There’s something so comforting about a bowl of soup on a chilly day, and if you’re in San Francisco, you know the clam chowder at PIER 39 will warm your heart and tummy in even the foggiest weather.
But have you ever wondered about the origins of the dish? What’s the history of clam chowder—when and where it was invented, its traditional ingredients and varieties? Learn more below.
What is clam chowder?
Clam chowder is basically any soup that has both clams and broth and is usually thick. It can traditionally contain diced potatoes, onions, and pork. Variations may include corn, carrots, celery, and more.
Origins of clam chowder
How did clam chowder evolve into the restaurant staple it is today? After all, any San Franciscan will tell you to grab a bowl of clam chowder at PIER 39 in the Fisherman’s Wharf area, and it’s also a popular comfort food up and down the East Coast.
When and where was clam chowder invented?
The history of clam chowder dates back hundreds of years. According to What’s Cooking America, the first mentions of chowder as a dish trace back to the 16th and 17th centuries in northwestern France and southwestern England.
Different kinds of chowder recipes started appearing in published work in the mid-1700s, beginning with magazines and newspapers, then eventually filling cookbooks.
While clam chowder is typically thick and creamy today, original recipes were quite thin. Seafood chowders also didn’t start with just clams, but rather any seafood available. One anecdote in the history of clam chowder mentions shipwrecked French soldiers on the coast of Maine who put seafood and pork into a creamy stew and ended up loving how it tasted.
Before becoming a PIER 39 staple, New England clam chowder became popular in the northeastern part of what would become the United States back in the 1700s, and its first appearance in a restaurant can be attributed to Boston’s historic Ye Olde Union Oyster House in 1836. San Francisco’s take on the recipe traces its history back to the California gold rush in the 1800s.
Why do they call it chowder?
The name “chowder” is derived from the French word chaudiere, which means cooking pot.
Clam chowder basics
Now that you know more about this classic soup’s origins, it’s time to find out about what goes into the soup and the different ways it’s cooked and served.
When is the best time to eat clam chowder?
Clam chowder is most famously a cold-day comfort food. But in San Francisco, especially on PIER 39, you’ll find people eating clam chowder every day. After all, eating clams and other mollusks like mussels can come with health benefits as they contain vitamin B12, iron, and zinc, which may help ward away fatigue and boost your immune system.
Depending on when you are going to eat clam chowder, it pairs very nicely with many other foods.
When in San Francisco, it’s the perfect meal to build up your energy for a walk around the city after eating.
What are the typical ingredients in clam chowder?
Looking at the history of clam chowder, you’ll see ingredients have evolved over time. Today, clam chowder ingredients usually include clams, clam juice, cream, roux (butter and flour), potatoes, and a variety of other ingredients. Our sister restaurant’s award-winning recipe includes salt pork or bacon, for example.
A history of clam chowder variations
If you grew up in San Francisco, you’re probably most familiar with white clam chowder as that is the popular version of the soup the city is widely known for. Restaurants like those at the famous PIER 39 serve clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls.
However, the most well-known varieties of this dish are the white New England clam chowder and the red Manhattan clam chowder.
New England-style clam chowder, popular in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, is thick and made with clams, onions, pork, potatoes, and cream. It usually does not have other vegetables than potatoes. The cream gives the soup its identifiable white color.
Manhattan clam chowder, on the other hand, has a reddish color thanks to its use of tomato paste and fresh tomatoes. This type of chowder is thinner and often includes more vegetables like onions, celery, and carrots.
Other varieties include a New Jersey version, the clear Rhode Island clam chowder, Hatteras-style or North Carolina clam chowder, spicy Cabo clam chowder, and a Minorcan clam chowder attributed to Florida.
What type of clams are used for clam chowder?
The clams used in clam chowder are typically the slow-growing type and have a diversity of sizes. For instance, live clams can be littlenecks, cherrystones, and quahogs. Of all of the clam varieties, quahogs are most frequently recommended for clam chowder recipes because they are pretty meaty. Cherrystones are smaller but are also often used in clam chowder.
Is San Francisco known for clam chowder?
Yes! With the influx of New Englanders into San Francisco during the California gold rush in the mid-1800s and the abundance of fresh clams and other seafood from the bay, dishes like white clam chowder quickly became a popular favorite in the area.
Even today, you’ll find it’s a must-have on many SF restaurant menus—for example, clam chowder is a PIER 39 must-have.
Why is San Francisco-style clam chowder served with sourdough bread?
San Francisco’s sourdough is often considered the best in the world. The history of clam chowder and sourdough bread as a match made in heaven traces back to the 1800s, when gold miners needed hearty, warm food in abundance.
Not only is clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl fun to look at and eat, but the flavors of the sour bread complement the creamy comforting chowder like none other.
Where to get great clam chowder in San Francisco
What better experience to enjoy a bowlful of this hearty, comforting soup than while looking out over the bay some of its ingredients were harvested from?
Some great San Francisco restaurants offering a beautiful view and delicious clam chowder include PIER 39’s Eagle Cafe, Pier Market Seafood Restaurant, and Fog Harbor Fish House.
Apart from the gorgeous view and the tasty food, history buffs will appreciate the callbacks to the past when dining at PIER 39. Beloved by San Franciscans for close to a century, Eagle Cafe opened its doors in 1928.
Most restaurants in the area also support the sustainable seafood movement. So you can enjoy fish and shellfish dishes guilt-free.
Knowing about the rich history, sustainable ingredients, and hearty deliciousness of this dish, make sure to chow down on clam chowder at PIER 39 the next time you find yourself in the Bay Area on a cool day.