These tours are still in the works. Stay tuned for updates!
Bon Appétit declared San Francisco to be the best food city in the country, and who could argue with that? After all, there’s more to this place than the Golden Gate Bridge and cable cars. Of course, you may already know it’s famous for sourdough bread, but do you know what else you can find while you’re here? Countless restaurants serve fresh seafood, from Dungeness crab to bay shrimp, but you can also indulge in sweet treats and desserts like millionaire bacon and mouthwatering French toast (here’s looking at you, sourdough). There’s no shortage of coffee, either. And let’s be honest — you’ll want to stay caffeinated to keep up with the pace of this town.
And no one knows the San Francisco food scene better than Michael Bauer! For 32 years, Michael was the Food Critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. When he retired in 2018, his tenure was heralded as one of the longest ever for a food critic. For a profession that relies upon anonymity, Michael’s run required ingenious deception.
He used at least 100 different names, countless credit cards, and when necessary, disguises. He even attended a CIA conference on how not to be recognized.
Michael worked with us years ago when we toured the Mediterranean Sea on our Signature Jazz Cruise program. Insightful and delightful, we are thrilled that he is willing to join us in San Francisco for a culinary tour of the City by the Bay.
Botti at Sea III (’26) docks in San Francisco at 7 am on Sunday, September 20 and departs at 6 pm on Monday, September 21. We have asked Michael to make recommendations for each of the dining segments while we are in San Francisco. Stay tuned for updates!