50 Best Vegan Restaurants in San Mateo

“10/10 no notes, jk. It can feel small and cramped for a bit once you enter, but once u settle in, it’s comforting and an enjoyable place to dine.

Got the pad see ew, yellow curry, and crispy pork fried rice. Pad see ew 10/10 no notes, yellow curry an 8, the fried rice is a 9.5.

100/10 would come again. Reasonably priced, monies worth and bellies full. 🤭😋😋“

“I found this bakery when I was looking for a place to purchase alfajores and I was so happy to have found it! I was greeted as soon as I walked in and my first visit was nothing but a very nice experience. Two young men behind the counter seemed really friendly and helpful. The other customers in the store at the time seemed very happy. I came for alfajores today, but I will definitely go back for more alfajores and other goodies!“

“First time here. Long line to get in but it moved fairly quickly. Had the Roast beef Aburasoba. Mind-Boggling GOOD! The flavor was out of this world! The service was fantastic!! I can’t wait to go back again!“

“Iced matcha was not strong enough, so I will try hot matcha next time. Also iced strawberry matcha is nice. They made my order wrong at first (matcha instead of strawberry matcha) so they gave me the matcha for free—super kind, thanks!

Line is long but fast, and seating may not look available at first but it cleared up for me. Love the vibe and furniture.“

“One of the best casual Cuban spots in the bay area & excellent for take-away!

The Ropa Vieja, Bistec and Shrimp Fajitas are all delicious. Plantains are awesome when they're properly roasted/caramelized. Amazing sauces...make sure you try the Guava BBQ and the Guantanamo Sauce.“

“Fast friendly service. But you’ll be taking a to-go bag home for sure!! I was stuffed!!“

“Halal beef burgers, made to order, soft brioche buns, veggie options, yummy milkshakes! Definitely with be a place we frequent! Face friendly business, family owned and operated 👏🏼🇺🇸“

“Cocktails and Wagyu - soooo good!“

“Love the dry aged porterhouse, juicy and delicious. The service was phenomenal and of course the new location.“

“We had an absolutely lovely experience here! Came for my boyfriend’s birthday, everyone was friendly and attentive. Fantastic high end ambience. The food was almost too beautiful to eat and every one of us thoroughly enjoyed our entrees. One of our guests said it was the best spaghetti he had ever had! The mushroom risotto was perfection. I had the Chilean sea bass and WOW! The salmon was also amazing. The other two guests had roasted chicken and hangar steak… I didn’t get to try them but they looked amazing and everyone cleaned their plate even though we were full lol! We will absolutely be back. Highly recommend!! 5 stars ⭐️“

“Must try Affogato!! Espresso poured over Vanilla ice cream or over your favorite ice cream. Delicious 😋“

“Best pizza in the Bay Area!“

“Love the indoor/patio ambience Menu selection,,,food ,,,,especially variety of bruschettas Drink selection as well,,,, mimosas,,,sangria Would like more live music“

“Excellent meal here. The miso sea bass was delicious, and the nigiri in the seasonal omakase was great. Wagyu nigiri was a standout. Our waitress/server was fantastic also! one of the best sushi/omakases in san mateo in my opinion! pricing is absolutely reasonable too.“

“Good food. Good service. Good atmosphere.“

“Sushi was delicious and service was great! Not a romantic spot though because it’s loud but fun if your going with family and friends. Music is good!!“

“Fritters are great for a treat“

“Get there early. This places fills up.
We tried tokatusu ramen, curry ramen, black pepper ramen, spicy karage and regular karage.

All delicious.
Careful of getting it spicy. It has a lot of kick.
Spicy karage is more sweet than spicy, but very delicious sauce.

5/5 earned.“

“Love the pizza! We live in the East Bay but we stop by whenever we pass by San Mateo. We always get a Meat Lovers & the Chicken Pesto!“

“Good food (we had the green papaya salad and the pad kee mao, both excellent). Had we known that the pad kee mao didn't come with tofu we would have asked for it, so next time we will, but that's nitpicking. Very fast service, noticeably so. Location great for those in San Mateo or Foster City (and this restaurant is much better in my mind than Sweet Basil, I'm sorry). The pad kee mao dish was huge and we had to take home half of each plate (we got two, next time one will be enough, but we took it home and plan to enjoy later)“

“The Home Run sourdough breakfast sandwich was excellent and I would order that again x100. The hash brown serving that came with the sandwich was ginormous and I ended up needing a to-go box for that! The latte however was not to my liking, tasted bitter to me.“

“All their yakitoris were seasoned well and I loved both the salted and soy options. You order through a QR code using your phone so you won't have any issues with flagging down a waitress whether you're seated on the first or second floors.“

“Do you love going to Flavortown? How about dreaming with your eyes open? Then try these birria tacos. The first time I had it was from leftovers that my daughter brought home for lunch. Then I drove from Oakley to San Mateo to have them fresh. It was AMAZING! They provide extra stuff to add to the tacos, but it honestly didn’t need them. The meat was so tender & flavorful that I had to close my eyes so I could fully appreciate the taste. Then I added the extras one by one & it tasted like a new taco each time. I know it seems like I’m exaggerating, but it’s really that good! My only wish is that they had seating nearby & a second location closer to Oakley.“

“ONE word "EXCELLENT". Great menu, love the murals, quick service, clean and they even serve beer and wine. parking is tricky so have patience. Garlic Fries, Hummus, Combo Gyro Plate!“

“Delicious authentic Brazilian food with amazing service . Fun experience too!“

“Great service, delicious food and beautiful decorations.“

“Hamburgers are beyond delicious.“

“Great hole in the wall! Noodles, dumplings, cold apps. All hand made. Pix on wall to help order. They sell frozen dumplings too- great deal and cash only. Credit card ok for the meal. The gentleman there is kind and helpful. You can see them making it right there. Donut place right next to it! Easy parking- big lot.“

“Great place. Long lines and worth it“

“OMG, what a wonderful experience. Sam was really good behind the counter, and helped us to some amazing vegan options, such as the Vegan Sub with Meatballs marinara, and another Vegan Philly Steak Sub. Both just wow amazing with high quality vegan organic products (like the organic salad greens from Costco) and vegan meat and cheese from the Butchers Son. Absolutely wonderful!“

“Wonderful vegan sushi & friendly owner. I tried the shiitake avocado & spicy vegan rolls, both were delicious. Looking forward to visiting and trying other menu items soon!!“

“太棒了，肉品沒吃多少，倒是吃了好幾磅的櫻桃🍒“

“was an amazing vibes lovely crew coffee was so good!“

“Having enjoyed their dishes many times for months, It’s beyond “Very Satisfying”! Excellent, delicious food! Quality well maintained although it is a hard time under C-19. Hygiene suggestions n requests well followed! Thanks 🙏 Customer Service outstanding! Highly recommended 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍“

“Saigon Butter Tofu Wine sauce Ox Tail Noodle Soup Crab & Pork Meatball & Tomato Vermicelli And to drink: Taro w/Coconut Slush“

“Love the food n the people who works there. ❤️papaya salad, pad thai. Fried pompano and ground chicken with basil Aroy mak mak 👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️“

“It looks like a small place from the outside, but the inside is big and the food is delicious. Very strongly suggested.“

“Ramen Parlor’s parking lot is a bit limited but there’s plenty of street parking. Their service was quick and the staff members were extremely polite and kind. It’s a great place for families, date nights or just a hang out!

What was ordered:

+ chicken karaage - fried well as it was very crispy and hot when it arrived at our table. I enjoyed the texture of the chicken but was a little put off by the sauce on the bottom, which made parts of the chicken soggy.

+ takoyaki - the flavor is perfect for me but I felt it wasn’t crispy enough on the outside and had a bit too much sauce on top. I’d still order this again but would probably ask for less sauce next time.

+ spicy crab miso ramen - highly recommend this dish! You get the option of how spicy you want your broth (I went with mild) and it was perfect for me. It had a kick of spiciness but the broth was rich and creamy with some garlic flavors. The broth stayed hot throughout my meal and the noodles were cooked perfectly.“

“The do called "inclusive" atmosphere is really just an owner who hates everyone who has different views. If your social or political views are woke, you aren't welcome. Spend your money elsewhere. This guy is an idiot.“

“I love Onigilly!!! This location was wonderful. I came from a 30min drive away with my husband and baby and had a nice time. My Zosui soup was a bit delayed but a staff member gave us little ice cream puffs as an apology and it was very sweet. They were also kind and laughed when my husband and baby were playing games. Food was top tier and delicious, as usual. Above and Beyond.“

“Nice all the time“

“Delicious Asian fusion breakfast and lunch“

“Your cookies are extraordinary delicious! excellent! Love all your cookies!!!!“

“Tokie’s Sushi in San Mateo is an absolute gem. The food is consistently fresh, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor...from the sushi to the cooked dishes, everything is done with care and attention to detail. You can truly taste the quality in every bite.
And don’t skip the craft cocktails—they’re just as impressive as the food. Creative, well-balanced, and perfectly made, they pair incredibly well with the menu and really elevate the whole dining experience.
What truly sets Tokie’s apart, though, is the people. The owners are incredibly kind, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about what they do. The staff is just as amazing, friendly, attentive, and always making you feel like a regular, even on your first visit. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, which makes the experience even better.
If you’re looking for outstanding sushi, excellent craft cocktails, and top-notch service, Tokie’s Sushi is a must. Highly recommend and can’t wait to keep coming back.“

“First time here with friends and was a little overwhelmed by the menu, but the waiter talked us through it and gave suggestions we were all very happy with everything. The marrow broth was delicious and all the various meats (lamb, pork, beef) and vegetables were excellent. I kept losing some of my bites in the broth (noob!), but finding them was half the fun.“

“Was greeted & seated promptly. Welcomed by Manager Hung. Brittany was our waitress & we received the 20th Anniversary Sacks. Happy Anniversary.“

“Kurodai - Black Seabream Nigiri 3 very strong wasabi, bitter, fishy
Ao Ebi - Blue Shrimp Nigiri 5 very chewy texture, slightly seared, slightly sweet
Hon Maguro Chu-toro - Medium Fatty Blue Fin Tuna Nigiri 5 fat evenly distributed, not stringy at all, melt in your mouth
Negitoro Hosomaki - Supreme Fatty Bluefin Tuna w/ Green Onion (Maki) 4 fatty, rich, fresh, flavorful
Oyster Shooter 2 juicy raw oyster, raw quail egg, tobiko, sake, ponzu, tabasco, very strong alcohol, bitter
Baked Baby Scallop 5 two baked Peru baby scallop, juicy, presented on shell, uni, mayo, unagi sauce, green onion, creamy, rich, flavorful
Iku-Uni-Himo 4 soy sauce marinated ikura / large fish eggs, way too salty, uni, mashed monkfish liver, white truffle oil, flavorful
Mentaiko Yaki Udon 4 pan fried thick wheat flour noodles, crunchy seasoned cod roe, crispy bacon, stir fried thin udon, flavorful
Yuzu Cheesecake 5 glazed crust, strong citrus flavor, creamy“

“It's always a treat getting food from here. They mostly do takeout, but there's a single outdoor table for those who really wanna eat ASAP. The owners run the place and they're both really sweet. The banh mi are solid: fresh, full of textures, well balanced. They serve some other options like vermicelli bowls and occasionally a beef noodle soup on weekends (bun bo hue). They've never missed with my order. Do try their Vietnamese coffee, too!“

“This place is great! The food is always fresh and tasty. Delivers every time. The people are friendly, inviting, and welcoming (lots and Demetre). They make us feel like family. They do have beer and wine. And the frozen yoghurt is terrific especially with chocolate drizzled over it! The facilities are spotless, including the restrooms. We love this place!“

“Visited Yakitori Kokko for the second time. Expect classic izakaya vibes, well-executed grilled dishes, and a solid place for late-night dining with friends.

Highlights / Must-order items:
* Wagyu Steak – nicely seared, tender, and juicy
* Beef Tongue – thick cut with great texture
* Lamb Chop – well seasoned, no gamey flavor
* Steamed Clams – very fresh with a flavorful broth
* Grilled Scallop – sweet and tender (often sells out)
* Takowasa – smooth texture, great with sake

Small portions, great for skewers + sake flights 🍶. Ideal for casual dinners, late-night bites, or a first stop after landing at SFO.“