SF State sits in the city's south-west corner near Lake Merced, and it shops like a walking campus with a mall next door. Stonestown Galleria is at the campus edge; SF State's own directions route people through the Stonestown parking lot on the way in. So this guide covers two places on foot: the Cesar Chavez Student Center in the middle of campus, and Stonestown.
Cesar Chavez Student Center. The SF State Campus Store is here, with Ctrl+P Digital Print Shop for printing and The Lobby Shop. The Plaza Level has Cafe 101, Gold Coast Grill and Taqueria Girasol, and Nizario's Pizza is a floor down on the Recreation and Dining Level.
Elsewhere on campus. Café Rosso is on the Centennial Walkway, Peet's Coffee & Tea is inside the J. Paul Leonard Library, and Village Market & Pizza serves the Village at Centennial Square. Open24, an automated convenience store between the library and the Administration Building, never closes.
Stonestown Galleria (3251 20th Ave). Target and Whole Foods Market each anchor a wing, and Trader Joe's stands in the parking lot. On Level 1 are Zara, Apple Stonestown and Jamba Juice. Level 2 has Lids, Verizon in the Target wing, Golden Vision for eyewear and Cotton On Kids. City Sports and Sports Basement face the parking lot. The mall's posted hours are Monday to Thursday 11am to 8pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to 9pm and Sunday 11am to 7pm, and individual stores vary.
The official store is the SF State Campus Store in the Cesar Chavez Student Center, run by the University Corporation. It sells textbooks and course materials, clothing, t-shirts and fan gear, gifts and school supplies. Fall 2026 hours are Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm and Friday 9am to 3pm, with no weekend hours, so buy official SF State gear for a Saturday visit ahead of time.
The move-in run is short. Target at Stonestown is the stop for dorm basics, and Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's are in the same center for the first grocery haul. Parking at Stonestown is free, and Trader Joe's has EV charging in its lot.
On campus, Open24 sells convenience basics around the clock, and Village Market & Pizza is the market inside the Village at Centennial Square. For a phone plan or a new charger, Verizon and Apple Stonestown are both at the mall.
Stonestown is where SF State students shop for clothes. Zara on Level 1 covers trend pieces, and Lids is on Level 2. For gym and outdoor gear, City Sports and Sports Basement both sit by the parking lot. Golden Vision on Level 2 handles glasses.
For textbooks and course readers, start at the SF State Campus Store, and use Ctrl+P Digital Print Shop in the student center for printing. For vintage, records and indie bookstores, plan a trip downtown or across town (see the last section).
The SF State Campus Store has official SF State clothing and gifts for the whole family; remember it closes at 3pm on Fridays and isn't open weekends. At Stonestown, Apple Stonestown is the graduation-tech stop, and Whole Foods Market is the stop for snacks and drinks for a graduation picnic. Cotton On Kids on Level 2 covers younger siblings who need something to wear to the ceremony.
Coffee. Cafe 101 in the student center, Café Rosso on the Centennial Walkway and Peet's Coffee & Tea in the library are the campus coffee stops. Jamba Juice on Stonestown's Level 1 makes smoothies.
Cheap eats. In the student center, Taqueria Girasol, Gold Coast Grill and Nizario's Pizza cover lunch between classes, and Village Market & Pizza feeds the residence halls. Campus venues keep short daytime hours, so check before you go.
With parents. Stonestown has sit-down restaurants, but we couldn't confirm the current lineup from a recent page this month, so check the mall's directory before booking a parents' dinner. For a bigger night out, ride the M downtown.
Transit. SF State's admissions page lists the M Ocean View train, which runs from the Embarcadero to Balboa Park with a stop at 19th Ave and Holloway. The 28 19th Avenue bus runs from Daly City BART and also stops at 19th and Holloway, and the 58 Lake Merced runs from John Muir Dr and Sloat Blvd to Daly City BART. From BART, get off at Daly City and take the 28 or 58. The student activities page also lists a shuttle and Muni routes 28/57 from Daly City BART, with service ending at 9pm until further notice.
Parking. The campus parking garage is Lots 19 and 20, just south-east of the Annex, and Lot 25 is north of Winston Drive and east of Lake Merced Blvd. Stonestown parking is free but for customers only, and overnight cars may be towed. Drivers take the 19th Avenue at Winston Drive exit, and rideshare pickup is at the Main East Mall Entrance on 20th Ave. Cyclists will find racks at the front entrance plaza and near Whole Foods, City Sports, Sports Basement and Regal.
The M Ocean View runs toward downtown and ends at the Embarcadero, which makes Union Square the easy big-city trip. Uniqlo (801 Market St) opened Oct 9, 2026 with a UTme! print studio, and Levi's Market Street (815 Market St) is a few doors down, open Monday to Saturday 10am to 8pm and Sunday 11am to 7pm. Macy's (170 O'Farrell St) is the department store for dorm housewares and gifts, and Nike San Francisco (278 Post St) covers sneakers.
