By Ellen Eason

Imagine a quaint village in the heart of the City where everything you need – restaurants, shops, essential services, parks and lively social gathering spots – is within a short stroll or drive. Welcome to the Inner Sunset! This charming neighborhood stretches westward from Arguello Boulevard to 19th Avenue and from Lincoln Way to Lawton Street.

Residents love this livable village for its strong sense of community. Connections among neighbors are fostered by the Inner Sunset Park Neighbors association, which supports and organizes seasonal art walks, a monthly neighborhood trash clean-up, annual pie-baking contests, a Halloween costume parade, activities at the December holiday stroll and other events in partnership with the Inner Sunset Merchants Association. (Visit inner-sunset.org to learn more.)

Numerous cafes, pubs, parks and parklets encourage planned as well as casual meetups. Artistically painted sidewalk public benches – the vision of the Public Bench Project founder and Inner Sunset resident Chris Duderstadt – provide places to relax and congregate. Steps away, Golden Gate Park is the neighborhood’s backyard, with abundant green space, the San Francisco Botanical Garden, the Japanese Tea Garden, the California Academy of Sciences, the de Young Museum and other attractions.

Foodies delight in diverse selections from small markets like Luke’s Local, KJ Produce Market, Roxie Market and 828 Irving Market, to the well-stocked Andronico’s at Irving and Funston. Award-winning bakeries such as Arizmendi and Tartine offer gourmet baked goods. The weekly Sunday Farmers Market brings an array of fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, cheeses, organic meats and more.

The Sunset Branch Library offers a vibrant hub with programs for children (story time, board games), teens (crafts, journaling) and adults (mahjong, knitting, tech help). Nearby services include banks, a post office, UPS services, dry cleaners, gyms and beauty salons. One Medical, University of California San Francisco, dentists, optometrists and a veterinary clinic help keep residents and their pets healthy. These amenities make the Inner Sunset a dynamic and welcoming place to call home.

Sunset Mercantile Emporium Celebrates Local Makers and Merchants

Searching for handcrafted and antique treasures, house plants, pet supplies, artisanal foods, vintage clothing and other items? You’re in luck at the Sunset Mercantile Emporium, a local collective for makers and merchants with curated selections for gifts or ways to enhance your home.

“The Emporium features an array of goods, from practical to fun, that reflects the makers and small businesses of our Sunset community,” said founder Angie Petitt. “Some of our most popular items are handmade greeting cards, locally crafted ceramics and handblown glass, vintage cameras, seasonal decorations, jewelry and textiles. Selections are constantly changing as talented makers and merchants bring in new creations.”

Sunset Mercantile began in 2014 as an organizer of festive, family-friendly events like Secondhand Saturdays in the Outer Sunset, Cole Valley Nights and the Outer Sunset Farmers Market and Mercantile. Petitt envisioned a brick-and-mortar location which opened in 2024 in a former bank building on the corner of Irving and Eighth Avenue.

“It has become a hub for local makers and merchants that represents the diversity of the community,” Petitt said.

“We are proud of the community hub that the emporium has become,” Petitt added. “We offer community seating outside (including two benches from the Public Bench Project) as well as hula hoops, sidewalk chalk and other activities to encourage the community to play as well as connect with their neighbors. We plan to offer workshops, meetups and events for all ages and hope to offer a community bulletin board.”

Sunset Mercantile also operates the Inner Sunset Flea, a community market held on the second Sunday of every month from April through November along Irving Street starting at Ninth Avenue and going west for a few blocks. The appeal of buying vintage, secondhand and local crafts has never been stronger, with rising costs and tariffs affecting the economy.

“Shopping at the Inner Sunset Flea guarantees a unique look for your home or attire, plus it’s sustainable,” Petitt said.

Musical groups perform, while kids enjoy bubbles, hula hoops and other games.

Stop in to browse the evolving selections at the Sunset Mercantile Emporium and mark your calendar for the first Inner Sunset Flea for 2026 on April 12.

New Culinary Arrivals and Highlights

Welcome to Grégoire! This new takeout spot on Ninth Avenue at Irving is gaining fans for its distinctive French-inspired menu. Choose from uniquely crafted sandwiches, such as tempura fried cauliflower paired with Moroccan carrot salad, fried buttermilk chicken filet, and grilled steak served with port-braised onion and blue cheese. Grégoire also offers organic salads, soups and its signature delicate potato puffs. Bon appétit!

Around the corner, Maggie & Mac’s is making steady progress towards opening its doors, and the Japanese sandwich shop Tadaima is preparing to open at 1248 Ninth Ave.

While exploring the area’s lively culinary scene, visitors can peruse the San Francisco Women’s Artists’ gallery at 647 Irving St. The gallery features a rotating array of exhibitions. The February show, “Passionate Palettes,” showcases mixed media, photography and paintings from Bay Area artists. Hand-crafted jewelry, sculpture and ceramics as well as selections from the Artist Salon are also available.

Changes are underway: Kothai Republic Thai restaurant at Ninth and Judah will close in mid-February, and Aristocrat Cleaners closed in January.

The Inner Sunset Merchants’ Association is the voice of our neighborhood’s business community. We are an all-volunteer, nonprofit association committed to supporting, promoting and advocating for the needs of our local business community. We welcome new merchants into our neighborhood and work hard to drive new business to our growing community. Learn more at innersunsetmerchants.org.

Ellen Eason is a writer and Inner Sunset resident.