Vegan food at Burma Love in San Francisco!

I was recently in San Francisco for a work appreciation day, which landed our group at “Burma Love” in the Mission District, one of the best places for vegan Burmese food!

I’ve previously visited both Burma Love and “Burma Superstar” (Burma Love’s “older sibling restaurant”) and am a big fan of their atmosphere and cuisine. I lived in SF for a couple of years in my 20s, and Burma Superstar was one of the few restaurants I visited more than once. Burma Superstar has a collection of restaurants serving Burmese cuisine in the Bay Area, with the mission to “Spread love the Burma way through the simple goodness of food”. Burma Superstar also works with the community through its non-profit, “Future Superstars“. They offer scholarship opportunities and work with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to hire and train refugees from Burma.

Burma Love was selected as our dinner stop for its inclusive menu and stellar reputation. With traditional, vegan, and even gluten-free offerings, there is something for everyone. The plates are large portioned, making it easy to serve family-style, so our group shared most everything. (And since I was the only vegan at dinner, I managed to spread the good word on tofu!)

To start, we shared Burma Love’s “Homemade Yellow Bean Tofu,” a group favorite and the star of my meal. Burmese tofu is generally made from chickpeas or lentils, and is just as crispy on the outside and soft on the inside as soybean tofu. This was served with a sweet and zingy sauce and topped with scallions and sesame seeds. We also shared the “Vegetarian Samusas“, aka Burmese Samosas, which are tasty, savory pastries filled with spiced tofu and peas.

For my main, I shared the “Burma Love Mint Tofu“. A dish of cubed tofu, tossed in a sauce made with soy sauce, jalapeños, garlic, cilantro, and mint. It has a slight kick of heat, but is tame enough for me, and crave-worthy. I paired this with a side of Jasmine rice and heaping of “Dried Fried String Beans“.

The Dried Fried String Beans were another favorite of the group, and something I would absolutely order again. The green beans are pan-fried and tossed with a garlic, soy, and chili sauce, then topped with chili flakes and fried onions. These may read as spicy, but the flavor is balanced and ultimately mouth-watering.

My cocktail of choice was called “Peacock’s Dream” (the peacock is the royal symbol of Burma, and the logo of the Burma Superstar collection). The Peacock’s Dream is a mix of Japanese Whiskey, aquafaba, lemon, beet syrup, Amaro Ciociaro, and rose petals. The drink is a balanced combination of sweet and sour, with a light and refreshing body. (I ordered two!) The foam in this cocktail used to be made from egg white, but is now made with aquafaba- the starchy liquid from cooked chickpeas! I love the ingenuity of plants!

Burma Love is the perfect dining spot if you have a mixed bag of dietary requests, plus it’s a long-time favorite of this vegan. The tofu dishes are incredible, as are all of the vegetable-forward entrees (I am looking at you string beans!). The menu is clearly labeled for those with dietary restrictions, but the servers are also friendly and well-informed if you have questions. When in San Francisco, check out Burma Love!

Looking for vegan dining in Hayes Valley? Check out my blog post on Om Sabor within Phonobar in San Francisco, here.

My Order – Vegan at Burma Love

Appetizers

• Homemade Yellow Bean Tofu
• Vegetarian Samosas

Mains

• Burma Love Mint, with Tofu (can be made gluten-free)

Vegetables & Tofu

• Deep Fried String Beans (gluten-free)

Cocktails

• Peacock’s Dream

Burma Love Location- 211 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94103 (Mission District)

Burmalove.co