The Verdict · San Francisco · for the Budget Adventurer
Great on local authenticity, but it's pricey, so it's worth it only if you plan around that.
Authentic, active, cheap. Allergic to overpaying and overhype.
About Ferry Building Marketplace
The opposite of the Wharf: real local makers, great coffee, oysters, and a Saturday farmers' market locals actually shop at. Pricey, but the quality is the point.