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T
he historic San Francisco Ferry
Building dates back to 1898. Until the
opening of the Golden Gate and San
Francisco Bay Bridges in the 1930s, ferries
were the quickest way to cross the Bay
and the Ferry Building was the region’s
premier transit hub. After the bridges
were completed, ferry usage declined and
the building eventually found itself in need
of repair. Following a major renovation
in 2003, the project’s current incarnation,
The Ferry Building Marketplace, was
launched, placing this project at the center
of Northern California epicurean life.
Our view is that the Ferry Building
Marketplace is one of the best examples
of the modern food hall in the U.S. The
65,000-sf projects features around 40
restaurants and specialty food purveyors,
including a mix of artisanal suppliers
(Cowgirl Creamery, Acme Bread Company,
Beekind, Boccolone Salumeria, Dandelion
Chocolate, Fort Point Beer Company,
McEvoy Ranch, Prather Ranch Meat
Company and others). In addition, it offers
a diverse mix of prepared food concepts
ranging from street foods (El Porteno
Empanadas, Out the Door, Mijita) to
sit-down options (The Slanted Door, Gott’s
Roadside, et al) as well as food-themed
retail (Sur La Table, Bram Cookware and
others). This project also retains some of
the typical characteristics of classic
American food halls; it remains a transit
hub and it has evolved into one of San
Francisco’s premier tourist destinations.
The lively Saturday farmers market outside
the building is a must for any food-loving
visitor who ends up in San Francisco on a
weekend.
Food + Wine
Magazine agrees
with us; it recently ranked this project as
number one on its list of the World’s Top
25 Food Markets.
Ferry Building Marketplace
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CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD