San Francisco is a little like a consignment shop—if you look in the corners and do a little digging, you’re bound to find treasures. Shopping options here represent every style, era, fetish, and financial status—not in sprawling shopping malls, but scattered throughout the city in unique neighborhood boutiques. Whether you’re looking for a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, a Chanel knockoff, or Chinese herbal medicine, San Francisco’s got it. Just pick a shopping neighborhood, wear some sensible shoes, and get ready to end up with at least a few take-home treasures.

Major Shopping Areas

San Francisco has many shopping areas, but here’s where you’ll find most of the action.

Union Square & Environs — San Francisco’s most congested and popular shopping mecca is centered on Union Square and spreads out to Bush, Taylor, Market, and Montgomery streets. Most of the big department stores and many high-end specialty shops are here, including Bloomingdales, Saks, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom. Be sure to venture to Grant Avenue, Post and Sutter streets, and Maiden Lane. This area is a hub for public transportation; all Market Street and several other buses run here, as do the Powell–Hyde and Powell–Mason cable car lines. You can also take the Muni streetcar to the Powell Street station.

Chinatown — When you pass through the gate to Chinatown on Grant Avenue, say goodbye to the world of fashion and hello to a swarm of cheap tourist shops selling everything from linen and jade to plastic toys and $3 slippers. But that’s not all Chinatown has to offer. The real gems are tucked away on side streets, often small, one-person shops selling Chinese herbs, original art, and jewelry. Grant Avenue is the area’s main thoroughfare, and the side streets between Bush Street and Columbus Avenue are full of restaurants, markets, and eclectic shops. Stockton Street is best for food shopping (including live fowl and fish).

Jackson Square — A historic district just north of the Financial District’s Embarcadero Center, this is the place to go for the top names in fine furniture and fine art. More than a dozen dealers on the 2 blocks between Columbus and Sansome streets specialize in European furnishings from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

Union Street — Union Street, from Fillmore Street to Van Ness Avenue, caters to the upper-middle-class crowd. It’s a great place to stroll, window-shop the plethora of boutiques, try the cafes and restaurants, and watch the beautiful people parade by.

Chestnut Street — Parallel and a few blocks north, Chestnut Street is a younger version of Union Street, with plenty of shopping and dining choices. An ever-tanned, super-fit population of postgraduate singles hangs around the cafes here and scopes each other out.

Fillmore Street — Some of the best boutique clothing shopping in town is packed into 5 blocks of Fillmore Street in Pacific Heights. From Jackson to Sutter streets, Fillmore is the perfect place to grab a bite and peruse high-priced boutiques, crafts shops, and contemporary housewares stores. (Don’t miss Zinc Details).

Haight Street — Green hair, spiked hair, no hair, or mohair—even the hippies look conservative next to Haight Street’s grungy fashionistas. The shopping in the 6 blocks of upper Haight Street between Central Avenue and Stanyan Street reflects its clientele. It offers everything from incense and European and American street styles to furniture and antique clothing.

SoMa — Although this area isn’t suitable for strolling, you’ll find almost all the discount shopping in warehouse spaces south of Market. You can pick up a discount-shopping guide at most major hotels.

Hayes Valley — The few blocks of lower Hayes Street, between Octavia and Gough streets, celebrate all things vintage, chic, artistic, and contemporary. It’s definitely the most interesting shopping area in town, with furniture and glass stores, trendy shoe stores, and men’s and women’s clothiers. You can find lots of great antiques shops south on Octavia Street and on nearby Market Street.