6 San Francisco Bakeries With The Best Sourdough Bread, According To A Local
No matter how my morning is going, I always try to appreciate that I get to start my day with two essential San Francisco experiences. The first is listening to the sea lions bark at Pier 39, and the other is catching a whiff of freshly baked sourdough bread. While the sea lions were something I always associated with the city, I was actually unaware of San Francisco's famous loaves before moving here. This quickly changed after I started working in a local bakery. I've always loved making bread, so it wasn't long before I became obsessed with trying various starters and sampling all of the best-looking loaves out there.
It wasn't a difficult quest, seeing as there's no shortage of options to choose from. It all traces back to the Gold Rush, when miners relied on the naturally leavened bread as a food source. Many brought their starters from other parts of the world, but San Francisco's microclimate led to the bread taking on a new flavor. Scientists eventually narrowed it down to a distinct bacteria called Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, which is believed to be what makes San Francisco sourdough so unique.
The bacteria can be found all over the world, but some sourdoughs just stand out above others –- even within the city. The opinions of San Franciscans can range as much as the local weather, so you'll never get everyone to agree. But having debated the topic frequently with my colleagues at the bakery, here are a few standout destinations for San Francisco sourdough that I wholeheartedly recommend.
Tartine Bakery
If you have an interest in breadmaking, you've probably already heard of Tartine. The bakery is a San Francisco institution, but its reputation stretches far beyond the parameters of the Golden Gate Bridge. In fact, it's a favorite of Martha Stewart, Alice Waters, and many famous food critics. I even followed the bakery online when I was growing up thousands of miles away in Ireland.
Tartine was started by Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt, who first sold bread at local farmers markets before opening a small bakery in Point Reyes. They moved to their now-famous location in the Mission District in 2002 and opened the much larger Tartine Manufactory soon after. Another outpost in the city followed, as well as a James Beard Award, multiple best-selling cookbooks, and an expansion into Los Angeles and Seoul. However, even with the huge operation they now run, the bread at Tartine still feels authentic.
The rustic-style loaves are crusty on the outside and perfectly chewy on the inside, with almost identical air pockets every time. Each one is made using locally milled grains that have as much of the original germ, oils, and bran preserved as possible, which might be what gives the bread its iconic flavor. Whatever it is, I can't walk past the place without picking up a half loaf of the country bread — and given how long the line is at the weekends, I'm certainly not the only one who feels that way. If you get the chance, make sure to grab a morning bun too.
Josey Baker Bread
Josey Baker is the other big name in the Bay Area bread game. Although he might not be as well-known in other parts of the country, he is highly regarded by local bakers, and his creations can be found everywhere from small grocery stores to high-end restaurants. Born in New York and raised in Vermont, Baker (yes, that's actually his name) only started baking in 2010, and founded his business that same year.
Baker and his team work from the café he co-owns on Divisadero Street, which is called The Mill. All of the whole grain flours are milled fresh on site, and there are sourdough classes available year-round. I took one earlier this year and can't recommend it enough. The rye-based starter is a game changer, and it's what gives Josey Baker Bread its wonderful depth.
If you get to visit, don't be thrown off the darkened crusts. They're the result of what the team calls its "bold" bake, and although the loaves might have a burnt appearance, they're perfectly cooked inside. The Whole Grain Levain loaf is my favorite, though my colleagues are fans of the Adventure Loaf.
Boudin Bakery
This one might be a little controversial, but no sourdough roundup would be complete without mentioning Boudin. Known as the original San Francisco sourdough, Boudin Bakery is the city's oldest continuously operating business. The bakers are still using the original mother dough, which has been alive since 1849, and the Fisherman's Wharf flagship store has become a huge tourist attraction.
Boudin is to San Francisco what Magnolia Bakery is to New York, but with turtle-shaped loaves instead of an iconic bread pudding. You should definitely avoid the turtles, but the baguettes are pretty good. Sure, you'll find better textures elsewhere, but I love how tangy Boudin's bread is. You know right away when it's a Boudin product you're biting into, and if you're eating at a local deli, there's a pretty high chance of that happening.
It's an essential part of the SF experience to watch Boudin's little delivery cars whizz around the city in the mornings, and watch the bakers knead and shape the loaves through the windows at the flagship store. I highly recommend heading down there in the mornings before the crowds gather -– you'll smell the place before you see it.
Rize Up Bakery
A newer entry to the SF sourdough scene, Rize Up was started by Azikiwee Anderson in 2020. Like many, Anderson really honed in on his sourdough making skills during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was the death of George Floyd that really pushed him to open up a micro-bakery. The goal was to channel a lot of pent-up energy into something healing, and to inspire other Black bakers to make their mark on sourdough.
Now, you can find Rize Up's unusual flavors all over the Bay Area at farmers markets, in grocery stores, and in cafés. You'll probably notice how different the loaves look straight away. I was immediately drawn in by all of the gorgeous colors and scents when I first saw Rize Up's stall at my local market, especially when I spotted bright purple slices of the ube loaf being cut up for samples. That particular loaf is a bit disconcerting at first, but the flavor is perfectly balanced and the chewiness of the bread is completely on point.
Anderson really is reinventing what the city thinks about sourdough, with other add-ins like candied blueberries, gochujang, and jalapeño and bacon also on the menu. If you spot Rize Up giving out testers at a market, try the ube or vonfit garlic loaves -– I guarantee that they'll be unlike any other sourdough bread you've had before.
Backhaus
This one isn't technically in the city, but I promise you it's worth the short car journey –- and it's on the way to the airport. Anne Moser was born and raised in Germany and brought her skills to the Bay Area in 2013. She now runs two bakeries with her talented business partners, both of which sell some of the best bread around. I first heard about Backhaus from a chef I follow on Instagram, but if you end up passing one of the locations, you'll be drawn in immediately by the bright interior and gorgeous display cases.
Whether you make it to the Backhaus in Burlingame or San Mateo, try to get your hands on a Country or Seeded Sourdough Hearth Loaf. Both are baked directly on stone decks in a special oven, giving them a hearty crust and a light and airy interior. The seeded has a little more bite, but the flavor of any Backhaus sourdough is perfectly tangy. Whatever is left on the shelf, just grab it, it'll be sure to put most other sourdough bread brands to shame. But make sure to leave room for a croissant, too.
The Early Rise
The Early Rise is still known as an insider's secret in San Francisco. I first heard about Laila O'Boyle from one of the bakers at work, and along with thousands of others, I've become obsessed with her instructional videos since then. Her sourdough tips have earned her a huge following on social media, but the bread from her microbakery, The Early Rise, is what's really given her such a renowned reputation.
The loaves are expertly baked in small quantities, and you can tell each one is made with love. You can only buy them through weekly drops, and the pickup is a little far out of the main part of the city in the Outer Sunset neighborhood, but if you can manage to snag a loaf you should. The homemade sourdough focaccia is especially worthwhile, but you really can't go wrong with anything Laila touches. She brought samples to my bakery before and we were all blown away — if you bake sourdough, it's worth following her online too.