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MacKenzie Chung Fegan is the restaurant critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, which has just released its top 100 restaurants list. It’s the first time in six years the publication has done a big list like this, and in this episode, MacKenzie goes over how she chose the restaurants and why the Bay Area food scene is absolutely on fire. We go over many of the picks, including the top ten.  Also on the episode, Aliza and Matt talk about a recent trip to San Francisco and a number of exciting restaurant discoveries. Some of the places were on the Chronicle’s list, while others may have slid under the radar. Matt visited bakeries and coffee spots and had a number of memorable meals. Places visited include: Bodega, Neighbor's Corner, The Coffee Movement, Hi NRG, El Mil Amores, Che Fico, Outerlands, Aziza, Maison Nico, Timbri Hotel. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. 

Filmmaker Bobby Miller, whose debut novel Situation Nowhere is out now, on the existential moment facing artists.

The Against Me! frontwoman and her wife/bandmate talk death threats, their creative collaboration, and how Adventure Club came to be.

The friends catch up about their video for “Richardson,” Shura’s new record, songwriting processes, and more.

Joe Pera gets sleepy with us.

Sisters Danielle and Gabrielle Davenport are the cofounders of BEM, a bookstore and community space for Black food literature. After years of operating online and at pop-ups, they’re getting ready to open a permanent location in Bed-Stuy. It’s so fun to have Danielle and Gabrielle in the studio to nerd out on food literature, building a family business together, and more.  Also on the show, it’s the return of Three Things, where Aliza and Matt talk about what is exciting them in the world of restaurants, cookbooks, and the food world as a whole. On this episode: Cake Zine x Seeyousoon hosted a pop-up, Breadivore is doing really great bread and viennoiserie in South Brooklyn, and some thoughts on Girl Scout cookie season. Also: A review of Graydon Carter’s memoir, When the Going Was Good, checking in at Wu’s Wonton King, The Studio is a great new show on Apple TV+. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. 

Creative collaborators Ryan J. Sloan and Ariella Mastroianni pull back the curtain on their Cannes hit, which is now in theaters.

We’re pretty sure many of you have at least heard of Cava and have possibly ordered lunch or dinner from the wildly popular Mediterranean restaurant chain. In this episode, we have a really cool conversation with Cava’s cofounder, Ted Xenohristos. We talk about the company’s early days and how Ted’s Greek heritage and detail-minded approach have made Cava one of the biggest restaurant stories in years. We discuss the group’s broad expansion, how the company’s IPO changed everything (and nothing at all), and how Ted looks at developing culinary ideas that are accessible, a little exotic, and pretty darn delicious.  Also on the show we have a great talk with actor Alexandra Metz. She plays Dr. Yolanda Garcia on one of our favorite shows of the year, the medical drama The Pitt. We talk about filming the intense emergency room scenes, and what it’s like to hit craft service after sawing off a patient’s limb (act sawing, of course). We also hear about all the food in her life growing up in a Jewish and Latina household. Follow her Instagram: @metzaballsoup. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.