In the spirit of the holidays, I want to share my favorite holiday trip with my family to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2016 (better late than never!) and some of my favorite (unsponsored) vegan places to eat, shop, and visit to inspire your next compassionate adventure! Pictured is our "San Francisco Love" embroidered wristlet ;)
My first stop in San Francisco was Balmy Alley in the Mission District. It's a one-block alley that's covered with beautiful murals in various styles. You can walk through the alley like an art gallery and the murals change overtime. I love all of the timely social/political commentaries of the murals. My travel companion was our "Botanica" crossbody bag.
There are so many great places to eat in the Mission District, but for the best all vegan Mexican food experience, head to Gracias Madre.
The sautéed squash tamale with poblano peppers and onions was so good!
For brunch/dinner with a view of the yacht harbor and the Golden Gate Bridge, make a reservation at the Greens Restaurant. Check their changing menu to see if they have any vegan options available since it's a vegetarian restaurant.
Orecchiette with broccoli di ciccio, ask for no cheese (I forgot).
While I was in The Castro district, I discovered a cute local shop, Local Take, which sells goods like bags/shirts/cards/coasters/art/home decor made by San Francisco artists.
Another cute shop I visited was Animal Place's Vegan Republic in Berkeley. It's "Northern California's only vegan store where profits benefit 250 rescued farmed animals at Animal Place Sanctuary". It's like a vegan general store with food/clothing/beauty products/books...etc.
While in Berkeley, I had lunch at Sanctuary Bistro, a cozy French-style bistro serving local, organic, vegan, and gluten-free food.
The Socca Cakes were delicious!
The next day I explored Piedmont and Oakland. First stop was the 100% vegan Timeless Coffee shop!
Then I visited Cykochik's Cause Partner - PETA Foundation office to say hi to all the amazing activists and thanked them for the lifesaving work they do for all animals worldwide!
Afterwards, I discovered yet another cute store, Hatch, a modern sustainable design store which sells ecofriendly products from around the world.
I ended the day in Oakland with an amazing dinner at the award-winning Millennium restaurant with my family. I highly recommend making a reservation a few days in advance. Each dish we had was a masterpiece in presentation and taste.
Coriander & Arborio Crusted King Trumpet Mushrooms were so light and crispy.
BBQ Tempeh Ribs
Roasted Pumpkin Tamale
Black Garlic & Miso Glazed Tempeh
I'd packed in a lot of sights and food in 3 days! Next post, I'll share my trip to Farm Sanctuary in Orland, CA.
Have a happy and safe holiday filled with lots of love!
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