The Bay Area stands out as a true foodie paradise, blessed with year-round access to the freshest ingredients. Farmers from all over Northern California gather to showcase their beautiful produce at local farmers' markets. However, finding healthy spots to eat and drink can be a challenge. While San Francisco prides itself on being at the cutting edge of cuisine, trending restaurants often don't satisfy the daily need for simple, casual, good-for-you food. This comprehensive guide explores some of the best healthy dining options in San Francisco, from matcha and almond milk lattes to smoothies, bone broth, toast, and salads.
Plant-Based Paradise: Wildseed
Wildseed, which arrived in 2019, has become a favorite plant-based restaurant in San Francisco. Its extensive menu features dishes made with fresh, local produce. Even those who enjoy meat may appreciate Wildseed's offerings. The restaurant also boasts a fantastic craft cocktail selection, making it a great spot for a date night. Wildseed offers indoor and outdoor dining, as well as takeout and delivery. A Palo Alto location is also planned.
The vibe at Wildseed is bright and airy, with a beautifully designed space featuring large wood tables and a full bar. Its location in a cozy neighborhood makes it suitable for casual dining.
What to Order:
- Mushroom fritters: A standout appetizer, these fritters are lightly fried and served with a vegan aioli dipping sauce.
- Neatball masala: This comforting bowl blends Italian, Indian, and Greek flavors with plant-based meatballs, masala sauce, and vegan tzatziki, served over wild grains.
- Caponatina pizza: This pizza features eggplant caponata on a pizza crust. A gluten-free crust is available for an additional charge.
Matcha Magic: Stonemill Matcha
Stonemill Matcha on Valencia is the place to go for matcha in the city. The food menu is also spectacular, and the matcha-infused pastries are even more so.
The space is decorated in Japanese style with lots of plants and plenty of tables to sit down and enjoy your eats and drinks.
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What to Order:
- Matcha: Try a hot matcha with oat milk or an iced matcha. You can request to omit or reduce the cane sweetener.
- Chicken okayu: This warm bowl of rice porridge includes nori, egg, pickled wakame, mushrooms, and green onions.
- Pastries: Be sure to try a matcha cream puff or cookie.
Stonemill Matcha offers indoor dining, takeout, and delivery.
Gourmet Groceries and Sandwiches: Bi-Rite Market
Bi-Rite Market is a well-known grocer in the Mission District, known for its sandwiches and gourmet food items. The line often forms around the corner for ice cream at the nearby Bi-Rite Creamery, which also has a second location on Divisadero.
The vibe at either Bi-Rite location is friendly and welcoming. Inside, you'll find local, organic produce, gourmet food items, and quality everyday items. There is also a selection of artisan chocolate and local wines.
What to Order:
- When shopping at the grocery stores, pick up a basket and let your imagination run wild.
- On a hot day, don't miss the ice cream-the Tcho chocolate and black sesame is a top choice.
Greek-Inspired Goodness: Souvla
Souvla is a Greek-inspired eatery serving salads, pita sandwiches, fries, and frozen yogurt made with locally sourced ingredients. Salads can be customized to be dairy-free, and vegans can substitute meats with sweet potatoes or plant-based lamb.
The décor at Souvla incorporates Greek style with blue and white tiles and rustic wood tables.
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What to Order:
- The Chicken or the Veg: Choose your protein (pork, chicken, or lamb) or sweet potato veg, and have it in a sandwich or salad.
- Greek fries: These fries are made with olive oil, lemon juice, and parsley, and topped with Greek cheese. You can order them without cheese if you prefer.
- Frozen Greek yogurt: This mildly sweet-tart treat can be customized with toppings.
Toast Obsession: The Mill
The Mill, a collaboration between Four Barrel Coffee and Josey Baker Bread, is known for its bread made with the finest and freshest ingredients.
The vibe is modern and minimal, although the staff may not be the friendliest.
What to Order:
- Toast: Order toast with seasonal toppings. Classic options include country bread with house-made almond butter and sea salt, or seasonal jam.
- Gluten-free "adventure" bread: This dense seed and nut bread can be topped with local butter and sea salt.
- Coffee: Try an almond milk cappuccino.
The Mill is currently offering takeout only.
Superfood Smoothies and More: Project Juice
Project Juice offers ready-to-go beverages and snacks, gluten-free toasts, smoothies with superfoods, waffles, and elixirs. In early 2022, Project Juice merged with Earthbar.
The stores are clean and inviting, and some locations have outside seating.
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What to Order:
- Toast: The golden toast is served on Bread Srsly gluten-free sourdough and topped with turmeric hummus, pickled hummus, avocado mash, microgreens, and black sesame seeds.
- Acai bowl: Choose your base and toppings. The watermelon bowl is a seasonal favorite.
- Smoothies: Try the Blue Moon (homemade almond milk, blue majik, coconut meat, cashews, dates, and vanilla).
- Cashew Mylk: This creamy beverage is a popular choice.
Project Juice Clean Kitchens have multiple locations in SF. Also look for the new Earthbar location inside Equinox.
Quirky Coffee and Toast: Trouble Coffee
Trouble Coffee, near Ocean Beach, is known for its coffee, fresh Thai coconuts, and toast.
The vibe is tiny and no-frills, with a unique charm.
What to Order:
- Coffee: Try an almond milk latte.
- Toast: Options include peanut butter and honey, or butter, cinnamon, and sugar. Avocado toast is also available.
- A whole coconut: A young Thai coconut is served with a straw and spoon.
- The Trifecta: The coffee, the coconut, the toast.
Breakfast and Lunch Favorites: Jane
Jane has three locations, with Jane the Bakery on Geary Boulevard focusing on bread. The Pac Heights location is convenient for combining breakfast or lunch with shopping.
The vibe is buzzy, so it's best to visit during off-peak hours to avoid lines.
What to Order:
- Warm quinoa bowl: This hearty bowl includes quinoa, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and kale, topped with a soft-boiled egg.
- Cobb salad: A classic salad with bursting flavor.
- Toast: The avocado toast is topped with poached egg, pickled shallot, jalapeño, and cracked black pepper. Gluten-free bread is available.
Jane offers takeout by ordering ahead via Tock, and delivery is available via DoorDash and Caviar.
Plant-Based and Organic: Nourish Cafe
Nourish Cafe is a breakfast, lunch, and smoothie spot serving an entirely plant-based and organic menu at two locations in SF. Everything is made from scratch with whole, fresh ingredients sourced from local farms and purveyors.
The vibe is tiny and no-frills, but the food is excellent.
What to Order:
- The Nourish Bowl: This bowl includes quinoa, yams, avocado, sprouts, hummus, cucumber, mixed greens, tomatoes, beet sauerkraut, sunflower seeds, and a creamy, oil-free dill hemp dressing.
- Cookies: The chocolate chip cookies are a standout.
Nourish Cafe is open for indoor and outdoor dining daily.
Fresh Salads in San Francisco
San Francisco is known for its dedication to plants and seasonality, which is evident in its salads. These salads go beyond basic bowls of arugula with olive oil.
Wildseed:
Wildseed offers an impressive plant-based salad menu.
Mandalay:
Mandalay is known for its tea leaf salad, which includes dried nuts, beans, and seeds with tomatoes and jalapenos.
Additional Healthy Options
- Mariposa: Located in the Ferry Building Marketplace, Mariposa is a gluten-free bakery offering chicken pot pies, hot dog buns, pizza crusts, and sweets.
- Le Marais Bakery: This family-owned bakery serves French dishes made with organic and local ingredients.
- Judahlicious: Located in the Outer Sunset, Judahlicious offers raw and vegan cuisine made from scratch.
- Blue Barn: Blue Barn serves salads and sandwiches made with organic ingredients.
- Gracias Madre: This restaurant offers plant-based, organic, vegan Mexican cuisine.
- Basik Cafe: This Hawaii-based cafe makes acai bowls.
- Little Gem: Little Gem offers gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free options made with fresh, seasonal ingredients.
- Seed + Salt: This spot offers fresh and clean options, including the 50/50 Wonderbowl.
- Roam: Roam offers burgers made with quality meats and fresh ingredients from local farmers.
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