185 Best Places to Shop in San Francisco, California

A specialty Italian grocer for lovers of Slow Food, this shop is owned by Abruzzo-born Lorenzo Scarpone, who founded SF's Slow Food chapter; he also moonlights as a wine importer. Stop by for dried pastas from ancient villages like Gragnano; imported Italian specialty cheeses; aged balsamic vinegar from Modena; holiday cookies and specialties; and canned goods, such as San Marzano tomatoes. Also on offer are Roman roasted coffee and bottles of extra-virgin olive oil from Scarpone's family's production in Abruzzo.

An artist-run, nonprofit gallery, this is an established venue for cutting-edge art. In addition to exhibitions, lectures, performances, and film, video screenings take place.

When Martha Stewart or the buyers at Williams Sonoma need inspiration, they come to see how Sue has set her sprawling table or dressed her stately bed. Her specialty is opulent linens for every room. And when Pacific Heights residents are looking for an impeccable hostess or bridal gift, they come by for a hand-embroidered velvet pillow or a piece of Amanda Moffat pottery.

Everything the home chef could need is here, along with round aspic cutters, larding needles, and other things many cooks never knew existed. The store hosts cooking classes and jaw-dropping demonstrations.

Chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, sconces on the walls, a faux fireplace, and groovy music in the background set the scene at this oasis of hip. Dress shirts, sweaters, swingy pleated skirts, and suits, trousers, and jackets by the British designer have an updated 1960s aesthetic.

The closest thing to Savile Row in San Francisco, this small, cutting-edge, men-only boutique has everything from handmade suits to large handmade silver belt buckles from top-shelf Japanese and Italian designers.

Looking for a silver-tip badger brush? A polished-teak shaving-soap bowl? Or even sandalwood-infused pre-shave oil? You can pick up all of these items here, while the master barbers in the back provide anything from a moustache trim to the 45-minute "Royal Shave" (including hot towel and after-shave mask).

Located around the city, this small group of markets presents a terrific selection of gourmet foods and high-quality artisanal food and drink products. Paninis, baguettes and espresso drinks are also available for hungry Union Street shoppers. However, it's best known for the extensive selections of craft spirits and cocktail ingredients, making this the shopping headquarters for San Francisco's home bartenders.

Artful, functional home and garden accessories are the lure here, from woven baskets and teak salad bowls to beautifully illustrated books. Although there's only a small selection of actual gardening items, such as seeds, bulbs, and tools, there are plenty of bath and body items with which to pamper yourself after a day in the yard.

For environmental, political, and sustainable books, look no further. With deep roots in the community, energetic artwork, and an atmosphere that encourages reading, this is a good place to hide away.

The Bay Area–based national retailer is famous for its tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and outdoor apparel, including rugged Gore-Tex jackets and pants.

The large selection and great prices make up for this wineshop's bare-bones ambience. At the self-serve wine bar you can taste wines for a modest fee, a great boon if you want to try before you buy. Wine paraphernalia, including wineglasses, books, openers, and decanters, are also sold here.

The store carries woks, of course, but also anything else you could need for Chinese cooking and eating—bamboo steamers, ginger graters, wicked-looking cleavers—plus artistic chopstick holders and accessories for Japanese cooking, including sushi paraphernalia and tempura racks.

Massages at this oasis of calm near Japantown include and hot-stone options. Acupunture and facials are also available. The focus is on cleansing and calming the mind as well as the body.

In addition to fun housewares, books, wellness items, and stationery that leans toward retro charm, this local company sells smart decor, linens, and accessories with San Francisco and California themes.

This gray marble beauty towers over Union Square with almost as much leverage as its signature blue box. The company that all but invented the modern engagement ring makes more than just brides swoon with Elsa Peretti's sinuous silver and architect Frank Gehry's collection using materials like Pernambuco wood and black gold.

This hip, creative store features an interesting mix of Japanese items like bento boxes, along with stylish, useful gear for the creative professional set like travel tumblers, journals, and various kinds of bags for everything from hiking trails to working from a coffee shop.

The East Coast socialite–turned–designer has brightened staid Maiden Lane with her outpost for Bergdorf Blondes, inspired by designs from the '60s and '70s. The carpet is a rich avocado, walls are magenta among other colors, and velvet curtains frame floor-to-ceiling mirrors in other candy colors. In addition to her ubiquitous ballet flats, Burch's signature tunics, silk blouses, and suits are on offer.

At the first store in the United States dedicated entirely to sake, each of the many sakes is displayed with a label describing the drink's qualities, with food-pairing suggestions.

A fresh place to find a lacy top or a soft pair of jeans, Two Birds stocks Frēda Salvador, Ulla Johnson, and Smythe. You'll also find sleek jewelry, handbags, and dresses by local designers.

This local favorite prides itself on its selection of rare gemstones, such as golden sapphires and violet tanzanite. Custom work is a specialty: the no-pressure design consultants are happy to discuss how to make the jewelry of your dreams a reality.

Jen Rogers and Kerri Stephens's gallery specializes in thought-provoking works such as those by San Francisco–based artist Brian Goggin, known for his public art piece Defenestration. Ransom & Mitchell, two other noteworthy locals the gallery represents, blend photography and set design to create a truly surreal visual experience.

Each contemporary piece of jewelry here is one of a kind or a limited edition. The beautiful, unusual items might be sculpted out of resin, hammered from copper, or woven with silver wires.

Though you can find a few items from the psychedelic '60s, beautifully preserved fashions from the '40s and '50s are the best reason for visiting. You can even track down purses and hard-to-find vintage shoes to go with that fur-trimmed jacket.

In business since the early 1900s and a throwback to the North Beach of old, this bakery has display cases full of Italian pastries (although most hard-core Italian food experts would disapprove of them), traditional holiday cookies, and buttercream-based cakes.

Azalea's stylish sister store for men carries designer brands like Fellow, Nudie, and Reed Wilson. The styles range from rugged outdoors to urban chic, but somehow it all works—locals can't get enough of them.

The more than 400 whiskeys arranged along the back wall—mostly single-malt Scotches—are organized by their region of origin, so you can easily distinguish those made in Islay from those from Speyside or Lowland. The charming Scottish proprietor can tell you about his favorites, help you with the selection of tartan scarves or cashmere sweaters, or even equip you with a kilt.

Architect William Stout began selling books out of his apartment, then opened a Jackson Square store in the mid-1980s, where it remains the definitive source for Bay Area professionals looking for serious-minded tomes on architecture, urban planning, and design.

Behind a historical facade lies the massive mothership of the Sonoma-founded kitchen-store empire. La Cornue custom stoves beckon you in, and two grand staircases draw you up to the world of dinnerware, linens, and chefs' tools. Antique tart tins, eggbeaters, and pastry cutters from the personal collection of founder Chuck Williams line the walls.