All's Tasty on the Western Front

San Francisco's 1898 Beaux Arts Ferry Building, with its magnificent 240-foot tall clock tower, is a landmark on the city's newly revitalized waterfront and vibrant Embarcadero.

In 2003, this building emerged from an intensive four-year, $110 million renovation as the key to the new downtown scene; residents and tourists alike have since been drawn there to celebrate the epitome of Bay Area food culture.

The Ferry Building also serves as a terminal for more than 11,000 daily ferry commuters traveling into the San Francisco from Larkspur, Sausalito, Vallejo and Alameda; 175,000 square feet of prime office space is available on the second and third floors.

A Landmark Endures

Although it had withstood the earthquakes of both 1906 and 1989, by the early '90s the Ferry Building had fallen into disrepair and disuse -- and was in dire need of seismic upgrading.

In 1991, the razing of the Embarcadero Freeway that had separated the terminal from downtown restored its prominence in the cityscape. In 1998, a call went out for proposals for reviving the landmark as the "elegant centerpiece of the waterfront."

The public-private collaboration that followed ensured that the mixed-use redevelopment successfully merged old and new.

As the alternative to commuting by car across the Golden Gate and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridges becomes increasingly popular, there are plans for continued ferry network improvements and expansion.

But far from just a quotidian transit and business hub, the building now also affords 65,000 square feet of space showcasing local food products; cafes and restaurants on its street level; and relaxing waterfront plazas ideal for enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee or an alfresco picnic.

The Meat of the Matter

The San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace itself is reminiscent of European markets, and has become an essential place to see and be seen.

Organized along a 45-foot wide central nave, its 660-foot-long skylight floods the space with natural light.

Decorative metal grates fold back from thirty niches that once formed the baggage area, eliminating the need for individual storefront doors and shop windows.

Produce and products spill from the alcoves out into the walkway, adding energy and color to the lively ambience, which inevitably includes lots of free food samples and tastings.

Meat, fish, poultry, coffee, tea, cheese, bread, chocolate, pastries, gelato, olive oil, fresh produce and locally produced pantry items are all available. There's even ready-to-cook dishes and meals to take home and make (or pass off as) your own.

	Shrimp and Jicama Rolls
	Photo courtesy of The Slanted Door

Table for Two

Three large restaurants celebrating fresh and seasonal local ingredients anchor corners of the Marketplace.

The Slanted Door is a nationally acclaimed Vietnamese restaurant in which owner and executive chef Charles Phan uses native herbs to good effect, in dishes ranging from home-style cuisine to more complex entrees.

His sweet and sour soup doesn't look or taste like any you've had before, mingling silky heirloom tomatoes and flecks of bac ha (tender stalks of taro leaves). The green papaya salad is startlingly refreshing, with subtle accents of rau ram (Vietnamese cilantro) and roasted peanuts.

And be sure to leave room for the shrimp and jicama rolls, incorporating a delightful mix of Thai basil, crispy pork belly and fresh chiles.