Elyse Wellness Local’s Guide to San Francisco: Healthy Food Favs

It’s hard to believe I’ve lived in SF almost 6 years – like what? Granted 4 of those were spent doing consulting, which meant I was almost always traveling, but still – that’s a LONG time.

So it’s probably long overdue that I share all my favorite San Francisco spots.

I’m starting with my favorite places to eat (duh), and will be sharing additional posts on my favorite coffee shops, bars, workout studios, beauty & wellness spots, so stay tuned!

PS – all images in this post are credited to the restaurant!

PPS – given the current San Francisco shut down due to Corona Virus, I’ve added details on which restaurants are still available via delivery!

SAN FRANCISCO FAVS: HEALTHY FAST-CASUAL SPOTS

Kitava (The Mission)

Everything in Kitava is paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegetable oil-free, and still BOMB. They have tons of keto options too! The super cozy, casual vibe also makes it a great place to get some work done. Plus they’re also the only place in SF you can buy Perfect Keto bars! Also available on Postmates, Caviar, DoorDash, UberEats for delivery.

Souvla (Hayes Valley / The Marina / The Mission)

This order-at-the-counter Mediterranean spot never disappoints, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a local that doesn’t love Souvla. Their chicken salad (I get it with no cheese) is incredible, and they have plenty of less-healthy options (think lamb gyros and olive oil froyo) so you don’t have to go with only your healthy friends. Also available on Caviar for delivery.

Homage (Downtown)

The cutest little cafe tucked away onto a side street downtown. Their menu features a lot of vegetables, which they source locally, even at SF’s own farmer’s markets, which I LOVE. They’re not open on weekends, but it makes a perfect Friday afternoon lunch spot (they serve wine too).

Belcampo (Postmates / Oakland)

Sadly the SF Bel Campo location closed, but you can still order Bel Campo for delivery on Postmates, or head to Oakland. They’re known for their extremely high-quality meat, so you can’t go wrong with a grass-fed burger (they even offer keto buns!) or a steak salad. Also available on Postmates, Caviar, DoorDash, UberEats for delivery.

Blue Barn (Russian Hill / The Marina)

A famous #basic institution in the Marina, Blue Barn is great for giant (and expensive $$) salads or bomb sandwiches (not gluten-free).

Mixt (Downtown / The Marina / The Mission)

If you’re in the market for a fast, massive, and relatively affordable salad – this is your spot. They have tons of toppings, dressings, and proteins so you can get a healthy salad that will actually fill you up. Also available on Postmates, Caviar, DoorDash, UberEats for delivery.

As Quoted (Presidio Heights)

Alright, full disclosure I haven’t been here yet, but I’m including because I’ve gotten SO many recommendations to try it! Their gluten-free avocado toast has been on my radar for a while.

SAN FRANCISCO FAVS: JUICE BARS / HEALTH FOOD

Project Juice (The Marina / Downtown)

Project Juice has great organic juices, and have expanded their menu to include adaptogen lattes, gluten-free avocado toast, bowls, and smoothies. They also offer the option to get smoothies low-glycemic with avocado instead of banana (my go-to).

Urban Remedy (The Marina / Hayes Valley)

Urban Remedy also has cold-pressed bottled juices, but my favs are their prepared food. They make great soups and bowls, and their bars are basically like healthy candy bars. Also available on Postmates & Caviar for delivery.

SAN FRANCISCO FAVS: NICER RESTAURANTS / DATE SPOTS

Little Gem (Hayes Valley / The Marina)

Little Gem is entirely gluten-free and dairy-free, but you wouldn’t know it from the interior or the menu. I love that Little Gem has the vibe of a cute cafe, rather than a crunchy health-food spot. Their ‘non bread’ is incredible, and I love their Catalan salad. They serve wine too! Also available on Caviar & DoorDash for delivery.

Tacolicious (The Marina / North Beach)

My love for Tacolicious never fails. While it’s definitely not a health food spot, they have great salads, and tacos with corn tortillas make it a great gluten-free option. The vibe is always fun, the margs are good (skinny & spicy for me always) and the tacos are a great price point.

Mezcalito (Russian Hill)

Another great taco spot with great mezcal cocktails (my fav is the Pepeniyo), and bomb tacos. A much cozier vibe than Tacolicioius – makes a great date spot.

Delarosa (The Marina / Downtown)

Delarosa is a great modern Italian spot with bomb pizzas, and enough GF / DF options for me to get by. Their brunch is a major hidden gem IMO – the baked eggs and mezcal cocktails are winners.

The Saratoga (Nob Hill)

Saratoga has the vibe of an old school New York restaurant, which I always love. It’s a cozy date spot with a gorgeous interior and bar. Their burger and Negroni are some of the best in the city.

Mamanoko (The Marina)

This place is fairly new, and is another great date spot. The sushi is great (not cheap though) and they’re cocktails are seriously impressive.

State Bird Provisions (Fillmore)

State Bird has a Michelin Star and a month-long waitlist for a reason. Not only is the food excellent (goes without saying) but it’s such a fun vibe and experience. In addition to a set menu you can order off of, waiters walk around with trays of different dishes that you can decide to try or pass. It makes the whole dinner more fun, and you get to sample a ton of different options. It’s expensive for sure, but not crazy. Last time I went we spent ~$100/per person eating until we were stuffed, including wine.

Okay guys, what did I miss? Leave your SF favs in the comments so I can check them out!