The inside local's take
The signature tang comes from Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis — a wild bacterium that thrives specifically in the coastal fog microclimate of the Bay Area.
Boudin's Fisherman's Wharf bakery has a glass-walled viewing gallery where you can watch bakers hand-shape hundreds of loaves a day.
For a modern take, Tartine on Guerrero in the Mission bakes their country loaf twice a day — cash-only line, worth every minute.
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The Mission Burrito
The oversized, foil-wrapped, rice-and-beans-included original. Try La Taqueria, El Farolito, or Taqueria Cancún — argue about the winner forever.
Ferry Building Marketplace
Hog Island oysters, Cowgirl Creamery cheese, Blue Bottle coffee — Saturday morning is the greatest food market on the West Coast.
Dim Sum in Chinatown
The oldest Chinatown in North America. Steamer baskets of shu mai and har gow at Great Eastern; egg tarts fresh from Golden Gate Bakery.