Ferry Building Marketplace

The Ferry Building opened in July 1898, replacing a wooden terminal from 1875, and its clock tower rises 245 feet above the Embarcadero with four dials, each 22 feet across. The architect, A. Page Brown, designed it in the Beaux-Arts style in 1892. The building came through both the 1906 and 1989 earthquakes with little damage, and after the 1989 quake the elevated Embarcadero Freeway in front of it was removed, reconnecting it with the waterfront.

A restoration between 2002 and 2003 turned the ground floor into a marketplace of around 50 restaurants, food producers and shops, most open seven days a week. The long central hall is lined with food counters, cafés and restaurants, and the building is owned by the Port of San Francisco. A good approach is to walk the full length of the hall first, then put together an informal lunch from several counters and eat it outside facing the water.

The farmers market, run by Foodwise, sets up around the building on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 2pm and on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm, all year round. Saturday has the longest hours and draws the biggest crowds, so arrive early for the best choice and a little more space. The building itself is open daily from 6am to 10pm, although each business sets its own hours.

The Ferry Building is still a working terminal. Golden Gate Ferry boats sail to Sausalito, Tiburon and Larkspur, and San Francisco Bay Ferry serves Oakland, Alameda, Vallejo and Richmond, so it is easy to add a short crossing for views of the skyline and the bay. Ferries also run to Treasure Island, and a private Berkeley service docks at Pier 1½ next door. Check timetables before you set off.

Getting there is simple: Embarcadero BART station is about a block away, and the historic F-line streetcars stop right outside. There are bike racks at both ends of the building, and validated parking is available at a nearby garage with purchases. Allow an hour or two to browse and eat, longer on a market morning. From here it is a pleasant walk along the waterfront to the Exploratorium and on towards Pier 39.