Los Angeles Vegetarian Restaurants

Historically, California has always been a land with a health and diet conscious population. This trend continues to the present. If you follow a restricted diet, either vegetarian or vegan, Los Angeles provides you with a wide range of great restaurants.  Here are some of my favorites, arranged roughly from west to east. (I have also included some macrobiotic places that serve fish, simply because these places do offer so much  for vegetarians.)

Real Food Daily

RFD is a vegan institution with two locations in the Los Angeles area. I would describe their satisfying meals as vegan comfort food. The owner and founder, Ann Gentry, is something of media star and has published a popular cookbook.

Real Food Daily on La Cienaga

California Vegan

This is a vegan Thai restaurant with a convenient location very near the Sunset Strip.

California Vegan on Sunset Ave.

M Cafe

These cafes serves “Contemporary Macrobiotic Cuisine. This is an updated (and perhaps looser?) version of the macrobiotic diet, which is based on whole, unrefined foods and whole grains and  involves a complex, seasonal approach to food. There are no refined sugars, eggs, dairy, red meat or poultry here. The deserts here are really great, especially considering these restrictions. The crowd at this place is fashionable and chic. Please note that this place does serve fish. M Cafe is part of the Chaya Restaurant Group; the Chaya restaurants offer more of a fine dining experience.

M Cafe on Melrose Ave.

Inaka

This sit-down restaurant has been serving old-school macrobiotic food to Los Angeles for over three decades. It’s a real landmark with quality food; their take on macrobiotic is lot less flashy than M Cafe. Plese note that they do serve fish here.

Inaka on La Brea Ave

Pure Luck

This place offers vegan pub-style food and a wide range of beers. The scene here is casual and reminds me of the years I lived in Portland, OR.

The sign above Pure Luck

Vegan Express

This place, located on the Valley side of Cahuenga pass, has a lot of die-hard fans. Their Thai vegan food is satisfying and delicious. My girlfriend loves their pancakes.

Leonor’s Restaurant

This vegetarian joint up in North Hollywood offers a lot of Mexican dishes (and they also serve pizza). I recommend the Octavio’s Fiesta sandwich and the flax seed tea.

Cru

This place is step beyond vegan: it is a raw food restaurant. They really do amazing things with raw food. The prices here are a little steep and the portions kinda small; after we ate here we went to Jack in the Box to get some more calories.

Green Leaves Vegan

To tell the truth I have not been to this place yet. It is popular enough that I have included it here. Silverlake in particular seems to be a hotbed of vegan activity, with more places like Vegan House and Flore Vegan.

Orean Health Express

This vegan fast-food joint in Pasadena is great. If everyone ate Orean Burger’s instead of Big Macs, America would be a much happier and healthier place.

Orean Health Express in Pasadena

Happy Family Restaurant

This vegetarian Chinese restaurant has been recomended to me time after time. I have only heard good things about this place and must make it out to the San Gabriel Valley to check it out soon! With their very affordable all-you-can-eat option, it sounds like a real feast waiting to happen.

The crazy thing is that this list, as long as it may be, is that it is just the tip of the iceberg. There are soo many vegan and vegetarians places in the Los Angeles area, and they vary widely in their approach. Have fun exploring these veggy friendly riches!

[Photos courtesy of TheDeliciousLife and Noah Albert]