Three women walk outside a building; the woman in front carries a garment bag over her head, while the others hold items including what appear to be flowers and another garment bag.
Polk and Grove. San Francisco City Hall hums with weddings, September 2025. Photo by Jay A . Martin

Long after it was home to wealthy German immigrants in the 1800s, and made way for gays in the 1960s, Polk Street has become a stretch that reflects all of San Francisco.

It runs south to north, from the mighty Market Street to the tony Union Street. Polk paves the way from civil government and the Tenderloin in the southern or lower stretch to the bustling shops and restaurants of northern or upper Polk and Russian Hill.

Midway between Post and Clay streets, or Polk Gulch, is a mix of the well-off and those who are just getting by.

You can feel the transition from poor to rich by what people are eating, wearing, and doing. Takeout places seem more common in lower Polk, while taking time with an espresso is easier in upper Polk.

On lower Polk, those on the street seem less focused on fashion; people seem to be in work mode. On upper Polk, there’s a greater sense of play.

Lower Polk

A large neoclassical building with a prominent dome, symmetrical facade, columned entrance, and a wide plaza lined with trimmed trees.
Polk and Grove streets. San Francisco City Hall faces Civic Center Plaza early morning, October 2025. Photo by Jay A. Martin.
Two people stand in front of a large, historic building with columns on a sunny day; trees and street signs are visible in the background.
Polk and Grove streets. A couple marks their visit to Civic Center with a photo of the Beaux-Arts City Hall, September 2025. Photo by Jay A. Martin.
A person stands outdoors holding parts of a collapsed canopy tent, mostly hidden behind the folded fabric and metal frame.
Civic Center Plaza. A vendor breaks down his tent as the market closes for the day, September 2025. Photo by Jay A. Martin.
An older man with a large brimmed hat stands outdoors at a market, looking towards the camera. The image is in black and white.
Civic Center Plaza. Tony Mello, a potato vendor, sizes up the Heart of the City Farms Market, September 2025. Photo by Jay A. Martin.
Black and white photo of an older person with a long white beard and hair, wearing a dark shirt, looking directly at the camera in front of a blurred stone background.
Polk and Grove streets. “Graybeard Pierson” waits outside the Polk Street entrance to City Hall for an undisclosed appointment inside, September 2025. Photo by Jay A. Martin.
A person wearing a backpack stands facing a brick wall next to a building with a "First Aid" sign, in an urban setting.
Polk Street and Dr. Tom Waddell Place. A man relieves himself on the San Francisco Department of Public Health building, September 2025. Photo by Jay A. Martin.

Middle Polk Street

A man wearing a beanie and vest loads metal chairs and other items into the back of a pickup truck in an urban setting.
Polk and Fern streets. A mover loads his truck with restaurant furniture, November 2025.Photo by Jay A. Martin.
An older man in a hoodie and cap sits at a table by a window, looking at the camera; brick wall with painted lettering in the background.
Polk and Sacramento streets. Suki chills at the Common Sage Market, November 2025. Photo by Jay A. Martin.
Two women walk on a city sidewalk; one holds a shopping bag, the other holds a dog on a leash. A storefront window and a crosswalk signal are visible in the background.
Polk and California streets. Two women and a dog pass the Out of the Closet thrift store and head north on Polk, December 2025. Photo by Jay A. Martin.
An adult and a child walk hand-in-hand down a city sidewalk lined with buildings and trees on a cloudy day.
Polk and Post streets. An older man escorts a young girl from school, December 2025. Photo by Jay A. Martin.

Upper Polk Street

A man in a pinstripe suit, tie, and hat stands at the entrance of a dimly lit establishment with round lights visible in the background.
Polk and Washington streets. Frédéric shows off Amelie Restaurant, November 2025. Photo by Jay A. Martin.
Two people wearing helmets and puffer jackets sit together on a parked scooter by the sidewalk in an urban area.
Polk and Pine streets. A couple takes a break from deliveries, November 2025. Photo by Jay A. Martin.
Two people sit at a small outdoor café table, drinking coffee and laughing. A dog sits on the ground beside them. The café window reads "Saint Frank.
Polk and Union streets. Two people discuss marketing at Saint Frank Coffee, November 2025. Photo by Jay A. Martin.

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5 Comments

  1. Correction on the picture of Tony Mellow. He is an “Agricultural Farmer”. He is also one of the last of the ORIGINAL Farmers who came to markets when there were hardly any at all. His stand has been at the Civic Center the longest. He is TRULY a pioneer in the Farmers Market industry. Rain or shine he is there!

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    1. Amelie is pretty nice if you enjoy a lively and relatively unpretentious wine bar environment. Tasty food, pretty extensive wine list, apparent recent arrivals from francosphere waiting tables whenever I have gone…

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  3. Thanks for the photos

    Would be great if you would also include or do an article about the longstanding drug dens from cedar to ellis along polk

    Alleyways are full of addicts still

    Where are the nonprofits Police and dept of public health

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