The food tour in San Francisco no one should miss

A pizza with WHAT on it?!?!," I splutter, as our guide Corey serves up the options. "Clams. I mean, you could have the pepperoni - that'd be the safe choice. But I'd definitely recommend the clams and garlic." And with those words sealing the deal, I reluctantly place my order, reassuring myself that I've eaten far stranger things in my travels.

At the end of a whirlwind visit to San Francisco, we've found ourselves with a morning free to explore and facing a difficult choice. Two food tours on offer, one to the city's Mission district, home to its vibrant Latino community, legendary all-day burritos and Cuban mariquitas. We choose option two that takes us to Chinatown and the Italian-influenced North Beach.

Beginning our food safari at the city's iconic cable car power station and with weather threatening, our first stop is Coffee Movement. With the usually lengthy line-up for coffee reduced thanks to the rain, I'm soon presented with a flight of three small, steaming black coffees from the "tasting menu". Starting life in the back of a 1969 VW bus, the compact and unassuming Coffee Movement shopfront in Chinatown has developed a cult following thanks to its obsessive attention to quality. I carefully sip at my brews trying to discern the individual notes and raise a glass to the waving tourists as an iconic tram trundles past.

Soon we're headed deep into Little Italy, greeted by red, white and green pedestrian crossings, and espresso-sipping locals who look like they've been specially cast for the role. Orders in hand, Corey heads to Golden Boy Pizza as we wait in the park under the grand facade of Saints Peter and Paul Church, famed as the site where Marilyn Monroe wed Joe DiMaggio (which we later learn from our guide isn't quite accurate, but the story has nonetheless persisted).

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Corey returns, pizza box in hand, and opens the lid to unleash an intoxicating wave of hot garlic. Gratefully receiving my square tile of clam and garlic goodness, I'm rewarded with a soft, warm crunch of fresh focaccia and I'm left wondering why I've never thought to put clams on a pizza before. Ambling along the main street where rustic delis and pasta restaurants jostle for attention, we pause in front of a gelati window offering a luring assortment of flavours. Double scoop in hand and lunch starting to sit heavily in my stomach, we head back into Chinatown past Asian spice sellers where mounds of pungent dried herbs and fish combine to create a heady aroma.

We huddle under an awning as Corey again disappears into a noisy doorway and returns with plates of enormous, steaming dumplings in an assortment of shapes and flavours. I make a heroic effort to get through as many of the sweet, spicy treats as I can before conceding defeat.

Unable to waddle much further, we bid farewell and thanks to our host, only for him to reappear moments later with handfuls of sweet, sticky fried wonton wrappers.

"It's a speciality, I couldn't let you go without trying it," he croons.

"Oh alright, maybe there's room for just one more morsel," I tell myself.

Secret Food Tours include up to 12 people and take 3.5 hours with five food stops for $US79 ($112) per person. secretfoodtours.com