By: Kat Bein By: Kat Bein | November 11, 2021 | Food & Drink
When it comes to plant-based living, Californians are truly spoiled and double that in San Francisco. Our City by the Sea is home to some award-winning, innovative and trail-blazing veg-friendly chefs, and a lot of our best eateries are blending traditional international flavors with mind-melting modern techniques.
If you're a vegan or vegetarian new to the scene or visiting SF on vacation, you'll want to make note of these top-tier plant-based spots. Whether fully veg or just really veg-friendly, these are some of the best vegetarian eateries in San Francisco, with a bit of East Bay flavor sprinkled in for good measure.
See also: The 5 Best Vegan Restaurants In San Francisco
1379 4th St. / Website
Talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve, this Filipino-American comfort food truck brings the warm hug of Filipino hospitality right to you. The Sarap Shop was built on a foundation of family, community and really-freakin-good food. While some meat is on the menu, plant-based eaters love the dirty style french fries, very vegan sisig sandwich and loco loco moco rice bowl. They even offer tofu carbonara pasta and signature Halo Halo milk tea drinks. Catch The Sarap Shop stand inside the Chase Center during the next Warriors game, too!
370 14th St. / Website
if you're concerned about overfishing but still want your sushi kicks, Shizen is the karma-free eatery you need to try. Japanese tradition meets Californian flavors on this show-stopping, fully-vegan sushi menu. Start your meal with some Shizen poke, then marvel at the plant-based nigiri that includes marinated eggplant, pickled green mango and asparagus with garlic citrus aioli. Classic rolls abound, from spicy tofuna to avocado, and you can even try some vegan ramen.
1499 Valencia St. / Website
Award-winning food in a casual atmosphere, Al's Place is a self-described "neighborhood restaurant" in the Mission that puts fun and seasonality at the forefront. Run by real down-to-earth people, Al's Place gets its produce from Blue Dane Garden in Grass Valley and believes in the transparency of clean, local eating. Come in and be wowed by the asian pears in peanut sauce, yellow eye bean stew, and spicy mapo burrata.
2211 Mission St. / Website
One of California’s greatest culinary strengths is its incredible Mexican food, but one can tire of eating bean burritos day in and out. At this Mission staple, you don't have to ask, because everything is veg-friendly. The chimichangas with tempeh chorizo and cashew chipotle aioli are to die for, and the nachos "gracias" with jackfruit carnitas will have you dancing in your seat. This is where tradition meets modern in a whole new dimension.
2000 Union St. / Website
Adriano Paganini heads this plant-based, seasonal eatery that serves hearty dishes packed with fresh flavor. Sourcing exclusively from northern California, Wildseed pairs delightful plates with local beer, cocktails and biodynamic wines. The menu is ever changing with items to share, salads, pizza, entrees and bowls. Imagine roasted beet tostadas, butternut squash and ricotta ravioli, spicy yellow curry and fall pizza pies—now you're starting to get the idea.
See also: 5 Tips to Adopt a More Plant-Based Lifestyle From The Bizerkeley Vegan
1275 Minnesota St. / Website
Chef Hanna heads this South Asian-inspired kitchen, honing in on the traditions of India’s Gujarati culture. Having cut her teeth at La Cocina, she now serves regionally-specific foods representing the Vadodara, Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Surat cities. Try the pav bhaji puffs, drunken pani puri and cheesy paresh's paratha, then pair your bites with delicious chutneys, pickled sides and other exciting options.
Building A, 2 Marina Blvd. / Website
Talk about vision: Green restaurant opened in the Bay area in 1979 and changed the way people though about plant-based foods. Founded and led by female chefs including Deborah Madison, Annie Somerville and Denise St. Onge, everything about this legendary spot has been thoughtfully curated. The interior is a work of art in itself, but the menu is where Greens makes it mark. Come for lunch or dinner to enjoy grilled bartlett pears, conchiglie pasta, mesquite grilled jerk tofu or pumpkin khao soi curry.
300 Grove St. / Website
Plant-based Italian food? Please sign us up. The totally plant-based menu takes tradition for a magical spin. These meatballs and lasagna bolognese are meat-free without any lack of flavor, and truffle gnocchi, creamy polenta and lemon-butter milanese seals the deal. Don't miss out on Baia's brunch featuring cacio e pepe scramble, semolina pancakes and a full list of cocktails, wines and non-alcoholic brews.
1954 University Ave., Berkeley / Website
How can a chicken parmesan sandwich be vegan? What about A1 steak and potatoes? At Butcher's Son, everything on the menu is 100 percent plant-based, and it is sure to blow your flavor-lovin' mind. This is the kind of hearty food that makes a carnivores mouth water, from the smoked pastrami reuben to the spicy panko-crusted squash and ricotta kaiser. If you ever had a doubt about plant-based eating, this is the proof.
5912 College Ave., Oakland / Website
Serving inspiring vegan dishes since 1994, Millennium Restaurant has been recognized as a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin guide since 2016. A quick trip over the bridge brings you dynamic flavors, sustainable servings and fine cocktail pairings. Try the coriander and arborio crusted oyster mushrooms, plum and black pepper glazed tempeh, and definitely the grilled polenta plum cake for dessert. This place is popular, so don’t expect to walk in without a reservation.
Photography by: Louis Hansel / Unsplash
