Kim + Ono
Hand-painted robes, kimonos, formal dresses, and jackets are sold at this second-generation family-owned spot. Chic Asia-inspired gifts and smaller items make great souvenirs.
Dr. Bunny McFadden
9 Best Places to Shop in San Francisco, California
With its grand department stores and funky secondhand boutiques, San Francisco summons a full range of shopping experiences. From the anarchist bookstore to the mouthwatering specialty-food purveyors at the gleaming Ferry Building, the local shopping opportunities reflect the city's various personalities. Visitors with limited time often focus their energies on the high-density Union Square area, where several major department stores tower over big-name boutiques. But if you're keen to find unique local shops, consider moving beyond the square's radius.
Each neighborhood has its own distinctive finds, whether it's 1960s housewares, cheeky stationery, or vintage Levi's. If shopping in San Francisco has a downside, it's that real bargains can be few and far between. Sure, neighborhoods such as the Lower Haight and the Mission have thrift shops and other inexpensive stores, but you won't find many discount outlets in the city, where rents are sky-high and space is at a premium.
Seasonal sales, usually in late January and late July or August, are good opportunities for finding deep discounts on clothing. The San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Examiner advertise sales. For smaller shops, check the free SF Weekly, which can be found on street corners every Wednesday. Sample sales are usually held by individual manufacturers, so check your favorite company's website before visiting.
Local Take
More than 100 local artists contribute their wares to this thoughtfully curated shop, the best place in the neighborhood for San Francisco gifts and souvenirs. The inventory changes but might include anything from laser-cut metal city maps and a good selection of jewelry to high-quality knitwear and graphic T-shirts.
Lola of North Beach
For an alternative to Hallmark with a SF vibe, try this intimate shop offering gadgets, knickknacks, and tongue-in-cheek novelties, plus cards, stationery, and postcards. Many products make great souvenirs, from Golden Gate Bridge onesies for babies to city-skyline socks for adults. Local artists are well represented.
Recommended Fodor's Video
Nest
A cross between a Parisian antiques show and a Jamaican flea market, this store can get even the most monochrome excited about color. Turn up the volume on your SF souvenirs with vintage artist journals, rare Oaxacan jewelry, hard-to-find Herb Caen books, and classic Paris and Barcelona map scarves.
Park Life
An eclectic assortment of souvenirs, art, books, apparel, stationery, and prints tempts browsers at this design-centric outpost. With a well-curated collection of School of Life philosophy books and nontouristy T-shirts to take back home, it's the perfect place to browse for a half hour while waiting for your table at Burma Superstar across the street.
Paxton Gate
Elevating gardening to an art, this serene shop offers beautiful vases, succulents, decorative garden items, and coffee-table books. The collection of taxidermy and preserved bugs provides more unusual gift ideas. A couple storefronts away is too-cute Paxton Gate Curiosities for Kids, jam-packed with retro toys, books, and other stellar finds.
San Francisco Mercantile
This sweet, airy space offers city mementos more than a few standard deviations above the usual Fisherman's Wharf or Chinatown souvenirs. High-quality San Francisco–themed wares include graphic tees, sweatshirts, and beanies, as well as cute onesies and other items for kids. Beautiful books, housewares, and glassware by local artists make excellent souvenirs and gifts.
Therapy
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.
Wink SF
Cards, toasters, aprons, books, candles, and a wide selection of SF-theme items line the shelves. You'll also find fridge magnets, wisdom-spouting bags, and bakery-shape pencil erasers. And if you've misplaced your water bottle, the shop stocks a rainbow of colors.
