As always, restaurants where I don't hesitate to give 5 stars are where the end to end experience is awesome leaving no room to complain. Right from their website, to whoever answered the phone and patiently answered our questions. The interaction at the restaurant, setting clear expectations that card transactions are 5% more expensive than cash, that they have open mics and live music, neat and clean, wide selection of vegetarian food, good drinks, and the food was excellent tasting with special emphasis on fermented foods. Wow. The only downside is that it was a little difficult to find parking. Everything else was awesome. read more

Really intimate and cozy micro brewery. They have mostly sours and also do mocktails. Food is a vegan menu. They also had a live musician on Thursday night. Would come back again! read more

Fox Tale Fermentation Project - Specialty Food Near Me - San Jose, California

Delisciois fermented foods and beverages. As a registered dietitian I'm always excited to try and incorporate more fermented foods. Came here with my Dad on a Sunday afternoon and service was friendly and helpful in choosing ferment options. We shared the sample and the nachos both amazing in terms of flavor, spice, and satisfaction. Dad enjoyed his 5 oz wheat beer and I loved the green retreat tea. read more

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Draft beer made with mushrooms??? I was very curious to say the least! This little hipster bar opened recently in DTSJ and specializes in fermented foods, products, mocktails, and beers! I tried the Fung Shui, which is a farmhouse ale made with CANDY CAP MUSHROOMS? I was intrigued. It actually smelled and tasted like mushrooms!! The more I drank it, the more I enjoyed it. It had a very light flavor to it and was made for sipping. Despite the candy in the name, it was not sweet at all. I was expecting a slight maple syrup taste to it... but it tasted like literal mushroom beer. I came here with a big group of friends and we were kind of smooshed together by the bar since the other tables were taken. It's a VERY small hole-in-the-wall. The customer service is very friendly and helpful if you have questions. read more

Fox Tale Fermentation Project - Fung Shui (4 oz) - Specialty Food Near Me - San Jose, California

This is an amazing restaurant for vegans!! So impressed by the kinds of foods and fun mocktails. As a carnivore I truly appreciated the flavors and choices. I would recommend to my vegan friends if visiting San Jose. read more

My favorite veggie restaurant in San Jose; and the fermented food menu is so innovative and fresh I look forward to the new dishes they come up with. And being a craft beer fan, I appreciate the innovative beers as well. Mocktails and teas are excellent if beer is not your thing. For Cinco de Mayo, they had a special taco with corn smut(huitlcoche mushroom) which was unique and delicious. They also had candied prickly pear for dessert. They usually have nachos on the menu all year, since it's so delicious. Everytime I eat here I discover something new and delicious. There is something about the probiotics in their food that makes me feel great afterwards. They do have a small room so it can get noisy and crowded. I have been a regular since they opened and the owners Wendy and Felipe are great and I always feel welcome there. Don't forget to bring home their jars of kimchi or sauerkraut! read more

If you're into fermented foods/drinks, Fox Tale Fermentation Project is the place for you! They have beer options as well as "mock tales", with a fermented twist (likely in the form of an infused vinegar). I thought it was really cool that all of their beers are brewed in house. On the day that I came, they had 7 beers on draft (1 was tapped out), and 2 bottled beers (beet beer! and a farmhouse ale). The draft beer options consisted of: IPA, Rustic Pale, Dark Lager, 4 variations of different sours. I was bummed their Blue Corn Lager was tapped out, since this was one I really wanted to try. In addition to drinks, they also have a food menu with plant based dishes. You could order plates with their housemade fermented items, and I'll definitely need to come back and give those a try. Some of the ferments were jarred and available for purchase. They weren't super busy around 3:30pm on a Sunday, and I ended up trying a few of their beers (a couple of sours, IPA, and Rustic Pale). My fave out of the beers was their Kind of Blue (Sour Saison w/Elderflower, White Tea, Blueberries, 4oz/$3.50, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=dtpYOBQrtap7wKYXHc7pig&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg) and the Sonic Bloom (IPA w/Waimea & Citra Hops). I appreciated that they allowed smaller 4 oz pours, which ranged from $3-$3.50/pour. They also had 16 oz pours, which ranged from $7-$9/pour. The bottled beers were the most expensive, and ranged from $13-$15. Their staff was really friendly and helpful, and I hope to come back and try additional beers. Only indoor seating was available, but the tables were spaced apart well (some areas were more socially distanced than others) and they had a very high ceiling. Hand sanitizers were placed throughout the bar. Parking in this area can tough, but some street parking spots were available. read more

Fox Tale Fermentation Project - Kind of Blue (Sour Saison w/Elderflower, White Tea, Blueberries, 4oz/$3.50)- 3.75/5 stars - Specialty Food Near Me - San Jose, California

Cozy, vibey place that's perfect for those looking for a great selection of non-alcoholic drinks and plant based food options. There's also alcohol for those who partake. I love the variety of interesting food options - a nice break from other bars that typically offer the same heavy pub food. Very thankful for this place making it easier to cut back on alcohol and unhealthy food! read more

Very interesting menu and friendly staff. My friend and I tried this out a couple of months ago. The staff helped us make our food choices. I'll probably go back again. Wish there was more seating to have a larger group from work go together read more

This place is amazing - beautiful, great atmosphere, and the food is so nuanced and delicious. It seems like we're experiencing a meal at one of those 5-star gourmet restaurants, where there's so many layers of taste experience, but with way more reasonable prices and it's vegan! Plus the fermentation side of their food and drink creation makes everything really unique and fun. The servings can be on the small side and the price can be on the high side but when we want a fine meal, this is it. read more

Great food, service and healthy! Taco salad and pumpkin soup were my favorite! Highly recommended

Unique brewery focused on all things fermentation. I was surprised to see a whole non-alcoholic menu (not used to having this many options!) All the mock tales sounded good, but I went with the stone & sage because it was seasonal and I love stone fruit and tea. Husband got several taster pours of the beer and my favorite of the bunch was kind of blue. Loved the blueberry flavors Staff was super friendly and attentive. They were quick to clean the tables in between guests. I want to try their food, kombucha, and butterfly pea mock tale during my next visit. read more

Fox Tale Fermentation Project - Stone & Sage Mock Tale - Specialty Food Near Me - San Jose, California

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I actually found this place on my recommendations! I dragged my friend here on a Friday night after dinner. What attracted me was that they had mock tails, which I think is so inclusive and great for those who aren't heavy drinkers, are sober, or just don't drink. |PARKING| If you know the sitch with DTSJ parking on a Friday night, expect to drive around a bit to search for street parking. I had luck going down Santa Clara and 4th, across City Hall. |LOCATION & SPACE| Look for a sign that has a fox with no words. The bar is in a small, niche space--dually intimate, and cozy! There were a couple of booths, tables, and stools along the wall. We happened to come on a night with live music, and the reggae music they played matched the psychedelic deco on the walls. |DRINKS| We only came here for the drinks since we had already eaten dinner. We ordered the sunshine, ume shiso, and snap pea mock tales. For each cup they salted the rims of each cup with different rims that complimented the drink. If you've ever had umeboshi, which is Japanese pickled plum, then you can expect a sour and salty taste, while the shiso/perilla leaf/beef steak leaf has a bright, herby taste. I liked how this one tasted since it reminded me of those Mexican candies without the spice. Next we tried the sunshine mock tale and hoo boy, was it sour!! They use apple cider vinegar as the base, so every time I took a sip my face would pucker from how tart it was. This one definitely cleansed my body...a pass for this one. Our favorite was the sugar snap pea mock tale! With it being light, refreshing, and slightly sweetened, this is the perfect summer drink. I was skeptical about having sugar snap pea essence in my drink but it turned out to be pleasant! Highly recommend this one. This bar has a hippie, psychedelic theme, which explains the drink and food selection. I think it's great that they are more health conscious than other breweries and provide foods/drinks, like sauerkraut and kombucha, that help with gut-health. I mostly enjoyed the drinks that I had and would like to come back to try their food next time! read more

Fox Tale Fermentation Project - Ume shiso mocktail, sunshine mocktail - Specialty Food Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came around 1pm on a Thursday to try this place (literally a hole-in-the-wall, I drove past it before I realized, and of course parking in downtown San Jose is always a nightmare :) there's either metered street parking, or garage parking free for the first 90 minutes; I parked at the Globe Parking Garage on 4th st.). Half full when I walked in, but the interior is beautiful! I was greeted at the register by the owners with a smile on both their faces. You order at the register and then pick your seat and they bring your food/drinks to you. The soup of the day was a Beet Bisque which I was tempted to get but I had already eaten lunch :( I got the Wonderland Kombucha which had a black & green tea base, pomegranate, lemon, & ginger, and their housemade carrot cake. The kombucha is super smooth & very light, and the carrot cake is very nutty (which I love). I'm so glad they serve mocktails alongside beers, which is super thoughtful and the mocktails are great as well! They were out of the mocktail I wanted to try (calm & collected tea) but I'd definitely recommend the Wonderland Kombucha if you want something light! I'll be back to try their soups & other mocktails! :) read more

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Such a cute spot. We got the full spread which consisted of 3 fermented items, crudite, and a generous portion of delicious, hearty bread. The ferments were on point, so delicious. House red kimchi, aspagus, and beet with fennel. The seasonal green garlic mash was reminiscent of Colcannon. Hearty and satisfying. I'm husband got the michelada flight, our favorite was the rojo. I enjoyed the berliner Weiss and sour farmhouse ale. We absolutely loved the probiotic shots too, I could sip those all damn day. Very nice staff as well. read more

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Run don't walk here. First up shoutout to their Golden Hour (?) mocktail. It was brand new and I think I was the first one to try it! The flavor was exactly what I'm looking for in a fun drink - complex and strong but not overly sweet. Just watch for the rim syrup dripping down the sides! The half sampling plate was the perfect size for one person. It came with delicious bread, crunchy veggies, and interestingly complex sunflower hummus, and a fermented option of your choice. I got the lemon verbena rhubarb which was amazing!! Toned down some of the tartness of rhubarb and nice layers with lemon verbena. I also got the special which was the feng shui beer plus a cookie. The cookie was good (not the best PB one I've ever had but hit the spot), and The beer was light. I didn't taste the mushroom in it though, and I realized I don't love beer when I can have the flavors of a mocktail instead. The inside decor is also so cute!! It is a very small venue though, so if you're coming with a larger group try to arrive early to snag the one 6 person table read more

Fox Tale Fermentation Project - Golden hour (?) mocktail - Specialty Food Near Me - San Jose, California

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great spot. was in town for the weekend searching for vegan food, and in an endless sea of standard fare this place stood out. really interesting menu / concept much needed in the plant based world. interesting mocktails, delicious food- it was a bit loud but i'm old read more

My husband and I enjoyed a quick afternoon date here the other weekend. They specialize in fermented drinks and food as you can probably tell from reading other reviews. The menu is definitely very unique! Most of the ingredients were too fancy for me but I wish I could have tried all the various fermented spreads. We did order a spread with an eggplant/tomato paste (kind of like baba ganoush I think) with Acme sourdough bread but I wasn't sure how I felt about it. We also ordered shisito peppers + baby zucchinis, which was their special of the day, but I also wasn't sure how I felt about it LOL. Overall it was good, but an acquired taste. I think the quality of the food is good and my taste is just unrefined. I tried two small taster beers and liked them a lot. I am too lazy to look up which ones I had but I found the beer menu really interesting and there seemed to be quite a variety for different palates. I also like how this place has nice non-alcoholic drinks as well. We got the Barbie special and it was a unique flavor and not too sweet. I feel like most other places with mocktails are just sugar water so this is definitely a good place for people who are looking for fun non-alcoholic drinks. read more

Woohoo - another brewery in SJ! Now, we have a downtown beer stroll - hit up: Strike, Narrative Fermentations, Clandestine Brewing, Camino Brewery, UpRoar with the FINAL (or first stop) being FOX TALE - hovering around a 3-mile stretch. Drink beer, get some exercise! :) The Deets: + MOCK TALES are available and they are BOMB! Great alternative for all - I've been switching it up every other beer to enjoy more! LOL + That fermented lemon paste on the rim - OHME, OHMY! Something unforgettable. + Majority of food is vegan (and is indicated on their menu) + Unique beers - some of the unique ingredients we've seen so far: beet, candy cap mushrooms = WHAT?????? EPIC. + Ferments are available to go. + Some faves: lemongrass kumquats, beet mustard (served with the pretzel), farfetch'd suerkruart (...and I dislike kraut, but I'm sold! It's the seaweed, it's gotta be!) + Wi-Fi is available - ask for PW. - Parking - Street parking is tough in this area. I recommend parking on 3rd street city lot (entrance right before the Smokeaters lot and is cheaper than the Fountain Alley lot (across from the SJ Improv)). Wendy & Felipe are amazing & super humble about how amazing their products are! I've only had epic, white-glove experience to this day and continue to have many more! read more

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Very cool and unique location! if you are looking for something new and different, this will do it! The staff and owner are soooo awesome and will share and tell all about their business and philosophy! read more

Fox Tale Fermentation Project - Keep looking or else you'll miss it. - Specialty Food Near Me - San Jose, California

One of San Jose's hidden gems. The drinks are awesome (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and the vibes are always good. I'm a big kombucha guy, but there's plenty of good stuff on the menu even if that's not your taste. The owners are also incredibly nice, hard-working people who do a lot to support the local arts scene and deserve your support. read more

I was looking for something different and this hit the spot. They have unique, delish, and creative food and beer. I loved the chill, intimate and neighborhood joint ambiance of the space and attitudes of people working there. read more

Just came here for first time. Found this place on Yelp. Super healthy and fresh. My go to after the gym. Good location as well and super friendly staff. Really good vibe spot as well. If you're looking for a fresh, healthy style bowls with greens and protein, this is the spot!! read more

The place is super cute and vibes super awesome. People, music and food was sooo good read more

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I don't drink much, so I love when places put a focus on non alcoholic drinks (or mock tales as they're called at Fox Tale) and not as a second thought. Fox Tale is a small bar where you order at the register, and grab a seat indoors or outdoors. The staff brought our drinks to us, and they were gorgeous with their colors and flowers added in. My partner and I tried the Nocturnal Dance and Snap Pea & Mint mocktails. The nocturnal dance was sweet and tasted like juice. The snap pea & mint tasted vinegary with some sweetness. The rims on both drinks were delicious and complemented the drinks well. They also hold community events, such as doodle and sips! I came in on a Sunday evening as an open mic comedy show was happening, and it was a fun environment. I like that they rotate their drinks often. I met one of the owners, who was very friendly. They have merch and art available for purchase. Would love to come back to try some of their other drinks and snacks! Don't forget to grab a stamp card for their non-alcoholic drinks! read more

Fox Tale Fermentation Project - Snap Pea & Mint and Nocturnal Dance - Specialty Food Near Me - San Jose, California

My fun night out last Sunday ended at this spot called Fox Tale. Turns out one of the guys in our group is a comedian (on the side) and was going to be doing stand-up improv here! So we rounded up the group from San Pedro Square and walked over. SO MUCH FUN! I was laughing the whole night. I heard the routines of a few different comedians and it was a great time! The host for the night also had great energy. When I first walked in, of course-- go straight to the bar for a drink ;) Haha. Why not? I asked the bartender for a recommendation (my first time here) and he recommended the Sonic Bloom IPA. It was so tasty! A bit tropical, had a nice hint of pineapple (?) so not too bitter for an IPA. I am an IPA fan, and this pint also came in a pretty glass. Win! Nice crowd here. Lots of smiles & laughter. The space here is very unique - I remember the walls being well-decorated, and some of the shelves had really cute items on it. Note: this place is also eclectic in the sense that it is narrow & long. I thought I took photos (I distinctly remember a really neat fox logo on the wall!) but it's not on my phone :( Anyway, I would highly recommend this place, especially on a Sunday night if there is stand-up comedy going on. I could also see myself stopping by again if I am in downtown San Jose. read more

The food was tasty - ordered burger, tapenade, polenta and nachos - all made well and sprinkled with fermented goodies. The mocktail of the week was out the world,! Will be back for the drinks read more

I went with a friend and we both got their sweet home komucha and firebrand soft seeded pretzel. we went on a Saturday afternoon and the place was pretty low key. we had beard they rotate their komucha throughout the year and so we wanted to try it and it was refreshing. the cashier at the time was very down to earth and took time to explain the different items on the menu. We also got the seeded pretzel but it was not super fresh as we expected it event after warming it up. however, overall it tasted good with the cashew queso. the one cool thing is they do hold open mic nights with local artists and that seemed pretty interesting as it is a pretty unique way to connect with the local community. i will probably come again just to try the different rotations of kombucha. read more

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The food was beyond amazing as well as the mocktails. I'm a plant based Culinarias and this food was amazing. Hats off to all the wonderful chefs there that make delicious happen in my mouth! I'll be bringing a few team members for a tasting next week!!! read more

Best mocktails in town, a continuously interesting beer selection, and if the kimchi burger I just ate wasn't the best veggie burger in town I'd sure like to try better. read more

This place is AMAZING. I don't drink alcohol anymore and this places has amazing NA drinks that are as exciting as craft cocktails. And they have drinks with alcohol making it a great option for everyone in the group. Food. Yum, yum, yum. If you like fresh, local, fermented, you just reached Nirvana here. We had the sampler, the roasted potatoes and the kimchi bowl. Love the location of this woman-owned business. Came back a week after trying it to meet a friend for book club. So excited this is here. read more

Fox Tale Fermentation Project - The kimchi bowl and coffee NA cocktail. - Specialty Food Near Me - San Jose, California

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Stopped by for a quick drink on a Saturday. Fox Tale has a small storefront with some cozy seating and tables. We got a flight and tried a few of their beers. Everything was tasty, reasonably priced, and service was great. We didn't try any food but plan to next time! read more

Finally got to check off a new brewery off my list! My sister and I went to Fox Tale Fermentation over Thanksgiving weekend. They were one of the few breweries open early on Black Friday, so it was pretty busy when we arrived ~15 min. after opening at 4:30pm. I'm not big on sours, so it says a lot when I can enjoy one. I tried Sunday Funday, which had peach and nectarine notes. It was fine, just not my jam, so I moved on to the options of "Mock Tales." I had the Mulberry & Magnolia Mock Tale, and it was fantastic. Fruity and sweet with a bite from the kombucha vinegar. I look forward to trying other specialty mocktails for next time! We ordered the Castelvetrano & Padron Tapenade to share. Loved the saltiness from the olives and the spicy kick from the padron peppers. It was all devoured. read more

Awesome food experience with great beer and non alcoholic awesomeness! They even have various kombucha flavors! Place is small but they are making it work. The staff is always very friendly read more

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One of my favorite restaurants in the bay, highly recommend. I'm in Menlo Park and will gladly make the trip to SJ for Fox Tale, any day of the week. All the fermented toppings have so much love, passion and thought put into them; it really comes through in whatever dish they're in. The nachos and burgers are always on point! And the blue corn huarache with marinated morel mushroom asada was easily Millennium-level (IYKYK). read more

Love to their kombucha and mock tails very amazing! Had their polenta with chips was also good. We'll go back.

Food was awesome and creative. Great kraut and other fermented stuff. Service stinks. Ambience cool. I'd go back for the food though, anytime. read more

My friend and I each got a "Mock Tale" and both enjoyed them. Another friend got one of their small batch beers and said it was incredible. We also got the bowl, nachos, dip, sweet potatoes and caesar salad. The only thing I would not get again was the caesar salad, I got it gluten free (no croutons) and it had a gritty mouth feel. Our friends who ordered before us got their food in about 15 minutes and my husband and I got ours in about 20-25 minutes so the food did not come out together. Our server was super friendly, the vibe was cozy and they had great music. Overall a great experience and I would go back and get the nachos. read more

Fox Tale Fermentation Project - Bowl with avocado and wild rice - Specialty Food Near Me - San Jose, California

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Great food, service and live comedy entertainment! Went on a Sunday and wasn't expecting the stand-up comedy so that was a pleasant surprise!! read more

In case you haven't noticed yet, this place is blowing up in news media. Not only is the food great, but these brewers are going out of their way to support the O.G. brewers up at Anchor in SF. What an awesome community. Try the food, try the spreads - a lot of people come in for a drink only it seems, and the mock tales are unbelievable, but I think the fermented spreads are by far the best thing here - just my two cents! read more