Change Lives, Eat Well: Sprouts’ Must-Taste Restaurant List

On the menu today? Sprouts’ restaurant recommendations for San Francisco and Oakland. 

Not only do these restaurants serve delicious food, but they give back. All Bay Area restaurants listed here host Sprouts Chef Trainees in their kitchens. As they teach, they equip Sprouts’ youth to rise from hardship through culinary training.


SAN FRANCISCO RESTAURANTS

Boulevard

You might know Boulevard for its iconic location on the Embarcadero waterfront or its unbeatable Hamachi crudo. But, there’s even more magic at Boulevard this summer! Chef Dana Younkin has welcomed Kathy Dao into the kitchen to gain essential cooking skills and explore the culinary industry as a sustainable career path. Visit Boulevard to support Kathy and her crew!

Photos Courtesy of Elfi Chandra | Erin Seamans | Boulevard

Saison

Two Michelin-star Saison is known for its open kitchen concept and innovative French-American tasting menus. Peer into the kitchen, and you might catch intern Daniela at work. She’s soaking up new culinary skills alongside Chef Mentor Richard Lee!

Photos Courtesy of Saison | Tracy Easton

Nopa

Visit Keila this summer at Nopa restaurant! Patrons praise Nopa for its local ingredients and creative cocktail menu. The two-story dining space is as unique and memorable as the food, prepared by Keila and Chef Mentor Laurence Jossel.

Photos Courtesy of Jair Solano | Nopa

Osito

Osito is the fiery brainchild of Chef Seth Stowaway, pictured here with his intern Sandra Montejo. This Mission District treasure is known for its live-fire tasting menu, but also its community-minded atmosphere. At Osito, intern Sandra learns the essential job skills she’ll need to provide for herself. She experiences the joys of a fulfilling career with her kitchen family.

Photos Courtesy of Osito | Jair Solano | Erin Seamans

Slanted Door Group

Slanted Door’s glassy SF flagship is a gorgeous setting for Vietnamese cuisine and Bay Views. And, when you dine with any Slanted Door restaurant, your dinner supports Slanted Door’s Chef Trainee Wilson. Wilson is a first-generation American with a passion for sustainability. Slanted Door’s commissary kitchen is the perfect place for him to explore this passion while earning steady income to support himself. You can chip in to fund Wilson’s future with a contribution to his chef training.

Photos Courtesy of Slanted Door Group | Kim Thompson Steel

 


OAKLAND RESTAURANTS

alaMar Kitchen & Bar

alaMar in Oakland is like a fresh breeze of maritime air. In addition to modern seafood and drinks, this restaurant serves up world-class cooking advice to Sprouts Chef Trainees like Johanna. Johanna has found the strength to overcome bullying and the loss of their father through cooking, which is why they’re excited to train at alaMar and pursue a career in the field.

Photos Courtesy of Erin Seamans | alaMar

Chop Bar

With its rustic-chic charm and menu full of comfort food, it’s easy to see why Chop Bar is known as a neighborhood gathering place. The kitchen is home to Janai, a Sprouts Chef Trainee transitioning from the foster system into the workforce. Janai’s internship at Chop Bar is her pathway to a steady restaurant job and dreams of opening a restaurant someday. Stop by this gastropub for good food and heartwarming stories. 

Photos Courtesy of Erin Seamans | Chop Bar

Sobre Mesa

Visit this stunning Afro-Latino inspired cocktail lounge for small plates with big impact. In the kitchen, Chef Trainee Vicky grows their passion for cooking into a sustainable career. If you’d like to support Vicky, consider a donation to fund her chef training.

Photos Courtesy of Kristen Loken | Sobre Mesa

Mago

Though the menu rotates, one thing remains constant at Mago: unwavering commitment to youth empowerment. Sprouts Chef Trainee Joy Pope will gain confidence in herself and her future as she apprentices in Mago’s kitchen this summer. We find the contemporary Colombian cuisine at this stylish venue tastes even better when it’s prepared with purpose.

Photos Courtesy of Mago | Erin Seamans

A16 Rockridge

A16 is the neighborhood pizza restaurant of the Bay, known for its Southern Italian flavors and acclaimed wine list. On the team at A16 are James Beard award recipients, sommeliers knighted by Italian royalty… and now, Sprouts Intern Dino. As an outlet, cooking kept Dino grounded through countless family struggles in their past, from their grandmother’s dementia to their mother’s substance abuse battle. At A16, Dino is able to turn a love of cooking into a tool for self-sufficiency and creative expression. Support Dino with a trip to A16 Rockridge!

Photos Courtesy of A16 Rockridge | Erin Seamans

Cocina del Corazón (Catering)

At your next party or event, consider catering with Cocina del Corazon for farm-to-table Mexo-Californio Cuisine! Not only will the food wow guests, but the story of the community-centric kitchen will inspire them. This summer, Cocina is hosting Raul, a Sprouts Chef Intern who has found his place in this commissary kitchen.

Photos Courtesy of Cocina Del Corazon | Erin Seamans

Eat well and change lives by supporting Sprouts Chef Trainees and their kitchen families! Every time you make a reservation with one of our partners, you support our youth.

Sprouts Chef Training is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit equipping youth to rise from hardship through culinary training and job placement. Youth are paired with a chef mentor and case manager to develop the skills needed to secure and maintain a culinary job. Graduates use these entry-level jobs to kickstart culinary careers, pay for education, or pursue new industries.

Community Support: We thank our restaurant partners and community sponsors for training and funding our interns.