One of S.F. Ferry Building’s longest-running food tenants is closing after nearly 20 years

“We had hoped to keep Golden Gate Meat in the marketplace, but we respect the owners’ decision to embark on the next chapter of their lives,” Ferry Building general manager Jane Connors said in a statement.

Golden Gate Meat Co.’s wholesale facility in Richmond and a Santa Rosa location, which provide meat to Bay Area restaurants, hotels and markets, do not seem to be affected.

The popular butcher shop, an offshoot of the Bay Area wholesale business the Offenbach family started in 1977, has long been a draw for its high-quality selection of organic meats, charcuterie and prepared foods. It opened with the Ferry Building’s major overhaul in 2003, when it became one of San Francisco’s major culinary destinations — and one that relies heavily on tourism and foot traffic.

After local health orders shut down San Francisco in spring 2020, Golden Gate Meat Co.struggled alongside other Ferry Building businesses. Chris Offenbach, who took over the business in 2004 from his brother and original owners Jimi-Z and Patti Offenbach, told The Chronicle at the time that business was down at the butcher shop, with the lease expiration approaching in 2022.

Several Ferry Building tenants closed during the pandemic, including thelongtime Cowgirl Creamery, the 16-year-old San Francisco Fish Co., bakery Vive La Tarte, Frog Hollow Farm and Slanted Door takeout offshoot Out the Door. The acclaimed Slanted Door, one of the food hall’s biggest draws and largest spaces,remains temporarily closed for a renovation.

Big-name newcomers, though, have started to fill the vacancies, includingOakland’s popular Red Bay Coffee,fish taco spot Cholita LindaandFilipino-Mexican food truck favorite Señor Sisig.