Best Food Court

We think the beautifully renovated Ferry Building is a Fairyland (pun intended) for foodies, who can wander through its skylight-lit corridors in a kind of happy daze, picking up wonderful baked goods at the Acme Bread Company, ripe cheeses at Cowgirl Creamery's Artisan Cheese Shop, and pastries topped with fresh peaches straight from the orchard at Frog Hollow Farm. Pausing in your labors, you can slurp up a few briny oysters at the Hog Island Oyster Company, sip tea while sitting on rosewood chairs at the Imperial Tea Court, or perch at the bar in the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant and try a flight of obscure Spanish whites. In the Parisian-style caviar cafe at Tsar Nicoulai Caviar, little blini wait to be topped with Tsar Nicoulai's own California-produced caviar and house-smoked salmon. Pick up a few chocolates at Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker or a cone of creamy gelato at Ciao Bella, the classic Italian gelateria. There are three dozen tempting food purveyors, shops, and restaurants open seven days a week; four of those days (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday) you'll find the added pleasure of the adjacent Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. Not to be missed.