California Dining
Boudin Sourdough Bread Bakery San Francisco
160 Jefferson
San Francisco, CA
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.--Boudin Sourdough bread is a San Francisco tradition since 1849--right around the time of the Gold Rush. Boudin Sourdough bread is one of the top tourist must-taste foods. Often served in the shape of a bowl filled with some locally made clam chowder, your introduction to Boudin sourdough won't be your last taste of this addictive food.
Right across the street from the Wax Museum you can visit the Boudin Bakery, Restaurant and Museum. Take the Boudin Museum tour to learn the science behind original San Francisco Sourdough bread. Pumped at high velocity from a silo directly into the mixer, the flour blends to become dough which is tossed from the mezzanine to the ground floor, where it is hand finished and baked. Watching the artisans craft many shapes such as lobsters and crab (made out of bread), the attraction is well worth a visit.
Boudin at the Wharf features a large, two story factory building overlooking the bay, which includes the first story Bakers Hall with Boudin Bakery Café, a walk up counter where you can order espresso drinks, sandwiches, sourdough pizzas and signature soups served in sourdough bread bowls.
Baker's Hall focuses on local flavors and is popular for take-out items and gifts. On the second floor of Boudin Bakery, Bistro Boudin features a rustic brick pizza oven and a 2nd story loft museum overlooking the bread making facilities. While the restaurant serves the local flavors in luncheon and dinner menus in a casual atmosphere, Boudin at the Wharf Museum and Bakery Tour adjacent to the restaurant is open daily till around 5 p.m. The museum includes photo displays documenting the genesis of this bread into a brand name.
It began in 1849 when Isidore Boudin first applied the artistry of French baking to a basic Sourdough technique and created the Original San Francisco Sourdough French Bread. Today the breads are artistically created in a variety of shapes to reflect the passion of bread making as an art form as well as a epicurean delight.
The Boudin bread empire has grown to even include bread tours at Disney's California Adventure theme park. While the bread is extremely popular inside the park, it only serves as a reminder to tourists visiting Anaheim on a Disneyland vacation that they need to extend their trip and visit the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf, the heart of Boudin country.