The Gomes Guide Travel Podcast
The Gomes Guide Travel Podcast is where travel, food, and culture meet. Hosted by San Francisco–based travel writer, storyteller, and mom of two teens Shannon Gomes, the show features thoughtful conversations with experts in the food and wine world, avid travelers, creators, tastemakers, and locals who reveal what truly makes a destination memorable—and how to experience it like a local, with food always at the center of the journey.
From unforgettable meals and hidden neighborhoods to meaningful cultural experiences and practical travel insight, each episode is designed to inspire curious travelers—especially Gen X listeners who value depth, connection, and great food—to explore the world more intentionally and to bring a sense of discovery back home.
Shannon is also the writer behind The Gomes Guide (https://thegomesguide.substack.com), a weekly travel-focused Substack filled with stories, recommendations, and inspiration for meaningful travel. Listeners are invited to subscribe for fresh ideas, insider tips, and destination inspiration delivered each week.
Whether you’re planning your next trip or simply dreaming about one, The Gomes Guide Travel Podcast celebrates connection, community, and the joy of experiencing new places through food and travel.
The Gomes Guide Travel Podcast
Oakland Has a Food Story. Kahja Elliott Is Making Sure You Hear It.
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If you want to know where to eat in Oakland, ask someone who moved there knowing no one and used food to figure it out. That's exactly what Kahja Elliott did — and it turned into Kay in the Bay, a platform that goes beyond where to eat and gets into why a place exists, who it's for, and what it represents.
In this episode, Shannon sits down with Kahja to talk about Oakland's eclectic, endlessly surprising food scene, the spots worth seeking out in both Oakland and Berkeley, and why she thinks the best thing a visitor can do is keep it broad. They also get into how growing up watching PBS food and travel programming planted the seed for everything she's built — and where Kay in the Bay is headed next.
This one is equal parts food guide, origin story, and love letter to the East Bay. Pull up your Notes app. You're going to need it.
In This Episode:
- How Kahja went from wandering Oakland neighborhoods to building Kay in the Bay
- Growing up in the Bronx, living in Atlanta, and how three very different food cities shaped her palate
- Why she tells every Oakland visitor to keep it broad — and what she means by that
- The Cook and Her Farmer (Old Oakland), Rose Lemon and Cao Cao Grill (Berkeley), and June's Pizza (West Oakland) — and exactly what to order
- Sweet treat must-visits: Gregory's Gourmet Desserts and Casa de Chocolates
- Her favorite espresso martini, the red wine that converted her, and the farmer's market she'll always make time for
- Why Kay in the Bay is expanding into food storytelling consultancy — and what that actually looks like
- Her favorite food city outside the Bay Area (hint: it involves a very unexpected egg roll)
Connect with Kahja:
- Website: kayinthebay.com
- Instagram: @heykinthebay
- Podcast: As Told By (available wherever you listen)
- Substack: Life Size Bites
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to The Gomes Guide on Substack for more travel inspiration, tips, and stories. You can also follow on Instagram at: @thegomesguide.
And if you love the podcast, I'd be so grateful if you left a review — it really helps others discover the show!