SAN FRANCISCO -- Mark Canha is savoring his return to the Bay Area, in more ways than one.

After being acquired from the Tigers at the July 30 Trade Deadline, the Giants outfielder/first baseman is relishing the opportunity to dig into the San Francisco food scene, which he came to love over his seven seasons with the A¡¯s.

Ahead of Players¡¯ Weekend, Canha -- better known as @bigleaguefoodie on Instagram -- chatted with MLB.com about his favorite local restaurants and other tasty topics.

MLB.com: What was the first place you sought out once you got back into town?

Canha: The Mill is kind of a big spot that I like for breakfast. That was my first stop. For me, it¡¯s all about the bread and coffee. And then there are coffee shops that I like. I¡¯m kind of trying a little bit of the stuff that I love that I¡¯ve had before and also some new stuff.

MLB.com: How did growing up in the Bay Area help shape your development into a foodie?

Canha: There¡¯s so many diverse options. We¡¯ve got a lot of different cultures represented in the Bay Area. I think being around that led to me being more adventurous and wanting to dive in and take advantage of the Bay Area for everything that it has available. I¡¯m lucky to live here. It¡¯s an amazing place to try food.

MLB.com: What are some of your favorite restaurants and spots that you recommend to other people when they come in from out of town?

Canha: Oh man, so many. La Ciccia is one of my favorites in Noe Valley. I always recommend The Mill, Tartine. I went to Plow for breakfast. It¡¯s really good. I went for the first time this morning. It was amazing. I¡¯d recommend it to anybody. Stonemill Matcha. Any Mexican place in the Mission. Those are some of my go-tos.

MLB.com: What would you say was the most memorable meal you¡¯ve ever had here?

Canha: I¡¯ve had a lot. Probably like the Michelin-starred restaurants -- and the bread, too. The first time you have a good piece of sourdough bread, you¡¯re just like, ¡®Whoa, I had no idea that bread could be this good.¡¯ But Benu, Corey Lee¡¯s restaurant, was the first time I was like, ¡®Whoa, this is taking it to a different level.¡¯ It was the same with places like Atelier Crenn. After my rookie year, we were living in San Francisco. When I played for the A¡¯s, for the majority of the time, I was living in the city year-round, so the first offseason, for my wife¡¯s birthday, which is in October, we went to the French Laundry, and that was obviously memorable.

It¡¯s hard to say just one because there¡¯s so many different places where you get wowed here. You¡¯re so spoiled to have so many good things -- casual and fancy and all different kinds of places.

MLB.com: I know Bob Melvin is a big foodie, too -- do you guys ever trade recommendations?

Canha: Oh yeah, all the time. He¡¯s always telling me where he ate. We¡¯re always saying, ¡°Have you been to this place?¡±

MLB.com: I think I saw that you were working on a food book at one point -- is that still in the works?

Canha: Yeah, for all intents and purposes, it¡¯s done. I just never published it or did anything with it because I don¡¯t really have time. I¡¯m so busy with baseball. I have a book, but I don¡¯t know what it is. It¡¯s basically like descriptions of all the places I¡¯ve eaten in Major League Baseball cities. People travel around, whether they¡¯re following their home team or trying to see all the ballparks. I see it as a guide to eating in Major League Baseball cities.

MLB.com: Is the goal to get it published?

Canha: I don¡¯t know yet. Eventually. I¡¯m holding onto it right now. I¡¯d love to get it published. I¡¯d love to do something with it. I just don¡¯t really know what it is. I have to find a niche little publisher or someone to help me get it out there.

MLB.com: What do you think is the best big league food city?

Canha: I¡¯m biased, but we¡¯re in it right now, I think. New York is obviously awesome. I love Seattle. That¡¯s pretty well documented, how much I love food in Seattle. Miami is great. Chicago is great. Pretty much the big cities that you would expect are the best, I think. But I think San Francisco, just because I¡¯m from here and there¡¯s something about it. There¡¯s so much, and it¡¯s so familiar to me because I lived here so long.