Taste the West: San Francisco

• More: San Francisco's farm-to-table revolution

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.

• More: Cheese tasting at Cowgirl Creamery

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.

• More: San Francisco's sourdough bread renaissance

Local bakers, like Tartine’s Chard Robertson, are taking the city’s signature bread in new (and delicious) directions.

• More: San Francisco's new batch of gins

Taste your way through a new crop of gins at these Bay Area distilleries, including the pioneering St. George’s Spirits in Alameda.

• More: The West's trend-setting ice cream shops

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.

• More: San Francisco's food truck scene

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.

• More: Beer tasting at City Beer Store

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.

• More: Oyster picnic at Tomales Bay Oyster Company

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.