Vegetarian Restaurants in San Francisco

Shelly and I have visited only one vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco - the famous Greens. It's right there in Fort Mason center where conferences and events such as Robotwars took place.

Thanks for valuable data on San Francsico from Katherine Matutina, Barbara Linn, Michelle Bonesho, Andrea Kline, David and Kornelia Davidson, Michael Bauce, Eileen Stark, Daniel Pearce, Maria Markoff, Stepanie Hibbert, Daniel, Juliette Cutler Page, Ginger Williamson, Matthew Fitt & Maya Nordberg, Laura, Pamela Swan, David Irwin, Lime6light, LKB & Wheel, and Lynn Robinson.

-- Richard Gillmann

Vegetarian Restaurants

Cha-Ya Vegetarian Japanese Restaurant, 762 Valencia St, (415) 252-7825. From delectable vegan sushi such as the "cha-ya roll" (vegetable maki roll that has been battered and friend and drizzled with vegan unagi sauce), many traditional salads, vegan desserts, to a wide selection of sushi combo platters and entrees, cha-ya offers a more casual version of japanese shojin cuisine as does medicine. The original location is in Berkeley. They opened one on Valencia st. a few months ago. (Kat)

MEDICINE New-Shojin Vegan Japanese Eatstation, 161 Sutter St. (at the Crocker Galleria). 415/677-4405
Vegetable-based, seasonal, and fresh organic sustainable ingredients. Shojin is based on a 500 year old diet of Zen Buddhist monks from Kyoto, Japan and MEDICINE is here to offer a modern twist to people of this century. (KM)

Alive!, 1972 Lombard Street (near Webster), (415) 923-1052
Very good, very kind - a seriously enjoyable experience. (MB)

Greens, in Fort Mason Center, Bldg. A (in the Marina district). Phone 415-771-6222
They have take out and a sit-down restaurant with a marvelous view of the marina and of the Golden Gate bridge. The food was excellent and creative. Lots of southwestern and "California" dishes. Great sourdough bread, too. (RG)
I just went two weeks ago- I live here in Silver Spring Maryland but was on a business trip to Sacramento- I definitely thought it was worth driving 2 hours for dinner at Greens. It was everything I hoped for- a lovely setting -the restaurant and the water view from the windows. Service was wonderful- discreet and timed very well. I knew the food would be super- I had the Portobello with artichoke, fennel, fontina cheese and much more and for dessert- the steamed gingerbread with caramel huckleberry sauce and meyer lemon ice cream. I am so glad I made the decision to take the time to go - I am not sure when I will be in that part of California again- so the drive was worth it. Oh- make sure you make reservations. (AK)

Hulu House Vegetarian Restaurant, 756 Kirkham (corner of 12th ave), tel# 415/682-0826
This restaurant has been open for 4 months in the Sunset in San Francisco. Ate there last night and really enjoyed it: They serve Singapore, Malaysian, and Chinese dishes. All the workers are Buddhist vegetarians. Small place. Friendly staff. Very reasonable prices. Very clean. 100% vegetarian. No mention of vegan, but I assume most everything is. Food is very tasty. Good, interesting flavors. well presented. I highly recommend it. (MM)

Golden Era, 572 O'Farrell Street, tel# 415/673-3136.
They do serve dairy and egg dishes (mostly desserts) as well as vegan alternatives. I think all of the entrees are vegan though. They even have egg-free vegetable "foo young"! Yum! (MK)
One little known vegetarian restaurant in SF is Golden Era on O'Farrell at Leavenworth. It's Vietnamese-style, but all vegan. The food is very inexpensive, but is carefully prepared with love, and the setting of the restaurant is very warm and charming. Plus there's an amazing selection of dishes. I highly recommend it. (D)

Ananda Fuara, 1298 Market St (at 9th St). Phone 415/621-1994
My favourite vegetarian restaurant. They do breakfast lunch and early dinner. Everybody dresses like monks and the food is all vegetarian and mostly vegan. A fabulous place to eat. They are so nice. (DI)
We wholeheartedly give our "thumbs up" to Herbivore and Ananda Fuara. (MF/MN)
Excellent food, casual dining, and right by the San Francisco Main Library! (GW)
These (Herbivore and Ananda Fuara) are the worst vegetarian restaurants around. White flour culture loaded w/ heavy sauces. You may think it's tasty, but it certainly is not healthy...and NOT wholesome. (MB)

Herbivore, 983 Valencia Street (between 20th and 21st), Phone 415-826-5657
Another one on Divisadero near Fell
Vegan. Tasty creative substantial and affordable meals. (LR)
We wholeheartedly give our "thumbs up" to Herbivore and Ananda Fuara. (MF/MN)
These (Herbivore and Ananda Fuara) are the worst vegetarian restaurants around. White flour culture loaded w/ heavy sauces. You may think it's tasty, but it certainly is not healthy...and NOT wholesome. (MB)
Herbivore on Divisadero near Fell: best restaurant in town, hands down. Food is safe and vegan, owner is worried about cross-contamination so absolutely no animal stuff around. serves wine. I cannot say enough about this place. This is one of the centers of light on the planet. (next store is a Jamaican? vegetarian restaurant. Different.) Herbivore on Valencia near 22nd: could be the best, but I go to the one on Divisadero. (DKD)

Millennium, 580 Geary St, Phone 415-345-3900
Elegant, creative, low-fat. (LR)
Millenium is one of the very few 100% vegan, organic, gourmet restaurants in the country. I worked there at one point after I graduated veg. culinary school and the executive chef at Medicine used to be the Sous chef there as well. (KM)
Millenium is not entirely vegan, but it is entirely vegetarian. It is expensive but pretty good. Located in a small, pleasant-looking hotel. (JCP)
Millennium has new digs since last year -- they're now in the Savoy Hotel. (ES)

Joubert's Restaurant, 4115 Judah Street, Phone 415-753-5448
South African food. (L6L)
I ate at Joubert's a year ago. I hated it. There was not much variety in flavors throughout the meal. The entree's had interesting spices, but the flavors were not melded together. The desserts were essentially the same thing with different sauces. All 3 of us were prepared to be pleased and were not at all. (BL)

The Ganges, 775 Frederick Street, tel# 415/661-7290
New Ganges: New owner (for a couple of years) completely vegetarian now with a great cook. I wish more people would go there. Great okra and great eggplant. (DKD)

Bok Choy Gardens on Clement near 19th
Daoist vegetarian, no onions, garlic or msg. great food, and cheap. We order the spicy mushrooms. There is a place in Berkeley called VegiFood out on Vine near Shattuck that many years (~20) was related to the old VegiFood where BokChoy Gardens is now, they have a daoist vegetarian menu as well. It is the only place we eat in Berkeley. (DKD)