Our Story
I'm passionate about food, people, history, our amazingly diverse region, and how farming, chefs, and eateries have had a sweeping effect on the global food movement. I wanted to find a way to create real, delicious memories for food lovers and travelers to experience the best of San Francisco and the SF Bay Area.
When I travel, I want to know the best places to eat and explore the not-to-be-missed restaurants, markets, and unconventional eateries - and very often, it's the hidden gems not found in any guide book that are the most satisfying. This is why my knowledgable food industry guides and I share iconic foods, architectural landmarks, local lore and history, and the stories behind the chefs, growers, and innovators who make the Bay Area's culinary scene great.
People love being our guest on Edible Excursions tours. They often tell us it was the highlight of their trip, their social event, or their team building adventure. We love showing off our amazing cities - San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland - and we are proud to call the Bay Area home. We look forward to having the opportunity to share it all with you!
Lisa Rogovin, Founder, Edible Excursions
What We Do
Since 2004, Edible Excursions has been an award-winning walking food tour company offering culinary experiences throughout San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland. We also create custom food tours for private parties like birthdays, bachelorettes, and social clubs, and corporate team appreciation and team building experiences.
We are proud to be 100% locally owned and operated, and a woman-run business. We got our start taking guests of the Four Seasons Hotel around town to meet local chefs and taste the best of the region. It is this commitment to five-star customer service and client accommodation that makes us the best food tour company in the region.
Edible Excursions’ explorations take place in neighborhoods where small business owners, artisans, purveyors, farmers, and restaurant chefs share their personal food stories and their passion for local, seasonal, sustainable food. And, of course, along with learning about each area’s culinary and cultural background, guests are treated to signature tastes from seven to nine different stops along the way.
Many of our guides have been with the company since our start. We don't use scripts, and no two tours are ever exactly alike. Every food and drink tour we take on has its own character, charm, and experiences. Our guides are knowledgeable, engaged, and accommodating. We are all food industry professionals - food TV alumni, chefs, award-winning food writers, and longtime restaurant workers.
Meet Our Guides
Lisa Rogovin | Edible Excursions Founder/CEO/Epicurean Concierge
Lisa Rogovin brings more than 30 years experience in worldwide culinary exploration to Edible Excursions. A longtime California resident, she has a vast knowledge of the Bay Area’s acclaimed food culture. Lisa lives in the epicurean mecca of San Francisco, with her husband and two children, adventurous eaters all.
Joshua Clever | Epicurean Concierge | Ferry Building, Uptown Oakland, Mission 24th Street, Mission 18th Street, North Berkeley
Joshua, a certified natural chef, fell in love with food while living in Paris, where eating seasonal produce became a way of life. Now rooted back in San Francisco, he frequents local farmers markets, natural wineries, and neighborhood restaurants. Joshua has led Edible Excursions tours for more than 15 years. He calls it his “fun job,” though his day job as a design and project manager is pretty great, too.
Katie Dyos | Epicurean Concierge | Ferry Building
Katie, a fifth generation Northern Californian, has lived in San Francisco for the last 28 years. A culinary school graduate, cooking teacher, and, avid gardener, Katie loves to share her culinary and local knowledge with guests. A mother of two, she also owns San Francisco Charcuterie, a custom charcuterie board catering company.
Justin Navarro | Epicurean Concierge | North Berkeley, Ferry Building
From the hustle and creativity of being a pop-up chef to the precision and care required in catering, Justin has done it all in the kitchen. Passionate about food, both in cooking and eating, he also shared the love for flavors and techniques as a cooking instructor. These days you’ll find him biking around town looking for tasty bites.
Alice Kawatatsu | Epicurean Concierge | Japan Town
A third-generation Japanese American and lifelong San Franciscan, Alice Kawahatsu has lived and worked in Japantown for over 30 years. She learned traditional Japanese cooking from first- and second-generation grandmothers at her church, deepening her appreciation for the flavors and stories behind each dish.
Alice loves introducing visitors to the neighborhood’s incredible food, hidden gems, and close-knit spirit. Her deep roots and local knowledge make her the perfect guide to take you beyond the surface, sharing personal stories, historical insights, and, of course, delicious tastings.
Tori Ritchie | Epicurean Concierge | Ferry Building
Tori was born in San Francisco and has been eating her way through the city ever since. A cooking teacher and cookbook author, she is always on the lookout for the best things to eat and share on her website, tuesdayrecipe.com. When she’s not doing tours, she’s swimming or stand-up paddling in the bay.
Paul Schumer | Epicurean Concierge |
Paul knows food: He is a graduate of the SF Cooking School and cooked at several of the city’s best restaurants. A former brand manager for a major food producer, he’s also handled marketing for a specialty coffee company. These days, Paul enjoys introducing locals and visitors alike to the incredibly diverse food culture the Bay Area has to offer.
Rebecca Sibrack | Epicurean Concierge | North Berkeley, Uptown Oakland, Temescal, Ferry Building, Mission 24th Street, Downtown Berkeley Brunch
Rebecca is always excited to share her passion for culinary and cultural exploration. Leading food tours allows her to offer up the deliciously rich history and food culture of the Bay Area, her home for nearly half her life. A chef and anthropologist, Rebecca is committed to the local, sustainable, and organic food movement. She was a member at the Juice Bar Collective in North Berkeley for many years, and now, when not leading tours, works as a personal chef and is available for regional Mexican cooking parties through Edible Explorations.
Alie Guico | Epicurean Conierge | Ferry Building, Taste of the Mission, Temescal, North Berkeley
Alie’s love of food is in her genes as she comes from a family of farmers and cooks. She grew up just south of the City, and has observed and partaken in the ever-changing food scene of the Bay Area throughout the years. Alie graduated from SF Cooking School and did her internship at Chez Panisse. During the week she’s a data analyst, but on the weekends she indulges in her passion for gardening, experimenting in the kitchen, and sharing her knowledge of food with others.
Amy Skepner | Operations Manager
Amy, who is passionate about taking food tours in her own travels, joined Edible Excursions in 2018 and has been working behind the scenes ever since. She blames her sweet tooth for her love of Frog Hollow Farm’s fruit tarts, Humphry Slocombe’s peanut butter fudge ripple and Recchiuti’s fleur de sel caramels.
Michela Macfarlane | Epicurean Concierge | Ferry Building
A lifelong singer by trade, Michela thrives most where harmony abounds, be it in a Bach motet or in a dish with the perfect balance of flavors. She is an avid home chef and baker who loves living in San Francisco with its abundance of seasonal farm-fresh produce and choice of world cuisines. Michela embodies the passion of Edible Excursions in her daily interactions with food, equally on a guided tour or on family backyard pizza oven nights.