Read more: 7 Throwback Sandwiches From The 1950s<\/a><\/p>\n San Francisco clam chowder brings together two local icons San Francisco clam chowder bowls. – Juanmonino\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The reason that San Francisco clam chowder and New England clam chowder are so similar is that the dish was brought by New Englanders\u00a0during the California gold rush. Along with clam chowder, they also brought the ancestor to its future vessel \u2014 sourdough starters. Back then, it was just a mixture of naturally fermented flour and water, as store-bought yeast was expensive and hard to obtain. Unknown to them at the time, however, was that a local bacterium (appropriately named Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis) gave the starters the unique, tangy flavor that eventually put San Francisco sourdough on the map.<\/p>\n With both clam chowder and sourdough introduced to the Bay Area, it was only a matter of time before they were paired together, and\u00a0Boudin Bakery is widely credited for making that happen. Established in 1849, you can still visit this bakery serving the iconic dish in the tourist hotspot,\u00a0Fisherman’s Wharf.\u00a0 While it may not be as old as New England clam chowder, the dish still has a century of history under its belt and is even served at The Old Clam House, one of the oldest restaurants in the city.<\/p>\n Compared to New England, California is often associated with sunshine and beaches, while clam chowder is generally known to be a comforting cold-weather dish. However, San Francisco’s constant blanket of fog keeps the city cool and gray, making a warm bowl of clam chowder feel just as fitting there as it does in New England.<\/p>\n New England clam chowder is timeless coastal classic New England clam chowder with crusty bread sliced beside the bowl. – Food Arena\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n If San Francisco has New England to thank for its clam chowder, New England has got 18th-century European sailors to credit for its beloved dish. Clam chowder is derived from European fish stews, with the word chowder being derived from the French word chaudi\u00e8re, meaning cauldron. It wasn’t only the Europeans who were enjoying clam chowder, either, and it’s known that the indigenous tribes of the area had been making their chowders for centuries\u00a0using native ingredients like quahogs and corn, which likely influenced the modern version.<\/p>\n Similarly to how lobster rolls became a quintessential New England fare<\/a>, clams are historically abundant in the region. The first written recipe for clam chowder can be found in the\u00a0Boston Evening Post, published in 1751,\u00a0making it over a century older than San Francisco clam chowder \u2014 although this version had not yet discovered the joys of a creamy base.\u00a0The most recognizable version of New England clam chowder can be traced back to 1836, being served up at Ye Olde Union Oyster House in Boston, one of the\u00a0oldest restaurants in America that you can still visit today, beloved by JFK himself<\/a>!<\/p>\n New England clam chowder is for sure one of the classic seafood dishes you’ve got to try at least once<\/a>, and\u00a0while San Francisco and New England differ in serving vessels, it is becoming increasingly common to find clam chowder served in bread bowls in New England. However, unlike in San Francisco, this is by no means the regional standard and is more of a tourist niche.<\/p>\n Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter<\/a> where we’re helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source<\/a> on Google.<\/p>\n![\"San](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/e81de0a4c616829a8c485506d5ea9c5d.jpeg\"\/)
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