Shopping Guides

The Shopping Guide: San Francisco

San Francisco has never really been known for fashion, but there are some top-notch shops to discover. Union Square is the place for department stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue, the newly remodeled Neiman Marcus, which now has three floors, and upscale boutiques from Chanel to Frette, but be sure to visit Fillmore and Sacramento Streets for high-end, one-of-a-kind places that carry designers you may not know. More typical mall stores can be found in the Westfield San Francisco Centre, a multi-story building just off Union Square anchored by Macy’s and Nordstrom. Here is our current short list for San Francisco.

Indagare Picks // Mission

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="620"] Courtesy Aggregate Supply[/caption]

The Mission is known for its hip and quirky personality. Home to alternative shops and great restaurants, it's also a hop, skip and a jump away from Golden Gate Park.

  • Paxton Gate: This quirky curiosities store sells everything from taxidermy to succulents—and a lot of things in between. Browse for one-of-a-kind finds, like cool fossils and laboratory paraphernalia. 824 Valencia St
  • Aggregate Supply: This concept store offers a mix of cute, hipster and nouveau-grunge pieces. Favorite finds include succulent plants, limited edition lithographs and unisex flannel shirts. 806 Valencia St.
  • Mission Cheese: At this urban café and bar that celebrates American cheese, you can settle into a table for a cheese-tasting board and glass of wine or take home a half pound. 736 Valencia Street
  • Cisco Home: Slightly outside the Mission neighborhood, this shop offers everything from sleek furniture to inventive lighting fixtures, and each piece of décor is more clever, chic and gorgeous than the last. Favorite finds include vintage glass bottle chandeliers, a cream-colored tufted leather sofa and stools made from milk crates. 195 Rhode Island St

Indagare Picks // Pacific Heights

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="620"] Courtesy Margaret O'Leary[/caption]

Pacific Heights is an upscale residential neighborhoods with plenty of boutiques and cafés. While the neighborhood lacks notable sites, there are a number of great restaurants, including the homey, California-cool Spruce and foodie-favorite The Progress.

  • Sue Fisher King: While the boutique is notably pricey, King has a knack for picking out unique furniture, bedding, jewelry and a number of other chic home décor. 3067 Sacramento Street
  • Margaret O'LearyIn addition to luscious cashmere sweaters seen on plenty of celebrities, the shop carries the stylish jeans and shirts you’ll want to wear with them. 2400 Fillmore Street
  • SusanFeaturing cream-of-the-crop designers from Lanvin and Balenciaga to Marni. 3685 Sacramento Street
  • The Grocery StoreThe hipper, less expensive branch of Susan stocks designers Avant Toi, Miu Miu, among others. Great cashmere sweaters and a funky shoe corner make it a lot of fun. 3687 Sacramento Street
  • éluThe ultra-chic store features a carefully curated collection of women’s clothing and accessories, plus special pieces for men. 3091 Sacramento St.

Indagare Picks // Union Square

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="620"] Courtesy Wilkes Bashford[/caption]

Union Square is the city’s nucleus—home of the luxury hotels, upscale restaurants and high-end shops. It's also the home of several museums including the San Francisco MoMAContemporary Jewish Museum and The Museum of the African Diaspora.

  • Ferry Building Farmer's MarketMore than twenty-five permanent tenants, including purveyors of chocolate, wine and bread, as well as take-out boutiques and restaurants. Ferry Building
  • Wilkes Bashford: A quintessential San Franciscan experience, it started as a men’s store and still stocks such gorgeous lines as Brioni and Bogner. There’s a women’s boutique with designs from Valentino, Monique Lhuillier and Oscar de la Renta. 375 Sutter Street.

Top Souvenirs

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="620"] Courtesy Mission Cheese[/caption]

Don't miss a lovely vase from Heath Ceramics (2900 18th S), a block of cheese, a hipster flannel button-down and loaf of Tartine sourdough bread.

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