50 Best Vegan Restaurants in San Mateo

“Very tasty Pad Thai! Delicious food!

The waiter was the worst service i've ever had, he didn't even put in my food order, he didn't even come to give us a check , we had to go back and forth and ask for dessert at the counter. And as we left , he didn't even say thank you.

But I want to say that we had the best busser ever! He filled our waters constantly, he noticed that I wasn't getting my food and checked on me, and he's packed my food up. He actually cared about our family and our food and our experience. So thank you to him, he saved our experience.“

“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!“

“The Absolute Best Coffee in the Bay Area!My husband and I are total coffee seekers whenever we travel, and finding Kaizen & Coffee was the absolute highlight of our trip to San Mateo! It might be the smallest coffee shop we’ve ever visited, but it packs a massive punch. The modern black-and-white interior is incredibly clean and inviting, and the baristas are wonderfully friendly and helpful.We stayed for a week and literally came back 5 times—that’s how good it is! We tried three of their signatures: the Black Sesame Latte, Ube Latte, and Miso Caramel Latte. The Black Sesame was our absolute favorite, closely followed by the Miso Caramel. If you love perfectly balanced drinks, trust me: these are exceptionally delicious, never overly sweet, beautifully creamy, and topped with the thickest, perfect foam.The biggest selling point for us? Absolutely zero chemical syrups. They make all of their bases and syrups in-house, which is exactly what we look for in high-quality specialty coffee. We live in Arizona and are already wishing we could clone this place and bring it home. We cannot wait to visit the Bay Area again just to come back here. Don't skip this gem!“

“Once of those great authentic cuban restaurant. Their food and drinks are one of a kind. They have this distinct taste that they can be proud to compete in the food industry. Definitely and highly recommended. Our top choice when it comes to cuban cravings.“

“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.“

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

“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 ⭐️“

“Best pizza in the Bay Area!“

“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!!“

“Great place. Long lines and worth it“

“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!“

“Good food. Good service. Good atmosphere.“

“I am so impressed with the food and staff at this restaurant. We came in around 8 PM, 30 minutes prior to closing and was worried staff would be annoyed with having to serve such a large group. Instead, we were greeted with smiles and well cared for. Every single person in our group praised the food. There were lots of options for everyone in the group. I enjoyed a Shoyu Ramen. The broth was flavorful, not “fishy”. Portions were excellent. So glad we found this place. Looking forward to coming here again!“

“Fritters are great for a treat“

“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.“

“Hamburgers are beyond delicious.“

“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!“

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

“We’ve been here twice, but only downstairs, which can get very noisy. Their yakitori is very good. We also tried the mentaiko udon and grilled corn and both were good, too.

There’s a public parking garage behind the restaurant. Parking is free after 6 pm. You can enter the restaurant through the back door.“

“(All from vegan menu):
* Tom Yum - 10/10
* Mixed Tofu - great
* Pumpkin Curry - great
* Pad Kee Mao - great
* Noodle Garlic - great
* Basil - great
* Bangkok Duck - 9.5/10 excellent
* Spicy Cat Fish - 9/10 great
* Coconut Rice - 10/10 great

Would be amazing to see the menu become fully vegan someday!“

“Like most brunch places, it's overpriced. You don't get that much value, but it is a good brunch regardless. There is something very special about eating out with family in the morning at a nice place, not having to worry about cooking, even if you can easily make most of the things on the menu. Brothers Cafe offers just that. Atmosphere is good, though they could use some more decoration. Service is attentive. Overall, 4/5.“

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

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

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

“They have their operation down, pat. Good place for ramen. Prices are what you expect for San Mateo.

Update 2026: still the king in the area. They got this super ramen now that is huge! Think large bowl of Pho but with ramen. And it's filling. Delicious!“

“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.“

“Great service, delicious food and beautiful decorations.“

“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.“

“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!!“

“Nice all the time“

“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“

“Delicious Asian fusion breakfast and lunch“

“good food great service and accomending.“

“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.“

“This is one of my favorite spots for a quick bite. The onigiri are always perfectly seasoned, fresh, and filling. The staff is incredibly friendly, and Erick was especially kind and welcoming. Everything tasted authentic and comforting. I’ll definitely be coming back!“

“San Mateos best kept secret. Best sushi I've had in years. Wonderful atmosphere, great service and at a reasonable price. My comment after dinner was , I guess I have had so much grocery store sushi, I forgot what real sushi should taste like.. Best Japanese food like this is rare these days until you try Tokies“

“An amazing mom n pop store. Staff is very courteous, polite and very friendly! Discovered this place by luck and have been a regular here since June 2022.. Food is decently priced, well cooked and good quantity..

Few of our recommendations:
Mongolian Chicken Spicy
Chicken Pot Stickers
Veg and Chicken Noodles
Mongolian Tofu (same sauce as chicken one)
Hour and Sour Soup etc..“

“Glad I decided to stop by this place and give it a try after spotting it out the corner of my eye. Officially my favorite pizza joint in the bay now. Got their daily special 2 one topping slices and soda for $12. The cheese and sauce were equally tasty sauce being zesty and cheese with just enough of the tang I’ve been looking for. Highly recommend don’t miss out on this bay Gem!“

“Each meal I’ve had here has been consistently fresh and well-prepared. Did I mention delicious? The staff is friendly and attentive.“

“We were greeted and seated right away. It’s a small, cozy restaurant with great background music that creates a warm atmosphere. The service was fast and attentive. We ordered two ramen dishes, and both were rich, flavorful, and prepared exactly the way we requested. A great spot for a satisfying bowl of ramen!“

“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“

“BJ's is consistently good and the service today with Aja T. was outstanding. Our only complaint was that our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, so we brought home a LOT of food. And that's really NOT a problem! Good food, good atmosphere, reasonable prices, a great place for a group, and great service. Love having BJ's in the neighborhood.“

“Great selection of breakfast fare. Went with a traditional breakfast- eggs, hash browns, sausage, toast. Wife went with an omelet option - San Franciscan. Great food.

Ask for Jan to be your server. Great service and very friendly.“

“太棒了，肉品沒吃多少，倒是吃了好幾磅的櫻桃🍒“