Top 15 San Francisco Souvenirs You’ll Love

Here are San Francisco souvenirs that bring back a taste of the bay. From delicious food to share with friends and family. To practical items to use during your trip and when you’re back home. You’ll absolutely love these souvenirs from San Francisco to remember your trip!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

What To Buy in San Francisco

I’ve separated my list of San Francisco souvenirs into three categories:

• Food souvenirs from San Francisco
• Books to buy in San Francisco
• Clothes to buy in San Francisco
• Other San Francisco souvenirs (uncategorized!)

P.S. Find out what makes the perfect souvenir from vacation with my tips!

Top Food Souvenirs from San Francisco

Food souvenirs are always a hit to bring back from vacation. They’re perishable, so they don’t add clutter to your house. And you can bring back for friends and family to get a taste of San Francisco delicacies.

Sometimes I don’t love perishable souvenirs because you aren’t left with anything afterwards. So to make up for that, I’ve also included some food-related souvenirs that aren’t perishable, and are practical in your home!

For a list of all the food to try in San Francisco, check out my mini San Francisco travel guide with checklist.

1. Ghirardelli or Dandelion Chocolate Dandelion

Although Ghirardelli Chocolate is popular around North America today, it’s originally from San Francisco. Ghirardelli Square is where the old factory was. Today it’s home to restaurants, shops, apartments and a hotel in Fisherman’s Wharf. Ghirardelli does still have two boutiques here where you can buy some unique flavours and merch that I’m sure you won’t be able to find in your hometown (they have A LOT more flavours!).

You can buy entire new flavour packs, or mix and match individual new flavours to try! And if you don’t want to buy chocolate at all because it’s perishable, they also sell Ghirardelli mugs.

If you’ve seen too much Ghirardelli Chocolate though, pick up some local Dandelion Chocolate instead. You can either got to their factory in the Mission District, or they have a small shop set up in the Ferry Building.

2. Boudin Bakery Kitchen Items

Boudin Bakery is the original bakery in San Francisco serving sourdough bread from 1849. Now as much as you’d like to bring back their delicious sourdough bread, it won’t exactly stay fresh during travel.

Instead, pick up some useful Boudin Bakery kitchen souvenirs to use at home. Like a cute Boudin Bakery apron if you’re a baker, or a useful tea towel for your kitchen.

3. Clam Chowder in a Can

San Francisco is also known for their clam chowder (the best way to actually enjoy it is in a sourdough bread bowl). Unlike sourdough bread though, you can actually bring back clam chowder for everyone to taste.

Boudin Bakery sells their clam chowder in a can. So if you really love their clam chowder you can bring some home. Now if that’s not one of the most unique souvenirs from San Francisco, I don’t know what is!

Don’t forget to try sourdough bread or clam chowder in San Francisco with my food checklist included in my travel planner!

4. Custom Fortune Cookies (Advanced Order!)

One of the top places to go in San Francisco is Chinatown’s Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. They’re known for making delicious fortune cookies in different and unique flavours, like matcha, strawberry, and chocolate.

But they’ve also become a huge institution in San Francisco being officially named a ” San Francisco Legendary Business” in 2016. And in 2018, June 8 was declared Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company Day in San Francisco.

But if you plan in advanced, they also do custom fortune orders. You can order one or two flavours with your custom fortune inside. This is such a fun way to share exciting news or surprise someone. It’s a one of a kind way of telling people you’re engaged, pregnant, or any other exciting news you may have!

5. A Gaiwan (Chinese Teapot) from Chinatown

Chinatown is such a big part of San Francisco’s heritage, so bring back a part of that with a traditional gaiwan. A gaiwan is traditional way to enjoy tea in China, and so it’s no surprise that you’ll see them in Chinatown too. You can find restaurants serving tea using one and many being sold in the shops.

I will ll warn you, once you get one, you also have to learn how to use it (and it’s harder than you think to pour it!). It’s a completely different way of brewing tea compared to “western style”. A gaiwan is a much smaller teapot with a saucer and lid that’s all about quick and multiple infusions with the same tea leaves.

You can head to the Imperial Tea Court in the Ferry Building in San Francisco where they’ll teach you how to use it. Or follow my guide on using a gaiwan once you’re home.

6. Local Coffee

Coffee is another great food souvenir from San Francisco because they have a large coffee scene. San Francisco’s coffee scene started all the way back in 1850 with none other than Folgers Coffee. So in theory, a local coffee to buy in San Francisco you can buy at any grocery store… around the world.

So if you don’t want to bring back Folgers Coffee, buy a locally roasted coffee from San Francisco instead. Everyday in San Francisco try to find new coffee shops to try, this way you can buy your favourite beans from the bay! My favourite was from Saint Frank Coffee on Polk Street.

Another great spot to go is The Coffee Movement where they actually offer a coffee tasting flight, so you can try more than one at once!

P.S. If you’re a real coffee lover, you might be interested in my coffee tasting journal. With prompts and a guide to rate and review each new San Francisco coffee you try to truly find your favourite!

Books To Buy As San Francisco Souvenirs

I love bringing back books from my travels that are related to where I’ve been, and San Francisco is no exception. Buying a book as a souvenir extends your trip, you can read it when you get back, and it might give more local insights.

On top of finding just any San Francisco themed booked, the city actually has strong ties to a lesser known genre and books from a local author to buy.

So these next few San Francisco souvenirs don’t just have to be for book lovers. And who knows, maybe it will get you more into reading!

7. Beat Poetry Book (Howl – by Allen Ginsburg)

Beat poetry is a genre of writing that’s a form of rebellion against mainstream America. It gave writers an outlet to express their opinions in the 50s and 60s, and it all started in San Francisco. City Lights Booksellers and Publishers in North Beach became a hub for beat poets of the time because they were the first to publish works of beat poetry.

City Lights Booksellers and Publishers is still open today as the ultimate San Francisco souvenir store. Come here to buy old and new Beat poetry in their bookstore. But if you want a true classic, pick up a copy of Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsburg. Or If traditional Beat poetry isn’t for you, you can actually find Howl as a graphic novel, animated by Eric Drooker.

8. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan is a traditional novel that takes place in San Francisco’s Chinatown. It follows four mothers recounting their past lives in China, what they left behind, and how it affects their daughters in America today.

9. Escape from Alcatraz Comic Book

Alcatraz is another huge thing to do in San Francisco. So if you’re intrigued by the escape stories from the prison, pick up an Escape from Alcatraz graphic novel. There are 11 graphic novels in the series all inspired by real life escape attempts from Alcatraz.

They sell the comic books at Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Parks Conservancy Store. You can pick up just one book or the entire series.

Visiting Alcatraz? Read my guide to visiting Alcatraz Island, and what you should know before your visit!

Clothing Souvenirs From San Francisco

Clothes are always a good souvenir to bring back because you get so much use out of them even when you’re back home. These are the top clothing items to buy in San Francisco.

10. A Tie Die T-Shirt

Along with Beat Poetry movement, San Francisco was also home to the hippie movement in the 60s. It was all about the Summer of Love in San Francisco. Although the 60s are behind us, some of the love remained in San Francisco in Haight & Ashbury.

So it’s only natural to pick up a tie die shirt to spread the love. The best place to do that is at the Love on Haight shop (you can’t miss this shop – it’s very colourful on the corner of Haight and Masonic!).

11. Levi’s Jeans

I know you can buy Levi’s jeans world wide today, but the company got their start in San Francisco. Levi Strauss & Co was founded in San Francisco in 1853, and is still headquartered in the city today. Since 2023, May 20 has also been officially dubbed Levi’s® 501® Day in San Francisco.

The best place to shop for your new Levis is at the store in Union Square (815 Market Street). It will have the largest selection and even has onsite tailoring.

Pro tip: don’t pack jeans for your trip to San Francisco, instead go to the Levi’s store as one of the first things you do after arriving in the city. This way you can buy a brand new pair of jeans for touring and for when you’re back home. P.S. See more of my pro packing tips!

12. A Warm San Francisco Sweater

It’s always colder than you think in San Francisco, especially down by the wharf. So one of the best souvenirs from San Francisco is a cozy sweatshirt to keep you warm. The best place to shop for one os on Pier 39 or Chinatown (both of which are top thing to do in San Francisco anyway).

Not only does this give you something to do on Pier 39 (otherwise, there isn’t all that much), but it also serves a purpose in keeping you warm on the bay.

Just as you did with the Levi’s Jeans, pack one less sweater knowing you’ll buy one when you arrive. It also doesn’t have to be a sweater either, it can be anything that will keep you warm, like a hat!

13. Golden State Warriors Merch

If you’re into sports, bring back a San Francisco souvenir from their National Basketball team – the Golden State Warriors. This can be anything from a baseball hat, jersey, sweater or T-shirt.

Other Souvenirs from San Francisco

Here are a few more unique San Francisco souvenirs that aren’t in a specific category.

14. Fairmont San Francisco Merch

Normally, I wouldn’t suggest buying Fairmont hotel merchandise in any city. But the Fairmont San Francisco is unique in that it was the Fairmont that started it all!

It was the first Fairmont hotel that started the entire hotel chain. It’s also in an old building, and one of the only ones to survive the 1906 Earthquake. They have their San Francisco souvenir store in the hotel selling Fairmont San Francisco merchandise. Pick up something useful, like a mug, or maybe one of their cozy bathrobes.

P.S. The Fairmont San Francisco is also a top place to stay in the city. But even if you don’t stay here, you should still tour the inside and learn about the history of the hotel.

15. Fog Globe

I wouldn’t normally recommend picking up a snow globe as a souvenir unless you collect them. But this is so special to San Francisco I couldn’t not bring it up. Instead of a classic snow globe, San Francisco sells a Fog Globe.

The fog in San Francisco is so iconic that it has a name (Karl the Fog) and its’ own Instagram account. Karl the Fog appears every morning and evening, and really any time it wants too… especially when it’s least wanted. It covers the city in an eerie mist, especially over the Golden Gate Bridge. It wouldn’t be a trip to San Francisco without meeting him. So bring back a souvenir of Karl!

And a Fog Globe doesn’t have to be completely useless at home either, you can use it as a paper weight on your desk. Or if you’d rather a book to remember Karl by, there’s a Karl the Fog coffee table book all about “San Francisco’s Most Mysterious Resident”.

Both these San Francisco souvenirs can be found at the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Shop.

Read More Related Posts

• 20+ Epic San Francisco Experiences (& What’s Not Worth It)
• San Francisco Cable Cars: Everything You Need To Know Before Your First Ride
• How To Visit Alcatraz Island: What They Don’t Tell You

Where to stay in San Francisco?

I’ve stayed in three hotels in San Francisco and would really only recommend one: the Marriott in Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s by no means a luxury hotel but it gets the job done and the location could not have been better (my room actually had a view onto the In & Out Burger offering entertainment all day long!). Aside from the In & Out it was walking distance to everything, from Ghirardelli Square to Pier 39. See room rates and availability on Booking.com.

Another good area to stay in while in San Francisco is Union Square. It’s a safer, less touristy neighbourhood. But it still has a cable car running through it to bring you to Fisherman’s Wharf and all the . I stayed in both Cornell Hotel de France and the Marine’s Memorial Club Hotel… and wouldn’t recommend either other than their locations. I regret cancelling my reservation to save some money at the Beacon Grand in the same location! Looking back I think the extra cost is worth it. See room rates and availability on Booking.com.

Or see more hotel options in San Francisco.

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