The San Francisco Bay Area is a Mecca for vegetarians with nearly 100 vegetarian restaurants in the region. There are 27 vegetarian restaurants in the city of San Francisco alone. The South Bay has 32 vegetarian restaurants, with an emphasis on Indian foods, while the East Bay has 17. There are another dozen between the North Bay (9) and the Peninsula (3).

Bay Area Vegetarians (BAVeg) sponsors the annual "Best of Veg" survey to recognize the top vegetarian restaurants in the area and to raise awareness of how easy it is to dine with compassion and good health, vegetarian-style. BAVeg uses the most popular choices from the Ultimate Guide to Vegetarian Living in the SF Bay Area to determine the initial selections for the 30-question survey. Then the public is encouraged to dine at vegetarian restaurants of their choice and vote for their favorites in several categories. Now, and through November 15th, diners can vote for their favorite restaurants online at Bay Area Vegetarians' website.

Update 12/9: This Year's Winners

Read More | Best of Veg 2006 | Ultimate Guide to Vegetarian Living in the SF Bay Area