Boudin Bakery: Try Some Of San Francisco’s Delicious Sourdough Bread

Apr 8

Boudin Bakery is a classic San Francisco staple for tourists with freshly baked sourdough bread served everyday. First opened in 1849, it’s the oldest continually operating business in San Francisco. The bread here is made with flour, water, salt, and “mother dough.” This special mother dough is a secret recipe created by Boudin with local ingredients and thrives from the very specific fog-cooled climate in San Francisco. You can visit here for lunch or even take a tour of the factory.

On the Menu

Boudin is well known for their freshly made sourdough bread, that you can get in all forms, shapes and sizes. You can purchase a loaf in the shape of a turtle, butterfly, alligator, you name it! I personally prefer my sourdough served up as a bowl filled with clam chowder or lobster bisque.

You can view the full menu here.

To Get There

There are 2 Boudin’s located in Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood of San Francisco—my least favorite part of the city, but it where all the tourists flock to.

This is the better location, larger and near the water - 160 Jefferson St Baker's Hall, San Francisco, CA 94133

This location is inside Pier 39 outdoor mall - 5-Q, Pier 39, San Francisco, CA 94133

When To Go

It’s best to go here for lunch, when you can enjoy the view of the San Francisco Bay.

The History

Isadore Boudin founded this bakery in 1849, and it’s believed that Isadore received the “Mother dough” from one of the 49ers that cam to San Francisco looking for gold. Since then, the business has grown and been passed down through the generations until the bakery was purchased by Master Baker Steve Giraudo in 1941.

Most modern bakeries changed their process to shorten the fermentation timeline, while Boudin stayed true to it’s original recipe whcih is a much longer, slower process.