Sourdough has become the culinary symbol of San Francisco. It’s woven into its identity much like cheesesteaks in Philly or deep-dish pizza in Chicago. So much so that after a family road trip to the city when I was a kid, I thought that any and all sourdough bread came from San Francisco. I connected my home state to a culinary experience, and now I understand why it’s synonymous with The Golden City.
San Francisco’s climate and air composition create the perfect environment for wild yeast and bacteria that give sourdough its distinctive tang. The bacteria – Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis – thrives in the Bay Area’s cool, foggy climate. It’s a species named after the city and contributes to the bread’s flavor and fermentation process.
Sourdough became popular during the California Gold Rush. Miners were so closely associated with the bread they became known as “sourdoughs.” The wild yeast was more reliable than commercial yeast in the rough conditions, so they depended on the tangy loaves for sustenance. They kept starters alive and passed them down, sometimes for generations.
Azikiwee “Z” Anderson, owner of Rize Up Bakery, explains, “Making sourdough in a hot environment makes it very hard to create spongy bread. You have to create a good environment and it takes time, after all you can’t rush perfection. It can be hard to speed up the process.”
Because sourdough has natural yeast it must be “fed” to stay alive. That means the baker must give the starter dough fresh flour and water daily. This keeps the yeast and bacteria active and ready for baking.
Within recent years Azikiwee “Z” Anderson has made a name for himself selling his fresh bread at farmers markets, Bay Area grocery stores, sandwich shops, and restaurants. “Sourdough is a colony of naturally occurring yeast and bacteria. We’re their caretakers and they take care of us back.”
Here are some of the best and most historic places to break bread in San Francisco.
Acme Bread Company
Courtesy of The Acme Bread Co.
In 1983, Steven and Suzie Sullivan began by supplying Bay Area restaurants and markets with artisan loaves far superior to the average wholesale fare. Now, Acme Bread Company operates two retail shops – its original Berkeley location and a storefront in San Francisco’s Ferry Building – while supplying bread to dozens of restaurants, including Chez Panisse. The bakery has grown from four original breads to over 100 varieties, all made with 100% organic flour and many locally sourced ingredients. Committed to sustainability, Acme powers its main bakery with solar panels, fuels their delivery trucks with “renewable diesel,” and donates or repurposes leftover bread to minimize waste.
Boudin Bakery
Courtesy of Boudin
Founded in 1849 by Isidore Boudin during the Gold Rush Era, Boudin Bakery is the oldest continuously operating business in San Francisco. It’s helped preserve and promote San Francisco’s sourdough heritage. Amazingly enough, Boudin still uses a portion of its original starter to this day. Those visiting Fisherman’s Wharf can see the bakers at work through the 30-foot floor-to-ceiling glass windows in the beautiful flagship building. The bakers score the top of each hand crafted loaf to allow the dough to expand with precision as it rises in the oven.
Rize Up Bakery
Courtesy of Rize Up Bakery
Rize Up started as a way to create community during the pandemic when the founder, Azikiwee “Z” Anderson started making bread for his neighbors. After posting one of his sourdough loaves on Instagram, message requests flooded in, and before he knew it, he was shipping bread across the country to fulfill personal orders. As word spread, so did his business, and he moved into a commercial kitchen. To give back to the community and those in need, Rize Up established a “Pay It Forward” program. Bread lovers can purchase a loaf for donation, and Rize Up will send it directly to local food kitchens and shelters.
Tartine Bakery
© Douglas Friedman
Founded in 2002 in San Francisco’s Mission District by pastry chef Elisabeth Prueitt and bread baker Chad Robertson, Tartine has become synonymous with artisan bread. The soft sourdough bread is served in 16 locations across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seoul, South Korea. The bakery uses traditional techniques, high-quality ingredients, and an innovative approach to baking — like Robertson’s cast iron baking method. Tartine’s flours are milled in Washington state’s Skagit Valley, an integral part of the baking process. The flour, levain (or starter), and foggy S.F. weather create the perfect balance for fermentation.
Dining and Cooking