Graceann Walden has written seven restaurant guidebooks, the author of "86 Recipes SF", a cookbook, is the former SF Chronicle restaurant columnist and leads food-history tours of North Beach. In addition to writing popular books, a newsletter and publishing a website, GraceAnn Walden's tours have ranked among the favorite San Francisco tours by those who've signed up. 

 

NORTH BEACH – Mangia North Beach! $80  (subject to change)
 

Mangia! North Beach - the only walking tour that gives participants the full San Francisco North Beach experience including Italian history, food knowledge, delicious tastes along the way, fun anecdotes and a 3-course lunch with wine. Celebrating 20 years of fun & food!

Learn why the Italian people came to North Beach and how they lived. On our tour, we stop at an almost 100-year-old bakery, we munch on Italian cookies, sausage, focaccia and have lunch at Rose Pistola.

Here is the menu:

Marinated olives

Crisp zucchini chips

Chopped salad with Blue Cheese dressing

Spaghetti with seafood sauce

Ricotta Gnocchi with brown butter and sage (may be another pasta)

Verdicchio

Barbera

House made sorbet/biscotti

Coffee

On regularly scheduled tours, you must give us at least 72 hours notice to receive a refund.

Evening Chinatown tour $90.

We will visit a Buddhist monastery, a unique musical instrument store, a Fortune cookie factory, a special religious goods store, an herbalist AND a tea tasting.

At 6:30 pm we will stroll to my favorite white-tablecloth Chinese restaurant in Chinatown and enjoy a seven-course banquet, that includes seafood, fresh prawns, roasted squab, rice and paired wine. We meet at the corner of Sacramento & Grant at 4pm. Park at Portsmouth Square garage and walk up.

Limited to 20 people. Sorry, no vegetarians. You must like seafood, since this is a Hong Style restaurant. One course, the steamed giant prawns with garlic were alive minutes before they appear on the table.
This tour is available any day for a minimum of 10 people and up to 20.

Secrets and tastes of Nob Hill $100.
The tour includes a history of the prominent families who built their mansions on the Hill and a tour of Grace Cathedral. We enjoy a wine tasting at the Fairmont and cheese/fruit buffet, a trip to the spa at the Huntington for a look-see, and conclude with lunch at the Big 4 (two courses) and dessert at the Ritz Carlton.

We meet on California Street in front of the Grace Cathedral Gift Shop or inside at the Peets coffee stand in the basement, if it is drizzling. Dress appropriate for a church visit.
20 person minimum for a private tour.