Location: San Francisco
Top Things to do in San Francisco
10 Gift & Specialty Shops in San Francisco That You Shouldn't Miss
Every neighborhood in San Francisco has its own personality, from the hippie chic of the Upper Haight to the hipster grit of the Mission. The Marina district boasts trendy bistros and postcard-perfect views of the Golden Gate Bridge, while Noe Valley offers quaint and quiet boutiques. Wave hello to the sea lions at Pier 39, and sample local cheese and charcuterie at the Ferry Building. Sit in on a yoga session in Dolores Park or marvel at the Dutch Windmill across from Ocean Beach.
Restaurants in San Francisco
1. Red Blossom Tea Company
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 35 reviews
For over 30 years our family has cultivated relationships with farmers and craftsmen in China and Taiwan to import the best tea and teaware we can find. Today, we carry on this legacy, seeking sustainable and artisanal products while striving to make traditional tea culture approachable to everyone. Red Blossom Tea Company is based out of our Grant Avenue shop in San Francisco's vibrant Chinatown community. We have a selection of nearly 100 teas, three tea demonstration tables, and an extremely knowledgeable and helpful staff to guide you. We offer complimentary tastings for quality verification (with the purchase of tea), as well as full tasting flights for a more in-depth experience. We invite you to come taste and learn with us.
2. Vital Tea Leaf
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 96 reviews
Reviewed By dunadan - Lynnwood, United States
Our small family took a food tour of Chinatown and North Beach, a tea tasting at Vital Tea Leaf was part of the tour, and it was one of my favorite parts of the entire experience. Now, I love tea--I have several cups every day--but I have never been a big fan of Chinese tea, and green tea in general. While the tea we tasted was good quality tea properly prepared, it wasn't my personal favorite. However, what made the experience so good was the friendly and knowledgeable woman who provided the service for our entire group. She explained each type of tea she was brewing, the method used to brew it, and the conditions and ailments that the tea was well-suited to treat. She did this in a whirlwind fashion, talking nearly non-stop while brewing up several (seven?) different teas and serving our group of 12 while dealing with an occasional non-tour customer. It was pretty amazing.
3. The Spice & Tea Exchange
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 25 reviews
Purveyors of fine spices, herbs, custom blends, salts, sugars and teas.
Reviewed By mini - Fremont, United States
I very much like this store. They have amazingly good spices. I purchased a few to use. They also have very nice teas. The staff is helpful. One can smell the various spices an teas before purchase. That is a wonderful experience by itself.
4. Z. Cioccolato
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 32 reviews
Reviewed By dunadan - Lynnwood, United States
This sweet shop was a stop on food tour of China Town and North Beach, and we were there to try the famous seven-layer fudge, which proved to be worthy of its billing. The flavors of each layer were distinct but combined together into a delicious whole. There are lots of other sweets to get here, but the fudge is rightfully the headliner and worth a stop.
5. Barbary Coast Dispensary
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 86 reviews
Reviewed By JulianSFCA - San Francisco, United States
This is such a great dispensary. They have a great selection of bud and edibles. You can tell that this was an old bar built probably in the 1920s. Great knowledgeable budtenders. It has a great lounge where you can relax and enjoy your purchase.
6. Fog City News
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 41 reviews
Home to over 50 chocolate producers, the Bay Area is a mecca of artisan chocolate. Since 2001, Fog City News has curated one of the largest selections of fine chocolate in the US. The staff has tasted thousands of chocolates to ensure the offerings are “the best of the best”. Periodicals from all over the world, sassy greeting cards, and unique gifts make Fog City News a one-of-a-kind store.
Reviewed By thepathtaken - San Francisco, United States
I have been coming here as long as I can remember. My son and I have bought hundreds of chocolates here. Our favorites are the Donnelly Fresh Cream BonBons that are only available days before Christmas and Valentine's, we never miss a visit on those days. The selection changes. I send all of my clients here and when my daughter comes to town, this is a must stop. Ask for sampling...kept behind the counter. Adam and his staff know their chocolates like a sommelier knows wine. He can even tell you chocolate makers to visit if you are in another large city. And then there are the Greeting Cards. My son, daughter, friends, and office mates expect to receive cards from Fog City's collection of Naughty Greeting Cards for birthdays, holidays, and other celebrations. I've tried to give the standard variety but can no longer get away with it. Magazines for the plane, train, auto, beach...the largest selection...you will find just about anything, obscure and common. Go for the obscure and expose your mind to something new and exciting.
7. MMclay Ceramics Airsteam
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
MMclay is a handmade tableware business run by local ceramic artist and designer, MaryMar Keenan, in her Hayes Valley studio in San Francisco. The MMclay Airstream is MMclay's first official retail location at 395 Linden Street. The Production Studio | Showroom is located several blocks away at 69 Gough Street, San Francisco.
8. Moe Greens
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 50 reviews
SF Weekly's Best New Dispensary of 2019, Moe Greens is San Francisco’s premier dispensary and cannabis consumption lounge. Founded, owned, and operated by multi-generational San Francisco natives, Moe Greens seeks to provide an unparalleled luxury cannabis experience for all occasions. Whatever your occasion, come make the wise choice with Moe Greens today! Moe Greens carries a wide variety of cannabis products, including pre-rolls, flower, edibles, beverages, topicals, and sublingual tinctures. Lounge is free to use with purchase, and outfitted with devices and accessories to enhance your experience. Subscribe to our list for BOGO deals, specials, vendor demos, and more! Visit our menu page at https://moegreens.treez.io/onlinemenu/.
Reviewed By bradleyr790 - San Francisco, United States
For me, I am an equal fan and patron of both Moe Greens and Barbary Coast. All staff, (security TOTALLY included) are both laid-back and helpful, a nice combo. Moe Greens is my right hand dispensary, meaning when I have a bit of discretionary funds and feel like a walk to the weed store (which will ALWAYS give me a thrill to say!) I combine it with a practical errand to round things out. When I do this, if my errand requires me to go left when I exit my building, I go to Barbary Coast, and to my right I head for Moe Greens. I am glad for the existence of both, may I never have to choose between them. (°▽°)ﾉﾞ♡
9. Embarcadero Farmer's Market
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 109 reviews
A great place to buy fresh trout.
Reviewed By Boutip - Gatineau, Canada
This is great place to stop by and grab food. Everything we bought was great and most vendors offers samples. This is quite a huge market and you can spend more then 1 hour strolling around.
10. City Lights Booksellers
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,009 reviews
Famous bookstore founded and still owned by Beat Generation poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.
Reviewed By Mr_Daniel_Canada - Auckland Central, New Zealand
We headed to City Lights in June 2019 on a recent trip to San Francisco due to its place in history as one of the cornerstones of the Beat movement. And while the store does hold a candle for this part of its history, making sure it always has copies of Howl on hand, in 2019 it serves as so much more than a last bastion of the Beat movement. When we went there, we found a vibrant and relevant bookstore with a great selection of books ranging from children's books through to books tackling the history of native Americans from Wounded Knee through to current era, alongside the range of Beat works the store is known for. Overall, City Lights is a great store to ramble through and see what random books take your eye. Do yourself a favour, pop in, peruse the shelves, and buy some books for the flight!
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