Mary Ladd

Chef Tyson Cole of Austin's Uchi & Uchiko makes a good point naming Chipotle as one of the most important restaurants in the country in Bon Appétit. "Why? Their utilization of sustainably sourced goods, food made fresh daily, and, with thousands of locations, their overall reach," he's quoted as saying.

Though some may quibble with the authenticity of their pan-Latin menu, Chipotle has a loyal following and is crowded whenever I visit. "Serious" food lovers may never give the fast-casual chain a chance, but I have; when ordering food for groups downtown, their online ordering system is a snap, and the food has a "something-for-everyone" vibe that makes it reliable if not overly exciting.

This month in the Bay Area, Chipotle is testing a sofritas Hodo Soy tofu-based menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls and salads that is vegetarian- and vegan-friendly. We gave it a try to see how it stacked up.

See also: Soon You'll Be Able to Get Tofu Burritos at Chipotle
Hodo Soy Beanery's 5-Spice Nuggets Transcend Tofu Concerns
Get New Respect for Tofu at Hodo Soy Beanery's Monthly Tours

More »

Flickr/Paul Holloway

In what we can only assume is a bid to take a bigger share of the fast-casual dining market, Chipotle has announced a tentative new vegetarian entree option. Beginning February 12, the chain will begin testing tofu "sofritas" burritos in seven of its Bay Area restaurants. The organic, GMO-free tofu will come from Oakland's Hodo Soy Beanery and will be shredded and braised with chipotles, roasted poblanos and other spices for a filling the fast-casual chain hopes will appeal to both vegetarians and vegans. Sofritas will be available in burritos, tacos, burrito bowls and salads.

See also: Best Vegetarian Burrito - Plantain and black bean burrito, the Little Chihuahua

More »

Tamara Palmer

Sweet and sour walnut lunch special at Shangri-La.

Irving Street between 19th and 25th Avenues is a haven for snacking, a fickle stretch where eateries are plentiful and won't last long if they don't catch on quickly. Shangri-La Vegetarian Restaurant (2026 Irving) has sat in the middle of this Outer Sunset food court for 35 years now, no small feat for a niche as seemingly small as kosher vegetarian Chinese food.

See Also:
- Lunch Special: Shangri-La

More »

Juicey Lucy's

Turns out, you don't have to be a burlap-swaddled freegan or a yoga mom to love juicing. Juicey Lucy's, the thrice-weekly farmer's market star, dishes out a smattering of juices that make us feel so good we keep skipping back. There's no sacrifice of taste for health to be made here, and though the thoughtful and balanced blends sit on the cusp of conventional, they're saved by unexpected ingredients like daikon, pollen, and collard greens.

More »

As American cities go, San Francisco is certainly one of the easiest to be vegetarian or vegan in. Proof of this is the wealth of restaurants and cafes serving, not just veggie options, but a whole variety of incredible imitation meats that make it extraordinarily easy to quit eating your furry friends. Here are our eight favorite fake meat sandwiches in the city. 

8. Boogaloo's
3296 22nd St. (at Valencia)

​ 
We all know Boogaloo's does some of the greatest breakfasts in the city, but have you tried their lunch options lately? Their huge "Fake Stake" sandwich is super satisfying, but what we really love is the fact that someone here had the good sense to give the option of adding fake stake to their grilled cheese-n-tomato. Throw some avocado on that bad boy and you have pretty much the perfect sandwich.

More »

In our experimental tastings in the "raw" arena, chocolate has usually proven an elusive product: often adequate but seldom sublime. But the raw treats from Oakland-based Fearless consistently come pretty close to the latter, delivering the best raw chocolate we've had to date.

While they make a variety of flavors ranging from Super Seeds (containing hemp, chia and flax) to Sweet & Hot ( hibiscus and ginger), our favorite is the straightforward Dark as Midnight, with its promise of being 75% cacao. Having tasted raw cacao on its own, we can attest that Fearless has done an amazing job developing serious flavor from just two ingredients: raw cacao and rapadura (unrefined whole cane sugar).

More »

What: Delicious Hanukkah Foods Class!

Where: Loft in West Oakland (exclusive!)

When: Tues., December 20, 7 p.m.

Cost: $50

The rundown: As any good Jew or shiksa knows, Hanukkah is all about the fried food. Hence, we are all about Hanukkah. Let's take that burning oil and fry up some delicious shiz. Gotta love the holidays! Tonight's class from vegetarian chef Philip Gelb promises to be good 'n' greasy -- students will make potato chips with rosemary salt, latkes and applesauce, donuts, lotus root and sweet potato tempura, and pumpkin pakora. No joke, our mouths literally started watering in anticipation. Having tasted Chef Gelb's amazing food before, we're guessing the man makes a mean fried food.

The class is very hands-on, so wear something you don't mind burning after because that smell is a bitch to get out. Let the festivities begin!

If you're interested in attending, just email Philip or call him at 510-393-6096.

There's a new, extremely healthy, veg restaurant in the East Bay with roots going back over 15 years to the old Organic Cafe in Oakland. A macrobiotic institution in Oakland, the Organic Cafe changed names to Manzanita and then to Shangri-La Vegan, but the food mostly stayed the same, thanks in large part to Tenzin, the faithful chef through it all.

If you've ever tasted Tenzin's cuisine, you'll know what a true artist in the kitchen can do. This man is like the vegetable and grain whisperer, teaching children to love kale with one wave of his magic spatula. Seriously, he's a master of healthy and delicious, and he's finally got his chance to shine in a brand-new restaurant of his very own, Polata Organic.

A Polata Organic going on!

​More »

Thai IDEA Vegetarian is a brand-new restaurant on Polk. It's adorably tiny, and feels really new and clean. Which it is. Which is nice, considering you'll most likely have to step over a paramedic resuscitating someone's grandma or Nick Nolte's twin eating a pigeon to get inside. We kid -- Tenderloin jokes are the worst!

Anyway, Thai IDEA is cute and shiny, basically what a living room in a Thai Ikea might look like. The bathroom is especially worth a trip, if you're a connoisseur. But we're here to talk about the food, so let's do this!

Laura Beck

Firecracker Balls = best name, best food.

​Everything on Thai IDEA's dinner menu looked amazing to me and my lovely dining companion, so it was hard to narrow it down. The first dish we decided on was the Firecracker Balls ($8.95), which are veggie ahi tuna roll pieces, panko-crusted, and then deep-fried.

The combination of the name and the words "deep fried" sold us. Crunching through the perfect fry, a burst of tangy creaminess delighted us. The spicy chile sauce that adorned the balls kicked the dish to the next level. With that, we will now stop typing the word "balls" and just say that it was a true flavor explosion!More »

A simple fact of life is, sometimes we all just need to get along. That's never more true than when a picky omnivore and a picky vegetarian are choosing a restaurant. If you find yourself stuck between two such charming individuals (or find that you are one), split the difference and head to one of these restaurants. Plus, meat-mouths take note: if you take a vegetarian or vegan to a restaurant with veg selections beyond the dreaded, uninspired grilled vegetable plate, you'll invariably get lucky. Rowr.

5. Minako, 2154 Mission, 864-1888.

Run by a sassy mother and daughter team in the Mission, Minako is an extremely veg-friendly Japanese restaurant. It's small, so it's not great for groups, but if you want to find a place where a die-hard fish eater and veg-head sushi lover can coexist in blissful peace, definitely check it out. Menu favorites include the fried veggie eel and avocado roll and the grilled eggplant with miso glaze appetizer. Just get there early, and prepare yourself to be reprimanded about something you order. Example: You will probably be told you're ordering too many fried things, but stay strong, that's only a suggestion.

Yelp/Becca K.

Minako's Fried Lotus Root

4. Assab Eritrean Restaurant, 2845 Geary, 441-7083.

I believe Assab serves the best Ethiopian food in the San Francisco Bay Area, but I'm also prone to favoritism for reasons like, "they have pretty bowls," and, "I ate there with a cute boy once!" Regardless, Assab's vegetarian combo rivals the best meals I've ever eaten. If omni's want, they can order a meat dish on the side. That way, you can still dine communally, and everyone is happy. Plus, it's a good place for groups and you get to eat with your hands. What brings together people more than eating with their hands? Most things! But still!

More »