Rad Radish

The colorful interior of Rad Radish welcomes you with hanging macramé plants, wall art and plenty of natural light. It all feels wholesome, which makes sense since this is a completely plant-based restaurant. It’s fast food, though, ordered at the counter and brought to you with a number flag at your table; if only it had a drive-through.

We loved our lunch here. My vegetarian daughter was in ecstasy both over her crispy chicken sandwich (made with Impossible chicken) loaded with green apple slaw, pickles and herb aioli and over the fact that absolutely everything on the menu was available to her. I ordered a seasonal item, the mezze wrap with green falafel, hummus, tzatziki, and the usual components, which was fantastic, and the manager insisted we also try his seasonal burger. Each month or so, he rolls out a new specialty burger, and this one was the Yassa Queen, a Senegalese-spiced burger, which was my favorite of the three mains we shared. It’s doctored with a spicy nutty aioli, cabbage and mustard grilled onions. I had a mango basil probiotic soda, refreshing in its slender glass that looks like a Mason jar went on Ozempic, and my daughter had the lavendar latté. We shared an appetizer of chili crisp cauliflower, raving about everything we ate. We visited on a rainy San Francisco day, but everything felt bright and uplifting about this space and the meal.

The vibe: Fast food (but vegan!) in a cheerful atmosphere.

The food: Vegan fare that could fool you into believing it’s meat.

The drink: Housemade probiotic sodas, beer, wine, espresso drinks, matcha.

Time Out tip: You’re kitty-corner to the Davies Symphony Hall; grab a healthy dinner before the show. Then afterward, return for an avocado and chocolate ganache with seasonal berries and almonds… it’s to die for.