The Best Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurants in Los Angeles

From plant-based soul food to wood-fired pies, ramen, sushi, and more.

January 2022 is coming in hot, representing a time to reset, renew, and try to implement a good habit or two, which is hard enough during normal times, so no judgment if it doesn’t work out this year. Thankfully for Veganuary participants, or anyone looking to make resolutions around eating less meat, there’s no better place to do so than LA, where delicious plant-based options abound on nearly every corner. While vegan eaters were once relegated to steamed veggies and pasta, these days, between fine dining chefs who have amended their menus to accommodate plant-based eaters, and technology that replicates the taste of our favorite meats and seafoods, the selection is nearly endless. Whether it’s a housemade veggie burger, fishless sushi, a new spin on soul food, or a solid vegan brunch, skip the meat at these 22 vegetarian and vegan venues throughout the city.

This swanky bistro on Beverly is a great restaurant for mixed groups of plant-based eaters and omnivores, with a lush garden patio, impressive brunch and dinner menus with cocktail lists to match, and a broad selection of veggie dishes than ranges from benedicts and waffles for brunch to wood-fired Detroit-style pizzas, pastas, burgers, and tacos for lunch and dinner. The avocado crispy rice and butter lettuce cups with Beyond pork sausage are popular choices to get you started and make sure you save room for a dark chocolate mousse or banana split for dessert.
How to order: Make reservations online. Order takeout and delivery online.

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Available for Reservations

Burgerlords

Chinatown and Highland Park

This beloved walk-up window started as a regular burger spot—you know, serving the usual, meaty kind—five years ago and quickly proved why they deserved the descriptor “Lords” in their name. In 2020, they made the switch to a completely vegan menu, including a proprietary, 30-ingredient vegan burger patty that doesn’t intend to replicate the taste of meat, but rather the heartiness and satisfaction that a burger leaves you with. It’s served on a sponge bun with Follow Your Heart American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and house-made 2,000 Island sauce. You can also get it gluten-free, in a sourdough garlic melt, or opt for a simple grilled cheese on rustic sourdough bread. Crispy tofu nuggets, In-n-out style “Lord of the Fries” with cheese, grilled onions, and 2,000 Island sauce are also on offer, in addition to vegan milkshakes made with soy milk, almond milk, and Soom tahini.
How to order: Walk up or order pickup and delivery online.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Souley Vegan

Koreatown

This Bay Area chain quickly expanded down the coast and even to Las Vegas thanks to comforting, Louisiana-style soul food staples translated for a plant-based diet. Start with hearty zucchini and hearts of palm croquettes served with a creamy and zesty dipping sauce, or “Deez Ain’t Gator” bites with diced hot links and mushrooms battered in a Creole spice mix, before moving onto mains like New Orleans okra gumbo, skillet mac and cheese, and crispy house-madwe seitan served with waffles. You’ll also want to tack on side orders of Southern-fried tofu, cinnamon-brown sugar yams, and sweet potato biscuits. The good news? Souley is takeout and delivery only, so you’re free to go wild and stock up on leftovers for later.
How to order: Pickup and delivery via Chownow.

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Berbere Restaurant
Photo by Danielle G. Adam, courtesy of Berbere

Berbere Restaurant

Santa Monica

Named for the Ethiopian spice blend, this self-proclaimed “unusual vegan restaurant” that’s become one of the buzziest restaurantson the Westside in recent months, is all about plant-based fare with an Ethiopian twist. Chef Tezeta “Tete” Alemayehu (who gained a following during her stint at Smorgasburg) incorporates produce from SaMo’s nearby fabled farmers market to create unique dishes, like gluten-free blueberry teff pancakes and garbanzo scrambles at breakfast, and rosemary root salad, potato-mushroom-lentil tacos, and a butternut squash-based burger come lunch. Also look for fresh-pressed juices and smoothies.
How to order: Walk-ins welcome. Reservations accepted for special events and larger parties. Order for pickup online or for delivery through delivery apps.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

The Vtree

Silver Lake

Soul food and vegan fare don’t often commingle, but they’re in a full-on happy marriage at this vegan-soul food restaurant that started as a pop-up at Yamashiro and went full-on brick and mortar earlier this year. Celeb chef Velvet has created plays on classics with country fried chick’n, jambalaya, meatless loaf, and sides like collard greens, potato salad, black-eyed peas, and mac and cheese, along with originals like house-made black bean burgers, po’boy sandwiches, and buffalo mushroom bites. Don’t sleep on the formidable dessert list that includes red velvet cupcakes, lemon pound cupcakes, and chocolate chip cookies.
How to order: Walk-ins only for dine-in. Pickup and delivery through UberEats or other delivery apps.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

This newly opened spot is focused on bringing more healthy food options to South LA and has become known for its house-made Jamaican-style veggie patties (which are also sold frozen for stocking up and stashing away) in flavors ranging from curry potato to spinach-kale to soy-based beefy. Also check out the daily soups, sides of African-style greens, BBQ tofu, and okra and tomatoes, all of which can be ordered in large-format catering trays, too. And don’t forget desserts like Baba chocolate cake and banana pudding.
How to order: Walk-ins only for dine in. Place pickup orders by calling and order delivery via DoorDash.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Veggie Grill

Various locations

The fast-casual chain has more than a dozen locations in LA County, all of which offer a much-appreciated quick bite for vegans and those who want a break from the sofritas at Chipotle. They offer vegan alternatives to tacos and burritos, but also good stuff like superfood-laced salads and bowls, burgers, nachos, and mac and cheese. To mark the aforementioned Veganuary, the restaurant group will be bringing back its popular orange chickin’ (and giving $1 from each sale to charity) plus doing Insta giveaways.
How to order: Walk-ins only for dine-in. Order online for pickup or delivery.

Native Foods

Westwood

Only one LA location remains of this fast-casual chain originally founded in Palm Springs by plant-based powerhouse chef Tanya Petrovna (who is no longer involved with the company and now operates local faveChef Tanya’s Kitchenout in the desert). This UCLA-adjacent location is still slinging salads, veggie-and-grain-heavy bowls, and lots of faux meat sandwich options including a Nashville hot crunchy chicken sando, a BBQ brisket burger, and a crispy cauliflower po’ boy.
How to order: Walk-ins only for dine-in. Order online for pickup or via delivery apps for delivery.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Lotus Vegan

North Hollywood

This Valley spot isn’t just vegan, it’s also organic and promises that all of its dishes are free of both MSG and white sugar. The massive menu has plenty of Chinese and Thai dishes, including a plethora of curries, noodles, and classics like orange chicken and fried rice. And there’s no shortage of protein options, including soy chicken, beef or fish, tofu, seitan, or straight-up veggies. Lotus also offers a variety of veggie burgers, wraps, salads, and an all-day breakfast menu with a selection of burritos and decadent pancake plates, including some infused with chocolate chips or topped with deep-fried chicken.

How to order: Walk-ins only for dine-in. Order online through the restaurant or by phone at 818-760-8088 for pickup or delivery.

Sugar Taco

Melrose and Sherman Oaks

This women-owned Mexican eatery is doling out the tacos that vegan dreams are made of. Mix and match fillings of plant-based crispy fish, carne asada, al pastor, and carnitas, with add-ons like guac, mango salsa, crema, or cashew queso, or go the bad-ass route with the ghost taco stuffed with pollo diablo and doused in habanero and ghost pepper salsa. The menu is also jammed with burritos, nachos, quesadillas, and sides of street corn, seasonal veggies, and beans and rice. The short but very sweet dessert menu offers churro donuts, plus rotating donut specials. And check out the restaurant’s daily special deals which might just include three tacos and a marg for $15 on Margarita Mondays and $2 tacos all day on Taco Tuesdays.

How to order: Walk-ins only for dine-in. For pickup through Toast or other delivery apps for delivery.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Jackfruit Cafe

West Lost Angeles

If there’s been an MVP of the vegan world in recent years, it’s definitely the almighty jackfruit, that versatile tropical fruit that serves as a stand-in for everything from pulled pork to crab meat. This plant-based soul food café that’s now inside ghost kitchen facility Grand Food Depot near USC makes good use of its namesake ingredient— tossing it with barbecue sauce and putting it on a sesame bun to create a pulled BBQ sandwich; piling it atop cashew-based vegan mac and cheese, black-eyed peas, and rice in in its soul bowl; and turning it into tacos topped with a trio of sauces. You can also swap the jackfruit for fried chicken, shrimpless-shrimp, or Impossible meat in most dishes. 

How to Order: Order online for pickup or delivery.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Shojin

Culver City and Downtown

We know what you’re thinking: If you’re going to order sushi, you’re going to order sushi. You know, the kind with fish and everything? But wait—what these rolls lack in seafood, they make up for in flavor and creativity. Try the torched California roll that replaces crab with an enoki-radish-veganaise concoction or the popular Shojin Dynamite roll stuffed with spicy tofu and avocado. Bonus: Shojin also boasts the fact it’s organic and macrobiotic in addition to being completely veggie friendly.

How to order: Reservations via Yelp for Culver City and Downtown. Order online for pickup or delivery at either location.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Bulan Thai

Silver Lake

Classic Thai dishes get a vegetarian update at this Eastside spot: think veggie tom yum soup, pineapple fried rice, mock orange chicken and duck curry, along with the usual noodle suspects like pad Thai and pad see-ew, all packed with flavor but not meat. Bonus: The menu notes which dishes are already vegan and which can be made vegan (or gluten-free) by request.
How to order: Walk-ins only for dine-in. Order online through the restaurant for pickup.

At this Lincoln Boulevard gem, vegan chef and restaurateur Matthew Kenney has created a full menu of plant-based pizzas that come out of the wood-burning oven. Pies are covered with his signature nut cheeses (including a luscious cashew mozzarella) and toppings like Calabrian chiles and rapini. His “Not Pizza” section is filled with variations on old-school Italian fare including a really good eggplant parm, baked meatballs with macadamia ricotta, a sunflower Caesar salad, and a cashew cream-based cacio e pepe. Most pies can be made gluten-free with rice-based cheese for those who want nothing to do with nuts.
How to order: Reservations online. Pickup via ChowNow or delivery via Caviar and other delivery apps.

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Available for Reservations

Café Gratitude

Various locations

The globally inspired dishes at this SoCal vegan chain are dubbed with descriptive names that, admittedly, don't actually tell you much about what's in them but certainly provide a confidence boost. You'll choose between items like I amExquisite(beer-battered coconut “calamari”),I am Adventurous(an herbed cauliflower hemp seed rice and smoked tofu bowl), orsalads like the little gem Caesar with shiitake bacon, also known as I am Dazzling.
How to Order: Reservations online. Toast for pickup or delivery or delivery through UberEats.

Available for Reservations

The world of ramen has never been especially welcoming to vegetarians, but this Valley spot is making up for lost time thanks to an entirely vegetarian menu with noodle bowls centered around vegan broth, wood ear mushrooms, jicama, baby bok choy, and fried onions. From there, you can customize your ramen with options like jalapeno and black beans, various types of tofu, and lots of different spice levels; and gluten-free folk can get GF noodles for an upcharge. Also look for some wild vegan sushi rolls including a peanut butter-topped veggie roll and crispy rice and spicy plant-based tuna. 
How to Order: Walk-ins only for dine-in. Order online through the restaurant for pickup.

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Ramen Hood
Photo courtesy of Ramen Hood

Ramen Hood

Downtown

The ramen fromTop Chefalum Ilan Hall’s stall within Grand Central Market is another win for vegans, with a rich broth that gets its thick-ish texture from sunflower seeds. The formerly super-short menu got an expansion a while back and you can now choose between OG, spicy, or garlic versions, all loaded with umami-packed king oyster mushrooms, bean sprouts, bok choy, chili threads, scallions, and nori, plus the option to add a plant-based egg. You can also opt for some chilled versions, including smokey ramen and dan dan noodles. And look for a menu of $7-$8 small plates including togarashi tater tots, soy-chili-glazed broccoli, and avocado toast.
How to Order: Walk-ins only for dine-in. Order online through the restaurant for pickup.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Sage Vegan Bistro

Various locations

This mini organic vegan chain boasts a massive menu running the gamut from tacos and tostadas to burgers and banh mi, in addition to a selection of pastas, pizzas, and a heavy section of bar food, including multiple varieties of Sage’s signature, cauliflower-based wings. The breakfast offerings are pretty extensive too, and include burritos, bowls, chia French toast, and a variety of pancake plates, including sweet potato, blueberry, and cornbread-jalapeno options. For group dinners, go for a family dinner for four centered around its Italian-style specialties, tacos, or pizza and wings.
How to Order: Reservations online. Order online for pickup and delivery.

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Available for Reservations

The self-proclaimed “vegetable slaughterhouse” (which got its start in NYC) on Abbot Kinney has always been equal parts hotspot, people-watching brunch hangout, juice bar, and vegetarian eatery, all housed in a bright, design-centric space. The all-day menu has breakfast faves like an egg sandwich and persimmon waffles, plus lunchier fare including the beet-and-kelp burger, bowls, salads, and stone-oven pizzas. For veggie tacos and margs, head across the street TBD’s pandemic pop-up De Buena Planta.
How to Order: Reservations online. Order through Toast for pickup or delivery through most delivery apps.

Available for Reservations

Vestation

Sherman Oaks

The Valley is full of veggie and vegan options, but this meatless pan-Asian kitchen blasts out coconut curries, quinoa fried rice, and Japanese gyoza that could easily compete with meat-based versions. Soy fish may not sound super appealing, but it's actually a good alternative to the usual faux chicken and you can make it the protein for any of the restaurant’s a la carte veggie plates, noodle dishes, and curry bowls. Try the hemp seed-topped coconut gelato for dessert.

How to order: Walk-ins only for dine-in. Order online through the restaurant for pickup or delivery.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Crossroads Kitchen

West Hollywood

Part of what makes Tai Ronnen’s acclaimed Melrose venue appealing to so many diners outside the plant-based set is the fact it doesn’t feel like a vegan eatery, but rather like an upscale restaurant serving sophisticated fare that just happens to not include any animal products. Try standouts like the almond ricotta-stuffed zucchini blossoms and crispy Impossible meat-stuffed “cigars,” along with salads, sandwiches, and plant-based pizzas at lunch, and entrees of housemade pastas and chickpea marsala come dinner. Right now, you can opt for multi-course tasting menus in the evening, including a five-course truffle offering for $135 a person.
How to Order: Reservations via Yelp. Pickup and delivery through UberEats or other delivery apps.

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Monty’s Good Burger

Various locations

The burger offerings here stick with the simple — single and double burgers and cheeseburgers layered with Impossible patties, grilled onions, housemade spread, and pickles on a potato bun. But it’s when you get to the sides where the fun really begins with options like massive plates of shoestring fries covered in vegan cheese and onions, or “dog pile” tater tots beefed up with Impossible meat, cheese ranch, aioli, and sriracha. Oh, and there’s also a kale salad, in case you want to be the first person to ever order it.

How to Order: Walk-ins only for dine-in. Order online through the restaurant for pickup.

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Lizbeth Scordo is a food and lifestyle writer who will be out tonight and every night for the rest of her life. Follow her on Instagram @modlizbeth.