It was a guided holiday that took me through the doors of the San Francisco Ferry Plaza. Normally, a culinary tour or a food trail through a big city is not possible without multiple pit stops, and that can be tedious. Imagine an eclectic mix of culinary options rounded up and brought under one roof. That’s what makes the Ferry Plaza one of San Francisco’s must-do experiences whether you are a gourmand or a tourist feeling peckish in the middle of the day.
It wasn’t envisioned as a market place or a foodie’s hangout. This was the world’s second-busiest transit terminal in the early 20th century. The ferry terminal was San Francisco’s most iconic structure with its magnificent clock tower until the Golden Gate Bridge eclipsed it. The Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge gradually led to the Ferry Plaza becoming redundant and an elevated freeway almost cut this building off from public view. The infamous Loma Prieta Earthquake that rocked downtown San Francisco in 1989 destroyed that freeway and after a decade, the Ferry Plaza was back on the map, re-imagined as a showcase for local produce. It is no coincidence that the term ‘locavore’ originated from the San Francisco bay area.
The Ferry Plaza is a certified farmers market on three days a week including Saturdays, when it extends around the building to accommodate large crowds and a large number of local vendors. It has acquired a hallowed reputation for both the quality and the diversity of its fresh farm products and prepared foods. A high percentage of the vegetables, herbs and meats comes from certified organic farms. The market also has room for artisanal specialities like breads, cheese and jams.
It’s the Ferry Building Marketplace that I opted to explore on a lazy Sunday morning with an empty stomach. With about 40 permanent F&B establishments, it’s almost as difficult as choosing from a large buffet filled with exotic fare.
Farmer Al is a local legend: his organic farm produces high-quality peaches and apples. The Frog Hollow farm outlet specialises in a range of pastries and savouries that are made with fresh farm produce. The piping hot apple tartlet nearly left a hole in my mouth but it was well worth it for the luscious apple filling.
Organic certification for beef products was unheard of until Prather Ranch became one of the first to not only create an organic certification programme but also the first beef producer to become ‘certified humane raised and handled’. The chilli beef served with their trademark rancho gordo beans was the perfect start for a Sunday foodathon.
Food trails can be harsh if you have dietary restrictions but not so at the Ferry Building. Mariposa Baking Company is renowned for its gluten-free products with organic brown rice flour and unrefined cane sugar. Their popular vegetarian empanadas are not very different from samosas except they are made with a unique flour mix that uses tapioca starch, potato starch and organic amaranth flour. The filling uses a hint of Madras Curry spice and busts the myth about healthy food being unpalatable.
My next stop was the Cowgirl Creamery, a local brand that started small and is now present in over 500 stores across the US. With over 200 cheeses, this store can be intimidating, but I soon discovered that their most humble and popular Mt Tam triple-cream cheese is tough to beat. Sometimes simple yet pure ingredients (like the fresh organic milk in this cheese) truly hit the spot.
If you have time or space for fine dining, head straight to The Slanted Door, a Vietnamese restaurant where the traditional Vietnamese rolls make the best of local ingredients. It is these local ingredients, and the way local businesses and chefs use them creatively, that make the Ferry Plaza an amazing success story. It has also played its part in San Francisco’s vibrant food culture. This model has acquired more significance at a time when the whole world is discovering the ecological and health benefits of sourcing locally.
If I thought my ‘kid in the candy store’ moment arrived at the Recchiuti chocolate store famous for its artisanal chocolates, I was wrong. While this (candy) store can leave you spoilt for choice with its distinctive blend of Parisian chocolate techniques and local ingredients (like lavender and tarragon), it was the Miette Patisserie that was my favourite. From classic French macaroons to American versions with a hint of coconut, this is every dessertarian’s ultimate fantasy and the fitting finale to a Sunday well spent.
