Looking for a fun way to spend an afternoon? Try a culinary tour (they're not just for tourists!). It’s hard to keep up on all the new openings in this town, and there are always places you mean to try, but never quite find the time. Some of the city’s first neighborhood tours were led by Shirley Fong-Torres and GraceAnn Walden, but below are some strictly culinary tours that will inspire you with bites from a whole bunch of places. Even if you’ve lived in the city for a decade, you may be surprised at what you’ll discover (and taste) on these tours. Come hungry.
This company started by Lisa Rogovin tours unique neighborhoods, like Japantown, 24th Street in the Mission, and now there’s a new tour of the Temescal neighborhood in Oakland. The tour guides are very well educated on each 'hood and business, and all the destinations are pretty choice. (Her Ferry Building tour is a great way for visitors to taste through the building.) $50–$75.
The vivacious Avital Ungar leads food and wine tours through the Mission (you actually get to skip the line at Bi-Rite Creamery!) and North Beach, and she even has a cocktail tour through Union Square. $64–$86.
This outfit founded by Andrea Nadel offers a variety of tours (including Japantown, a gourmet tour of Hayes Valley, and Napa), but they are perhaps best known for their chocolate tours—there’s also an ultra version that includes wine and a cocktail. $52–$75.
It would be a nice day that included pizza from Golden Boy and tea from Red Blossom in Chinatown. These tours by Chris Milano cover Chinatown (or you can do a North Beach-Chinatown combo) and the Mission. If you book online, tickets are $69.
Marcia Gagliardi is the editor of the weekly tablehopper e-column; subscribe and read more at tablehopper.com. Follow her on Twitter: @tablehopper.
