"And I shall watch the ferry-boats And they'll get high…read moreOn a bluer ocean Against tomorrow's sky" (Van Morrison) The blue waters of the San Francisco Bay serve as a beautiful backdrop to the San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace. It's more than just a food hall, it houses over 40 restaurants, cafés, and retail shops, so if you're looking for food, beverages, groceries, consumer goods, or bakery treats, the odds are excellent that you'll find it here. Oh, and they host a Farmer's Market three times a week too. The building has been around since 1898. Its name traces back to what was located on the site in the 1870's - a ferry boat house that was the only way most travelers and commuters could reach the city. Today, the building offers 65,000 sq ft in the first-floor Marketplace space, plus over 175,000 sq ft of upper floor office space. The Marketplace was buzzing with visitors on the day we stopped by. The building is gorgeous with a very high arched glass ceiling that lets natural light pour in on sunny days. We strolled through the Marketplace, stopped at Humphry Slocombe for ice cream cones, grabbed a bench outside on the pier, and just enjoyed the waterfront views and the great San Francisco vibes.

The Ferry Building. Staring straight down Market Street at the very edge of the bay, like a…read moremonument to San Francisco's enduring obsession with itself. It's still here. Same predictable crowd, just with different faces--fresher, younger, and probably with higher valuations. I'm here on a Thursday, right when the circus rolls into town. The food trucks and artisanal tents arrive to feed the hungry, self-proclaimed "elite" crowd. You know the type: tech bros and corporate mid-managers willing to wait forty minutes in line for an organically harvested heirloom radish just to feel something. Yet, against my better judgment, I kind of miss the hustle of coming out here. There's a manic, beautiful energy to it all. It's comforting, in a twisted way, to see those who stood the test of time. Take Gott's Roadside. It's a temple to the American classic, and by a wide margin, the best damn burger I've had in San Francisco. No unnecessary pretense, just grease, beef, and execution. I'm making it a personal mission to crush one before I escape next week. But let's be honest. The RoliRoti Porchetta Truck is the real, singular reason we are here. A traditional Italian sandwich hacked apart on a folding table on the sidewalk. It is a certified delicacy in this town--fatty, unctuous pork, crispy skin, and herbs, stuffed into a roll that has no right tasting that good. It's the kind of street food that makes you forgive this city for everything else.

My favorite vendors: - Yerene Farms Strawberries. Huge…read moreshoutout to this place. The strawberries are delicious, they give out free samples, they sell three different varieties of strawberries, so you can find one that suits your taste. My favorite are the Albion strawberries, which are sweet and firm. The Mara des Bois strawberries are also great, they are softer and taste like strawberry jam. $15 for a three pack - Mr Dim Sum: The green onion pancakes are the only ones I've ever bought that taste like the ones my mother handmade with love on weekend mornings. They aren't these flat disks, there are layers and layers of green onion and dough. You absolutely must try them. $10 for 3. - Far West Fungi. Highly recommend the baby shiitake mushrooms, and if they don't have those, then the shiitake mushrooms. They also have button mushrooms, as well as a wide variety of more exotic mushrooms, but the shiitakes are my favorite. Saute in a bit of olive oil, add salt, a little garlic, totally delicious. $5 per basket - Rainbow Chard. I can't remember who I buy this from, but there was only one stand that sold rainbow chard anyway. $5 for two big bunches - Pea Sprouts. This market specializes in Asian vegetables, and you can usually get some pea sprouts here. Saute with a bit of salt and garlic. - Xian Cai / Shen Choy / Aramanth Leaves. Another delicious Asian vegetable. Saute with salt & garlic. - Winters Fruit Tree. Lots of cool, unusual flavors of nuts. My favorite are the Rosemary Maple Almonds & the Orange Honey Almonds. $5 for 1/4 lb, $9 for 1/2 lb, $16/lb. - Estrellita's Snacks: Really great pupusas.

Get your produce here! Mid week shopping or browsing…read more Flowers, fruits, veggies Got some ready to eat food too if you need a lunch

There Is a lot to say here! So many food stands with diff choices and cuisines and special drinks…read moretoo Produce, plants, succulents, flowers, ready to eat food, bread, seafood Great energy on a sunny day. Pretty crowded since people are here for the ferries too but there's enough space for all

I went to the Farmer's Market on Thursday, thinking I could could get fresh berries and fruit for…read morebreakfast, but there were no vendors selling fresh fruit. I was told that Saturday has a lot more vendors. There were just a few stands outside the building, A highlight was the Chafolio tea company who offered free tastings. After sampling teas even more than once, I go the Lychee Black Tea - it was the freshest tea I have ever tasted and it has a nice, light fruit flavor. I also scored a huge almond croissant from a vendor. The Ferry Building is beautiful and worth a stop and has bars, restaurants, and an art exhibit upstairs. Just don't come on a weekday and expect fresh fruit.

Five stars for this farmers market. Low key, unpretentious, but lots of variety and some live…read moremusic. We ate lunch at the food trucks, we each had something different and delicious. Even on a cloudy day this was a nice couple of hours walking around.

This was our first time going to this market with our dog, who we carry in his doggy bag (see…read morephoto), and was immediately turned off by the rude staff saying no dogs allowed. They stated it was "California Law" but that's not true because in Sacramento every outdoor farmers market we ever went to allowed dogs. If you say no dogs allowed, cool but don't make up some BS. Also I saw other dogs walking in the farmers market and those people not being harassed. Never coming back here again.

Sunday morning in the Inner Richmond, and the ritual begins. They come crawling out for the green…read morestuff--the dirt-flecked, sun-kissed fruits and vegetables hauled in by farmers who drove tens, maybe hundreds of miles through the dark just to sell to sharks like me. The farmers market at Clement and Arguello is a beautiful, chaotic crossroads. You've got the exhausted moms and dads dragging toddlers, the hipsters, the musicians, and yeah, even the bridge-and-tunnel crowd arriving in absolute masses. It's a sensory overload. Down the avenue, bookstores throw open their doors and local joints brace for the onslaught. The coffee shops are packed to the gills, and the line outside Arsicault stretches clean down Arguello. But man, those pastries... they're worth every agonizing minute of the wait. Let's be honest: it's a total clusterf*. Parking is non-existent. People wander aimlessly, completely oblivious to their surroundings, hyped up on a rare dose of pure Sunday morning frivolity. It's messy, it's crowded, and it requires cash and serious patience. But we're all here for the same reason--to catch a sliver of sun, escape the crushing weight of the workweek, and feel alive together on the pavement.

Super abundant and fun farmer's market in the Richmond! I have to say, I think this is the largest…read morefarmer's market in SF and there's always plenty of produce and specialty stands to choose from. I love the mushroom stand and all the fresh fruits and veggies which is what I come for. On my recent trip, I picked up a yellow watermelon, flowering cauliflower (so sweet and tender!) and black pearl oyster mushrooms which are a super meaty variety!

So much variety! Fruits, vegetables, plants, flowers, honey, handicrafts. And parking!read more

Parking and traffic congestion is really bad here. Really. I don't know how it could be improved…read morebut there's def too many people too popular of a place and only a single lane each to get in and out. It's busy all morning. Maybe around noon it starts emptying out a bit. That's because the good stuff is gone by then. If you don't mind then that works great for you Pricier than supermarkets. As expected from farmers markets. Fruits like peaches taste better than supermarket though Take a Casual stroll and see what's in season!

Sun, music, plenty of picnic tables, and plenty to eat. Fresh fruits and veggies. Line at the…read moreEquator coffee and at the German restaurant. Dogs are welcome. Pricey. The guy playing violin outside was really good. I assume that was his wife holing up a sign: homeless. A toddler in the stroller just woke up. They were without shade in the hot sun. They need water.

Busy Farmers Market with easy to access parking, though I would suggest arriving before 10am…read more Great mix of flora, produce, baked goods, pantry items, and freshly made meals & snacks. Live music and because of the crowd fur babies not suggested unless you bring them in a stroller. Vendor are helpful, and overall it should be a pleasant experience.

Really good market with lots of variety- multiple vendors with overlapping produce too so you can…read moretaste and get what you want. I go for the produce, but the baked goods and prepared food choices are also great!

I have a serious obsession with FROG HOLLOW FARM, and they do this Farmers Market on Sunday and…read moreFerry Building on Saturday. Their ferry building prices are at least $2 more per/pound and it is cheaper at this market. Frog Hollow grows over 60 varieties of stone fruit, mulberries, European pears, Asian pears, persimmon, pomegranate, and blood oranges. They also bring pastries that they make and my favorite seasonal fruit crumbles for $5. There are so many other vendors and tons of different parking options. I appreciate the variety and will continue to visit this market again and again! Also, note that there's a knife sharpening service that is always packed at this market.

Since I take the bus into work, I had never thought about shopping for produce during my lunch…read morehour. But now that I'm trying to get a little more plant-based, I have a little more motivation these days, plus I have this neat canvas bag I got for free from the Halal Guys at 53rd and 6th in Manhattan. So now I can carry produce and compete with all those elderly Chinese women with their flimsy pink bags. Oh yes, that last Chinese eggplant is MINE, old lady! I actually come here for the produce I never see at Safeway or even Whole Foods like Romanesco zucchini. Y'know, the big gray-green ones with the prominent ribbing and nutty taste. No inappropriate jokes please. I also come here to get at least a couple of bunches of Chinese long beans and those silky-firm white peaches. I have to say I have no problem filling up my Halal Guys bag with fresh goodies because the vendors here always have quality produce (see my photo gallery). It's worth coming just for the free samples but expect to get an elbow in the face from the more aggressive cheapskates. Nothing is ever free, is it? The market fits snugly into the ground floor of the Crocker Galleria every Thursday from 11AM to 3PM (plus Tuesdays during the summer). Come early if you want your pick of the freshest produce, but get your stinking hands off my Romanesco zucchini. That's mine!

This farmers' market placed in central financial district that is set up on Tuesdays and Thursdays,…read moreis really convenient to stock up on fresh local produce and explore different local flavors - ranging in freshly bottled apple juice, baked goods, salsa, cheese, Bolani bread with different kinds of spreads, canned olives and more! It's a tight knit spot and I enjoy taking a walk here while being on lunch from work! It gives me some insights on what veggies and fruits are in season!

This store is a GEM. Every time I go I discover a something new and exciting. They carry an…read moreincredible variety of groceries from Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Balkans and the Middle East. Do you want obscure Ukrainian pickled vegetables? They have you covered. Do you want pussy willow juice for Persian baking or pine flavored soda from Russia? Or maybe farmers cheese, fresh sour cherries, or many varieties of pierogis? Maybe you want to buy the weird cookies your mom grew up eating in Yugoslavia. They have it all. They also have the best hummus, great, reasonably priced produce, any spice you can think of, and the friendliest owners and staff you will meet in SF. Oh, and you never have to wait in line. I go every day and can take care of most of my shopping in a few minutes. If you need meat or fish you can swing by Guerra's afterwards. If you like to cook or explore exotic food you should not miss this fabulous wonderland of a store. I seriously credit this store for the high quality of life in the neighborhood.

Motto is "Poor Man's Price. Rich Man's Quality." It's actually the opposite. Not particularly…read morecheap. Lots of expired cans on the shelves and expired dairy products. Lots of overripe stone fruit too (especially from outside). One of the worst service in town. Guy at the cashier bizarrely antagonistic with customers. Should calm down or go the back. Overall, weird and depressing experience. Won't go back, of course.