Everything You Need to Know About Eat Drink SF

Photo Credit: Gamma Nine

San Francisco’s 7th annual food festival, Eat Drink SF (EDSF), hosted by the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, is taking place this weekend! If you haven’t already got tickets, you should swoop them up soon because this delicious four-day event is not to be missed. Held at Fort Mason and several haute restaurants around the city, the bacchanal fiesta features the city’s top chefs, the Bay’s most sought after wines, and the bar scene’s hippest cocktail shakers. Tickets can be purchased for multiple events or just one of the headlining activities like the signature Grant Tastings at Fort Mason Center on Friday and Saturday.

The EDSF festivities begin on Thursday night with a Taco Knockdown at the Folsom Street Foundry. The Foodie Chap, Liam Mayclem, will be the evening’s emcee and nontraditional tacos from Dosa, Trick Dog, Lolinda, Fog City (and many more) will be judged by Joe Hargrave, the owner of Tacolicious and a couple of other Bay Area luminaries. All attendees will vote for the people’s choice taco and be treated to tequila cocktails by Milagro.

If you’re busy on Thursday night, make plans to attend the exciting and informational seminars on Saturday during the day. Just in time for SF’s Indian summer, there’s Sprinkle, Sizzle, Sip: Your Guide to Expert Seasoning, Grilling and Beer Pairing, a class where Marc Stroobrandt (Stella Artois’ Master Beer Sommelier) and chef John Beaver (of Oaktown Spice Shop) will teach you new techniques for grilling and seasoning. At Classic Cocktail A-Game, the Tablehopper, Marcia Gagliardi, and Sipsmith Gin’s Leilani Vella share the art of constructing classic cocktails. Wine afficiandos won’t want to miss Wine Spectator’s Test Your Wine Knowledge seminar in which three wine experts explain how to analyze wine through blind tasting.

As for the Grand Tastings, there are three: one Friday night, another Saturday during the day, and the final on Saturday night. Die hard foodies should note that each tasting features different restaurants, spirits, wines, and beers. The VIP tasting experience includes Hudson Valley Foie Gras and a Champagne Collet bar. All of the chef demos take place on stages spaced through out the Grand Tastings and have different themes. On Saturday award-winner pizzaiolo, Tony Gemignani will take the stage, followed by Michael Tusk from Quince and Cotogna. There is also a wine school beverage classroom at the grand tasting with different seminars focuses on certain parietals. 50 Shades of Gris, Summer Through Rose Colored Glasses, and Cabernet is King are a couple of the wine classes that are on our agenda.

The festival finishes off with decadent brunches at participating restaurants through out SF (including Belga, Spruce, Twenty Five Lusk, Water Bar, and Zero Zero) and the official closing brunch party at Foreign Cinema.

Photo Credit: Gamma Nine