14 Best Shopping in Mission District, Bernal Heights, and Potrero Hill, San Francisco

San Francisco is one of the culinary centers of the world, and this universally adored grocery store is its beating heart. It's a farmers' market every day inside and well worth browsing around to see the bounty of Northern California, from peak summer tomatoes to local king salmon, plus all kinds of goodies from small producers. Buy a local peach or blood orange to snack on before strolling across the street for a scoop of salted caramel ice cream from Bi-Rite's equally beloved creamery.

Heath designs and produces sleek, glossy tiles for the home and newly spun bowls, plates, and cups in rich earth colors to decorate kitchens. You'll also find locally inspired cookbooks and high-quality furniture and silverware from trendy peers throughout Heath's immaculately arranged factory showroom. The company's designs can be found at many of San Francisco's top restaurants and cafés, including the adjacent Tartine Manufactory.

The brainchild of local author Dave Eggers is primarily a center established to help kids with their writing skills via writing programs, tutoring, and storytelling events. But the storefront is also "San Francisco's only independent pirate supply store," a quirky space filled with eye patches, spyglasses, and other pirate-themed paraphernalia. Eggers's quarterly journal, McSweeney's, and other publications are available here. Proceeds benefit the writing center.

On the center's storefront is an intricate mural designed by graphic novelist Chris Ware as a meditation on the evolution of human communication.

A visit here is like being in someone's home and being able to buy everything you see, from the organic sheets to the chairs to the shampoo in the shower. The aesthetic is modern, with bright references to Mexico, India, Turkey, and Japan. Aldea is the perfect place to find a hostess gift or to deck out a corner that's missing something special. Nearby Aldea Niños (at 1017 Valencia) sells green products for kids.

This bright, authentic, fair-trade artisan store sells the work of Mexican artists, as well as decorations for various Mexican festivities. If you're looking for traditional sugar skulls, papel picado banners, or even Dia de los Gigantes (Day of the Giants, in honor of the hometown baseball team winning the World Series on the Day of the Dead in 2010) tees, look no further. The friendly owner and welcoming vibe will beckon you in.

The trendy vintage furniture sold here will fit right in any space. With items that include Tommi Parzinger wall sconces, Hans Olsen's "Fried Egg" chairs, and even bronze coffee tables, the selection at De Angelis is truly inspirational.

An eclectic group of shoppers wanders the aisles of this pleasantly ramshackle bookstore. The diverse stock is mostly used and unique, including quirky selections like local zines, vintage children's books, and remaindered art books. There are also paintings from local artists on sale.

In addition to paints, brushes, and art supplies, this sprawling creators' playground sells beautifully made photo albums and journals, fine pens and pencils, crafts kits, stationery, and inspiring doodads for kids.

Danette Scheib's smart, sharp designs make this one of SF's leading of-the-moment clothing boutiques. Caftans, wrap dresses, and leisure suit jackets are both comfortable and savvy enough for a night out or a business meeting.

Elevating gardening to an art, this serene shop offers beautiful vases, succulents, decorative garden items, and coffee-table books. The collection of taxidermy and preserved bugs provides more unusual gift ideas. A couple storefronts away is too-cute Paxton Gate Curiosities for Kids, jam-packed with retro toys, books, and other stellar finds.

A narrow store on a hip Mission block, Schauplatz sells vintage clothing from the 1920s to the 1980s. Some of the dramatic women's wear—go-go boots, pillbox hats, faux Chanel suits—is suitable for street wear or dress-up, depending on your style, while the menswear tends more toward fashionably retro jackets and button-up shirts from the classic to the gaudy.

Hanging from metal rods on perfectly separated wooden hangers are dozens of pairs of Japanese selvage denim. The industrial-weight fabric that makes up these jeans will run you between $180 and $450, but alterers will hem them for free on a vintage chain-stitching machine.

An artist-run, nonprofit gallery, this is an established venue for cutting-edge art. In addition to exhibitions, lectures, performances, and film, video screenings take place.

In addition to fun housewares, books, wellness items, and stationery that leans toward retro charm, this local company sells smart decor, linens, and accessories with San Francisco and California themes.