporium. Sip the locally roasted Blue Bottle coffee and tuck into the beignets with cinnamon sugar, the buckwheat crepes with fruit compote or the cheerful corn pancakes. (Open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m, and Sunday 10 to 5 p.m.)
