Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants in San Francisco

This casual neighborhood restaurant treats diners to modern Thai cuisine prepared from high-quality vegetarian ingredients. The menu includes appetizers; soups; salads; noodle dishes; and entrees made with fresh vegetables, and soy-protein imitation "chicken," "seafood," and "beef." Favorite dishes are the curries, fried rice, and pad thai.

In the touristy North Beach neighborhood, Peña Pachamama proposes a winning combination of vegan Bolivian cuisine and lively entertainment. Performances are held on weekend evenings; Cuban bands play on Friday nights; and flamenco dancers perform on Saturday nights. There is a special price for the dinner and show experience.

The healthful, wholesome vegan cuisine at Nourish Café keeps regulars coming back again and again. This casual neighborhood café serves breakfast, sandwiches, and casual meals.

Indian cuisine is often a go-to for vegetarians, but until about a decade ago few American diners were familiar with South Indian vegetarian cuisine. Udupi Palace has introduced this type of regional vegetarian Indian cuisine to San Francisco in the happening Mission district.

Cha-Ya is a locals' favorite on the buzzing "Valencia Corridor," several blocks of the Mission district's Valencia Street that are lined with independent shops and trendy restaurants.

Welcoming and cozy, Enjoy Vegetarian Restaurant offers an extensive menu of around 100 items. The cuisine focuses on traditional Chinese recipes with a few Thai and Japanese options. All the dishes are vegetarian, and most are vegan. In the Buddhist tradition of vegetarian cooking, the recipes do not include any onions or garlic.

At first glance, diners will be surprised that this stylish rustic-chic restaurant is vegan. The presentation reveals an artistic flair that is typical of traditional Japanese sushi restaurants. However, every item on the menu is plant based.

This trend-setting restaurant is San Francisco's newest vegetarian dining establishment, opened in September 2019. Locals are flocking to Wildseed, which already seems to be the latest neighborhood hangout. The chic dining space blends minimalistic design with natural wood accents and live plants as decor, apropos of a temple to seasonal vegan cuisine.

A veritable institution of farm-to-table vegetarian cuisine, Greens Restaurant was established in 1979 in partnership with the San Francisco Zen Center. In a city where many restaurants come and go quickly, Greens still draws crowds four decades after its founding, testifying to the restaurant's lasting appeal and popularity.

Prized for its food, as well as atmosphere, Gracias Madre offers Mexican-inspired dining with a twist. The cuisine is purely plant-based. But unlike some vegan cooking, the food at Gracias Madre is very hearty. From tacos and enchiladas to homemade chips and guacamole, every dish on the menu is wholesome and satisfying.