Your Sunday afternoon food tour begins at a restaurant called Alembic in the Haight-Ashbury area of San Francisco. Known for being a central part of the city's music and hippie scene in the 1960s, this famous area ─ now simply referred to as The Haight ─ is home to some of the city's most intriguing food and drink. Designed by Virginia Miller, a noted San Francisco food writer and blogger, this tour allows even locals to discover innovative culinary creations they are unlikely to have found on their own.
As you amble the streets with your small group, learn a little about The Haight's colorful history and lots about its rich food scene. Make four stops on the tour for tastings of appetizer, entree and
dessert items that are meant to add up to a satisfying meal. Plus, take
advantage of the chance to chat with chefs and restaurant owners about
what's new and what's hot.
Enjoy off-menu tacos from Bacon Bacon, one of the city's most popular food trucks, which now has a brick-and-mortar location. Head to the bustling food market Second Act Marketplace, and enjoy exclusive access to a private garden where ingredients for one of America's top cocktail bars, The Alembic, are sourced. As you sip, your guide shares fun details about the inspiration behind the drinks, which might include the Southern Exposure cocktail, paired with a delicious appetizer.
Afterward, walk to Anda Piroshki to watch a demonstration of how Russian piroshkis ─ savory stuffed pastries ─ are made before you try one stuffed with hearty beef and cheese. Top the 3-hour tour off with a Root Beer Float or a Guinness Beer Float at The Ice Cream Bar, a 1930s-style soda fountain in the nearby Cole Valley neighborhood.
Please note: During the course of your tour, walk about a mile (2 km) on a mostly flat route with a couple of small hills. Your included culinary map makes it easy to revisit any of the establishments on your tour to enjoy even more intriguing nibbles.
