Sourdough Bread & 10 More Foods Made Famous By San Francisco

All the Yummy Things From SanFo

From miners hoarding sourdough starters to fortune cookies that aren’t actually Chinese (plot twist!), SF has been low-key revolutionizing American food since the Gold Rush.

These 11 legendary eats didn’t just put the Bay Area on the map – they rewrote the whole menu.

Sourdough Bread

Before you get mad: no, sourdough was NOT invented in San Francisco.

While sourdough wasn’t born in San Francisco, it became the city’s signature bread during the Gold Rush of 1849.

Boudin Bakery, which opened that same year, still uses its original sourdough starter, and the city’s cool, foggy weather helps create the bread’s famous tangy taste.

Cioppino

This seafood stew comes from the narrow streets of North Beach, created by Italian immigrant fishermen in the 1880s.

The name ‘cioppino’ derives from ‘ciuppin,’ a Genoese dialect word meaning ‘to chop.’ It traditionally had Dungeness crab, local rock cod, Monterey Bay shrimp, Manila clams, and mussels, all simmered in a rich tomato and white wine broth seasoned with garlic, onions, and herbs.

Legendary restaurants like Tadich Grill—California’s oldest restaurant, established in 1849—and Scoma’s on Fisherman’s Wharf perfected the recipe.

Mission-Style Burrito

El Faro restaurant, located at 2588 Mission Street, is credited with creating the first mission-style burrito in 1961, featuring massive portions that dwarfed traditional Mexican street burritos.

These foil-wrapped behemoths typically measure over 12 inches long and weigh nearly a pound, stuffed with Spanish rice, whole beans, sour cream, guacamole, and a choice of meat.

Crab Louie

Often referred to as the ‘King of Salads,’ Crab Louie became popular in San Francisco’s fine dining scene during the early 1900s.

Classic versions had Dungeness crab meat on crisp iceberg lettuce with quartered hard-boiled eggs, blanched asparagus spears, and a tangy Russian dressing.

Seafood restaurants from Seattle to San Diego began replicating the recipe, but San Francisco’s version is still the gold standard.

Fortune Cookies

No, fortune cookies aren’t Chinese. And yes, they’re 100% a San Francisco invention.

The first ones to make them were Japanese immigrants working in California bakeries during the early 20th century.

After World War II, Chinese restaurants in San Francisco’s Chinatown began mass-producing them. The technology for machine-folding cookies was pioneered by Makoto Hagiwara at the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, by the way.

Anchor Steam Beer

Anchor Steam Beer, created in San Francisco in 1896, pioneered a unique brewing style born from Gold Rush necessity.

Known as ‘steam beer,’ it was made by fermenting lager yeast at warmer temperatures since proper refrigeration wasn’t available.

When Fritz Maytag bought the struggling brewery in 1965, he helped preserve this historic brewing method and inspired America’s craft beer movement.

It’s-It Ice Cream Sandwich

In 1928, the It’s-It Ice Cream Sandwich was born at San Francisco’s Playland-at-the-Beach amusement park.

The treat features vanilla ice cream between two oatmeal cookies, all dipped in dark chocolate.

Though Playland closed in 1972, the beloved dessert lives on, still made in San Francisco using the original recipe.

Hangtown Fry

During the Gold Rush, a unique breakfast called Hangtown Fry was created in a California mining town called Placerville.

The dish was made with oysters, eggs, and bacon – the most expensive ingredients miners could find at the time.

What started as a way for successful miners to show off their newfound wealth became a popular dish that’s still served in California restaurants today.

Ghirardelli Chocolate

During the 1853, Domingo Ghirardelli started making chocolate in California. He created new ways to make smooth, delicious chocolate that more people could afford.

His company grew into one of America’s oldest chocolate makers, and its original factory in San Francisco is now a famous landmark.

Dungeness Crab

Dungeness crab has been a San Francisco favorite since the 1800s, with these huge crustaceans growing up to 10 inches wide in the cold Pacific waters.

Fisherman’s Wharf made them famous by serving them steamed, in chowders, and in cioppino stew, while local crab feeds during the winter season (November to June) became a beloved city tradition.