Need a really good vegetarian restaurant

[yanks26dmb]

...for the lady friend....any ideas???

[Robert Lauriston]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/660759

[yanks26dmb]

saw that thread....I'm actually not looking for "upscale" vegetarian. Just a good, solid vegetarian restaurant. in the 10-20 dollar per person range.

[rahir]

Do you have a location preference?

[Robert Lauriston]

SF? Cha-Ya, Udupi Palace, Cafe Gratitude (raw vegan).

[rahir]

And do you want an all-veg restaurant or one w/ great veg options?

[yanks26dmb]

location doesn't matter. Doesn't matter if its all veg or one w/ great veg options. Long as the veg options they offer are above average. Sorry for the initial vague posting. Thanks guys.

[rahir]

If you're just looking for a nice entree (and only an entree; nothing else), I'd say Millennium, Saha, or Firefly. If you're looking for a more casual atmosphere with above average dishes at low prices (app and entree and/or drinks), I suggest Weird Fish, Beretta, Chow, Golden Era, Tataki, and Assab.

I don't consider Cha-Ya or Udupi to offer anything above average. More like bland (Cha-Ya) and overspiced (Udupi).

-----
Chow
215 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Golden Era Vegetarian
572 Ofarrell St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Weird Fish
2193 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Assab
2845 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118

Tataki
2815 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115

Beretta
1199 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110

[Robert Lauriston]

I wouldn't say Beretta has low prices.

[rahir]

I went with a date last week. We shared three small plates, a pizza, and he had a beer. The bill came to $42.

[eldub]

Though it is high-end, Millennium is what I consider an exceptional vegetarian restaurant. Their menu changes often. Cafe Gratitude is hit and miss. I usually enjoy the enchiladas.

My favorite raw vegan is Juliano's Raw down in Santa Monica. If you ever go, I recommend ordering the Harem (middle eastern plate).

In Santa Cruz there's a place called Dharma's. It's better than average, and definitely affordable.

What I <don't> like is Herbivore in SF. I appreciate that they offer vegan food that's mid-priced, but I've never had a decent meal there.

Several vegetarian places have opened and closed in the Bay Area. I hope we're on the verge of a new era of good vegetarian cuisine.

[escargot3]

I think the food at Millenium is amazing. And my vegetarian pals consider a perfect place to dine.

[Robert Lauriston]

Millennium's the only upscale vegan restaurant in SF, but an entree alone will set you back almost $25.

[rahir]

Last month when I was there, there were several entrees under $20.

[Robert Lauriston]

Not on their sample menu online, but maybe that's out of date and they've lowered prices.

[escargot3]

oh right...i was just looking at the OP's first post.

[Meredith]

I was actually fairly disappointed with my meal at Millenium. We went for the Heirloom Tomato Dinner and after the appetizer, was just trying to get through it rather than enjoying every bite.
I am usually a omnivore so maybe I just wasn't as happy with a vegan pie crust as someone who hadn't had pie crust in years would be, but I found everything heavy and fairly one note as far as the taste went. I have much more enjoyed vegetarian dinners at Assab and Cafe Gratitude, which had nothing to do with the price point.

I had heard such wonderful things and had such high hopes. Maybe one of their large 'everyone in the restaunt eats the same thing' dinners just isn't the way to go.

[Robert Lauriston]

I had I think the worst meal I've ever had at an restaurant in that price range there a few years ago. Sounds like it hasn't changed:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/3053...

[rahir]

yanks26dmb, where did you end up?