Vegan restaurants are nothing new, but these high-end eateries are taking it to the next level with creative dishes and cocktails made with locally sourced and sustainable ingredients.
Wildseed’s menu items, such as the rigatoni Bolognese and avocado toast, are as tasty as they are photogenic.
WILDSEED
Wildseed serves diverse creative plates, all plant-based. Chef Alejandro Morgan uses seasonal produce to create high-quality dishes influenced by global flavors. The restaurant offers plates like the mushroom and spinach patty Wildseed burger. Try cocktails made with fresh juices, local herbs and homemade extracts like the Holy Basil made of green chile vodka and cucumber basil shrub, as well as local beer and vegan biodynamic wines. 2000 Union St.
NOURISH CAFE
Minimalism is the key here. The vegan, plant-based spot is all about avoiding processed foods, using organic ingredients and clean eating. With two locations in San Francisco, the sustainable restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner options, as well as vegan catering. Two standouts? The JUST Egg frittata sandwich and the bibimbap bowl. 189 Sixth Ave., 1030 Hyde St.
SHIZEN
The team behind Tataki Sushi and Sake Bar—the first-ever sustainable sushi restaurant in the U.S.—also owns Shizen, the experimental vegan sushi bar and izakaya restaurant. Dedicated to changing our relationship with the ocean, the plant-based sushi spot offers elegant, colorful and flavorful dishes. The hot spot mixes the traditional Japanese sushi experience with a Californian avant-garde flair for an eccentric experience. 370 14th St.
BAIA
Opened by celebrity restaurateur Matthew Kenney and tech moguls Kyle and Tracy Vogt, Baia serves Italian comfort food, reimagined. The April 2020 opening was postponed, so they pivoted with Taste of Baia. The delivery and carry-out service provides a weekly rotating menu of everything diners can expect when they officially open. The menus feature plant-based options like lasagna and cacio e pepe, and sustainable wine, beer and craft cocktails. 300 Grove St.
GRACIAS MADRE
Gracias Madre has all the zest of traditional Mexican cuisine but diverges from conventional ingredients. Mexican food lover and restaurateur Terces Engelhart and chef Chandra Gilbert created the extensive menu. The first of its kind in San Francisco, Gracias Madre offers plant-based Mexican fare with a mission to spread knowledge of sustainability and locally sourced ingredients. 2211 Mission St.
Photography by: PHOTO BY AUBREY PICK/COURTESY OF WILDSEED
