Z Cafe and Bar, Oakland

I mentor youth here in SF, and one of the girls I work with is a very picky eater.  We're working on it, slowly, and I know enough about the restaurants in the city to have a long list of places we can dine happily together.  However, for our outing to the Warriors game in Oakland last night, I had to do some research.  I knew I wanted someplace that had at least one vegan option and was near enough to the arena so we wouldn't be rushed.  After some online scouting and an email or two, we ended up going to, and loving Z Cafe and Bar.

That right there is their "Vegetarian Burger" which I confirmed was vegan (even with the bun!) via their Facebook page.  Gotta love places that use social media effectively.  Made of black beans, chickpeas, veggies, oats, and spices,  it is hearty and flavorful, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Not only that, but the waitstaff is friendly and on top of things, and it only took us 10 minutes to get to the game afterward, making us the real winners.

The Z Salad (hold the cheese) and the Blackberry Cabernet sorbet were also delicious, and they have other veganizable items on the menu as well.  I wasn't drinking (not kosher while mentoring, duh) but they have a huge bar and it looked like they were putting out a ton of tasty cocktails.  Should I ever find myself in that neck of the woods again, I wouldn't hesitate to dine there and bring friends.  Thanks Z Cafe!

Next up, some Napa Valley eats..... meanwhile, have a great weekend, everyone!