Rudy's Bar-B-Que Pit

Despite its name, San Francisco’s Tenderloin isn’t particularly known for its steakhouses. One short stretch of Larkin Street reveals the neighborhood’s true treasure: Vietnamese pho. The area known as “Little Saigon” is lined with mom-and-pop restaurants that specialize in the hearty noodle soup. Typically served with a plate of fresh herbs and bean sprouts, the dish has become a San Francisco staple thanks to a wave of Vietnamese immigration that began in the 1970s. The local culinary scene has certainly benefitted from this wave, as sightings of delicious pho have become commonplace on Larkin Street and across the city.

San Francisco has a large variety of vegan restaurant options, and many restaurants that aren't 100% vegan will offer one or two vegan dishes on the menu. Gracias Madre (organic vegan Mexican), Herbivore (vegan comfort food), Cha-Ya (vegan Japanese), and Loving Hut (vegan Asian fast food) are all great options for plant-based meals. But one restaurant in SF stands out among the rest as the only fine-dining vegan restaurant in the city. Millennium Restaurant creates a gourmet dining experience out of vegan, healthy and environmentally friendly foods. They strive to make vegan dining fun and exciting, and their cuisine is influenced by the flavors and styles of many cultures. Their menu changes seasonally, which makes it easy to visit multiple times but never eat the same thing twice. Located in the heart of downtown San Francisco, the restaurant has a fantastic design, combining eco-friendly ideas with those reminiscent of a French bistro. It's the perfect balance of upscale chic and an inviting atmosphere. Sample dishes include: an Indian Spiced Red Lentil Soup infused with warm spices and a dash of coconut milk on top; the Black Bean Torte made with a whole wheat tortilla, caramelized plantains, smoky black bean puree, pumpkin-habanero papazul, cashew sour cream, and strawberry salsa; an Indian Spiced Potato cake with cardamom scented grilled eggplant puree, chestnut lima bean coconut saag, tamarind-tomato chutney, pickled fennel, and a cherry tomato salad; and the Peach and Pecan Glazed Tempeh with a peach and molasses glaze, a seared white corn grits cake, roasted green chile cashew cheese, seared broccoli rapini, a peach-ginger chutney, and pickled okra. Desserts are equally fantastic, with vegan cakes, ice cream, and cookies, to name a few. Their wine list is also vegan and organic - not to be missed! And while Millennium is an all-vegan restaurant, their dishes are so hearty that it's likely meat-eaters will be satisfied eating there as well!

In his 1895 essay Brunch: A Plea, Guy Beringer––who first coined the portmanteau––described brunch as “cheerful, sociable and inciting…it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” It’s unlikely Beringer’s adulations were inspired by a perfectly mixed mimosa or a stack of ginger pancakes, but the sentiment behind his words still rings true. More than a century later brunch has become a calendar-setting meal and continues to provide patrons with a delicious excuse to sleep in.