Sparkling San Francisco: A Jewel in the California Crown

[Guest guest]

Courtesy of Dr. Dan Brook who will be speaking at World Veg Festival

on Saturday, September 29 from 4:00 to 5:00 on the topic " Eating as

if the Earth Matters: How Vegetarianism Can Heal the Environment. "

 

Sparkling San Francisco: A Jewel in the California Crown

Dan Brook

 

San Francisco is a great city to visit and, I'm still discovering

after seventeen years, a great city to live. There is just so much

natural beauty with its hills, beaches, bay, and ocean, so much

culture with its museums, theatres, music, and art, so many

fascinating tourist sites with Golden Gate Park, the Golden Gate

Bridge, Alcatraz, Angel Island, Coit Tower, the Ferry Building, Pier

39, so many unique neighborhoods with The Mission, The Castro, North

Beach, Chinatown, Haight-Ashbury, and others. And cable cars! But

what would San Francisco be without its diverse and creative people

and their progressive values? Indeed, what would San Francisco be

without its restaurants?

It's fairly easy to find vegetarian options at many restaurants,

some even having whole separate vegetarian menus (e.g., Ha's), but in

a city boasting about two dozen vegetarian and vegan restaurants,

plus more in the surrounding area as well as many veg cafes,

bakeries, and veg-friendly restaurants, we know we're in a very

special place.

Can you imagine having to decide which Chinese vegetarian

restaurant (hmmm... Shangri-La, Enjoy, let's go with Lucky

Creation!), which Japanese vegetarian restaurant (I love Cha-Ya!),

which Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant (how about Golden Era?), which

American vegan restaurant (Herbivore is my favorite), or even which

raw vegan restaurant (Café Gratitude is sure to please) to go to in

this city of only three-quarters of a million people? If you're able

to splurge, you'll have to choose between the great Greens along the

bay and mighty Millennium downtown, both of which are excellent.

If you want to get some vegetarian food and see what should be a

tourist site at the same time, head over to Rainbow Grocery, an all-

vegetarian, supermarket-sized, worker-owned, progressive, altruistic

cooperative. It's a taste of utopia! Other Avenues, though small, is

also a vegetarian worker-owned cooperative.

While you're seeing, doing, and eating your way through San

Francisco, you might pass Food Not Bombs giving out free vegetarian

food. Or you might stumble into one of the many thriving farmers'

markets. Ah, so little time and so much to eat! You might even pass

by the headquarters of VegNews. And if you ever need more

information, or want to meet other vegetarians, feel free to contact

the San Francisco Vegetarian Society, the Bay Area Vegetarians—or me.

 

 

Dan Brook, Ph.D., is a writer, speaker, activist, and instructor of

sociology. He also maintains Eco-Eating at www.brook.com/veg, The

Vegetarian Mitzvah at www.brook.com/jveg, and No Smoking? At

www.brook.com/smoke. Dan welcomes questions, comments, contributions,

and other communication via Brook.

 

 

Ananda Fuara is an old favorite in San Francisco and for good reason.

Located in the heart of downtown (near Civic Center Plaza, City Hall,

Asian Art Museum, Main Library, Bill Graham Auditorium, UN Plaza, the

opera and symphony buildings), it makes a vegetarian meal very

convenient. Run by followers of Sri Chinmoy, the relaxing atmosphere

of this Indian-inspired restaurant with cloud-painted ceilings is

complemented by good, down home, American-style food like lentil loaf

with gravy as well as many other options to suit a wide range of

tastes.

 

With locations in Berkeley and San Francisco, Cha-Ya is a rare gem: a

vegan Japanese restaurant with scrumptious food, impeccable service,

and simple albeit beautiful design. While it is not inexpensive and

the portions are generally not large (except for the soups, of which

the wakame/seaweed is my favorite), each bite is another delight. We

have unfortunately had a couple of dishes that weren't great, but

most everything we've ordered has been superb. Much more than sushi,

though that is quite good (e.g., eggplant and shitake nigiri, sweet

gourd and pickled burdock maki), there is a sublime warm tofu custard

(moon garden), lightly fried tofu in a light sauce (agedashi),

dumplings (gyoza), fried vegetables (tempura), and other tasty vegan

treats for all kinds of eaters. Before you leave, try one (or more!)

of the incredible desserts, such as the soy ice cream, vegan

chocolate mousse, the pear compote, or the more traditional bowl of

sweet beans. You won't regret it! We go there for special occasions

and also bring visiting family. It's my son's favorite restaurant in

the city!

 

Daily Health Foods & Deli is a very narrow store near Golden Gate

Park. Part vitamin store, part small grocery, part sandwich shop,

they have great tofu veggie wraps, nori wraps, tofu and tempeh

burgers, and a few amazing (and amazingly healthy) desserts. In

addition to vitamins and supplements, they also sell some fresh

fruit, juices, soy milks, and the like.

 

Feel Real Café is about as real as it gets. A small, corner

restaurant near the ocean and across the street from Other Avenues, a

vegetarian worker-owned natural foods co-op, Feel Real keeps it real

by serving organic vegan food in their hippie-style, Rastafarian-

influenced restaurant. Both a strength and a weakness, nothing is

routinized here, so the carrot and parsley juice may come in a

ceramic bowl, the veggie burger may not taste exactly the same each

time, the prices are not cheap but are on a sliding scale, and the

hours of operation are not strict. But the staff is friendly, the

place is hip, and the other patrons are cool. When you're at Feel

Real, you'll feel good.

 

We love coming to Golden Era, despite the dodgy downtown

neighborhood. (Their other location on Clement, also with difficult

parking, is another option.) The food is so delicious and we have

brought many people, veg and non-veg, all of whom have enjoyed it and

asked to go back. With various soups, appetizers, tofu and gluten

dishes, there's more than enough for everyone to enjoy themselves.

Set in a beautiful, old, large room, it is like an oasis once you are

in. Unfortunately, though, it is down a few steps, so people with

ambulatory disabilities cannot easily go there. Also note that they

don't serve or allow the consumption of alcohol in the restaurant.

 

Herbivore is a beautifully-designed restaurant, though informal and

inviting. Fully vegan, it also tries to use organic ingredients

whenever possible. It has an eclectic menu, including grilled

vegetables, salads, tacos and burritos, pad thai, pasta dishes,

homemade veggie and tempeh burgers, falafel, yummy dipping sauces,

smoothies, juices, wines, and much more, all at very reasonable

prices. We love to meet friends there for a meal, go with family, or

just by ourselves for a nice, healthy, hearty, delicious, and

affordable meal. Herbivore is one of the best vegetarian restaurants

in SF and certainly the one with the best value.

 

Juicey Lucy's is an organic, vegan, funky, colorful, Asian-influenced

feel-good zone in North Beach. Along with lots of fresh juices, there

are tofu and tempeh sandwiches, burritos, nori rolls, hummus, soups,

and raw salads, among other items. While not inexpensive (a sandwich

is about $10), it tastes and feels like a meal-time vacation and is

definitely worth visiting.

 

Located in the heart of Chinatown, Lucky Creation is the best of the

Chinese vegetarian restaurants in San Francisco. While not the

biggest or necessarily the cleanest, it has terrific food at good

prices that can't be found anywhere else. From their delicious dim

sum to their wonderful dish of taro-stuffed tofu, eggplant, and green

bell peppers with a sizzling black bean sauce on their voluminous

menu, you are sure to come away not only satisfied but also plotting

your next visit. Lucky Creation is a gem in the rough.

 

Let's be clear: Maggie Mudd is THE BEST ice cream shop. While having

some traditional milk-based ice creams, they also have soy-, coconut-

, and almond-based ice creams in a large variety of delicious and

decadent flavors. It's a great place to celebrate ... or simply enjoy

a wonderful dessert anytime!

 

New Ganges is a cozy restaurant across from the southwestern side of

Golden Gate Park, near Kezar Stadium. Serving delicious curries and

various other traditional Indian dishes, New Ganges is rare for North

America for what is common in India: an Indian vegetarian restaurant.

While there are many wonderful veg-friendly Indian restaurants in SF,

it is nice to be able to dine at an all-vegetarian one. The friendly

service will make you feel comfortable as the tasty food will make

you feel satiated.

 

Shangri-La is a cozy Chinese Buddhist restaurant on Irving Street

that serves consistently good food at good prices. This small,

informal restaurant has excellent hot-and-sour soup as well as

delicious dumplings and tasty twice-fried tofu. Also, for those who

may be interested, the restaurant is certified kosher.