Our guide to the very best culinary experiences in this foodie paradise
Dinner is a splurge, yes, but restaurants like Atelier Crenn (pictured), Saison, and Coi are revolutionizing the farm-to-table trend started by Berkeley’s Alice Waters.
No trip is complete without tasting the cheese for which NorCal is famous. Travel north for a wheel of the buttery Mt. Tam at Cowgirl Creamery (and get oysters) or stay local and go crazy at Mission Cheese, the city’s first cheese bar.
Explore European-style pastry—we love the colorful macarons—at the adorable Miette patisserie.
Local bakers, like Tartine’s Chard Robertson, are taking the city’s signature bread in new (and delicious) directions.
Taste your way through a new crop of gins at these Bay Area distilleries, including the pioneering St. George’s Spirits in Alameda.
When you're craving a cone, don't miss Bi-Rite Creamery, with its legendary salted caramel ice cream (also available in soft serve) and just as iconic out-the-door line.
Food on wheels is serious business in San Francisco, where a single tweet can send downtown office workers running to queue up for Curry Up Now’s tikka masala burrito.
At the City Beer Store, you can taste an array of amazing brews, all in one spot. Grab a bottle to go, or sip at the bar where the on-tap list changes weekly.
Just under an hour north of the city lies Point Reyes, a gorgeous seashore that also boasts the Bay Area's lauded oysters. At Tomales Bay Oyster Company, you bring the sides, the drinks and the appetite; they supply picnic supplies, hot sauce, and some of the best oysters you can find.