Prepare your palettes.
Good food abounds in the Bay this week. Start with new lunch service at Roka Akor, then make your way through the Taste of Temescal on Wednesday, and a wine dinner at Oakland’s Lake Chalet on Thursday. Save room to support your local food bank by filling your bowl at a unique fundraiser on Sunday, then do dessert at Nisei’s makers and bakers fair.
Jump ahead to this week's top events:
Pac Man your way through Taste of Temescal.
Have a laugh for a serious matter at the Comedy Night For Immigrant Rights at Herbst Theatre.
Kick back at the Berkeley Bluegrass Festival.
Shop from AAPI bakers and makers at a vibrant market hosted by Nisei.
Have a good one.
Grab sushi for lunch. Roka Akor’s new lunch offering serves up yellowtail sashimi, NY strip steak, and yummy maki outside or in for those who want to elevate their break; Mondays through Fridays, 11:30am to 2:30pm. // Roka Akor, 801 Montgomery St. (Jackson Square); rokaakor.com
Go for checkmate and grab a fresh pint at a low-key chess night; Monday, 5pm to 8pm. // Barebottle Brewing Company, 1525 Cortland Ave. (Bernal Heights); details at bernalchess.com
Bring vermouth to the forefront in a mixology class that teaches you all about the potential of this under-appreciated mixer; Monday, 7pm to 9pm. // The Alembic, 1725 Haight St. (Upper Haight); register at eventbrite.com
Spend an unforgettable weekend at the Healdsburg Wine and Food Experience. Celebrate world-class wines, acclaimed chefs, and the vibrant spirit of Sonoma County with exclusive tastings and immersive events; May 14th through 17th. // Details and tickets at healdsburgwineandfood.com (get 10 percent off with the code 7x710)
Thank you to our partners at the Healdsburg Wine and Food Experience.
Catch the celebrity chef in rotation at Oxbow Public Market. This month, Chef Nyesha Arrington, the dynamic culinary artist known as "The Ninja," is bringing Korean and Californian flavors to the market’s rotating pop-up concept; Wednesday and Thursday, 12pm to 8pm. // Oxbow Public Market, 610 1st St. (Napa); reservations at opentable.com
Taste your way through Temescal during the district’s annual event celebrating the diverse food scene that lets you sample food and drinks from neighborhood restaurants; Wednesday, 5:30pm to 8:30pm. // Details and tickets at temescaldistrict.org
Party at Art Bash. The tenth anniversary of the SFMOMA blowout is full of artist activations, live local music, and full museum access into the night; Wednesday, 6pm to 1am. // SFMOMA, 151 Third St. (SoMa); tickets at sfmoma.org
Rewatch Sorry to Bother You with a live Q&A with writer and director Boots Riley and LaKeith Stanfield, who stars in Riley’s acclaimed new upcoming film; Wednesday at 6:30pm. // Alamo Drafthouse Cinema New Mission, 2550 Mission St. (Mission); tickets at drafthouse.com
Kick off an international celebration of music, theatre, dance, and more at the San Francisco International Arts Festival with a lineup of more than 50 artists from nine countries; Wednesday through May 10th. // Schedule and tickets at sfiaf.org
Write live and listen to live music during an evening of creative writing prompts followed by a listening session of jazz, funk, and neo-soul; Wednesday, 6:30pm to 8:30pm. // The Faight Collective, 473A Haight St. (Lower Haight) tickets at eventbrite.com
Have a laugh for a serious matter at the Comedy Night For Immigrant Rights with five-time Emmy award winner W. Kamau Bell; SNL’s Melissa Villaseñor; and Emmy-nominated writer, actor and comedian Joel Kim Booster; Thursday at 7:30pm. // Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center); tickets at cityboxoffice.com
Brush up on documentaries at DocLands, the multi-day celebrations of nonfiction storytelling from the California Film Institute; Thursday through Sunday. // Smith Rafael Film Center, 1118 Fourth St. (San Rafael); tickets at doclands.com
Raise a pinky for cherry blossom-themed high tea, with onigiri with caviar; dorayaki with salted fig jam and Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam cheese; and the finest teas from Tealeaves; Thursday through Sunday, 2pm to 4pm. // Astra at the St. Regis San Francisco, 125 3rd St. (SoMa) reservations at opentable.com
Enjoy views and blends at Oakland’s Lake Chalet during a special four-course dinner with Rombauer wines; Thursday, 6:30pm to 8:30pm. // The Lake Chalet Oakland, 1502 Lakeside Dr. (Oakland); tickets at eventbrite.com
Get witchy this weekend at Beltane and May Day celebrations blending ritual, music, and marketplace culture; Friday, 6pm to 10pm and Sunday, 11am to 5pm. // 4121 Piedmont Ave. (Oakland); tickets at eventbrite.com
Meet your favorite authors under the sun in Sonoma. Enjoy an afternoon with Dave Barry, Maria Semple, and others at an "Authors on the Plaza" outdoor gathering; Saturday, 11am to 2pm. // Sonoma Plaza, 453 1st St. E (Sonoma); RSVP at svauthorsfest.org
Fill your cup at the Spring Tea Festival, where more than 30 local and global tea makers will offer tastings, educational talks, and inspiring sessions; Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 3pm. // Ferry Building, 1 Ferry Building (Embarcadero); tickets at sfitf.com
Experience the 47th year of the San Francisco Decorator Showcase, where leading designers have transformed a remarkable 1897 Queen Anne Victorian in Pacific Heights with inspired interiors; through May 25th. // 2315 Broadway (Pacific Heights); tickets at decoratorshowcase.org
Thank you to our partners at the San Francisco Decorator Showcase.
Head to a pickleball dance party with a new social club from the folks behind Dirtybird; Saturday. // Bay Padel, 29 Avenue G (Treasure Island); RSVP at laylo.com
Graze for Beltane, the Celtic celebration of summer, at an epic, edible brunch from Madge Stein, summer wine, and DJ beats; Saturday, 11am to 2pm. // Casements Bar, 2351 Mission St. (Mission); tickets at thethirdplace.is
Don a hat for a derby party with Duckhorn Vineyards. Enjoy Southern-inspired bites, signature wines, and a festive celebration of the best-dressed guests; Saturday, 1:30pm to 4:30pm. // The Duckhorn Collection at Paraduxx, 7257 Silverado Trail (Napa); tickets at duckhorn.com
Kick back at the Berkeley Bluegrass Festival, featuring Jason Carter, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, and more over two days of performances and workshops; Saturday and Sunday. // The Freight, 2020 Addison St. (Berkeley); tickets at thefreight.org
Escape for a wildflower walk. Join a guided stroll along scenic Sea Ranch bluffs to take in ocean views, learn about local plants, and enjoy the beauty of the Sonoma Coast; Sunday, 10am to 11:30am. // The Sea Ranch Lodge, 60 Sea Walk Dr. (The Sea Ranch); RSVP at thesearanchlodge.com
Help feed the Bay Area at Empty Bowls. Pick a handmade bowl, fill it with soup, and settle down for an afternoon of community and live music at this artist-led fundraiser to benefit the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank; Sunday, 1pm to 3pm. // Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way (Upper Market); tickets at sfemptybowls.org
Get out of town for the Lodi Street Faire. The free massive festival brings together more than 500 vendors for one-of-a-kind shopping and noshing in an open-air marketplace for all; Sunday, 8am to 4pm. // Downtown Lodi, School St. and Church St. (Lodi); details at visitlodi.com
DIY your own one-of-a-kind wearable at a workshop on the art of flower printing with SlowDigz owner Lisa Rogers. Learn how to work with fresh botanicals and dried flowers to create unique works on silk; Sunday, 2pm to 4pm. // h2hotel, 219 Healdsburg Ave. (Healdsburg); register at h2hotel.com
Shop from AAPI bakers and makers at a vibrant market of handmade goods, sweet treats, and gifts hosted by Japanese fine-dining establishment Nisei to benefit Bay Resistance; Sunday, 3pm to 8pm. // Nisei, 2316 Polk St. (Russian Hill); tickets at opentable.com
