Los Angeles, CA, is a haven for vegans and foodies, but especially for foodie vegans. In this city, you can find plant-based options for virtually any cuisine. From classic juicy American burgers to zesty tacos, or fresh baked goods, Los Angeles has options for every palette.
Are you on the hunt for your new favorite vegan eatery? This list will help guide you on the ultimate tour of the best vegan restaurants in Los Angeles.
Whether you prefer sweet or salty, LA has a vegan restaurant for you. Below, you’ll learn about the best of the best in each of these categories:
- The Best Gluten-Free Friendly Eateries
- The Best Vegan Comfort Food
- The Best Vegan Burgers
- The Best Vegan Restaurants Serving Brunch
- The Best Organic Plant-Based Restaurants
- The Best Vegan Food Trucks
- The Best Vegan Bakeries
- The Best Vegan Ice Cream
- The Best Asian-Inspired Vegan Restaurants
Prepare your tastebuds! You’re about to discover what could possibly be your new favorite restaurant in Los Angeles.
In This Article
The Best Gluten-Free Friendly Eateries
The Good Good
One of the best vegan restaurants for Eastern European-inspired cuisine is The Good Good. This eatery is known in Los Angeles for its vegan kitchen, started by a mother-daughter duo.
Would a Los Angeles, California food guide be complete without mentioning avocado toast? Surely not. The Good Good serves theirs on hand-pulled Armenian ‘Matnakash’ bread. Choose from black truffle cream, basil tomato, or the special house falafel, all served over freshly mashed avocado.
They have several oat options like coconut butter or crispy baked potato flavor. The “feel good” lunch bowls feature sprouted garbanzo falafel served alongside creamy tahini, house-made hummus, or baba ganoush. The best part? Most of the dishes are gluten-free!
The Good Good has incredible gluten-free cakes and other baked goodies as well. Their cakes and pastries are made from scratch, and they commit to using all organic products. Their flaky croissants come in chocolate or savory flavors and are baked fresh daily.
Café Gratitude
If you’re hungry but can’t quite decide what for, head to Cafe Gratitude. Their diverse and plant-based menu is nirvana for vegan and gluten-free diners or anyone who loves delicious food and drinks.
Eating at Café Gratitude is more than just a vegan dining experience. Many foodies consider it to be spiritual as they speak food names off the menu aloud to order them. Each item on the menu has a unique affirmation as the title, such as the ‘I am Humble’ Indian curry bowl or the ‘I am Exquisite” coconut calamari.
Most food on their menu (including sweets) is gluten-free or offers grain-less substitutions like cauliflower hemp seed rice.
The one-of-a-kind smoothies at Café Gratitude come in dazzling vivid colors because they are chock full of fresh fruits, veggies, and superfood ingredients. Try “I am illuminated” for a vitamin C-rich combo of oranges, goji berries, and metabolic essential oils. The “I am grace” combines coconut and almond butter with dates and cinnamon for a spiced twist on a coconut cream base.
The Best Vegan Comfort Food
Compton Vegan
Health food meets comfort food? If this sounds too good to be true, then you’ve never been to the Compton Vegan food truck. This food truck is the pinnacle of vegan soul food in Los Angeles. Their plant-based and gluten-free options have all the deliciousness of classic Southern comfort food without the meat.
At Compton Vegan, you can indulge in creamy cashew cream-based mac and cheese. To bring it to the next level, get it topped with smoky pulled ‘pork’and green onions. The plant-based buffalo Chik’n mac and cheese is also a classic if you like a little heat with your mac.
Compton Vegan specializes in ribs made with jack fruit. They’ve perfected the art of preparing the jackfruit in a way that gives it an accurate meat-like texture. You can buy these in a ribz sandwich or on a plate with baked beans and greens. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong with stopping by the Compton Vegan.
Real Food Daily
Comfort food comes in all different shapes and sizes. To some, it’s American Chinese food. To others, it’s fried chicken and gravy. Either way, it’s usually not going to be the healthiest option. Real Food Daily’s chefs have aimed to change that by transforming classic comfort foods into healthier, more balanced, and vegan dishes.
Cheeseburgers are an iconic food in the comfort food category, and Real Food Daily has created a healthier version which has become a cult favorite of guests. They use Impossible burger crumbles, and melted cheese wrapped in crunchy wonton wraps to create their famous Cheeseburger Eggrolls.
The Comfort Bowl is exactly what you should order for some Southern hospitality. It layers grilled seitan over mashed potatoes, vegan gravy, and roasted veggies. The Garlic Noodles are another excellent choice for a cozy Chinese takeout-themed meal. Fried lo mein with sesame oil, tamari, and of course, plenty of garlic create a fragrant and satisfying dish.
If you can’t find a bowl that suits your tastes on the menu, you can also build your own. You can pick from a list of vegan protein sources like braised jackfruit, marinated tempeh, or grilled tofu. Add your grains, lentils, beans, and veggies, and voila! There you have it—your personal comfort food in a bowl.
The Best Vegan Burgers
Monty’s Good Burger
Sometimes, you just want a good burger. Luckily, in Los Angeles, skipping the beef doesn’t mean sacrificing any flavor. At Monty’s Burger, they’ve perfected the art of vegan burgers. This attracts vegan and nonvegan guests who rave over their 100% plant-based menu.
The Impossible burgers here rival their meaty counterparts with juicy patties and fresh ingredients. You can choose to add vegan cheese as well to make it a classic cheeseburger.
Monty’s Good Burger offers more than just good burgers. They even have gluten-free options for vegan chicken tenders. Grab an order of tenders with one of their iconic sauces like classic barbecue, habanero, or even onion aioli. This burger joint is also an excellent choice for hand-breaded fried chicken sandwiches. Crispy juicy perfection. You can’t go wrong with this vegan burger joint.
VOWburger
Are you looking for the tastiness and convenience of fast food with the healthiness of a balanced vegan diet? Look no further! Make your way to VOWburger in Los Angeles to see their plant-based fast food firsthand.
The first three letters of their name represent their vows to be 100% plant-based, operate sustainably, and make fantastic food.
They’ve managed to keep these vows while creating some of the best burgers in the city. Their VowBurger is often likened to the vegan version of an In ‘N Out burger. As one of the top-rated chargrilled plant-based burgers in the whole country, it’s clear that VOWburger is doing something right.
They’re also known for building several other unique sandwiches like a Nashville hot chicken-inspired one, a crispy VOWchickn sandwich fried and topped with crisp lettuce and vegan mayo, and the VOWchickn Caesar Wrap.
Vowburger’s sandwiches and burgers are so delicious they’ll even impress your meat-eating friends.
The Best Vegan Restaurants Serving Brunch
Nic’s On Beverly
Brunch, anyone? Nic’s On Beverly is one of the best vegan restaurants in the area for a delightful outdoor patio dining atmosphere to enjoy brunch. Each meal is packed with flavor and meticulously plated. Their food is based on classic California cuisine, using as much local produce and ingredients as possible.
Nic’s On Beverly will be right up your alley if you enjoy a boozy brunch. They are notorious for having some of the best mimosa buckets in town, with orange, grapefruit, and passionfruit juices to choose from. They also have an impressive list of white, red, and bubbly wines, most of which are sourced from California.
An entire section of their menu is dedicated to brunch, but it’s not just any brunch. Each dish is a masterpiece. The star of the show is their fluffy waffles. To top them off, you can choose brown butter maple sauce, peanut syrup, Meyer lemon, or blueberries. For a savory taste, check out the waffler sandwich, which is full of tasty scrambled vegan eggs and smoky tempeh bacon.
Crossroads Kitchen
At Crossroads Kitchen in Los Angeles, meat-eaters and vegans join forces to enjoy brunch in an upscale yet comfortable atmosphere. They’re open for brunch, lunch, and dinner with Mediterranean-California fusion dishes.
On the weekends, they are a brunch paradise. They have a dedicated brunch menu! You can find breakfast burritos, Crossroads Benedict, and almond mascarpone stuffed french toast. The savory crepes with vegan chardonnay cheese sauce, wild mushrooms, and Mike’s shakshuka with chickpea fritters are downright delectable.
Crossroads Kitchen ensures health-focused meals that pack a punch of flavor. Each dish is carefully curated with natural tastes and textures to let you enjoy the food rather than being reminded you’re eating vegan meats and sauces.
The Best Organic Plant-Based Restaurants
Sage Vegan Bistro
Vegan cuisine and craft beer lovers unite! The extensive menu of delectable and healthy food at Sage Bistro will leave you wanting to order one of everything. A massive bonus is that they proudly exclusively use non-GMO organic ingredients and source from local farmers as often as possible.
The plant-based fare ranges from sandwiches to buddha bowls, pizza, tacos, and more. Other globally inspired dishes on their menu are the orange ‘chicken’ bowl made with crispy tempura cauliflower and the miso rainbow bowl served with fluffy brown rice, spicy tofu, and roasted veggies.
The Sage Vegan Bistro prides itself on its organic and seasonal brews. In fact, it was the first brewery in Echo Park. Stop by for a fresh beer on draft, or take a growler home with you!
Flore Vegan Cuisine
Each plate is exciting and memorable at Flore Vegan Cuisine. They expertly use vegan and organic ingredients to build delicious vegan meals. Flore Vegan strives to make this type of healthy food accessible to all in the community.
Flore Vegan is known for making scrumptious vegan alternatives to classic sandwiches. They have a cheesy tempeh Reuben with saurkraut and 1000 island dressing on rye, and an ‘egg’ salad with tofu scramble, crisp lettuce, and tomato on sourdough.
They’ve perfected dairy-free cheese as well. You’ll notice the sandwiches on their menu include a variety of cashew and tofu cheeses for maximum real-cheese flavor. The cashew cheese plate is a great example of this.
Flore Vegan is making great strides in the Los Angeles vegan food scene, from their hearty meals like vegan gravy and biscuits, or lighter fare like the seitan avocado salad.
The Best Vegan Food Trucks
Cena Vegan
Next taco Tuesday, head to Cena Vegan for authentic Mexican fare (hold the meat). This street food-style restaurant has a reputation for being high quality and great tasting.
They’ve used old family recipes to create the sauces they serve and the marinades they use with their mock meats. The result is tacos, nachos, and burritos bursting with garlic, onion, and chili flavors. Cena Vegan makes its own corn tortillas as well. Don’t forget to top your meal off with fresh guacamole and cashew crema.
Whether you prefer zesty carne asada or adobo simmered barbacoa, Cena Vegan guarantees one of the best vegan restaurant experiences in Los Angeles.
Vegan Hooligans Food Truck
Many fans of the original Vegan Hooligans shop were ecstatic to hear about the opening of their food truck. Now you can find your favorite plant food meets fast food joint in downtown LA and at local food and music festivals.
You’ll love their sandwich selections when you’re hungry for lunch rich in flavor and high in nutrition. They have a fishless ‘fish’ filet no fish burger, the tangy BBQ Western burger, cauliflower buffalo wings, and more.
The Vegan Hooligans Food truck can also cater to your sweet tooth. They’ve brought their famous vegan milkshakes to their food truck so that you can get delicious creamy milkshakes on the go.
The owners of Vegan Hooligans love having a food truck to bring their health-conscious vegan fast food to the community in Los Angeles.
The Best Vegan Bakeries
Just What I Kneaded Bakery
All the vegan goodies you could ever dream of can be found at Just What I Kneaded. This bakery specializes in cakes, sweet treats, and bagel sandwiches. But these aren’t your average bakery items. Instead, each baked good is crafted like a work of art with special attention to fresh and unique ingredients and decorations.
Their chocolate chip cookies are a best seller and get rave reviews from vegans and omnivores. The same can be said for their massive cinnamon rolls, served warm, spiced, and frosted to perfection. If you want something savory, choose from their bagel sandwiches like the BLTA, which uses vegan seitan bacon on crusty fresh bread and barbecue sauce for an extra zing.
If you’re in the market for a custom cake, Just What I Kneaded can help you. They’ve created raspberry-filled cakes topped with chocolate ganache and frosting wildflowers blooming from the top. If you prefer cute over pretty, you could get cartoon-themed cake such as the one they made with snoopy perfectly piped on top. Let Just What I Kneaded bakery make your wildest cake fantasies a reality!
Erin McKenna’s Bakery
Erin McKenna’s Bakery creates each cookie, cake, and pastry with love. She and her team stray from using any harmful ingredients. Instead, they use ingredients that cater to gluten, egg, dairy, and soy allergies. Erin’s bakery items are indulgent yet health-minded.
When you walk Erin McKenna’s Bakery, you’ll be met with an adorable pink and 50’s themed atmosphere. But more importantly, you’ll see the glorious choices of cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.
The chocolate chip cookies will blow your mind and rock your tastebuds. How can this much gooey chocolatey flavor be packed into one cookie? Do you want to rock your tastebuds even more? Order the cookie sandwich in chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin with vanilla, double chocolate with mint, or ginger with lemon frosting.
Their donuts include salted caramel, coffee crunch, and powdered blueberry, to name a few. Pick up your favorite flavor or order a dozen to try them all, or share to make someone’s day.
The Best Vegan Ice Cream
Magpie’s Softserve
Vegan desserts are well established in the Los Angeles food scene. With an entirely vegan and gluten-free menu, Magpie’s Softserve leads the pack regarding soft-serve.
Its major claim to fame is the coveted soft-serve pie. These pies come in eight different flavors to choose from. You could order their Original ‘fried’ pies with corn almond soft serve topped with vegan fudge, honeycomb, and dairy-free whipped cream. Or maybe you’re more in the mood for a flavor like banana pudding, strawberry shortcake, peanut butter, and chocolate.
They have about eight soft-serve flavors of the day, with flourless chocolate cake and apricot orange creamsicle as some standout options. Don’t forget to add some of their vegan and (mostly) gluten-free toppings! Go classic with rainbow sprinkles or a chocolate hard shell coating. If you’re feeling adventurous, check out the white chocolate waffle pieces and the maple coconut chips. With fifteen choices, you’re bound to find a soft-serve and topping combination perfect for you.
Dear Bella Creamery
Dairy-free ice cream never tasted this good! With artisanal craftsmanship put into each cone, Dear Bella Creamery is some of the best vegan and dairy-free ice cream in Los Angeles, if not the country!
At Dear Bella, all ice cream is house-made, beginning from each recipe’s inception. The chefs and owners take inspiration from their Taiwanese roots, which you can see reflected in many flavors. They don’t use artificial colors or sweeteners, so with a cone from Dear Bella Creamery, you can guarantee that what you’re eating is all-natural.
Their unique flavors range from nostalgic favorites like chocolate chip cookie dough or rocky road while testing cutting-edge tastes like Taiwanese pineapple cake, Lychee Raspberry Daiquiri, or Horchata. In total, they have about sixteen flavor choices for ice cream fanatics in Los Angeles, which rotate quarterly.
If you can’t decide between a couple of flavors, no problem! Dear Bella Creamery sells their ice cream by the pint as well. They also ship nationwide if you’re not in Los Angeles, CA but are craving some scoops of their indulgent dairy-free ice cream.
The Best Asian-Inspired Vegan Restaurants
GoKoKu Vegetarian Ramen Shop
When you’re hankering for ramen done right with rich broth, tender noodles, and tasty toppings, visit GoKoKu Vegetarian Ramen Shop. But why stop there? GoKoKu’s menu also has sushi and other Asian cuisine appetizers like mock-pork-filled bao, bibimbap, and poke bowls.
Their menu items have unique personalities to complement their fantastic traditional flavors. The Pokemon bento box, curry ramen, and caterpillar roll with soy paper are some impressive plant food versions of the classic dishes.
This restaurant gets incredible reviews for its fabulous food and its attention to customer satisfaction. If you need to modify an order based on dietary restrictions, the kitchen will do its best to work with you and create a meal to fit your diet.
With generous portions and attention to detail of each dish, GoKoKu is one of the best plant-based restaurants in Los Angeles.
Shojin
Head to Shojin in downtown Los Angeles or Culver City for Japanese cuisine with a vegan spin. This vegan restaurant infuses traditional Japanese flavors with organic ingredients to create incredible dishes. You can find flavorful and fresh versions of miso soup, sushi rolls, gyoza, and tempura.
The chefs are skillful and creative, ensuring each plate is beautifully arranged and garnished. Their vegan sushi specialties include spicy “tuna” on crispy rice and decadent soft “crab” rolls.
As for sweet treats, they offer decadent banana tempura and a fluffy green tea mousse, both of which are crowd favorites.
Is Your Mouth Watering Yet?
These restaurants are top picks in for both vegans and omnivores becuase they’re all downright delicious. You don’t need to be a vegan to appreciate this fine fare.
Has this list inspired you to start planning your next brunch destination, dinner date, or the moment when you can devour an expertly grilled Impossible burger? If you’re a local or if you’re planning to visit California, keep this list handy next time you want to try a new restaurant.
Los Angeles has no shortage of vegan culinary delights. You can rest assured that the ever-evolving vegan food scene in this city won’t disappoint.
