Cannabis from SoMa, 12 minutes north up the Embarcadero.
Gemme Verdi is the closest 5-star cannabis dispensary to Moscone Center, the Marriott Marquis, the InterContinental, and Salesforce Tower. 2.4 miles up the Embarcadero. Worth the trip if you want STIIIZY 40s on B2G1, the deepest indoor flower selection north of Market, and budtenders who actually know the menu.
Honest answer: worth it for these specific situations.
SoMa has options. Barbary Coast on Mission and 5th is a licensed lounge if you want to consume on-site. Sparc has a SoMa shop. The Apothecarium is a few blocks deeper into the neighborhood. We are not pretending to be your closest licensed dispensary if you live or work near 4th and Howard.
That said, here is when our regulars from SoMa make the 12-minute trip up. You are leaving a Moscone conference and want STIIIZY 40s 1/4oz on B2G1. SoMa shops carry STIIIZY but rarely run the daily flagship deal. We do. You finished a Giants game at Oracle Park and you are in the car. The drive up the Embarcadero takes the same time whether you stop in SoMa or come to North Beach, and the parking is better here after 6 PM. You are checking into the Marriott Marquis with friends and want a cold-pressed live resin selection. Raw Garden, Heavy Hitters Rosin AIO, Friendly Farms, Cold Fire — all stocked, all running daily promotions.
What you will not find south of Market at our price point: 60+ California brands under one roof, 250+ products on sale every day, and budtenders who have been on the floor long enough to actually know what arrived this week. The trip pays for itself if you are buying more than $80. The Lyft up the Embarcadero is $12 to $16. The savings on B2G1 STIIIZY pays for the ride and the trip back, both ways.
SoMa to North Beach, in under 15 minutes.
2.4 mi
North up the Embarcadero
12 min
Drive or rideshare from Moscone
$12–16
Typical Lyft up the Embarcadero
60+
California brands stocked
Six ways from SoMa to 899 Columbus Ave.
Routes are written for the most common SoMa starting points. All drop you within a five-minute walk of the front door.
Fastest door to door
From Moscone Center or the Marriott Marquis, take Howard or Folsom east to the Embarcadero, then north past the Ferry Building and Pier 39 to North Beach. Ten minutes off-peak, fourteen with traffic. The driver drops you on Columbus Ave between Lombard and Greenwich, you walk into the shop. Most predictable option from any SoMa hotel.
The Embarcadero crawl
From 4th & Howard or Salesforce Tower, take Mission north to Embarcadero, follow it past Ferry Building, Pier 39, then left up Columbus at Bay. The dispensary is a half block down on the right. Metered parking on Columbus and side streets, free after 6 PM Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday. Saturday 8 PM you will circle.
The transit play
From SoMa take the T-Third north along the Embarcadero. Transfer at Embarcadero Station to the F-Market historic streetcar going to Fisherman’s Wharf, get off at Bay/Stockton. Five-minute walk west on Bay to Columbus. Slowest option but you see the waterfront, and your transfer ticket is good for ninety minutes.
Post-Giants game route
If the game is over and you are walking out of Oracle Park, take King Street to the Embarcadero, head north along the water. By car eight to twelve minutes off-peak, fifteen during a postgame crawl. The Embarcadero north of Pier 39 is wide open even on Giants nights. We are 3.0 miles from Willie Mays Plaza, which sounds far but the drive is the same on any city street in San Francisco.
The 14-minute waterfront ride
Bay Wheels and Lyft Scooter both have docks across SoMa. The waterfront bike path from Folsom to Bay is mostly flat and protected, then it is a couple blocks west on Bay to Columbus. The fastest option that does not require a driver, and there is bike parking outside the dispensary on Columbus.
For Hyatt Regency, Hotel Vitale, Harborview guests
The Hyatt Regency at 5 Embarcadero, the 1 Hotel at Embarcadero & Mission, Hotel Vitale across from the Ferry Building — all sit directly on the path north to GV. By car eight to ten minutes if you can find your way out of the Embarcadero Center loop, twelve with traffic. Walking is forty minutes flat along the bay path, scenic but slow.
From a Moscone conference to picking up your order, in five steps.
Order ahead from the Meadow menu
2 minFrom your phone, open our live menu, search for what you want, add to cart, check out under your name. You will get an order ready notification in 15 to 20 minutes. Skip this if you want to browse in person.
Pull up Lyft or call a cab
1 minSet destination to Gemme Verdi, 899 Columbus Ave. Off-peak fares run $12 to $16. Friday and Saturday after 7 PM you will see surge, plan on $20 to $25 round trip. The driver will drop you on Columbus right at the door.
Show ID at the door, walk in
30 secValid government photo ID, 21+. Out-of-state IDs and passports both accepted. The age check is at the door, not at the register, so you walk straight in once you are cleared.
Cash or use the on-site ATM
1 minCalifornia dispensaries are cash-only by federal banking rules. Our ATM is at the front of the shop and dispenses twenties for a $3 fee. Plan to bring cash if you want to skip the fee.
Pick up, ask for advice, head back
3 to 8 minIf you ordered ahead, give your name at the counter. If you are browsing, tell the budtender what you are after, they will steer you to what is on sale that day. The whole transaction takes three minutes if you ordered ahead, eight if you are deciding in person. Then back in the Lyft and home.
SoMa has options. Here is how we stack up.
Soft-pedaled, because SoMa shops are good shops too. Different niches.
What SoMa has on its own block
- Barbary Coast — licensed consumption lounge on Mission and 5th, the best on-site smoke option in town
- Sparc, Apothecarium, and a handful of other established licensed shops in the neighborhood
- Closer for anyone working in SoMa or staying at Moscone-adjacent hotels
- Walking distance from BART and Caltrain stops
- SoMa is not a stretch geographically, the trip to North Beach is the stretch
What you get at GV in North Beach
- Daily B2G1 on STIIIZY 40s 1/4oz, plus B2G1 on Jeeter, Camino, Kiva Petra rotating
- 60+ California brands stocked, the deepest indoor flower selection north of Market
- 250+ products on sale every day at the floor of San Francisco pricing
- Identity discounts (medical 20%, veteran 10%, industry 15%, birthday 20%, local 20%)
- Budtenders who have been on the floor long enough to know which strain came in this week
- Order ahead, pick up in 15 to 20 minutes, back in your Lyft to SoMa in under 30
Six things to know if it is your first dispensary.
San Francisco recreational rules in plain English, especially if you are visiting for a conference or a game.
01
Bring valid photo ID, 21+
Driver’s license, passport, military ID. Out-of-state and international IDs both accepted. Vertical IDs fine if you are over 21. The age check is at the door, not at the register.
02
Cash only, ATM on-site
Federal banking rules, all California dispensaries are cash-only. ATM at the front of the shop dispenses twenties for $3. Bring cash if you want to skip the fee.
03
You do not need a medical card
California legalized adult-use cannabis in 2018. Anyone 21+ can buy as a recreational customer with photo ID, no medical recommendation required. Tourists welcome.
04
Order ahead from the menu
Order from our live Meadow menu and your order is bagged and waiting in 15 to 20 minutes. Skip the in-store browsing if you know what you want.
05
Hotel rooms = edibles or tinctures
Most San Francisco hotels prohibit smoking of any kind in rooms, including cannabis. Edibles, tinctures, and discreet vapes are the safer choice if you plan to consume in your room. Or visit Barbary Coast lounge in SoMa for legal on-site smoking.
06
Identity discounts do not stack
Medical 20%, veteran or student 10%, industry 15%, birthday 20%, local 20% in 94108, 09, 11, 23, 33. Do not stack with brand B2G1 promotions. Register applies whichever saves you more.
After three months of buying weed in SoMa I started taking the Lyft up to North Beach. The selection is twice as deep, the daily B2G1 on STIIIZY pays for the ride twice over, and the budtenders are the most patient in the city. Worth every minute of the trip.
Verified Google review · SoMa regular · via Google
What conference-goers, locals, and tourists ask.
Is there a cannabis dispensary in SoMa?
Yes, SoMa has several licensed adult-use cannabis dispensaries inside its borders, including Sparc, Apothecarium, and others. There is also Barbary Coast, the best-known licensed consumption lounge in San Francisco, on Mission near 5th. Gemme Verdi is not in SoMa, we are 2.4 miles north in North Beach at 899 Columbus Ave. We rank for SoMa cannabis searches because our regulars from the neighborhood make the 12-minute trip for our daily B2G1 STIIIZY deal and our deeper indoor flower selection.
How long does it take to get from SoMa to Gemme Verdi?
Ten to fifteen minutes by rideshare via the Embarcadero, twelve to eighteen minutes driving yourself, twenty-two to twenty-eight minutes via Muni T-Third with a transfer to the F-Market streetcar. From a Moscone conference room to our front door, plan on a fifteen-minute door-to-door trip including the Lyft wait.
Is Gemme Verdi open right now?
We are open every day of the year from 11 AM to 8 PM Pacific. The status indicator at the top of this page reflects current local time. If you are heading over and want to confirm we are open and stocking what you need, call (415) 590-7538.
What’s the best dispensary near Moscone Center?
For staying inside SoMa, the closest licensed dispensaries to Moscone are Sparc, Apothecarium, and a handful of others within a five-minute walk. For a deeper selection and the daily B2G1 STIIIZY 40s deal, regulars from Moscone conferences make the twelve-minute trip up the Embarcadero to Gemme Verdi at 899 Columbus Ave in North Beach.
Can I bring cannabis to my SoMa hotel room?
Buying cannabis as an adult 21+ is fully legal in California, and bringing it into your hotel room is also legal. Most San Francisco hotels, including the Marriott Marquis, the InterContinental, the W, and Hyatt Regency, prohibit smoking of any kind in rooms. Edibles, tinctures, and discreet vapes are the practical choice if you plan to consume inside. Barbary Coast lounge on Mission and 5th allows legal on-site cannabis smoking if you want a non-hotel option.
Where do I park if I drive to GV from SoMa?
Metered street parking on Columbus Ave and the side streets (Greenwich, Lombard, Vallejo). Meters run until 6 PM Monday through Saturday, free after 6 PM and all day Sunday. Friday and Saturday evenings between 7 and 10 PM you will likely circle the block once. The closest paid lot is the City Park lot at Bay and Mason, four-minute walk.
Do you carry STIIIZY in San Francisco?
Yes. Stiiizy is the most-stocked brand at Gemme Verdi. We carry the full lineup, 40s 1/4oz indoor flower, 510 pods, 100mm pre-rolls. STIIIZY 40s 1/4oz runs Buy 2 Get 1 Free every day. See our Stiiizy SF page for details and live menu links.
What forms of ID do California dispensaries accept?
Valid government-issued photo ID showing date of birth. US driver’s license, US passport, US military ID, US state ID, foreign passport. Some shops accept tribal IDs. Vertical (under-21-formatted) IDs are accepted as long as the date of birth shows you are 21+. Photocopies and digital images are not accepted.
Do you accept credit cards or just cash?
Cash only. There is an ATM on-site at 899 Columbus Ave that dispenses twenties for a $3 fee. Federal banking rules prevent California cannabis dispensaries from accepting credit cards. Some shops use cashless ATM workarounds for debit, Gemme Verdi is straight cash with the on-site machine.
What deals are running at Gemme Verdi today?
Nineteen anchor deals run every single day, plus rotating day-of-week specials. The everyday lineup includes B2G1 on STIIIZY 40s, B2G1 on Jeeter, B2G1 on Camino gummies, 30% off Raw Garden, 8 for $80 on Iced concentrates, 4 for $20 on Sunset Connect pre-rolls. See the full San Francisco cannabis deals page for the rotation refreshed each morning.
Can I take BART or Caltrain to a dispensary in North Beach?
BART and Caltrain do not service North Beach directly, the closest stop is Embarcadero Station on Market. From Embarcadero Station, take the F-Market historic streetcar to Bay/Stockton, then walk five minutes west to Columbus. The total transit trip from a SoMa BART platform is twenty-five to thirty-five minutes. A Lyft is faster.
Where can I legally consume cannabis in San Francisco if I am visiting?
California restricts cannabis consumption to private property with the owner’s permission. Public consumption (sidewalks, parks, vehicles) is illegal. Licensed consumption lounges in San Francisco include Barbary Coast in SoMa and Moe Greens near Union Square. Most visitors who consume in their hotel use edibles or tinctures to stay discreet.
What’s the closest dispensary to Oracle Park?
Inside SoMa, Sparc and Apothecarium are walkable from Oracle Park. For Gemme Verdi the drive is 3.0 miles up the Embarcadero, twelve to eighteen minutes off-peak, longer during a Giants postgame crawl. We are an easy stop on your way home from a game if you live in North Beach, Russian Hill, the Marina, or anywhere north of Market.
What time does Gemme Verdi close?
8 PM Pacific, every day of the year. California state law allows dispensaries to operate from 6 AM to 10 PM. Most San Francisco dispensaries close at 9 or 10. We close at 8 PM. If you order ahead by 7:40 PM, your order will be ready before close.
Why come up to North Beach when SoMa has its own dispensaries?
Three reasons our SoMa regulars give. Daily B2G1 on STIIIZY 40s 1/4oz, which the SoMa shops carry but rarely run as a daily flagship. The deepest indoor flower selection north of Market, with 60+ California brands stocked. Budtenders who actually know the menu, because the team has been on the floor long enough to recognize what arrived this week. The trip pays for itself if you spend more than $80, given the round-trip Lyft is $24 to $32.
12 minutes north up the Embarcadero. The full menu, the daily deals, the budtenders who actually know.
Order ahead from our live menu and pick up in 15 to 20 minutes. Or call us if you have questions before you head over, we are happy to help.
Other neighborhoods we serve
Coming from elsewhere in San Francisco?
Gemme Verdi serves cannabis customers from across the city, all from our single shop at 899 Columbus Ave in North Beach. Pick the route that matches where you are starting.
5 min walk down Stockton
8 min up Hyde Street
5 min walk along the Bay
You are already here
10 min along Lombard
8 min via 30 Stockton
10 min north on Columbus
F Market streetcar, 22 min
15 min on the 30 Stockton
15 min via Divisadero
5 min cable car downhill