Learn to love tofu

You’d head to a bakery for one-of-a-kind breads and a charcuterie for fine cured meats, so why not a beanery for amazing handmade tofu? At Hodo Soy Beanery in West Oakland, you can take a tour to learn about the process from bean to block—and blast away any concepts you might have about tofu being dull or bland.

In the bright, sparkling-clean facility, you’ll watch workers turn soybeans into soymilk and coagulate and press the curd into sweet, delicate-tasting blocks of tofu (the process is similar to making cheese). You’ll also see them make yuba—the prized, tender skin that forms on top of heated soy milk—and hang it from racks like handkerchiefs on a clothesline. Best of all, you’ll get to taste these and ready-to-go salads and other products and buy them to take home if you like. So bring a cooler!