It’s hard to deny that the fall season brings some of the best flavors on the calendar. We’re talking pumpkin spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and every scent that you want wafting through your kitchen. Well, that fact is certainly not lost on San Francisco’s bakeries, cafes, and ice cream shops, because they are busy churning out an epic lineup of delicious fall treats. If you prefer treats to tricks, here’s where to go. Be sure to indulge ASAP because these Halloween desserts won’t be around for long.
1. Salt and Straw
Salt & Straw is a legendary ice cream shop out of Portland that never disappoints when it comes to new and unique flavors. Lucky for us, they have 2 locations in San Francisco. Check out their epic Halloween series featuring flavors like the Creepy Crawly Critters matcha ice cream with chocolate-covered crickets and toffee-brittle mealworms, or the Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin bread ice cream with pumpkin bread pieces and whipped cream cheese frosting.
đź“Ť Locations:
- Fillmore – 2201 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115
- Hayes Valley – 586 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102
2. Don Bugito
San Mateo-based Don Bugito operates year-round, but in case you forgot, take this as your reminder to stock up on edible bugs. Think dark chocolate crickets with amaranth seeds, chili-lime crickets with pumpkin seeds, granola bites with cricket flour (yes, CRICKET FLOUR) and toasted mealworms! If you’re loathe to bring bugs into your diet, maybe you’ll give them a chance if it’s Halloween season.
đź“Ť Location: See locations here
3. Fillmore Bakeshop
This beloved bakery never disappoints, and they’re just starting to roll out some adorable seasonable cookies and other treats! Previous years’ creations have included beautiful chocolate sculptures, jack o’lantern bread loaves, snake baguettes, butterfinger bark, mummy eclairs, and their fan-favorite pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
đź“Ť Location: Fillmore – 1890 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115
4. Noe Valley Bakery
Noe Valley Bakery pulls out all the stops when it comes to fall flavors, and they’re really leaning into the pumpkin this fall! Chow down on pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin spice cookies, and more. Not to mention their gingerbread scones, pecan tartlet, and ghost pumpkin cutout cookies.
đź“Ť Locations:
- Noe Valley – 4073 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114
- West Portal – 28 W Portal Ave, San Francisco, CA 94127
5. See’s Candies
Get your chocolate fix this year with See’s Candies! They’re turning out these adorable Halloween orange and chocolate creams with ghosts and pumpkin decorations, plus other treats including caramel apple lollipops, candy sugar skulls, and countless others. Their DĂa de los Muertos collection is also worth a gander for its gorgeous packaging and fun chocolate selection.
đź“Ť Locations:
- Financial District – 542 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94104
- Inner Richmond – 754 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94118
- Stonestown Galleria – 3250 20th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132
6. Recchiuti Confections
This chocolate power house is hinting at some new fall flavors this season in addition to their fan-favorite chocolate-dipped key lime pears and S’mores Bites, which have gourmet vanilla bean marshmallows atop handmade graham crackers all smothered in chocolate. While you’re at it, try their red wine or whiskey pairing boxes for a unique home tasting experience.
đź“Ť Location: Ferry Building
7. Miette Patisserie
This charming shop sells beautifully delicate pumpkin cheesecake, cupcakes, cakes, macarons, and other pastries! Catch them this fall stocked up on gourmet Halloween candy, including licorice, chocolates, nuts, gummies, Turkish Delight, and more.
đź“Ť Locations:
- Ferry Building
- Hayes Valley – 449 Octavia St, San Francisco, CA 94102
8. Home Coffee Roasters
This lovely coffee shops makes impressive latte art complete with multiple colors and sprinkles. Every season they come up with new and exciting flavors — we love the pumpkin pie latte and the campfire s’mores latte, but keep checking back to see what else they come up with.
đź“Ť Locations:
- Sunset – 1222 Noriega St, San Francisco, CA 94122
- Richmond – 2018 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94121
- Chinatown – 455 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
9. The Candy Store
The Candy Store is your go-to spot for carefully curated, gourmet candy from around the world. The Halloween candy selection usually includes fruity skulls, candy fangs, candy corn, tangerine pumpkins, peanut butter eyeballs, chocolate monsters and ghouls, gummy body parts, candy corn taffy, and more.
đź“Ť Location: Polk Gulch – 1507 Vallejo St., San Francisco, CA 94109
10. Jane the Bakery
Fall at Jane the Bakery bakes delicious hand-held chicken pot pies that are perfect for a seasonal snack or appetizer. Other fall pastries include their chocolate chai scone, apple cider cream brioche, and pecan pie turnovers.
đź“Ť Location: See locations here
11. Neighbor Bakehouse
Thanksgiving pies are an absolutely essential treat from Neighbor Bakehouse every year, but make sure to keep a close eye on their website so that you can pre-order well in advance. Essential pie flavors are the pandan pumpkin pie, banana pudding pie, and apple pie with oat streusel.
đź“Ť Location: Dogpatch – 2343 3rd St UNIT 100, San Francisco, CA 94107
12. Avotoasty
Avotoasty ups the ante with their classic pumpkin spice latte served in an actual pumpkin! Check it out along with their pumpkin bread with sweet cream cheese and other fall treats.
đź“Ť Location: Pac Heights – 1796 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94123
13. Mitchell’s Ice Cream
Mitchell’s Ice Cream rotates in exciting new seasonal flavors every few months. This fall they’ll treat us to pumpkin, eggnog, cinnamon snap, ginger spice, peppermint candy, and spumoni.
đź“Ť Location: Noe Valley – 688 San Jose Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94110