It was another unusual and, at times, challenging year for many of us — including for the team at Check, Please! Bay Area. While we lamented both the temporary and permanent closures of restaurants throughout the Bay Area, including local institutions, newcomers, award-winners and neighborhood favorites, we also celebrated the resilience of our communities. We were heartened to see so many of you come together to support local businesses and restaurants, continuing to share your love by ordering for takeout or delivery, or, where possible, safely dining in person. Just as many businesses pivoted their model, streamlining menus, allowing for curbside and offering outdoor dining, the KQED team shifted our approach to convening local diners to dish on their favorite restaurants.

This fall, we brought you eight episodes of Check, Please! You Gotta Try This!, a spin-off of the long-running KQED favorite, Check, Please! Bay Area. Three everyday reviewers joined host Leslie Sbrocco remotely to recommend the local dishes they can’t get enough of. From colorful, fragrant waffles to hearty, savory burritos, elegant fine dining to casual food trucks, we introduced you to some of the Bay Area’s most delectable dining destinations. We can’t wait to safely return to the studio at KQED’s state-of-the-art headquarters in San Francisco, but as we begin production on a slate of brand-new episodes, set to debut in spring 2022, we’re looking back at some of our favorite memories of 2021.

Take a look back at these 2021 highlights you may have missed:

2.  Warriors “Dance Cam Mom” Robin Schreiber’s signature dance moves

Golden State Warriors’ famed “Dance Cam Mom” Robin Schreiber joined Leslie, TikTok phenom Nick Cho (Your Korean Dad) and local foodie and social worker Aisha Nelson to discuss their favorite local dishes — and to offer the group a quick tutorial!

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3.  A lasting friendship between guests

When guests Latonyia Fernandez, Gypsy Love and Robby Bancroft joined Leslie for our second episode of the season, their connection was palpable, their enthusiasm was infectious, and their conversation flowed easily — which led to a lasting friendship! Latonyia, Gypsy and Robby met up in person with coordinating producer Cecilia Phillips at Dela Curo, another You Gotta Try This! pick, for a delightful meal, cementing their friendship beyond the show!

4.  Cecilia's crunchy critters

This season, coordinating producer and reporter Cecilia Phillips brought audiences to eight off-the-beaten-path food spots through her new segment, Cecilia Tries It. But viewers weren’t the only people treated to unique and unusual experiences! On one particularly memorable visit to Mitote Food Park in Santa Rosa, Cecilia sampled tlayuda, a Mexican “pizza” topped with chapulines, commonly known as grasshoppers!

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5.  A Check, Please! Bay Area retrospective

What’s “the Check, Please! effect”? SFGATE dug into this phenomenon, a marked uptick in business reported by restaurants after they’ve been featured on our show, and took a look back over our decades-long history. We’re honored to have the opportunity to feature restaurants throughout the Bay Area, sharing real reviewers’ favorite places and dishes, and we’re thrilled to see these stories resonate with diners across the region. Thanks to SFGATE for this wonderful story, and to the restaurateurs and chefs who shared their experiences!

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Want to relive even more highlights from the Check, Please! team? Check out our top 10 moments from 2021 here.

Thank you for tuning in to Check, Please! You Gotta Try This! We’re deep into production now for a new season ofCheck, Please! Bay Area, and we can’t wait to bring you new episodes in 2022. Miss any episodes from this season? Stream Check, Please! You Gotta Try This! whenever, wherever, on our website or with the PBS Video App.