Best Raw Food Restaurants In LA

Fruit, organic veggies, sprouted grains -- sound good? Raw foodism or rawism is a popular movement among health-conscious Angelenos and celebrities alike. The practice started in Switzerland and involves eating uncooked -- no higher than 40˚C -- unprocessed and often organic food.  Not just for vegetarians and vegans, some omnivores also eat meat, fish and shellfish.  Check out these spots for the best raw fix.

Cru Silverlake

1521 Griffith Park Avenue
Silverlake CA 90026
(323) 667-1551
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In the center of artsy Silverlake, Cru has raw fanatics filling up their seats everyday.  Chef Vincent Krimmel creates his menu with locally sourced, prepared in-house vegan raw cuisine. Try their Three Onion Soup (red, yellow and leek), Truffled Mac n' Cheese (quinoa pasta with cashew béchamel and arugla) or Body Ecology (Austrian red potato salad, Styrian pumpkin seed oil, house-made sauerkraut and mixed greens). Want to bring your own organic wine to pair up with your favorite raw dish? No problem, there is no BYOB fee.

Leaf Cuisine

11938 W. Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 397 0700
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Owner and Chef Rod Rotondi not only runs three LA Leaf restaurants, he is also an author of raw food books and DVDs.  He knows that raw food should be affordable and believes that we all control what we put in our bodies.  This type of philosophy has earned great success for his Leaf Cuisine restaurants where he practices what he preaches, not to mention the amazing raw and macrobiotic dishes that fill you up and make you feel light as a feather. Try their Flying Falafel Burger (sprouted chick pea pattie w/tahini sauce), Mushroom Rawsagna (layers of rawcotta, squash noodles, spinach, portobellos and rawmesan) and for dessert Life by Chocolate (dark decadence with chocolate sauce).

Planet Raw

609 Broadway Santa Monica CA
(310) 587-1552
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Planet Raw is one of those places that is known and not just to raw foodists.  Founder Juliano has been one of the biggest raw promoters in LA.  Located in the heart of Santa Monica, this place is always packed with health conscious bodies who are looking to get their fix of comfort food like cheeseburgers and pizza – the raw versions, that is. But the menu is also a virtual world tour of perfectly spiced Indian, Italian, Japanese, Mexican and Thai cuisines. Everything is made with organic ingredients like mushrooms and cabbage accompanied by homemade raw sauces. If you like what you taste, take some home from their restaurant boutique. To make sure you know how to prepare it, Planet Raw also offers classes with who else, but Juliano himself.

Mary's Secret Garden

100 S. Fir St
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 641-3663
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A small place located just blocks from the beach in Ventura, Mary's is known to the locals as a cozy and charming spot for raw food enthusiasts. Chef Mary Grayar started eating a raw food diet for her own health and loves serving her delicious menu to her customers because it makes them feel good. She says you'll want to eat her Raw Tostadas (chipotle cashew cheese, Mexican spiced mushrooms, avocado shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, olives and cilantro dressing) every day.  If you're not into Mexican, try her Thai Yellow Curry Stew (stewed Kabocha squash, carrots, potatoes, red onions, ginger and basil leaves in a creamy curried coconut sauce).  Finish off with a scoop of chocolate almond and marzipan chunk ice cream.

Euphoria Loves Rawvolution

2301 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 392-9501 (cafe)
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Matt Amsden started a rawvolution among celebrities like Susan Sarandon, Cher and Alicia Silverstone to name a few. He is known for his innovative use of luscious natural ingredients in interesting recipes like Cactus Salad, Onion Bread and Spirulina Pie or his signature Bigg Matt With Cheese.  Sit at a community table over lunch and connect, relate and share while enjoying a fabulous meal.  Start with their Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos and have their Cocophoria Sandwich (curried coconut jerky on a bed of lettuce, tomato & onions drizzled with cashew mayo) for your main. No time to dine out? Order the Box.  This weekly box of organic, prepared, organic, low-calorie raw foods includes: two savory soups, four gourmet entrées, four side dishes and two delicious desserts. Look forward to truly healthy meals waiting for you at the end of your long day.

Cafe Gratitude

639 Larchmont blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 580-6383
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San Francisco institution Café Gratitude opened it's door on Larchmont Boulevard in Los Angeles earlier this year. Owners Matthew and Terces Engelhart serve up their 100% organic, vegan gourmet, raw and cooked cuisines with produce grown at their very own farm in Vacaville, California. Stop by for the I Am fulfilled salad with goji chipotle salad and take a I Am Mighty – Superfood Energy Bar (hemp, flax, sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, almonds, goji berries, coconut butter, cacao butter, cacao nibs, and whole vanilla dipped in chocolate).  Leave inspired to live a healthy and heartfelt life .

Au Lac

16563 Brookhurst St.
Fountain Valley CA 92708
(714) 418-0658
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After finding comfort in a healthy vegetarian diet and healing herself from illness, Mai Nguyen decided to open her own restaurant to help others.  Soon, she was joined by chef Ito and the Humanese cuisine was born. This might be a word that is unheard for many of us, but it fits Au lac perfectly. The term defines a philosophy of having passion for all living things and uniting together as humanity, caring for one another and the planet. Admired even by its competitors, Au Lac serves food that's good for the body and for the soul. If you love soup, you'll love the Loranowa (blended spirulina, coconut oil, bok choy, broccoli, carrot onion), Hot and Sour (sea veggies, red bell pepper, olive, coconut, curry spice, macadamia cream) or the Laksa (turmeric, "fried onion", dulse, "hard boiled egg", kelp noodle, red chili).  But that's not all they serve, there are way too many distinctive items on this menu to list them all.