Ahhh, the smell of pumpkin and cinnamon in the air, an increasing desire to frolic in a pumpkin patch or apple orchard and a wave of plaid invading everyone’s outfits — it means autumn has arrived.
With how the weather has been these days, it still feels like a hot girl summer has taken hold of the Bay Area. Ignore it! After all, time flies and soon we’ll find ourselves in a winter wonderland mode (one where Mariah Carey’s Christmas hit is back with a vengeance). For now, embrace the hot chocolates, cozy soups and spiced cakes that are just waiting for you to devour them. Me? I’ll just be over here living my best life and putting pumpkin spice in anything I can—like these pumpkin spice madeleines I’m still perfecting:
Matcha Marshmallow and Reese's Cup S'mores
Want to get comfy and cozy at home? We have tons of fall-related recipes, guides, and community spotlights from the Bay Area and beyond to read by your fireplace or to make in your kitchen. Plus, that hygge mood, a Danish lifestyle trend that prioritizes being comfy and cozy AF, pairs perfectly with new episodes of our James Beard Award-winning television show, Check, Please! Bay Area (new Check, Please! Bay Area Kids start airing October 1st for double the fun)!
If you have questions, comments or just want to say hi, you can always email me. If you have friends or family that might also enjoy this newsletter, pass it along and tell them to subscribe to our list here so you’ll never miss a thing. And now...on to the main course.
Grace Cheung Check, Please! Bay Area; Digital Producer
The Main Course: What & Where to Eat
5 Bay Area Places To Fall Into Autumn
Looking for fall activities for families in the Bay Area? We’re giving you apple pies, pumpkin patches and, yes, even Hogwarts-esque steam engines! Experience the best of autumn around the Bay with these 5 activities. Continue reading...
Are These the Best Dumpling Spots in the Bay Area?
Can it get any cozier than a giant bowl of dumplings sitting in front of you? Spend this fall traipsing around the Bay to visit all the restaurants that readers suggested when we asked what their favorite spots were. Continue reading...
A Northern California Wine Bootcamp Adventure
It’s harvest season, which means it’s peak season for scheduling a delightful visit to Wine Country where the grapes are beginning their journey to the bottle! If you want to make the trip, read one writer’s ambitious journey to visit thirty-one (yep, 31!) wineries over the course of a week. Continue reading...
Halloween Recipes from Bay Area Bites
Most people think of Thanksgiving when they think fall...but what about Halloween? Give some love and raise some spirits this year with our collection of Halloween recipes. From ghostly marshmallows to wickedly delicious chocolate witches hats, pick your favorite and head to the kitchen! Continue reading...
Some Small Bites
In their Golden State Plate series, The California Report recently dove into the history of Rocky Road Ice Cream! There’s still a dispute over who thought up the recipe for Rocky Road ice cream: Fenton’s Creamery or Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream.
Some events I’d like to go to:
This Saturday (9/28), there’s a fun pop-up at Oakland’s Soba Ichi featuring local businesses like Always Aloha Shaved Ice, Tacos Sincero, Popoca, Okkon, Roots & Craft Tea and Brekkie. There will be shaved ice available for dogs where 100% of the proceeds go to Rocket Dog Rescue!
BBQ Without Borders, Oakland’s first-ever food festival showcasing immigrants’ contributions to America, is happening 10/5 and all proceeds benefit the National Immigrant Justice Center and Pangaea Legal Services. Get a ticket for bieh baze kebob, barbacoa, ikan bakar and more!
Omnivore Books (who turned 10 last year) always has great author events happening every month. I wish I could go to every single one, but you can keep an eye out for favorites by checking their Events page. Each one is usually free and has the author’s book available for purchase! Highlights for the next few weeks are Ivan Orkin & Chris Ying, Nancy Singleton and Sean Brock & Corey Lee — this last one is sadly sold out.
From the Community
Use #bayareabites on social and we’ll share our favorites in each email!
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Butterfly Aviation
See and experience the beauty of Northern California’s landscape by helicopter. Schedule a tour today to traverse from Napa and Sonoma Vineyards to the majestic San Francisco Bay with the iconic Golden Gate bridge. More information at butterflyaviation.com.
