14 Best Vegan Restaurants In Los Angeles

For decades, Los Angeles has been an epicenter of plant-based dining. The '60s brought about The Source, the city's infamous vegetarian-centered eatery with a spiritual vibe and cult following (via Eater Los Angeles). It was loved by a unique combination of local hippies and A-list celebrities. Then, in the '70s, The Spot emerged onto the scene. Serving up colorful plant-based dishes three meals a day, it's the oldest continuously operating veggie eatery in the city. 

Fast forward to 2018 when PETA dubbed L.A. the most vegan-friendly city in the nation (via PETA). The animal rights organization praised the west coast metropolis for its variety of plant-based eateries, grocery store options, and even school lunch menus featuring vegan choices. Though the pandemic saw the closing of many restaurants in 2020, there is still an abundance of veg-friendly spots to enjoy throughout the city.

With the new year in full swing, we've compiled a list of the city's top plant-based joints sure to satisfy your hunger without treading on animals or the planet. No matter where in the city you find yourself or what kind of budget you have for dining out, there's a vegan restaurant in Los Angeles waiting for your order.

Get your 'za on with Cruzer Pizza's 100% vegan menu. Located in the heart of Hollywood, Cruzer serves Italian casual classics like pizza, calzones, cheesy breadsticks, caesar salad, and chicken parm sandwiches — all for plant-based eaters. Fans go wild for Cruzer's delicious al dente dough, which comes in regular, thin, thick, and whole wheat. Cruzer even caters to the wheat-averse crowd, offering gluten-free crusts and pasta.

In addition to pizza favorites like Margarita, Hawaiian, and Buffalo chicken, try some of Cruzer's more exotic offerings like the wildly named Quarrygirl.com. This white pizza features olive oil and garlic instead of red sauce topped with vegan sausage, hearty portobello mushrooms, and sweet basil. Need some spice in your life? Order the Indian Kima, featuring vegan ground meat, hot jalapeños, and mouthwatering Indian herbs. Or channel your inner — yet reformed — carnivore to chow down on the meat pizza. Loaded with plant-based ham, sausage, and pepperoni and a hearty helping of Daiya cheese, this pizza's so good, you'll forget you're eating vegan. Oh, and marinara lovers, there's a calzone or plate of spaghetti and faux meatballs with your name on it. At Cruzer, no one will judge if you lick the plate clean.

Don't blink, or you might miss the best Thai fusion joint in Los Angeles. My Vegan is a tiny but mighty plant-based restaurant tucked away in a strip mall in the Eagle Rock neighborhood. With forty years of vegan cooking expertise, the team behind My Vegan proves that you can take animal welfare seriously without sacrificing taste.

My Vegan's commitment to healthy, delectable menu expands beyond vegan versions of traditional Asian dishes like orange chicken and pho. Grab a napkin and rip into RIPP, a.k.a. Rest in Peace Porky, a tangy vegan short rib dish served with a side of creamy cole slaw. Veggie lovers will delight in the a la carte hot kale bowl and spicy green beans, eggplant, and mushrooms. Order noodles or rice — or ask for a burger. My Vegan has awesome between-the-bun options like a savory homemade lentil patty, spicy vegan chicken, as well as the Impossible burger. Add some creaminess with homemade cashew nut cheese, and you're in burger heaven.

You can even start your day at My Vegan with yummy strawberry, blueberry, or banana pancakes drenched in 100% maple syrup. Add a satisfying side of Just Egg or a classic Impossible sausage sandwich. More than just great food, the fast, friendly service makes eating at My Vegan a no-brainer.

Whether you're in Pasadena or West Hollywood, Real Food Daily offers Angelenos delicious organic plant-based comfort food. Sure, you can behave by ordering the fresh and satisfying Real Food salad, featuring roasted sweet potato, garbanzo beans, quinoa, and buttery macadamia parmesan. But you could just as soon load up on cheeseburger egg rolls brimming with Impossible crumbles, tangy dill pickles, and creamy vegan chipotle aioli and ranch.

Nosh on classic Californian grilled avocado toast served with microgreens on thick-cut ciabatta, or give your jaw a workout with the triple-decker club sandwich. Crispy breaded seitan and tempeh bacon turn this deli delight into a vegan must-have. For weekend brunch, you can nosh on breakfast pizza sans gluten. The ranchero sauce, smoked cashew mozzarella, and tofu scramble make this dish a winner. The spot also offers gluten-free pancakes with a unique butterscotch sauce for those craving a sweeter meal. Wash it all down with a homemade coconut ice cream and hemp milkshake sweetened with agave syrup. 

Part of chef Matthew Kenney's global empire, Plant Food + Wine answers the question — what would haute cuisine look like if no animals were involved? This high-end, culinary spot located in Venice provides patrons with a multi-sensory dining experience. Not only does the innovative menu regularly shift to offer local, seasonal selections, but so does the restaurant itself. The large outdoor dining area is available year-round and uses heating lamps to make it tolerable for thin-blooded Southern Californias. Ensconced by olive and fig trees, the outdoor area is also an active garden for Plant Food + Wine's kitchen. Part of the adventure of dining here is connecting the food you're eating to nature.

No upscale restaurant would be complete without an extensive list of organic and sustainable wines. Sip a glass, or crack open a local beer or cider, while dining on gourmet vegan dishes like kelp noodle Cacio e Pepe or merguez-style tempeh and root vegetable puff pastry. Want to enjoy satisfying vegan eats while globetrotting? Plant Food + Wine also has a location in Lima, Peru. With a worldwide presence that proves vegetables and fruits are worthy of the highest honors, Matthew Kenney is indeed bringing plant-based cuisine mainstream.

For those nights when you absolutely don't want to cook but have no idea what you want to eat, Green Leaves has anything your hungry belly could desire. The formidable menu here boasts an array of delicately spiced Thai cuisine, with a hefty focus on meat alternatives. Maybe you're humming for spicy soy shrimp soup. Or maybe you want to sink your teeth into a soy-pepper steak dinner. Or perhaps salty and sweet is your thing, and you gotta have fried soy chicken and pancakes. Spaghetti? Yep. Burritos? Uh-huh. Burgers? Absolutely. Your wish is Green Leaves' command.

For more plant-forward eating, order the Cha Cha pumpkin dish, a warmly spiced medley of vegetables and cashews served with a side of wild rice. Or, try a Thai twist on your greens with the tossed salad. Topped with glass noodles, shredded beets, shiitake mushrooms, and tofu, it's a flavorful, textured delight. Just don't judge Green Leaves by its nondescript dining room in Los Feliz. We promise — the food here is anything but.

Whether you're in Long Beach or Los Feliz, fly on over to Seabirds Kitchen for some locally-grown vegan grub. The classic, plant-forward dishes here sparkle thanks to the eatery's refreshing and unique combinations of tastes and textures. Plus, Seabirds makes everything from scratch in-house, including vegan meat alternatives and cheeses, guaranteeing the freshest food around. Forget regular roasted brussels sprouts. The Seabirds menu features them perfectly burnt, dressed with zingy lime, dijon, cayenne, and fried garlic. And you haven't had nachos until you've had them Korean-style. Crispy organic corn tortilla chips serve as the base for spiced jackfruit, chipotle sour cream, almond feta, and ancho salsa. Even old-school grilled cheese gets a serious upgrade here. Slathered with cashew gruyere spread and creamy basil avocado sauce, this gooey goodness will transport you back to your childhood.

Seabirds also offers one of the most diverse vegan weekend brunch menus in all of Los Angeles. Go beyond basic vegetable scrambles and egg-free pancakes with the chipotle florentine. This pan-seared polenta is loaded up with organic spinach, avocado, and smokey chipotle vegan hollandaise. The biscuit bomb dish explodes with an irresistible combo of sweet and savory flavors. It features chewy maple-fennel tempeh, drizzled with aji yolk sauce and maple syrup, paired perfectly with a fluffy rosemary and cheddar biscuit. Whatever you order at Seabirds Kitchen, you'll be flapping your wings in delight.

Vegan Mexican food is currently experiencing a renaissance, especially in Southern California. According to NPR's food writer Gustavo Arellano, this may be in part because, historically, most indigenous Mexican food was within a plant-based diet (via KQED). Only with the arrival of the Spanish did the meat dishes that define Mexican food today enter North American cuisine.

Doomie's NextMex bridges the old and new worlds by specializing in house-made vegan meat replacements created from tons of creative ingredients, but never jackfruit. Doomies' savory and sweet vegan al pastor rivals the tenderness and taste of pork you'd find roasting on a spit at a local street vendor. The vegan chicken tinga gets its kick from a smokey chipotle seasoning. Try the thinly sliced vegan asada steak or order your tacos bulgogi style, flavored with fruity Korean soy sauce. Doomies compliments these faux meats with decadent, vegan cheeses and soft corn tortillas. Got a hankering for fried food? Try the chimichangas, the flautas, the chile rellenos, or even the fried fish tacos. Order your burrito regular style or wet — drenched in enchilada, queso, and crema sauces. Up the ante even more with NextMex's spicy, chocolatey mole.

This Hollywood hole-in-the-wall is part of a triad of vegan restaurants, including Doomie's Home Cooking right next door. After you've filled up on Mexican, walk a few paces to order the infamous vegan peanut butter and bacon burger. We'll call that your dessert.