San Francisco Gets its First Proper Vegan Bakery

Gluten-free shop Wholesome Bakery will become San Francisco’s first sit-down vegan bakery this October when it opens its doors in the Lower Haight neighborhood. Since last year, the shop has been operating as a bakery counter in a space shared with outdoor gear retailer Alite in the Mission District and has been selling a limited menu of baked goods such as scones, coffee and tea cakes, petit-fours, and pour-over coffee from local roaster Four Barrel, along with daily lunch specials. Wholesome Bakery founder Mandy Harper launched the company in 2009—then operating as a wholesale distributor of baked goods—with the mission to create gluten-, soy- and animal-free treats with mass appeal. “I have watched the market change over the years,” Harper said, “and the general public lose their hesitation to eat vegan and gluten-free items. I love that the world is becoming more and more aware of what they are buying into.” The new shop—which will double the bakery’s production capacity—will feature a full dining area, freshly baked goods (including Apple Cardamom Crumb Cake, Peanut Butter Bars, and Snickerdoodle Cookies), housemade sourdough bread with avocado spread, and weekend brunches.