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The City of Angels might very well consider rebranding as the City of Vegans: There are few places in the U.S. with as many dining options for someone who skips dairy, eggs, and meat. This best-of list encompasses vegan restaurants — think plant-based sushi, Ethiopian comfort food, and over-the-top doughnuts — as well as non-vegan restaurants that stock vegan faves like fresh-from-the-fryer falafel. Getting hungry yet? Here are the 20 best vegan restaurants in Los Angeles that you can order straight to your couch.
goop Kitchen
Not many restaurants nail the healthy-but-not-boring ethos as well as this mini empire; its five outposts include Studio City, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica. Feeding yourself vegetables regularly can be hard when fries exist, but goop Kitchen’s menu has dishes that make eating fiber fun. See: spring roll salad loaded with glass noodles, crunchy slaw, and turmeric cashews and Thai lettuce wraps with barbecue tofu and shiitake-studded brown rice. To balance out all those vegetables, add in a couple orders of the coco chocolate chip cookies that happen to be gluten-free, too.
The Plant Lab Vegan
Ordering vegan sushi usually entails choosing from a very limited selection of unimaginative rolls filled with cucumber or avocado, or maybe pickled vegetables if you’re lucky. The Plant Lab Vegan, a popular food truck, is determined to change that. Take the Einstein Roll topped with fried “scallops” cleverly made from hearts of palm, or the more simple Fungus Roll, stuffed with seared garlic oyster mushrooms and drizzled with spicy vegan mayo. They have the classic sushi bar appetizers as well: miso soup, edamame, and plenty of gyoza.
Burgerlords
The vegan burgers at Burgerlords just happen to be some of the best burgers in town, vegan or not. The patties are made in-house at both Highland Park and Chinatown locations using more than 30 vegetables, nuts, grains, and spices — perfect for folks who are looking to avoid fake meat. Don’t sleep on the extra crispy homemade tofu nuggets, or the super thick vegan milkshakes that come in flavors like Oreo, coffee, and strawberry.
Doomie's Home Cookin'
Sometimes you just need a thick slice of chocolate cake, or perfectly crispy fried chicken, or a giant bowl of creamy mac and cheese. (Or perhaps you need all of them at once.) This Hollywood restaurant makes all of these — without any dairy or eggs or meat. The menu is packed with vegan versions of comfort foods, including fried shrimp po’boys, stacked burgers, and deep-fried Oreos. The restaurant is also open 24 hours a day on weekends, so you can satisfy cravings anytime they hit.
Zhengyalov Hatz
This Glendale institution makes exactly one thing: zhengyalov hatz. The Armenian speciality is a paper-thin, tender flatbread filled with more than a dozen kinds of greens and herbs. Add a pot of tea and a few pieces of paxlava (or baklava) to your order, and it’s the coziest snack to eat on your couch while watching Netflix.
Mizlala
Chef Danny Elmaleh’s popular mini chain of Mediterranean restaurants with locations in West Adams, Sherman Oaks, and Sycamore, has the type of menu that works for any type of dietary restrictions — including vegan. The falafel plate is satisfying and filling, but the real draw is the assortment of sauces and sides: the spicy-but-sweet amba and vegan garlic sauce, almond-topped Brussels sprouts, harira (or Moroccan lentil soup), and super fluffy pita.
Rahel Ethiopian Vegan Cuisine
This Little Ethiopia spot is the only vegan Ethiopian restaurant in Los Angeles, and several of the items happen to be gluten-free, too. The menu is robust, and the best way to sample as much as possible is to order one of the several combination options. Prioritize the ones that include stews, such as the chickpea-centric yeshiro alicha or the yeatkilt wot, a mix of steamed vegetables and spices. Don’t forget to order extra injera to mop up every last drop.
Mr. Charlie's
This vegan fast food spot with locations in Hollywood and Venice may mimic the aesthetics of the Golden Arches, but it was actually created as a response to fast food chains. The restaurant aims to bring approachable plant-based food to communities worldwide and ultimately redefine fast food. Not a Cheeseburger has a plant-based patty and vegan cheese; Not a Chicken Sandwich uses a vegan patty from Tindle with shredded lettuce and vegan mayo; there’s even a kid’s meal called a MiniFrowny.
Maciel's Plant Based Butcher & Deli
This fully vegan deli in Highland Park makes all of its meats and cheese in-house daily, and turn them into vegan riffs on beloved hot and cold sandwiches. Sink into a reuben made with vegan pastrami and provolone and served on marble rye. Or go classic with an Italian hoagie layered with salami, pastrami, provolone, and pickled cherry peppers.
Woon
This pop-up turned beloved brick-and-mortar in Historic Filipinotown is dedicated to owner Keegan Fong’s mother’s recipes — several of which are vegan. The star of the menu is definitely the wok charred noodles that are chewy and packed with bok choy, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms. But don’t skip the vegan braised tofu served over a pile of rice, mustard greens, and house-pickled carrots. Woon also sells several of its housemade products for delivery, so stock up on its vegan stir-fry sauce and frozen vegan dumplings.
Bulan Thai Vegetarian Kitchen
Many Thai dishes look vegetarian but contain fish sauce or oyster sauce. This Silverlake staple makes sure to use only vegan-friendly substitutes. It offers a menu of Thai standards like papaya salad, tom yum, and pad see ew and also serves more non-traditional items like a Thai empanada, green curry spaghetti, and crispy vegan fish with a refreshing green apple and chili salad.
Joy
This beloved Highland Park spot from chef Vivian Ku serves a menu inspired by Taiwan’s street food culture that uses the freshest ingredients possible. Hits include the comforting and gently spicy mapo tofu, the deeply savory dan dan noodles, and the super flaky thousand layer pancakes (all of which are vegan). Don’t forget to add one of several boba options to your order.
Sage Plant Based Bistro & Brewery
Sage, which has four locations across the greater Los Angeles area, is the place you order from when you aren’t sure what you want —perhaps loaded nachos or a great Greek salad or buttery linguini or coconut curry ramen or a pizza. There is truly something for everyone on the menu. You can also feel great about your meal: The owners of the restaurant are dedicated to supporting local organic farmers; they send food scraps to a regenerative farm that composts it into soil.
Donut Friend
Calling all vegans with a sweet tooth! Everything on the menu at this beloved doughnut shop with spots in DTLA, Highland Park, and Silverlake is plant-based. The flavors range from the moderate “Promise Ring,” a fluffy raised doughnut with a maple glaze, to the more inventive “Chocolate From the Crypt,” which features a chocolate cake doughnut dripping with a chocolate glaze, lots of chocolate chips, and a sprinkle of cinnamon and cayenne.
Pizzana
Though this beloved pizzeria with five locations in Los Angeles from chef Daniele Uditi is known for its decidedly dairy-heavy cacio e pepe pie, it also has a number of thoughtful vegan options. There’s the vegan margherita pizza, featuring San Marzano tomatoes and a beautiful, stretchy vegan mozzarella, and the vegan funghi, topped with seasonal mushrooms, caramelized onions, and a creamy cauliflower sauce. Throw in a side of the shaved Brussels sprout salad, and it’s health food.
Planta
This rapidly growing chain of plant-based restaurants, with locations in New York, Miami, and beyond, has arrived in Los Angeles with this spot in Brentwood. Planta doesn’t adhere to one kind of cuisine: There’s clever vegan sushi with unagi made from eggplant and tuna sliced from watermelon; the kelp Caesar salad is packed with umami bombs like mushroom bacon and almond Parmesan; a thick burger topped with melty vegan queso rounds it all out.
JINYA Ramen Bar
There’s not one but three varieties of vegan ramen on the menu of this noodle shop with seven locations across the greater Los Angeles area. Each arrives with a range of toppings like cubes of tofu, crispy garlic chips, and generous splashes of bright red chili oil. If you’re craving something that isn’t a bowl of hot noodle soup, Jinya also makes several vegan small plates, including a super crispy Brussels sprouts tempura and mini crispy tacos stuffed with guacamole and Impossible meat.
Samosa House
So many Indian dishes are inherently vegan, and the menus at Samosa House’s three westside locations are filled with them. There’s, of course, the namesake samosa, or fried pastries filled with spiced mashed potatoes and peas; cauliflower pakora, which are battered with chickpea flour and fried until golden; and perfectly plump idli, or pillows of steamed fermented rice flour. Dunk the latter in sambar, a spicy lentil soup, and satisfy your veggie burger craving with an Indian-style version made from potatoes. To counteract the spice, Samosa House offers a thick and tangy soy milk mango lassi.
Pura Vita
This plant-based Italian American restaurant and wine bar in West Hollywood has a menu filled with classics like meatballs, Caesar salad, plates of carbonara, two kinds of lasagna, and tiramisu. The meatballs just happen to be made with mushrooms and lentils. The Caesar salad utilizes a macadamia Parmesan. The carbonara comes with pieces of shiitake bacon. Both lasagnas feature a generous amount of cashew ricotta. And the tiramisu is crafted with a brilliant vanilla bean cashew mascarpone. It’s all in the genius substitutions.
Bewaalis Vegan AF
The “AF” in the name stands for “amazing food,” and it only takes one bite of its tender vegan kabobs and crunchy falafel to see why. You can get the kabobs or falafel as plates with a pile of rice, hummus, cucumber salad, and pita. Or you can get it wrapped up in a “kaboburrito,” which comes stuffed with cucumber salad and a tahini aioli. Do yourself a favor and get a side order of curry fries topped with vegan mozzarella and coconut milk curry.
