An Insider’s Guide to SF’s Haute Shopping Destination: Sacramento Street

There is no better place to outfit a dream kitchen than Sam Hamilton’s shop, March (3075 Sacramento Street, 415-931- 7433). With walls covered in white subway tiles, high ceilings, and a luxuriously understated vibe, the space feels as though it could be in the home of a renowned culinary personality like Martha Stewart or Ina Garten. Tables and shelves are filled with copper pots, handwoven baskets, and splatterware bowls. Everything you need to assemble a sophisticated dining room is here—think wooden bowls, linen napkins, gold silverware, colorful canisters, hand-dipped taper candles, and mercantile benches. If you find yourself drooling over Aga stoves, you’re in luck—March has a functioning one that Hamilton uses when she hosts special events and dinners. In fact, March is one of only two San Francisco distributors for the legendary Swedish stove maker. March also has a line of pantry items and an in-house design team. So not only can you outfit that dream kitchen with fancy pots and pretty glasses, but you can season your steaks with special hickory-smoked sea salt and design your kitchen with a gorgeous island—all thanks to March.

There’s something about Jessie Black (3252 Sacramento Street, 415-757-0202). When you walk into the pretty Australian blonde’s namesake boutique, you can’t help but feel relaxed. Unlike some design stores that can feel crowded, the Jessie Black shop is carefully edited and open. There’s a refreshing lack of stuffiness and pretense because Black doesn’t want her customers to be afraid to touch things. There is no clutter on the shelves; instead each one holds a pristine selection of carefully curated items from folded cashmere throws and fringed leather pillows propped up sideways to stacks of pale yellow knits. Everything is in shades of elemental white, cream, taupe, and grey. It’s a dreamy space that’s warm and cozy, with wooden floors, tons of luxurious textures like faux fur and cashmere, and plenty of shiny metallic accents in the form of mirrors and vessels. Black, who describes her style as “textural, neutral, timeless, and classic,” has an MBA in luxury goods and is incredibly knowledgeable on the subject. She can tell you which type of Mongolian goats produce the softest fabrics, and she even makes her own signature lines of cashmere sweaters and high-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets. While she loves supporting local artists and artisans, she also showcases inspired one-off pieces discovered on her frequent travels to far-flung destinations.