TENDERNOB FOOD TOUR
3 hours 4 courses ~1 mile$89+ per person
Come explore the Tendernob – San Francisco’s newest and hottest culinary scene. Drawn by inexpensive rents, some of San Francisco’s most innovative chefs and restauranteurs have been honing their craft in this up-and-coming neighborhood. Set the trend, be in the know, go behind-the-scenes, and impress your friends with your local knowledge by eating your way through the neighborhood on this Tendernob Food Tour. Trust us on this one, as you’ve trusted us for the past 8 years…
or view our calendar to see when tours are offered
How it Works
Your Progressive Culinary Experience
Our 4-course progressive prix-fixe dining experience visits 4 restaurants – two appetizers, one entree, and one dessert, with a sprinkling of culinary history and stories in between.
Our Tendernob Food Tour focuses on quality over quantity. Like a great sushi meal, our goal is to have you sample the highest quality ingredients – small dishes with huge flavor. We strive to shift your perspective of a piece of cheese through its story of the person who made it and even a unique alcohol pairing. And yes, that cheese is not your average grocery store cheese; it can cost well over $30 per pound!
POSSIBLE TASTINGS* (EACH TOUR INCLUDES 4 TASTINGS!)
Nosh on Nepalese momos (dumplings) at a neighborhood spot
Try San Francisco’s best Pho (a Vietnamese broth-based noodle soup) at multi-generation family owned Northern Vietnamese restaurant
Eat Carolina style BBQ at local neighborhood institution serving up delicious Southern cuisine
Get your taco fix with the photogenic jackfruit tacos at a neighborhood taqueria
Sample tastes of Northern Thailand like a Massaman curry, coconut chili fish curd wrapped in a banana leaf, or fried banana with coconut ice cream
Enjoy dessert: San Francisco’s best croissant bread pudding or caramel rolls at a local hidden gem
Have your heart set on a particular tasting?
Call us at (415) 355-4044 to find out which restaurants will be featured.
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3 DRINK ALCOHOL PAIRING UPGRADE
[$26 PER PERSON]
Craft cocktail from one of the best craft cocktail bartenders in San Francisco
Refreshing glass of fruity sangria paired with jackfruit tacos
Local craft beer from one of the Bay Area’s favorite Breweries
Just the facts
- Hear the stories of chefs, restaurant owners and industry experts!
- Tours Available:
- Wednesdays: 4pm-7pm
- Saturdays: 4pm-7pm
- Alcohol pairing upgrade for guests 21+: $26 per person for 3 tasting drinks
- Flat route, approximately 1 1/2 miles
- Our start location varies but is always within a few blocks from Union Square and a 5-7 block walk from the Civic Center BART Station (right in Downtown San Francisco). Click here to find your upcoming meeting location
- Intimate tour groups limited to 12 people
- This is a social dining experience. One of our core values at Avital is Create Community, so we feel the best dining experiences are the ones in which we’re seated around tables sharing food and stories with others. Therefore, we have a 4-person minimum. If the minimum number of guests is not reached, we will contact you to help you reschedule onto another time or date with other guests, or offer a refund.
- Don’t see the date or time you want? Have a group of 8 or more and want to upgrade to a private tour? Email groups@avitaltours.com.
- Gratuities not included – please consider tipping your guide
- Advance Tickets are required
DIETARY RESTRICTIONS
One of our core values at Avital is Breathe Curiosity. We enjoy introducing you to new foods and old favorites in new ways. We very much encourage guests to be adventurous and try something new – we’ve even had an 80-year old man try his first oyster with us! Thus, while we love the diverse ways our guests choose to eat, we can accommodate the following restrictions.
- Vegetarian
- Pescatarian
- Gluten-free
- Pregnant Guests
- No Pork
- No Seafood
You will be asked for your dietary restrictions during your booking process. If you are unsure if we can accommodate your restriction, please email us at info@avitaltours.com. Please note that this tour may include nuts, dairy, seafood, spicy food and pork.
WHY AVITAL TOURS?
Wondering what makes the Avital Tendernob Food Tour different from all other tours? Check out our About Us page for the answer!
We live and breathe by our Core Values:
- Breathe Curiosity
- Create Community
- Embrace Quirky
- Seize Ownership
- Communicate Compassion
- Build AWESOME Experiences
WHAT'S OUR VALUE?
- Our fun and knowledgeable guides
- Curation of the experience, relationships with high quality restaurants, and dish choice. We eat all of the bad food so you don’t have too – sigh, hard job
- Stories of the restaurant owners, chefs and neighborhood
- Facilitating interactions with the community
- Seamless logistics (tables are reserved, guests are seated and food arrives quickly)
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do I have to purchase tickets in advance?
Yes, advance ticket purchase is required. Tours typically sell out quickly. To maximize your chances of getting the date, time, and number of tickets you prefer, please book well in advance. We recommend 2 weeks notice.
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Do I have to purchase the alcohol pairing in advance?
Our curated alcohol pairing is meant to add another layer and perspective to your culinary experience. Even if you are not drinking on the tour, you will still learn about the pairings, how to pair alcohol and food, and awesome ingredients in the cocktails.
The alcohol pairing is two small tasting sized drinks – we do not want our guests to get drunk or buzzed, so we keep them appropriately sized.
If you purchased your tickets but didn’t add the alcohol pairing, you can email us at LAinfo@avitaltours.com to upgrade before the tour or tell your guide at the beginning of the progressive meal that you would like to add it. Your guide can process your credit card for the upgrade while on the tou
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Can I get a refund or reschedule my ticket?
All tickets are nonrefundable. Consider it like buying a concert ticket – that seat is reserved for you and we will be unable to resell it. As a small business with only 12 tickets per tour, its important that you purchase tickets when you’re sure you can go. If you can’t make it to the tour you purchased, the tickets are transferrable. Post the tickets on Facebook or Craigslist or ask a friend or colleague if they want to purchase your tickets.Tours can be rescheduled with 2 weeks advance notice for parties of 4 or less by emailing LAinfo@avitaltours.com. Please arrive on time as tours depart promptly. -
Is gratuity included?
Los Angeles is an expensive place to eat and drink, so our tour guides appreciate recognition for a job well done, so they can fuel their foodie habits. 15%-20% is customary in the tourism industry. That’s about $15 per person.
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If a tour is sold out, can I get on the waiting list?
Yes, please email us at LAinfo@avitaltours.com
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Do you offer discounts for children and seniors?
We currently do not offer discounted tickets for children and seniors.
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Is this tour appropriate for children?
The tour content is not geared toward children, though many older children may definitely enjoy trying new foods and learning about them! Our progressive meals do allow for children, though the experience requires a good attention span and walking, so the tour may be appropriate for older children. You know your children best and if they’re foodies, curious and excited about learning, they are welcome. Babies are allowed if you are mindful of other guests and pull the baby away if they are disruptive to the experience. If you are bringing a stroller, please give us a heads up by leaving a note in the comments section of the booking process.
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Do you offer tours in other languages?
Currently, we only offer our tours in English. However, if you are reading this, your English is likely good enough to join Please keep in mind, that our value is not in the food, so we recommend having good English listening skills to understand the stories and the industry experts who speak to the group.Also, this is a communal social dining experience, so our guides will not simply have monologues or speeches aimed at our guests. They will interact and ask you questions and hope to get to know you better and provide tailored stories to your interests.
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