As A Pro Baker, This Is Where I Go For The Best Focaccia In San Francisco

When I moved to San Francisco four years ago, one of the first recommendations I got was to try the focaccia at Liguria Bakery. I work at another bakery nearby, so I had spotted the small storefront already, but the line winding out the door had forced me to keep walking anytime I passed by. I eventually got a hold of one of Liguria's iconic, string-tied paper packages from a coworker, who promised that the warm, fluffy bread inside would be worth any wait. They were absolutely right.

Liguria is a historic, family-owned bakery located in the North Beach neighborhood, which acts as San Francisco's Little Italy. Recognized by the city as a designated legacy business, Liguria Bakery has been providing locals with fresh Italian focaccia since all the way back in 1911, when its founder, Ambrosio Soracco, first came to the Bay Area from Italy. Soracco hailed from Genoa in the Liguria region, where the gold standard for Italian flatbread was set.

The Soracco family still runs the operation today, using the exact same antique mixer and brick oven as the generations before them. The result is a simple, authentic Ligurian focaccia that continues to attract visitors, pro bakers, and generations of local families alike. 

San Francisco is a city accustomed to lines. At the bakery where I work, Butter & Crumble, we have customers who wait up to two hours to walk through the doors — but Liguria could put us to shame. Locals post up outside the storefront as early as 3 a.m. around the holidays, and the kitchen often sells out before 10 a.m. during the regular season.

The menu is limited, with fewer than 10 varieties of focaccia on offer, as well as Neapolitan pizza dough to bake at home. The success lies in the simplicity — toppings include classics like rosemary garlic, black olive, and mushroom, as well as some more modern options like jalapeño and cheese. Each has been perfected throughout the years, with the focus remaining on the tried-and-tested cooking process, rather than the need to follow trends.

The brick oven is fired up to reach 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit every day, and at busy times, nearly 500 pounds of dough is run through the mixer throughout the night. Every slab of dimpled bread is stretched and topped by hand before being baked until soft, pillowy, and golden brown. Like with any good homemade focaccia, a little olive oil and salt create a rich, balanced flavor within the dough, and a perfectly aromatic crust with just the right amount of crunch sits on top.

The move at Liguria is usually to order whatever is left, but if you do get there early, I recommend the garlic and rosemary focaccia. If you're looking for something more hefty, the pizza flavor comes smeared with a light layer of tangy marinara and bright scallions, and the raisin is a fun option. The pizza dough is also worth trying out, especially if you can make it at home that night.

As for what to expect when you step inside, we're talking zero frills. The bakery is counter-service only, and you should be ready to order when you get inside. This is an old-school Italian business where things move fast and efficiently — there's a reason why it's one of the longest-running businesses in the area, after all. You'll need to bring cash, and each piece of focaccia costs between $8 and $10.

Liguria Bakery doesn't have a website or any social media pages, so you really do just need to line up and experience it. Weekdays are the way to go, and since there are no preservatives, the bread tastes best the day you get it, so plan accordingly. But once you get one of those bubbly, twine-wrapped packages for yourself, you'll understand the hype, just like I did all those years ago.

Liguria Bakery

1700 Stockton St

San Francisco, CA 94133