What started as a small gathering among friends has grown into a Bay Area tradition, drawing hundreds of people eager to sample some of the world’s most prized mangoes imported from nearly 8,000 miles away.
On Hippie Hill on Sunday, May 31, for its third consecutive public giveaway, San Francisco resident Darshil Patel and a handful of his friends provided samples of alphonso and kesar mangoes, sharing a slice of their childhoods.
“Mangoes are something that I just get a lot of joy out of,” Patel, 27, told the Chronicle, explaining these Indian mangoes are particularly notable because of their “depth of flavor” and creamier texture.
Patel said he had secured roughly 1,000 mangoes for the occasion, which were sliced and handed out on paper plates to curious passersby, young families and more who traveled from all over the region for a taste. As attendees lined up for the sweet treat on Sunday afternoon, many lingered to compare favorite varieties, swap memories and celebrate the start of mango season together.
Imported Indian mangoes are highly sought after because of strict regulations and limited seasonal availability. They cost around $5 to $6 per fruit, compared to the average $1 to $2 mango sold at the average grocery store.
While Patel didn’t disclose the cost of Sunday’s mangoes, he noted that the batch was covered by the event’s two sponsors, Hud, an artificial intelligence startup, and AI research and consulting firm Semianalysis.
The event was initially set for Dolores Park, but due to high interest — a total of about 1,500 inquiries since it was announced at the start of May — organizers opted to move the gathering to Golden Gate Park at the last minute to accommodate a larger crowd.
For many in attendance Sunday, the fruit carries a significance that goes beyond taste.
“Mangoes mean a lot to me,” said 25-year-old New York resident Ajit Akole, who was in town visiting his sister. “It means a lot culturally.”
He specifically noted it brought back memories of his mom making a crispy flatbread, called puri, with mango ras, a velvety puree, when he was younger.
“It’s kind of underrated what a great fruit can do,” Patel, who feels a similar sense of nostalgia toward the fruit, said. “There’s a sort of simple joy.”