Tara Duggan

Living history: The Cheese Board uses starter that's about three decades old

The Bay Area has several culinary epicenters, where food artistes congregate, creating neighborhoods dense with inventive restaurants, small-batch organic ice cream, and ethereal donuts. But if you aren’t yet familiar with these food meccas, how do you know where to start?

A guided tour can help, especially one that includes lots of small tastes so you have room for more of everything. I recently tagged along on a tour of North Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto with Edible Excursions (formerly known as In the Kitchen with Lisa). Even though some of the businesses were familiar, I learned a lot about the neighborhood that is known as the birthplace of California cuisine. Each stop includes a chat with the owner or an impassioned employee, and generous tastes or sips.

The tour does not include a visit to Chez Panisse, which is about to celebrate its 40th year, but does home in on two of its predecessors in the neighborhood, the Cheese Board Collective and the original Peet’s on Vine street with its mini museum.

Other highlights included getting to sample pastrami and housemade celery soda at Saul’s Restaurant & Deli; almost limitless samples at Lush Gelato (and a scoop to follow); and bites of pure, rare Claudio Corallo chocolate at Alegio. The itinerary varies, and may also include a cup of tea at Imperial Tea Court,  with its welcoming, hidden patio, wine at Vintage Berkeley, and vegan tiramisu at Café Gratitude.

We wrapped up the tour at the Cheese Board with a behind-the-scenes chat with members of the collective. Baker Dan Falsetto baked fresh English muffins, using dough made with a sourdough starter more than three decades old. That’s some culinary history.

The Gourmet Ghetto tour is on Thursdays and Saturdays and there are also regular tours of San Francisco’s Mission District and the Ferry Building and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market for $50 to $75, including tastes.