Best Gift Shop

Dining at Eos is not the only reason to check out Cole Valley. Egg, the charming specialty gift and housewares store, brings a feeling of urban style and sophistication to the quaint, intimate neighborhood. Owner Marisa Lin, a recent transplant from New York City, presides over the nest, always ready to answer questions or offer helpful advice. Lin is an industrial designer, and her shop and its quirky window displays reflect her meticulous eye for detail, so it's the perfect place to find an unusual gift for aesthetically demanding friends, even if you don't live nearby. The store is stocked with a cornucopia of beautiful birds' eggs housed in glass jars, which make surprisingly attractive centerpieces. Egg's eclectic merchandise also includes letterpressed stationery, silver-tipped gecko hair accessories, and Vietnamese bamboo bowls that sell for half the price some other shops charge. One of the store's signature items is ceramist Marek Cecula's "Kum Kum" tea set, an asymmetric pot and dainty footed cups made from high-fired porcelain that evoke traditional Japanese sensibilities as well as modern design principles.