At the ferry building, one of the great things about San Francisco is Sonoma County.
Spend a day browsing the ferry building marketplace. Click through the gallery for a few favorite finds from Sonoma County.
McEvoy Ranch: A West Marin ranch that borders Petaluma is on lovely display in San Francisco. The ferry building locale has a full spread of McEvoy Ranch’s offerings. It’s almost too much flavor excitement to experience in one visit. There are so many olive oils to try, but one might get distracted by the lotions and ODE products, clean makeup and cleansers. Then there’s McEvoy’s wine offerings to throw you off, and their chutneys and jams to distract you further. You’ll walk around and want to try everything, but you’ll settle down eventually and choose just a few tastes. And then there’s jewelry which you might miss if you don’t stay focused, made from fallen olive trees at the McEvoy Ranch. They’ve been fused with glass for a modern look, and they're made in Petaluma. 1 Ferry Bldg, San Francisco, 415-291-722, mcevoyranch.com
The Gardener: The Gardener isn’t a Sonoma County business per se; it had its beginnings in Berkeley in 1983, but in 1998 it expanded to a second store in Healdsburg where the business has its own garden. In 2003, it came to the ferry building. This store has lovely finds ranging from tools to help your garden grow, to unique vessels to showcase that bounty. Fine art pieces are available (from local artists like Sylvia Gonzalez of Petaluma), along with books, shrubs and other items (Sonoma Wool Company products) that fall in the arty and sustainability Bay Area vein, that is firmly rooted in places like Berkeley, Healdsburg and the City. 1 Ferry Bldg, San Francisco, 415-981-8181, thegardener.com
Beekind: This Sebastopol-based business does their sweet thing of offering tasty local honeys sourced from Sebastopol to San Mateo to the Central Valley. Honey sticks and pure beeswax candles in a variety of shapes are also available. 1 Ferry Bldg, Ste 21b, San Francisco, 415-307-8682, beekind.com
Cowgirl Creamery and The Side-Kick Cafe: Petaluma-headquartered Cowgirl Creamery offers you their delectable take on all manner of cheeses. Their Side Kick Cafe offers gourmet variations on grilled cheeses like cheddar and broccolini or cheddar and caramelized onions with maple mustard and can you believe it, maple mustard? Sumptuous salads and tomato soup are also available. 1 Ferry Bldg, Ste 17, San Francisco, 415-362-9350, cowgirlcreamery.com
Benedetta Farm Sourced® Skin Care: The Benedetta Skin Care line is 100 percent botanical-based using only organic and biodynamic formulas. Benedetta offers multi-step facial regiments, SPF-free sun protection products and chemical-free The Best Deodorant. Benedetta has formulated their line in small batches in Petaluma since 1996. Items are available online, but their only storefront is at the San Francisco Ferry Building. 1 Ferry Bldg, San Francisco, 415-263-8910, benedetta.com
Made with Strauss: Miette pastry shop calls themselves "San Francisco's most charming pastry shop" and also proudly states their handmade desserts and candies are made using Petaluma's Strauss Creamery products. Miette Patisserie, 1 Ferry Bldg, Ste 10, San Francisco, 415-837-0300, miette.com
The San Francisco Ferry Building—in its current incarnation as a ferry terminal-slash-marketplace for extraordinary goods and foods—is an impressive spot to pass through. If one looks at the ferry building as sort of a foodie microcosm of “the City,” then it’s fair to say that one of the great things about San Francisco is Sonoma. In this Grand Central Station of tastes, Sonoma businesses have a standout presence—click through the gallery for details.
