Restaurant Review: The Plant Cafe @ Pier 3

I had the pleasure of eating dinner at the Pier 3 location of the Plant Cafe a few weeks ago. While I love the two informal cafe locations, downtown near my office and in the marina, this is only the second time that I’ve eaten at the sitdown restaurant on the water.

My colleague Caitlyn and I ventured over after work to partake. And partake we did!

Ginger quinoa bowl

Cornmeal encrusted tempeh

This was a delicious, quick meal and I highly recommend this restaurant, and chain, to anyone who visits San Francisco. The Plant Cafe uses 100% organic and local products: Our mission is to promote the wellbeing of people and planet, and provide an avenue to support healthy choices and sustainable practices. So not only is it a good choice for quality, great tasting food, you’re also helping the environment and local farmers.

Pros:

If you follow a plant-based diet, are an omni or suffer from food allergies this is a great choice because there are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and meat & seafood options. Its rare, even in an incredibly healthy city like San Francisco, to find a restaurant with such a diverse menu. They also have killer fresh juices and a good California wine list.

There’s a beautiful outdoor deck available with a view of the water or you can sit in the sleek, modern interior. The location is also very conveniently located on the Embarcadero just a few minutes from the Ferry Building.

While this is a lovely restaurant with great atmosphere, it’s also a great place for a quick meal. The service is swift and accommodating and the waiters are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Cons:

As is frequently the case with organic/eco restaurants, the prices can be a bit steep. The sides, salads & appetizers are well priced and for the most part range between $4 – $16, while the main dishes can run as high as $30. However I should mention that the vegetable-based options are definitely on the lower side of the price range, the duck, salmon and oysters are the more expensive items.

And unfortunately, as with virtually all San Francisco restaurants, there is no parking lot for the Plant Cafe. There’s a lot w/ an attendant across the street and Embarcadero has street parking on the other side if you can snag it.

I hope you’ll try this out if you get a chance!

November 17, 2011 | Categories: Food | Tags: Cornmeal encrusted tempeh, Ginger quinoa bowl, Organic dining, Plant Cafe, San Francisco vegetarian | 2 Comments