Food like Nowhere Else: The Best Restaurants of San Francisco

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Greens Restaurant

Item: Greens Restaurant
Author: Tom Molanphy

Cuisine: American, California, Vegetarian

Price Range: $$

10Best Says

Greens, one of the city's finest vegetarian establishments, is owned and operated by the San Francisco Zen Center, which helps supply it with organic produce. Inside the voluminous space, diners are afforded spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay. Chef Annie Somerville, the creative force behind the menu, has an artistic touch, as proven by Asian-inspired curries, fresh pizzas and luscious pastas. Soups, sandwiches and salads also delight taste buds, as does a tempting wine list. The view is a calm and tranquil shot of the bay, at least on days when the fog hasn't rolled in.

Address:

Marina Blvd & Buchanan St
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-771-6222

Hours:

Mon: 5:30pm-9pm,; 5:30pm-9pm
Tue-Sat: 11:45am-2:30pm,; 5:30pm-9pm
Sun: 10:30am-2pm,; 5:30pm-9pm

Website:

greensrestaurant.com

EXPERT TIPS BY: Tom Molanphy
San Francisco Local Expert

Restaurants with Views, Best Restaurants: "Always grab whatever "seasonal" sampler they offer on the menu to get a broad choice of their best offerings."
Waterfront Dining: "Expensive, but a veggie delight."
Restaurants with Healthy Menus: "Fine Vegetarian, Spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay."

Best for Restaurants with Views Because: If you're a vegetarian, you have to stop at Greens, where they practically invented the idea of eating vegetables.
Best for Waterfront Dining Because: Greens has enjoyed one the premier waterfront dining spots in the city for years.
Recommended as Best Restaurants Because: In a city full of vegetarian options, Greens sets the standard.
Best for Restaurants with Healthy Menus Because: Greens uses the freshest vegetables from a farm in nearby Marin, so you can almost taste the vitamins.

Lunch Menu
- First Course
  Grilled Frog Hollow Warren Pear
  
  with watercress, red endive, Big Rock Blue, hazelnuts, golden balsamic, Arbequina olive oil ($12.50)
  
  Pupusas
  
  filled with summer squash, squash blossoms, spring onions, serrano chilies, pumpkin seeds, smoked cheddar and cilantro. Served with avocado, salsa rosa, pickled vegetable and herb salad ($14.00)
  
  Fresh Spring Roll
  
  with carrots, jicama, daikon, cabbage, jalapeños, Hodo Soy tofu, rice noodles, and mint. Served with peanut sauce and grilled beech mushroom and radish salad ($11.00)
  
  Wilted Spinach Salad
  
  with chicory, frisee, feta, croutons, gaeta olives, red onions, garlic, mint, sherry vinegar and hot olive oil ($12.50)
  
  Green Gulch Lettuce, Little Gems and Ancho Cress
  
  with Black Twig apples, fuyu persimmons, pomegranates, walnuts, Andante Dairy goat cheese and cider vinaigrette ($12.00)
  
  Hummous
  
  with grilled pita, spicy tomato jam and olives ($8.50)
  
  Curried Cauliflower Soup
  with toasted coconut, chilies and cilantro
  
  Cup: $7.50
  
  Bowl: $8.50
  Black Bean Chili
  with cheddar, crème fraiche and cilantro
  
  Cup: $7.50
  
  Bowl: $8.50
- Main Course
  Mexican Fall Ragout
  
  Butternut and chayote squash, corn, peppers and cipollini onions with roasted tomatoes and garlic, ancho chilies, marjoram, sage and cilantro. Served with grilled polenta with chipotle lime butter ($16.00)
  
  Mediterranean Sampler
  
  Dolmas with basmati rice, Hamada Farm fruit, pine nuts and herbs; fattoush with tomatoes, cucumbers, toasted pita and lemon sumac vinaigrette; hummous; summer beans with tarragon; grilled delicata squash; tzatziki; grilled pita; olives ($17.50)
  
  Grilled Eggplant Sandwich
  
  on herb focaccia with tomatoes, roasted onions, fresh mozzarella, romesco and arugula. Served with roasted fingerling potatoes, summer beans, pickled red onions, capers, champagne dijon vinaigrette ($14.75)
  
  Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Pizza
  
  with asiago, goat cheese, walnuts and crisp sage leaves ($17.00)
  
  Linguine
  
  with chanterelle mushrooms, savoy spinach, slow roasted Juliette tomatoes, spring onions, pine nuts, herb butter and grana padano ($17.50)
  
  Mesquite Grilled Brochettes
  mushrooms, Mariquita Farm potatoes, peppers, white corn, summer squash, red onions and Hodo Soy tofu with chimichurri, brown and red rice with pumpkin seeds, Mexican cabbage slaw
  
  $17.50
  
  Single Brochette: $14.00
Brunch Menu
- Main
  
  Mixed Berry Streusel Coffee Cake
  
  with whip cream ($6.00)
  
  Jalapeño Cornbread
  
  with honey butter ($6.00)
  
  Buttermilk Biscuits
  
  with Straus butter and blackberry preserves ($6.00)
  
  Greens Granola
  
  with Yerena Farm berries and Clover milk ($7.50)
  
  Fruit bowl
  
  with Yerena Farm berries, Hamada Farm plums and fuyu persimmons ($8.50)
  
  Roasted Green Gulch Farm Potatoes
  
  ($6.00)
- Brunch
  Pinnacles Scramble
  
  Scrambled eggs with yellow finn potatoes, poblano and chipotle chilies, scallions, cheddar and cilantro. Served on corn tortillas with black bean chili, crème fraiche, cilantro pumpkin seed and tomatillo salsas ($16.50)
  
  Savoy Spinach and Red Onion Omelet
  
  with feta, gaeta olives, lemon and rosemary. Served with slow roasted early girl tomato toasts and roasted Green Gulch Farm potatoes ($16.00)
  
  Pupusas
  
  filled with summer squash, spring onions, serrano chilies, pumpkin seeds, smoked cheddar and cilantro. Served with Rolling Oaks Ranch eggs over easy, salsa de arbol, grilled serrano salsa verde, avocado, fried plantain and cabbage-cauliflower slaw ($17.50)
  
  Rolling Oaks Poached Eggs with Fall Vegetable Hash
  
  roasted yellow finn potatoes, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, caramelized onions, brussels sprouts, chimichurri and warm buttermilk biscuit ($17.00)
  
  Ciabatta French Toast
  
  with Yerena Farm berries, marscarpone and warm maple syrup ($14.50)
  
  Carrot Ginger Soup
  with spiced yogurt and chives
  
  Cup: $7.50
  
  Bowl: $8.50
  Italian Butter Bean Soup
  with lacinato kale, herb croutons, Arbequina olive oil
  
  Cup: $7.50
  
  Bowl: $8.50
  Fattoush
  
  County Line little gems, early girl and cherry tomatoes, Mediterranean cucumbers, toasted pita, feta, Italian parsley, mint and lemon sumac vinaigrette ($12.50)
  
  Ferry Plaza Sampler
  
  Yerena Farm berries, Frog Hollow Warren pears, Hamada Farm grapes and pomegranates; Andante Dairy Crottin and Cowgirl Creamery Mt Tam; Acme walnut levain and slow roasted almonds ($17.50)
  
  Grilled Cheese and Apple Sandwich
  
  with cheddar, grana padano, Black Twig apples and stone ground mustard on Acme pain de mie. Served with Green Gulch lettuces, red endive, beets, fennel,walnuts and cider vinaigrette ($16.00)
  
  Linguine
  
  with chanterelle mushrooms, savoy spinach, slow roasted Juliette tomatoes, spring onions, pine nuts, herb butter and grana padano ($17.50)
  
  Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Pizza
  
  with asiago, goat cheese, walnuts and crisp sage leaves ($17.00)
  
  Mesquite Grilled Brochettes
  mushrooms, Mariquita Farm potatoes, peppers, white corn, summer squash, red onions and Hodo Soy tofu with muhammara sauce, brown and red rice, pickled beets with mint
  
  $17.50
  
  Single Brochette: $14.00
- Desserts
  
  Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwich
  
  with Meyer lemon ice cream, huckleberry compote and candied lemon ($9.00)
  
  Raspberry Streusel Tart
  
  with vanilla ice cream and toasted pistachios ($9.00)
  
  Coconut Rice Pudding
  
  with strawberry compote and coconut cookies ($8.75)
  
  Flourless Chocolate Torte
  
  with chocolate chip ice cream and cocoa nibs ($9.50)
  
  Pumpkin Crème Caramel
  
  with whipped cream, pumpkin seed brittle and a gingersnap ($9.00)
  
  Concord Grape, Blackberry and Strawberry Sorbets
  
  with Mexican wedding cookies ($8.75)
Dinner Menu
- First Course
  Grilled Frog Hollow Warren Pear
  
  with watercress, red endive, Big Rock Blue, hazelnuts, golden balsamic, Arbequina olive oil ($12.50)
  
  Pupusas
  
  filled with summer squash, squash blossoms, spring onions, serrano chilies, pumpkin seeds, smoked cheddar and cilantro. Served with avocado, salsa rosa, pickled vegetable and herb salad ($14.00)
  
  Fresh Spring Roll
  
  with carrots, jicama, daikon, cabbage, jalapeños, Hodo Soy tofu, rice noodles, and mint. Served with peanut sauce and grilled beech mushroom-radish salad ($11.00)
  
  Mediterranean Sampler
  
  Dolmas with basmati rice, Hamada Farm fruit, pine nuts and herbs; fattoush with tomatoes, cucumbers, toasted pita and lemon sumac vinaigrette; hummous; summer beans with tarragon; grilled delicata squash; tzatziki; grilled pita; olives ($17.50)
  
  Artisan Cheese Plate
  
  Andante Dairy Picolo; Bellwether Farm Carmody; Cowgirl Creamery Chimney Rock; Mediterranean cucumbers with citrus vinaigrette and herbs; olives; warm Italian bread ($15.00)
  
  Wilted Spinach Salad
  
  with chicory, frisee, feta, croutons, gaeta olives, red onions, garlic, mint, sherry vinegar and hot olive oil ($12.50)
  
  Green Gulch Lettuce, Little Gems and Ancho Cress
  
  with Black Twig apples, fuyu persimmons, pomegranates, walnuts, Andante Dairy goat cheese and cider vinaigrette ($12.00)
  
  Yellow Split Pea and Butternut Squash Soup
  with kale, herb croutons, Arbequina olive oil
  
  Cup: $7.50
  
  Bowl: $8.50
- Main Course
  Wild Mushroom and Spinach Enchiladas
  
  with grilled onions, guajillo chili sauce, avocado, Vella dry jack and crème fraiche. Served with Rancho Gordo beans, ancho sweet potatoes and orange, jicama and cucumber salad ($26.00)
  
  Chick Pea Tagine
  
  with a gratin of yellow finn potato, Castelvetrano olive and preserved lemon; pickled fennel, Mediterranean cucumber and arugula salad; harissa ($23.00)
  
  Green Curry
  
  with coconut risotto cake, grilled Japanese eggplant and summer squash. Served with sauteed summer beans with ginger and shallots; Mediterranean cucumber, cherry tomato and Thai basil relish; spicy peanut crunch ($24.00)
  
  Linguine
  
  with chanterelle mushrooms, savoy spinach, slow roasted Juliette tomatoes, spring onions, pine nuts, herb butter and grana padano ($19.50)
  
  Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Pizza
  
  with asiago, goat cheese, walnuts and crisp sage leaves ($19.00)
  
  Mesquite Grilled Brochettes
  mushrooms, Mariquita Farm potatoes, peppers, white corn, summer squash, red onions and Hodo Soy tofu with chimichurri, brown and red rice with pumpkin seeds, Mexican cabbage slaw
  
  $22.00
  
  Single Brochette: $18.00
- Sides
  
  Spicy Rancho Gordo Beans
  
  with cilantro ($7.50)
  
  Summer Beans
  
  with ginger and shallots ($7.50)
  
  Hummous
  
  with tomato jam, grilled pita and olives ($7.50)
  
  Grilled Polenta
  
  with herb butter ($7.50)

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