I found an article from the NOA Valley Voice which has some suggestions for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: A Bounty of Gardening Tips from Expert Flora Grubb

To expand on the link that Trudi posted (which was really good), most of the Russian/Eastern European tomatoes do really well in foggy, coastal climates. Look for anthing that says "early" or "cold tolerant". Some good choices:

Anna Russian
Azoychka
Black Krim (or any of the other black/purple tomatoes)
Cosmonaut Volkov
Druzba
Matina
Moskvich
Stupice
Sunset's Red Horizon

I was shopping for seeds today, but did not see anything like those in the racks. Where can I find online sources for some of those above?

heirloomseeds

victoryseeds

tatianastomatobase

I would go to Annie's Annual's website to see what plants are grown there. That business in in your general area. It would make sense to sell plants that do well in the bay area.

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Annuals

Annies is a complete different climate from San Francisco. Annies is in Richmond, but there is a San Francisco nursery called Sloat. I just a few seed recommendations because it's so hard to make a choice.

There is a variety called San Francisco Fog. Might be worth checking out. Sunset red Horizon aka rostova is among my best producers in the Puget sound area of the PNW.
Jim

I have grown SF Fog in the past and many other "early" varieties. In my oppinion eavarieties don't taste all that great anyway. So I just wait a little longer for the ones that do.

I don't know much about other early tomatoes, but early girl is one I always grow one plant of. Its definitely early and a vigorous grower, indeterminant. Its a small tomato But it has a nice garden tomato flavor. I grow all hybrid tomatoes and it definetely reflects its hybrid geneology in vigorous plants and abundant yields. I have nematodes here(southern california) and it usually survives to produce into the fall.

Once I read the package about how hard the seeds are to start, I may just go buy what ever plants they sell in the nursery, because they need heat to germinate and I don't feel like starting them inside under a humidity dome. That is just too much work, I am already over burdened with garden tasks, and an indoor task means more trouble. If you have pets they like to upset the trays and the trays often leak water. It would great if I had a conservatory room, I would love to start them there. Some call it a "sun room" on the front or back porch area which is not heated expect by the sun. Those are so neat.

Seeds are not hard to start.

You don't need a humidity dome.

Pets don't like to upset trays.

And they don't leak unless they're cracked or you overfill them--look at them before you use them to see any cracks, and then don't overwater so they don't run over.

I'm sure if you look around you can find plenty of stores in your own neighborhood where you can buy transplants. Or order them from Selected Plants

Here is a link that might be useful: Selected Plants

My go to tomatoes:

Stupice
Black Krim
Early Girl
San Marzano

tropical
I do not like SF Fog even though it is supposed to be good for coastal areas just didn't like flavor or production
As far as 'early girl' if I were going to get a hybrid (haven't grown many in years) like 'early girl' I would probably get 'better boy' because it is a little larger,almost as early, I liked the flavor better and more productive - but it has been many years since I grew them -
I like Box Car Willie much better and it produces like a hybrid for me

You say 3 miles from the coast but is it So Cal, Central or Northern?
How many can you plant?
Do you like all zizes and shapes ie cherry/grape, heart, salad, beefsteak, round or oblate, plum ruffled etc etc
what do you want them for fresh eating, cooking sauces etc
what is your taste - do you like sweet or bold tomatoey but being new to tomato growing you probably don't know acid from balanced from sweet? - that's a good reason next summer to hunt out a tomato tasting to get names of maters you like and then see if they would fit into your gardening plan
want a variety of colors?
Many of those listed are pretty good and there is some variety - noted a couple opinions
Black Krim (or any of the other black/purple tomatoes) - love this tomato
Matina and Stupice fill the same niche and I think Matina is better choice
Like geeboss said check out some sites like
heirloomseeds I have not had good luck with them
heirloom acres
victoryseeds
tatianastomatobase lots to look at here - really good site and lots of choices and info to digest

Find someone in your area and talk with people who have tried different ones you are interested in

By the way welocme to the tomato world
Dennis

Tomatoes are very easy to grow from seed and you need to grow from seed if you want to try something new. I freeze in July in San F. so I think you should try some of those mentioned above. I am trying Druzba because of its description. I think it is fun reading about them. You don't have winter, but you could winter sow them outside. Your city neighbors might not like milk jugs but I'm sure you could find some attractive clear plastic containers and grow them outside. Try it.

I've been growing tomatoes in SF for about 8 years in a semi-foggy neighborhood (Excelsior). I agree with others that SF Fog is a rather bland tomato. Same for Stupice and every other "early" variety I've tried.

There are few tomatoes that absolutely will never do well in SF, but the main thing to keep in mind is that the mild climate will cause the days to maturity to be longer than what's advertised. If it says 90 days, expect 120. Because of this I've have mixed results, mostly poor, with large heirloom types (with the exception of Cherokee Purple, which has been very reliable).

Since this is your first time out and you're near the fog zone I would suggest going mostly with hybrids. Sun Gold is a first rate cherry tomato and is pretty much guaranteed to produce ripe fruit several weeks before larger varieties. Two very good tasting Japanese varieties are Momotaro and Odoriko. You can get seeds for all 3 from Kitazawa Seeds, located in Oakland, I believe. You can order online or call them and ask if there's garden store near you that carries their seeds. Cherokee Purple seeds are pretty easy to find. Flowercraft on Bayview has them, if it's not out of your way.

I got my husbands cousin gardening this year. She is in noe valley and did noir de crimee and had great success with that. Very similiar to black krim so sure you could do one or other. Found plants at local nursery BUT around april a bunch of heirloom variety plants are at the farmers market so you can get a big variety.

Also marin master gardeners does an annual tomato plant sale in kentfield.

Thanks you for the suggestions. Dennis I am in San Francisco proper. I am in the Ingleside District, Excelsior is more sunny. The only way I could have less sun would be to be closer to ocean beach in the sunset near the Great Highway, they have more fog then me. Flowercraft is a good place, I always enjoy going there. I think plants are easier then seeds.

I once bought a humidity dome, and I germinated many seeds that would not germinate in the garden, but they were weak and none of them survived transplant. I chucked the humidity dome system in the garden and then I lost it or it cracked and I threw it out when I was cleaning. I like to germinate big can not fail seeds like sweet peas. Poppies also seem to germinate well, but can not be transplanted. I have a lot of seeds to try this year some basil, and a few other things, so I will probably just get one or two tomato plants and see how they do.

I wanted to organize a san francisco garden plant swap a few years back, but it did not work out, because very few people seem to garden in san francisco, at least if they do they don't come here to garden web. San Francisco conditions are challenging due to the weather and the soil. The water here is alkaline, someone told me. Every time I check my soil pH it is too alkaline even thought I add soil acidifiers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Flowercraft Nursery

If you have good farmer's markets you can buy fresh produce. I am sure that you have nice stores Whole Foods etc where you can buy healthy produce. You sound to me like you have the interest but are a little apprehensive. I find gardening to be the best hobby. I get exercise and it keeps me interested. I don't live in your climate. It is 6 degrees here so I am on line thinking about tomatoes and summer. In summer it is hot and I have a shallow well. There are challenges everywhere, but gardening is fun and keeps you looking forward. It sounds like you can get good plants in your area. Why don't you plant a tomato or two in pots this year. You'll be very proud of yourself if you succeed.

I have not seen in good tomatoes in years. There was a crisis in which they thought all the tomatoes had salmonella, so they destroyed the whole crop. It turned out to be Peppers from Mexico and not the tomatoes at all. Since then I have not seen good ripe tomatoes. They don't keep very long. I used to find them at a local produce market in the summer, but even there, they seem to have fallen off. Often they have big Heirloom types at 3.99 a pound at Safeway, and no one buys them. If I do buy them, they are not very sweet. The whole tomato market seems to have bottomed out.