185 Best Places to Shop in San Francisco, California

Punchy colors, retro shapes, and a cheeky sense of humor have made Kate Spade purses wildly popular among ladies of all ages. Case in point: the Over the Moon Rocket clutch is actually shaped as a rocket and contains 14-karat gold-plated hardware. The shop also stocks shoes, cosmetics cases, datebooks, and note cards.

Fans swear by this company's high-quality, simply packaged skin- and hair-care products. Its spacious store stocks oceans of lotions, potions, and soaps.

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.

The selection of English-language books about Japanese culture—everything from medieval history to origami instructions—is one of the finest in the country. Kinokuniya is also the city's biggest seller of Japanese-language books. Glossy Asian fashion magazines attract the young and trendy; the manga and anime books and magazines are wildly popular, too.

Local artisans Julia Relinghaus and Katharina Ernst have been producing one-of-a-kind and custom products for more than 30 years. Ernst's bold knitted sweaters and accessories will help you stand out from the crowd, and Relinghaus's exquisite, high-quality leather jackets for men and women are the kind of investment you make for fine leather.

Dozens of diamond bracelets in the window attract shoppers to one of the city's best vintage jewelry shops, where rings, brooches, and other glittering items represent various eras and styles, from Victorian and Edwardian to art nouveau and Arts and Crafts. The shop has been selling fine jewelry, including engagement rings and a few vintage watches, since 1969.

Danette Scheib's smart, sharp designs make this one of SF's leading of-the-moment clothing boutiques. Caftans, wrap dresses, and leisure suit jackets are both comfortable and savvy enough for a night out or a business meeting.

A San Francisco icon, founded in 1853, Levi's offers every style, size, color, and cut of 501s for men and women at its massive flagship store. You can even get a custom fitting if you book ahead of time.

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.

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.

Take a number at this throwback to Old Italy and wait your turn to order a sloppy-good, meatball-and-provolone sandwich or the neighborhood fave, the #1 Italian combo: salami, ham, mortadella, and provolone, spiced up with a few Italian peppers. The sausages and prepared salads are also good here.

This yoga-inspired company makes all kinds of athletic gear out of Luon fabric—it's nonchafing, moisture-wicking, preshrunk, and best of all it can be washed in warm water. The pants have a rep as the best thing in town for a yogi's derriere.

Towers of bulk soap, which can be cut to order, and mountains of baseball-size fizzing "bath bombs" are some of the first items you'll see in this tightly packed and extremely fragrant little boutique, which resembles a cheese shop more than a Sephora. Some potions are so fresh (and perishable) that they're stored in a refrigerator and come with an expiration date.

The makeup is bold and trendy, as are many of its devotees. Mod salespeople are happy to show you creamy lipsticks, glittery powders, and dramatic eye shadows.

Filled with bright dresses and patterned tops, this Cow Hollow beacon of style has a real Californian feel. Designers both local and from Southern California are represented, and the owner and her staff are happy to help you match things, including earrings and sweaters and jeans and simple T-shirts.

This is the only retail outpost of this Sonoma County ranch, a producer of outstanding organic, extra-virgin olive oil. If you stop by in fall or winter, don't miss the Olio Nuovo, the days-old green oil produced during the harvest.

For boutique shopping that's anything but hit or miss, browse through this unusual selection of jewelry by artists like Gabriella Kiss, Harwell Godfrey, and Gillian Conroy. The one-of-a-kind rings, charms, and pendants have won this boutique a loyal following.

Sculpture and works on paper by masters such as Pablo Picasso, Robert Motherwell, David Sultan, and Helen Frankenthaler are the attraction. Guy Dill's whimsical contemporary sculptures draw the eye from across the room.

There is truly nothing sweeter than a cellophane bag tied with colorful ribbon and filled with malt balls or floral meringues from this Insta-friendly candy and pastry store. Grab a gingerbread cupcake or a tantalizing macaron or some shortbread. The pastel-color cake stands make even window shopping a treat.

Multimodal exhibits are on a seven-week rotation and span an impressive arc of multimedia, photography, performance, painting, and sculpture. Featured artists have included Le Corbusier and Erwin Blumenfeld.

Button-down sweaters, lace-trimmed dresses, sunhats, sequined leashes—who knew dogs could dress this well? This shop also sells gourmet canine cookies.

The shop sells sleek furniture and accessories, such as low-slung couches with nary a curve in sight, and a variety of wall beds. Many items can be custom ordered.

Fed by more than 25 boutiques in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles, the Closet carries clothing and accessories by designers like BB Dakota, Current Elliot, and Alexander McQueen, all at least 50% off the retail price.

This sparse white-on-white locally owned store sells indulgent skin- and hair-care products, as well as a small selection of natural laundry and cleaning products.

The surroundings, which include a Philip Johnson–designed checkerboard facade, a gilded atrium, and a stained-glass skylight, are as ritzy as the goods showcased within. The mix includes designer men's and women's clothing and accessories as well as posh household wares. Although the prices may raise an eyebrow or two, the Last Call sales—in January and July—draw big crowds. After hitting the vast handbag salon, those who lunch daintily can order consommé and bread laden with strawberry butter in the Rotunda Restaurant.

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.

Japanese pop culture has never been so neatly organized as it is here at this state-of-the-art minimall divided into four shiny levels: the cinema/café downstairs; MARUQ (selling Tokyo's hot fashion right here in SF) on the first floor; clothing shops like Baby, the Stars Shine Bright and Sou-Sou on the second floor; and the Superfrog Gallery on the third floor. Expect to see a rotation of emerging artists in the gallery and make sure you try the superstrong coffee and vegan donuts on sale in the café.

The younger generation's counterpart to the Japan Center, this fresh shopping center combines a cinema, a tea parlor, and shops with a successful synergy. The downstairs New People Cinema shows classic and cutting-edge Asian (largely Japanese) films. Upstairs you can peruse Japanese pop-culture items and anime-inspired fashion, like handmade, split-toe shoes at SOU • SOU and Lolita fashion at Baby, the Stars Shine Bright.

More glitzy multimedia extravaganza than true sporting-goods store, this emporium is nevertheless the best place in town to find anything and everything with the famous swoosh.