Come June 8 and 9, you’ll be able to indulge in one of San Diego’s tastiest traditions: the Taste of Gaslamp. You can spend the afternoon strolling the streets of the historic Gaslamp Quarter–the venerable anchor of San Diego’s downtown–while heartily sampling the very modern flavors and aromas of one of the city’s most exciting culinary districts.

The Sofia Hotel, meanwhile, provides an unbeatable place to stay while you explore the Gaslamp’s mouth-watering thoroughfares: Its near radius encompasses dozens of the neighborhood’s top restaurants, including one of its very own: the Currant American Brasserie.

Taste of Gaslamp

Here’s how the “culinary walking tour” works: Your ticket–purchased for either date of the event–lands you a handy reference map and a pass to participating eateries, which will be offering up special representative samples from their menus. The great thing about the tradition is it’s self-directed: You can roam to whatever establishments in whatever order you’d like.

Throughout, those 21 and over will be able to wet their whistles at the Samuel Adams Beer Garden, which will be facilitating a full-fledged beer tasting–a great way to freshen your palette between nibbles!

All the while, you’ll be soaking up the elegant Victorian-informed architecture of the Gaslamp Quarter, born in the 1860s and boasting an immensely colorful biography. From a rough-and-tumble past–this was once a lively hotspot for gambling parlors and saloons–the district has evolved in recent decades into an absolute destination for dining and entertainment even as it emphasizes historic preservation.

The Sofia

The Sofia Hotel perfectly encapsulates the distinctive atmosphere of the Gaslamp Quarter. The classy institution traces its roots to the 1920s and the Pickwick Corporation, a stagecoach outfit, and is officially recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The former Pickwick Hotel was spectacularly reborn in 2006 as The Sofia Hotel.

Even as you’re hitting the streets for the Taste of Gaslamp, be sure to check out The Sofia’s own Currant American Brasserie, an innovative eatery combining easy glamor with a seasonal, creative, French-inspired approach to dining. Whether you’re stopping in for happy hour or seeking a topnotch dinner, you’ll be tasting the very best of the area’s food-growing and culinary traditions with every plate.

The Sofia Hotel and Taste of Gaslamp: a match made in heaven!