10 Healthy San Francisco Restaurants You Have to Try

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This week our continuing series on the best healthy restaurants in each of the metros where Diet-to-Go also offers fresh local pickup takes us to the Golden City.

And believe us when we say — choosing the best restaurants in a place where vegetarianism and organic are about as common as sunshine and ocean breezes was no easy task.

Luckily, San Francisco’s many healthy eats options enabled a list that truly calls out the best of the best — places that offer healthy dishes that don’t discount on flavor.

Without further ado, here are the 10 healthy San Francisco restaurants you have to try.
 

1) Gracias Madre. 2211 Mission St.

Mexican food and “healthy” rarely go together in the same sentence. But the folks over at Gracias Madre have managed to make it happen. That’s because they use only organic and plant-based ingredients to create concoctions like bowls loaded with mushrooms, spinach, lentils, and coconut brown rice topped with fresh avocados, pineapple salsa, peanut sauce, romaine and much, much more. The restaurant also has all the classics, like quesadillas, tacos, tamales, pozoles — all 100 percent vegan and 100 percent delicious.

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2) Blue Barn Gourmet. 2237 Polk St.

The salads at this little sandwich shop pack a powerful punch. Patrons get to build them from scratch, starting with a base of lettuce or kale, then adding on a host of your-choice fixings (everything from carrots, to mangos, to cooked beans, to nuts, to quinoa and more) and topping it off with a tasty housemade dressing. And even if salads aren’t your thing, there’s plenty of healthy options to choose from on the sandwich end, too.

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3) Asian Box. (Multiple locations).

The dishes at Asian Box are loaded with flavors that come straight from the street carts of Asia. We’re talking tofu, steamed veggies, brown rice, eggs, pork, curry, noodles — all 100 percent organic and cooked without fryers and without freezers. The “box” starts with you choosing a base, adding on a protein, picking a few toppings and mixing in a delicious sauce for a tasty concoction you’ll come back for again and again.

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4) Picnic on Third. 493 Third St.

Café, meet high-end cuisine. Specifically, meet the high-end cuisine dished up at Picnic on Third. With a menu that changes daily, each visit is a new culinary adventure. Chef’s compositions might include things like tex mex chili, fried tomatoes, orange roasted pork shoulder or vegetable stuffed peppers. The staff makes sure they stay connected with customers, too, on their blog.

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5) Seed + Salt. 2240 Chestnut St.

For lighter breakfast, lunch and dinner options, Seed + Salt is about as perfect as it gets. Its menu offers not only the creative salads you’d expect, but also wraps, like buffalo and mushroom & roasted peppers, for example. Other options include green curry rice bowls and taco salads. If you have the calories available (and the room), grab one of Seed + Salt’s scrumptious, homemade desserts like banana chocolate walnut bread, ganache, almond butter cookies or powerballs. Mmmm, mmm.

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6) Nourish Café. 189 6th Ave.  

We have one word for you: toast. It’s one of the first menu items that will catch your eye at Nourish Café — mainly because you’re going to get bread topped with avocado and drizzled in oil or pesto, or covered with creamy nut cheese, or even coated with almond butter or nutella. It’s weird to say toast will blow your mind, but seriously, this toast will blow your mind. And hey, if toast’s not your thing, you can choose from salads, sandwiches and wraps, smoothies and more.

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7) Tender Greens. (Multiple locations).

Tender Greens is the epitome of sourcing locally. The restaurant chain works closely with local farmers, ranchers, artisans, breweries, wineries and coffee roasters to make sure pretty much everything you’ll find on the menu was brought in fresh that morning. Tender Greens’ community-driven philosophy helps their restaurant thrive, as well as the other businesses close by that fuel their menu. And the menu runs the gamut, too. You’ll find a wide range of options — like marinated steak and chipotle chicken, to cobb salads, to falafels, soups and more.

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8) Al’s Place. 1499 Valencia St.

Al’s Place is a bit pricey, but that’s because everything is painstakingly prepared from scratch to create truly unique dishes that will blow your taste buds right out of the water. Menu offerings like campanelle, smoked fumet, grilled turnip top pesto and goat gouda, or chickpeas a la catalan with sauce romesco are among the dishes you’ll find there. And if you have no idea what any of that is, don’t sweat it. Just try it and we guarantee you’ll find yourself there on many a special night out.

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9) Cha-Ya Japanese Restaurant. 762 Valencia St.

You like sushi? You’ll find it at Cha-Ya. Scallops? You bet. How about oysters? Yep, Cha-Ya has those, too. Cha-Ya’s menu is beyond delicious, using only sustainably sourced food and unique blends of spices that have created a dynasty, with more than four decades of service in California. It’s the kind of spot you want to budget some time for, perfect for a romantic night out or special occasion.

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10) Lite Bite. 1796 Union St.

Lite Bite’s slogan is “healthy meals done right.” And that’s because that’s really what they do — healthy meals that are tasty, low-calorie and ready to go. Lite Bite is a great option for when you’re in a hurry or grabbing dinner on the fly. Menu items include everything from spinach lasagna, to beef skewers, to Asian salads, meatloaf and more.

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Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager

Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.

 

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