San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
OUR TOP PICKS FOR VEGETARIAN DINING.
It has never been easier — or more delicious — to embrace a plant-based diet.
Not too long ago, vegetarian and vegan diners were limited to limp tofu bowls and nut loaves. In recent years, long-standing vegetarian and vegan fine dining staples like Millennium and Greens have been joined a growing number of casual, innovative spots like the Butcher’s Son and Nourish Cafe. There are even plant-based burger chains like Next Level Burgers, Veggie Grill and VeganBurg. And the infamous veggie burger that bleeds, the Impossible Burger, has gone mainstream and is available at the Cheesecake Factory.
This growing mindfulness has even, ahem, bled over to many restaurants where meat is still served, with an ever-expanding number of plant-based menu options. Here are some of our favorite Bay Area spots for plant-based dining; don’t forget to share your favorite spots. Email us at food@sfchronicle.com or join the conversation on Twitter at @SFC_FoodHome.
Balompie Cafe
This Salvadoran restaurant in the Mission serves vegetarian and vegan pupusas — stuffed with fillings like traditional bean-and-cheese, cheese-and-loroco and more. Served with a side of oregano-flecked slaw, pupusas are one of the best under-$10 meals in the city.
3349 18th St., San Francisco. (415) 648-9199.
Brenda’s Meat & Three
Brenda Buenviaje’s Southern joint on Divisadero specializes in fried chicken, gumbo and fried bologna. But look past the name and you can make a whole meal out of the side dishes —more than a dozen are vegetarian and vegan (and marked as such). Favorites include okra and tomatoes, vegan collards, cauliflower gratin, garlic spinach and the biscuits.
919 Divisadero St., San Francisco. (415) 926-8657. www.brendasmeatandthree.com
Burmatown
Yes, meat’s on the menu, but there are number of vegetarian options and substitutions at this Burmese and pan-Asian spot in Corte Madera, including the tea leaf salad, vegetarian samosas and bao.
60 Corte Madera Ave., Corte Madera. (415) 945-9096. www.burmatown.com
The Butcher’s Son
Yes, of course Berkeley has a vegan deli. Ypu’ll only find plant-based versions of familiar sandwiches — meatball, chicken parm and BLT, to name a few — at this vegan sandwich shop in downtown Berkeley.
1954 University Ave., Berkeley. (510) 984-0818. www.thebutchersveganson.com
Cha-Ya
Valencia Street’s Buddhist vegan restaurant offers simple but flavorful dishes made with attention to detail. Try the kinako (mushroom medley) noodles and hana gomuku, a seasoned sushi rice bowl, similar to chirashi, with vegetables. Cash only.
762 Valencia St., San Francisco. (415) 252-7825. Also at 1686 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley.
Dyafa/Reem’s
Between her food stalls at local farmers’ markets, a Fruitvale bakery and, most recently, the 3-star Dyafa in Jack London Square, Chronicle Rising Star Chef Reem Assil is on a roll with her fresh Arabic cooking. Assil’s
man’oushe and pita is out-of-this-world delicious and even more satisfying when paired with veg-friendly mezze like her labneh wa ful (yogurt, fava salad), muhammara (red pepper-walnut spread) and hummus. Dyafa: 44 Webster St., Oakland. (510) 250-9491. www.dyafaoakland.com. Reem’s: 3301 E. 12th St., Oakland. (510) 852-9390. www.reemscalifornia.com. Also at various farmers’ markets.
Flacos
This vegan Mexican food stand near Ashby BART Station has served up tacos, huaraches and other antojitos made with fresh masa for nearly two decades. Favorite dishes include the banana-leaf tamales and pozole. 3031 Adeline St., Berkeley. (510) 981-8081. www.flacos.com
Greens
The 39-year-old Fort Mason restaurant boasts one of the most beautiful views in San Francisco, along with a pioneering menu that’s so approachable and timeless that it’s beloved by vegetarians and omnivores alike. (Note: Though currently closed following a fire, the Greens team is aiming to reopen on October 15.)
2 Marina Blvd., San Francisco. (415) 771-6222. www.greensrestaurant.com
Hella Vegan Eats Just because the food is vegan doesn’t mean it can’t be over-the-top. Hella Vegan Eats dishes out “festive cuisine” like its signature potsticker-stuffed burritos and seitan-chickpea burgers topped with fried vegan macand-cheese.
411 26th St., Oakland. (510) 480-6777. www,hellaveganeats.com
Mensho Tokyo
Ramen fans are willing to wait in long lines to slurp up Tomoharu Shono’s noodle soups. The bulk of the dishes feature pork and chicken, but the vegan tantanmen (made with kombu, mushrooms, soy cream and seven kinds of nuts) is unbelievably rich.
672 Geary St., San Francisco, (415) 800-8345. www.mensho.tokyo
Millennium
A move across the bay and a shift to a more casual dining experience: a lot has changed for the 24-year-old vegan restaurant in recent years, but it remains beloved among Bay Area vegan diners.
5912 College Ave., Oakland. (510) 735-9459. www.millenniumrestaurant.com
Nourish Cafe
An excellent mock “tuna” salad (a blend of sprouted sunflower seeds and almonds), grain and smoothie bowls and, of course, avocado toast are at the heart of this 3-year-old plantbased cafe that’s popular with the Lululemon crowd.
189 Sixth Ave., San Francisco. (415) 571-8780. Second location at 1030 Hyde St. (415) 5807463. www.nourishcafesf.com
Shangri-La
This Oakland vegan restaurant is the place to go when, to quote The Chronicle’s Jonathan Kauffman, “sometimes all you want is an old-fashioned macrobiotic plate of brown rice, beans and simply seasoned vegetables.”
4001 Linden St., Oakland; (510) 547-1842. www.shangri-lavegan.com
Shizen
This vegan sushi bar and izakaya is an excellent reminder that traditionally, the word “sushi” actually doesn’t have anything to do with fish. (It’s all about the rice.) Here, rolls are made with a rainbow of vegetables like marinated eggplant and green mango.
370 14th St., San Francisco. (415) 678-5767. www.shizensf.com
Souley Vegan
For over a decade, Tamearra Dyson has whipped up vegan interpretations of classic Southern dishes — like country-style seitan and okra gumbo — at her Jack London Square restaurant.
301 Broadway, Oakland. (510) 922-1615. www.souleyvegan.com
Tartine Manufactory
Sure they’re known for pastries and bread (which is vegan!), but Tartine Manufactory offers a great mix of vegetarian small plates and can accommodate most dietary requirements.
595 Alabama St., San Francisco. (415) 757-0007. www.tartinebakery.com
Thai Idea
Most Thai dishes that seem vegetarian often have fish sauce or “hidden” non-vegetarian ingredients. This Polk Street restaurant takes the guesswork out of it, because everything is vegetarian.
710 Polk St., San Francisco. (415) 440-8344. www.thaiideavegetariansf.com
Udupi Palace
This vegetarian Indian restaurant is a reliable neighborhood staple for crisp dosas and South Indian thali. Be sure to bring cash, because the restaurant doesn’t accept credit cards.
1007 Valencia St., San Francisco. (415) 9708000. www.udupipalacesanfranciscoca.com
Urban Remedy
If there’s one meat product that might tempt even the most die-hard vegetarians, it might be bacon. Bay Area organic plant-based food and juice chain Urban Remedy supplies that crisp and smoky fix with a signature eggplant “bacon,” on display in its VLT sandwich.
Various locations. www.urbanremedy.com
Vik’s Chaat House
For three decades, the Berkeley chaat house has earned a loyal following for regional Indian savory snacks. Meat is served, but vegetarian items are prepared on separate equipment. Must orders include the mixed vegetable pakoras, cholle bhature and cauliflower parathas.
2390 Fourth St., Berkeley. (510) 644-4412. www.vikschaat.com