Wildseed — Restaurant in San Francisco

The 5% junk fee (“Sf mandates” yaddi yadda), combined with the fact that the minimum tip option is 18% (with the highest percentage listed first for those who aren’t paying attention), as well as the fact that the waiter hovers over you while you pay, making it awkward to enter a custom amount–all of this effectively forcing you to tip a minimum of 23% and most likely more, left a bad taste in my mouth. The greasy Tindle chicken patty made it even worse.

In response to another review, the restaurant said that the 5% isn’t sneaky because it is “commonplace”. It is indeed commonplace, but that doesn’t make it less sneaky–hence the upcoming ban on these surcharges. And there are plenty of restaurants in SF that have been doing just fine by (what a concept!) factoring their costs into their advertised prices; those are the businesses I prefer to patronize. As to the trick of putting your tip percentage options in descending order, that’s pretty much textbook sneaky. I’m not in a hurry to return to Wildseed.

There is a lot to like though: The creative cocktail menu, the art deco-y 1920’s vibe, the varied food options, the fact that it is all plant-based… but ultimately it hasn’t been a win for me.

FOOD: Mostly good, with room for improvement. Last year I had a green pizza (don't remember the name) at the Palo Alto location that was fantastic. On the other hand, the Caponatina pizza that I got to go from this location was disappointing. They seemed to have forgotten the basil and chili oil, and the olives, eggplant and cashew cheese were few and far between. Their fries are good and I love that when I was there for brunch recently, the potato side was smashed potatoes. They were nicely crispy in some parts, a bit under-seasoned but the arugula salad was too salty so eating them together worked ok.

One thing they do badly is selecting plant-based meats. Taste is of course subjective and I can only speak for myself, but I find their “sausage” and “chicken” to have a really disgusting, greasy mouthfeel. When I had their breakfast sausage sandwich, I ended up taking out the sausage. I ordered the chicken sandwich on a lunch visit and did finish it, but hours later I still had a really gross taste and residue in my mouth. I haven’t tried their Impossible burger because I already know I don’t like that brand.

I’m a big fan of Boca Burger for vegan chicken patties and Gardein for vegan hamburgers, I’d love to see Wildseed use brands like these in some of their dishes. Generally speaking, I wish restaurants would stop buying into the notion that, when it comes to mock meats, whatever is newest and most hyped up is automatically best.

DRINKS: Both their alcoholic and non-alcoholic selections look fantastic. However, the cocktail I tried was disappointing. A tiny glass of largely orange juice and oat milk, and they’re charging something like 15-16 dollars for it. Their soda flavors sound great but the sodas are so sugary that they’re undrinkable.

SERVICE: Friendly but slow. I was finally able to flag someone down but for a long time nobody was taking orders in my area of the room, despite repeatedly trying to catch the eye of the servers.

PLACE: The design is nice but the place doesn’t seem very clean. The bathroom smells weirdly musty and unpleasant, and the last time I was there, the same smell was noticeable in the dining area whenever the draft from the windows...

On Eater’s 38 October 2021 Best Restaurants in SF list. They write, “Vegan restaurants have a long and storied legacy in San Francisco, but very few have landed with the kind of widespread mainstream buzz and acclaim that have greeted this Cow Hollow spot, of the Adriano Paganini restaurant empire — and the first with a 100 percent plant-based menu. If anyone can make vegan food trendy among San Francisco’s well-heeled, normally omnivorous masses, Paganini, with his magician’s touch, is the man for the job. It helps, of course, that dishes like the Impossible meat-based rigatoni Bolognese, “neatball” masala, and cheese-less cheesecake are straight-up delicious.”

I had the neatball masala and it was a creamy delicious meal with grains on the bottom. The neatballs are made of lentil and mushroom and taste similar to falafel, but fall apart more easily, which works well for the bowl. Also has ribbons of pickled carrots which are slightly sweet and add a nice taste and texture contrast. I appreciated how the kale was soft and mixed in easily with the rest of the bowl (who really wants their kale to stick out in the meal, right? but it’s good once you get it into your stomach, which this meal helps with).

The panna cotta is nuts. Delicious coconut cream and I feel less guilty because there’s fruit in it. Definitely recommend.

The service was definitely slow. It took at least ten minutes for them to check on me after I was seated, then took a while for the waiter to check on me after I was served my food. When the waiter did check on me, it wasn’t the same waiter who first took my order so I wasn’t sure if I should give them my dessert order or not since usually I deal with only one waiter. I found having multiple waiters okay in retrospect but at the time I didn’t know who to ask for...

Wildseed in San Francisco has quickly become a gem in the vegan dining scene, and for good reason! As vegans, finding great food can feel like an uphill battle, but Wildseed makes it effortless—and incredibly enjoyable.

The moment we walked in, we were warmly greeted by Jarod, I believe the manager, who immediately made us feel welcome and accommodated. His enthusiasm and attentiveness set the tone for an incredible experience.

Our server, Shadwa, was nothing short of amazing. From the start, she checked in on our preferences and any allergies we might have, ensuring every dish was tailored perfectly for us. Her friendliness and genuine care made our meal feel special—and her warm smile never left her face throughout the entire experience. What truly impressed us, though, was when Shadwa requested a slight modification to one of our dishes on our behalf. It’s clear that Wildseed’s team is all about going above and beyond to make sure their guests feel celebrated and cared for.

The food? Simply put: fresh, vibrant, and full of flavor. Every bite felt like a celebration of plant-based cuisine, with dishes that were as visually stunning as they were delicious. The ambiance was equally impressive—modern, clean, and inviting, with a lively energy that made us feel right at home.

From start to finish, Wildseed exceeded our expectations in every way. The combination of outstanding service, nutritious and flavorful food, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere makes this place a top contender for the best vegan restaurants in SF. If you’re in the area and (especially if you’re vegan), Wildseed is a must-visit.

Thank you to Jarod and Shadwa for making our experience so memorable—you truly shine, and we can’t...