7 San Francisco desserts for every dietary restriction

With that in thoughts, listed below are seven San Francisco desserts which are gluten-free, vegan and price a visit, regardless of the forecast.

Mariposa Baking Firm inside San Francisco’s Ferry Constructing makes a speciality of gluten-free baked items. (Natalie Mead/Particular to SFGATE, Marisa R., Janis M., Adam S./Yelp)
Mariposa Baking Firm inside San Francisco’s Ferry Constructing makes a speciality of gluten-free baked items. (Natalie Mead/Particular to SFGATE, Marisa R., Janis M., Adam S./Yelp)

Looking for candy aromas at Mariposa Baking Firm

As somebody who’s had meals sensitivities for my complete grownup life (together with another quite common dessert elements, like chocolate), I do know what I am on the lookout for in a satisfying dessert. I prioritize style over seems to be, as a result of as somebody who cannot eat so many issues, distinctive style can cowl a large number of sins. 

However apart from the desserts, I additionally needed to seek out particular experiences, just like the candy aroma of waffle cones in an ice cream store, or the joys of choosing a lovely pastry from a glass case. Most significantly, I additionally hoped to seek out locations that I might share with buddies, no matter their dietary preferences.

My first cease, Mariposa Baking Company, was promising on all fronts. Positioned within the bustling Ferry Constructing simply previous the Heath Ceramics outpost, its glass circumstances of lovely pastries draw passing vacationers and locals alike. Although all the pieces they promote is gluten-free, all of it seems to be scrumptious.

Of all of the locations I visited, Mariposa was greatest at labeling its meals: each merchandise had a sticker noting frequent allergens, and the web site lists all the elements for each merchandise, so you may try the menu in your telephone earlier than shopping for. The workers have been useful and confirmed me which desserts have been vegan: two customary a la carte gadgets, plus a pack of raspberry bars and a tray of apple crumble.

I picked the raspberry bars, which was $16 for a four-pack. The raspberry jam within the heart tasted extremely satisfying, but the crumb topping was missing within the buttery taste I recalled from different crumbles. Nonetheless, a scrumptious deal with to choose up and luxuriate in as you stroll via varied retailers or sit open air to look at the ferries take off.

Bedazzled in sprinkles by The Completely happy Vegan

Subsequent up was the brand new child on the town, and Mariposa’s foil: The Happy Vegan. Began in September 2020 from a mail-order granola and snack enterprise, roughly half of its orders at this time are for supply through DoorDash or UberEats. Positioned on Bayshore Boulevard between the Lowe’s and 101 on-ramp, The Completely happy Vegan is a hole-in-the-wall with a small to-go ordering window. There is a single chair and desk on the sidewalk, however the noise from passing massive rigs and the close by automotive wash made me marvel if anybody has ever sat there. The proprietor of The Completely happy Vegan, Tobias Patella, instructed me he hopes to get an area to accommodate dine-in clients quickly. I hope they do, too, as the present location undoubtedly lacks the dine-in vibe I hoped for.

The Completely happy Vegan’s complete menu is gluten-free and vegan, and lots of of its gadgets are additionally soy-free. Every merchandise is labeled with frequent allergens, and the workers have been educated concerning the elements in every of the goodies I ordered. At first, I deliberate to solely get the blueberry “cheesecake” ($7), however I additionally satisfied myself to order a strawberry doughnut ($5). I used to be handed two brown compostable takeout containers — a far cry from Mariposa’s desserts, that are packaged in shiny cellophane.

However upon taking my first chew of the blueberry cheesecake, I forgot all about The Completely happy Vegan’s lack of curb attraction. The cheesecake, impressed by a recipe from Patella’s mom, is each his favourite and mine. The crust was delicate and the cake had contemporary blueberries baked in, leaving brilliant blue streaks all through. The creamy slice was additionally adorned with a syrupy drizzle and much more contemporary blueberries. I used to be stunned by how related it was to actual cheesecake in texture, consistency and taste. It even had that tangy, bitter style that I didn’t even notice I missed about cheesecake.

I additionally suggest including the Completely happy Vegan’s plant-based whipped cream to any dessert, which tastes similar to the actual deal. Simply to make certain I wasn’t overselling this cheesecake, I had my husband (who has no dietary restrictions) strive it. He cherished it, too.

The strawberry doughnut, which was bedazzled with brilliant pink icing and rainbow sprinkles, was a little bit of a disappointment. The icing regarded appetizing, but it surely was too candy, and the cake half was too delicate and dense. It didn’t even have the crunchy exterior and fluffy inside that I used to understand from common doughnuts. However it was, in any case, the one try at a gluten-free vegan doughnut I’ve discovered wherever within the metropolis. So I am glad somebody is making an attempt it. (I additionally tried The Completely happy Vegan’s muffins on a distinct day, and although they are not technically dessert, they have been extraordinarily tasty.)

Healthful Bakery’s crown of pastel icing

The one different totally gluten-free and vegan bakery with a bodily location in SF is Wholesome Bakery. What Mandy Harper began as a road meals enterprise in 2009 grew right into a wholesale mannequin earlier than she lastly settled into a store at Web page and Divisadero in 2018, throughout from Sightglass Espresso. Healthful can also be dedicated to being freed from soy and refined sugars, and utilizing natural, sustainable elements. 

Much like Mariposa, Healthful has a pleasant bakery setup with treats organized in a glass case on the counter. The worker on the counter instructed me that almost all of their baked items use coconut merchandise, like coconut flour, sugar or cream. I attempted the almond teacake, which is one among its extra standard gadgets, and a rainbow coconut cupcake ($5.25 every).

The almond tea cake had an earthy, nutty colour and a floor speckled with almond slivers and coconut flakes. The flavour is bound to fulfill any almond lover (although it was a bit too sturdy for my style), and it had the consistency of a pound cake.

Healthful Bakery’s proprietor Mandy Harper instructed SFGATE her baked items are on monitor to debut in Complete Meals later this 12 months. (Natalie Mead/Particular to SFGATE)
Healthful Bakery’s proprietor Mandy Harper instructed SFGATE her baked items are on monitor to debut in Complete Meals later this 12 months. (Natalie Mead/Particular to SFGATE)

The cupcake wore a crown of pastel icing that light from purple to pink with rainbow sprinkles. My mouth watered simply taking a look at it. The primary chew was completely balanced, with simply sufficient cake and icing on the similar time. If the cupcake had been fluffier, and the frosting extra flavorful, it could have felt similar to I used to be at a childhood birthday celebration with balloons, presents and piñatas.

Each treats I attempted from Healthful Bakery have been nice contemplating all of the restrictions they’re working with — utilizing no refined sugar in desserts is very tough. And simply as The Completely happy Vegan has the one gluten-free vegan doughnut in SF, Healthful is the one bakery I do know of that’s secure for individuals who keep away from refined sugar or soy. I’m glad Harper is recreating traditional desserts that individuals like me can eat. She really helpful I strive the galettes subsequent time.

Healthful Bakery is on monitor to get into Complete Meals someday later this 12 months, and Harper hopes to open one other location in LA, the place she says the vegan meals scene is rather more vibrant (the plant-based restaurant Cafe Gratitude, for instance, didn’t catch on in San Francisco, although it has a number of places in LA at this time).

A savory pairing at Salt & Straw and U :Dessert Story

The ultimate two dessert locations I explored in San Francisco have gluten-free vegan choices, however they are not totally gluten-free amenities. So, folks with celiac illness ought to cease studying right here.

Salt & Straw, the Portland-based chain, is well-known for its elaborate and infrequently unusual ice cream flavors. However what I did not know till looking for gluten-free vegan desserts is that Salt & Straw retains at the least 20% of its menu vegan always. The 2 customary vegan flavors, freckled mint chocolate chip and roasted pineapple coconut sherbet, are each gluten-free. (Salt & Straw, like Mariposa, lists all of its elements on its web site.)

Salt & Straw retains plenty of its menu choices gluten-free. (Natalie Mead/Particular to SFGATE, Vanessa O./Yelp)
Salt & Straw retains plenty of its menu choices gluten-free. (Natalie Mead/Particular to SFGATE, Vanessa O./Yelp)

I attempted one of many month-to-month flavors: the boysenberry oat milk sherbet, and loved my single scoop of sunshine purple sweetness ($5.95) from a bench in Patricia’s Inexperienced park close to the Hayes Valley store. I cherished that the oat milk ice cream had a milder taste than coconut milk or cream, and it tasted simply candy sufficient, however not too candy. The consistency was precisely proper, although it doesn’t have the creamy style of dairy ice cream. Total, I would undoubtedly order the oat milk sherbet once more, and I like Salt & Straw for having choices for buddies with much less restricted diets.

In the case of a dessert outing with buddies, U :Dessert Story actually takes the cake. I would been right here for sweets years in the past, and I remembered extravagant plates of smoking volcano bingsoo and different picture-perfect Asian-influenced desserts passing my desk. Whereas I did not anticipate to have the ability to indulge within the extra elaborate choices, I did hope to seek out some gluten-free and vegan treats at U :Dessert Story.

The menu was clearly labeled for gluten-free and vegan, although solely their mochi gadgets have been each. I ordered the Anko Dangho purple bean and strawberry mochi ($11.50). This was by far the most costly dessert I would tried, in order I waited for my plate, I puzzled what they might do to make glutinous rice truffles look extra presentable. 

The end result was a incredible show of skewered mochi delicately adorned with purple bean paste and contemporary strawberries. I am not an enormous fan of purple bean, however I needed to admit that it was the proper savory pairing for the candy berries as I pulled the chewy mochi items one-by-one off the skewers.

In the case of style, the mochi at U :Dessert Story was actually scrumptious, simply pretty much as good as Salt & Straw’s oat milk sherbet. This can be a nice choice for a flowery night time out with buddies or a date night time that may accommodate a wide range of dietary wants.

Total, The Completely happy Vegan’s blueberry “cheesecake” was my favourite of the gluten-free vegan desserts I attempted, however I’d return to any of those locations once more when craving a deal with that I can eat. I’m particularly rooting for Healthful Bakery and The Completely happy Vegan as they blaze the path for what I hope is many different gluten-free vegan bakeries in San Francisco sooner or later. 

However I’m additionally glad to know that when the wind picks up and the fog rolls in, and even when an unprecedented warmth wave strikes, there’s a spot I can go for a scoop of ice cream or a decadent slice of blueberry cheesecake.