Related Pages: San Francisco, Restaurants, vegetarian
www.millenniumrestaurant.com
Description: Millennium Restaurant is a gourmet vegan restaurant using fresh produce delivered every day, organic whenever possible and is completely free of genetically modified foods.
Category:
Restaurants
Keywords:
vegetarian, food, vegan, gourmet, organic, sustainable, restaurant, san francisco, millennium
Address:
580 Geary St map
San Francisco, CA
94102
If you were only in the Bay Area for one day and wanted to have the most divine food experience you could have -- and even better if you happen to be vegan or have food allergies -- the choice is easy: Millennium. Omnivores I have taken to this restaurant are overwhelmed by the wide array of food options -- "everything sounds so good!"
From simple (deep fried oyster mushroom "calamari") to the complex, powerful to subtle orchestral arrangements of flavors will leave you swooning. You won't have room but you'll eat more anyway. Make sure you leave room for dessert. I find their creme brulee to be even better than the egg/dairy version.
Price: always go for the "Taste of Millennium" prix fixe for your first experience. Millennium is more pricey than standard vegan/vegetarian options but it's within range for most restaurants of the same caliber in San Francisco. It's plenty cheaper than French Laundry! They offer special Prix Fixe dinners and you can definitely do it "on the cheap" if you pick the right dishes -- you won't regret dining at Millennium.
Millennium is also great about any food allergies or restrictions. I also highly recommend their Thanksgiving dinner -- it's a really great experience.
Get on the mailing list so you can hear about upcoming events and classes. I recently took a class there and found chef Eric Tucker to be charming, knowledgeable, patient and so well organized.
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My disclaimer here is that I am most definitely an omnivore, and the extent of my vegetable experience growing up on the east coast was french fries and a burger garnish. Living now in California has given me access to some of the yummiest, farm fresh vegetables around, and many of them make their way to Millennium. This classic dining spot in the theater district of San Fran is totally organic, sustainable, and earth friendly. Their attention to detail in food preparation can be seen in the beauty as well as the taste of their extensive and creative menu. I was also impressed by their outstanding wine list, with lots of organic and biodynamic picks, and they had some great food/wine pairings that were exceptional in flavor and fun! I also happened to notice on the way out that they do monthly events, like wine tastings, cooking classes, and even an aphrodisiac night on the Sunday nearest the full moon, in connection with the Savoy hotel next door...presumably, their food and wine choices for that evening are stellar :-). Added dining bonus - the service was great, with knowledgeable and friendly staff that explained all the dishes for a veggie novice like myself. Bring your platinum Amex card though, this restaurant is for the well-heeled. I look forward to the day when organic and sustainable food is priced in restaurants so it can be enjoyed every night. For now, you wouldn't be disappointed to spend your special occasion evening at Millennium.
James E.'s keywords: savoy hotel, millennium, dinner, wine, vegan, vegetarian, organic, sustainable, romantic
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In VegNews magazine, Millenium is frequently voted the best vegan restaurant in the country. Having not sampled them all, I can't make that claim, but it's certainly the best one I've eaten at. It's a pricey night out for sure, but it's always a special event and well worth the cost.
Entrees tend to run between $20-25 each. It's comparable to Greens in price, but I find the quality superior. At Geary and Jones, you don't quite get the nice view, but it hardly matters. The desserts are to die for, and as an appetizer suggestion, I always go for the battered oyster mushrooms. The entrees change frequently, but I've never had one I didn't absolutely love.
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