What gives Greenbrae its own identity? Bon Air is a useful place to begin. The shopping center gathers food, groceries and everyday services near Sir Francis Drake, while the residential hills form a different part of the local landscape. Greenbrae is closely connected with Kentfield and Larkspur, but a visit focused on Bon Air tells a different story from College Avenue or downtown Magnolia Avenue.
Community guide · Marin County
Greenbrae: Bon Air, Hillside Streets and Everyday Connections
What can you do at Bon Air?
Bon Air’s directory brings together grocery shopping, places to eat and smaller everyday stops. Mollie Stone’s and Victoria Bakery & Café illustrate that range: one can anchor a grocery trip, while the other offers a reason to stop for something from the bakery.
Rather than a single attraction that requires an entire afternoon, Bon Air can fit into a day in several ways. A food stop, errands and a visit to the shops can share the same destination. The current directory is more useful than an old list of tenants when deciding where to go.
That practical role is also part of Westin’s memory of the area. The hills and the shopping center belonged to the same routine, but getting between them took some effort.
Westin’s perspective
Two of my best friends at Kent Middle lived near Bon Air Center, on opposite sides of Sir Francis Drake. Getting to either house meant a serious uphill bike ride. We took our bikes everywhere back then—we couldn’t always afford the bus, and biking was how we saw each other and explored around the neighborhood. Bon Air was a familiar stop for drinks and chips along the way. My memories of Greenbrae are as much about those climbs and afternoons with friends as the neighborhood itself.
What does the local history add?
The Kentfield–Greenbrae Historical Society studies the two communities together, including through a substantial collection of oral histories. Its work gives readers somewhere to go beyond a present-day shopping map.
The shared historical record does not make Kentfield and Greenbrae the same place. It does help explain why a school memory, a shopping trip and a visit to a friend can cross the names used in separate community guides.
Is there a nearby farmers’ market?
A nearby option is Marin Country Mart in Larkspur: Saturdays, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., year-round, at 2257 Larkspur Landing Circle. This is a Larkspur market, not a Greenbrae market. The market’s own page provides current vendor and program information.
Market details checked October 5, 2026. Confirm holiday closures or schedule changes before visiting.
Exploring beyond Bon Air
Use Greenbrae as its own stop rather than folding every nearby destination into it. Kentfield’s College Avenue businesses and Larkspur’s downtown each merit a separate visit.
Westin’s childhood bike rides are personal recollections, not a present-day assessment of route safety or accessibility. Hills, crossings and the particular destination matter; a childhood journey should not be read as a promise of an easy ride today.
Explore the wider area in the Marin County guide.
Sources & local information
Business and visitor details can change. Follow the original sources for current information.