What You're Eating: Best Vegetarian Dishes In LA
Whether you're a true vegetarian or a carnivore looking to add a little vegetable nirvana to your diet, there are delicious vegetarian dishes in abundance from Downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica and beyond. From elegant restaurants to fast-casual cafes, we've rounded up the top vegetarian eats in town.
Coliflor Frito
Gracias Madre
8905 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 978-2170
www.graciasmadreweho.com
Once an antique store, now a stunningly beautiful indoor-outdoor all-vegan dining spot, the elegant Mexican cuisine at West Hollywood's Gracias Madre offers plenty of choices for a top veg dish. Perhaps best of all is a deceptively simple delicious starter, "Coliflor Frito," which is a crispy, flash-fried cauliflower topped with rich cashew nacho cheese.
Spring Pea Salad and Summer Squash Salad
Faith and Flower
705 W. 9th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 239-0642
www.faithandflowerla.com
A voluminous chandelier glitters over low, lounge-style tables, and comfortably dim lighting suggests romance and adventure in Faith and Flower's dramatic DTLA setting. Known for its eclectic, international cuisine, chef Michael Hung's inventive menu includes seasonal vegetarian choices such as a the "Spring Pea Salad" with chickpea crackers, fresh ricotta and a creamy whey vinaigrette. Or, try the restaurant's "Summer Squash Salad" with Pecorino cheese, spiced pistachios, and a delicate lemon pepper dressing.
Macaroni and Cheese
Sun Cafe
10820 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 308-7420
www.suncafe.com
Sun Cafe's cheerful, Craftsman-style Studio City patio and indoor dining room serves up delightful organic veg dishes, many of which are gluten free too. Made with quinoa noodles and a sunflower-seed-based nacho cheese sauce, their Mac and Cheese dish is creamy comfort food which has never been tastier or healthier.
Pan Seared Kabocha and Chayote
Chavela
1358 Vine St.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 871-8099
www.chavela-la.com
Chavela's fresh, Peruvian-inspired cuisine is well-suited to the modern, industrial-style setting of this cafe near the heart of Hollywood. "Pan Seared Kabocha and Chayote" is one of their top vegetarian dishes that is a favorite among visitors. Made from sweet fresh vegetables, it is crafted into a lightly spicy dish with cashew ailoi, chili oil, arugula, and pistachios.
Vegan Bean Taco
Kye's
1518 Montana Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 395-5937
www.kyesmontana.com
Set in an airy fast-casual locale, Kye's Santa Monica features delicious Kyerito burritos, shakes, smoothies, and salads. The "Vegan Bean Taco" is a richly flavorful mix of vegan chipotle cream, corn, jicama, organic brown rice, spicy fresh pico de gallo, and pinto beans, all wrapped up in crisp collard greens instead of a taco shell.
Purple and Blue Salad
Wally's
447 N Canon Dr.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 475-3540
www.wallysbeverlyhills.com
Long known for their collection of fine spirits, Wally's gourmet wine and cheese bar in Beverly Hills offers up Chef David Feau and one of the prettiest vegetarian dishes in town: the "Purple and Blue Salad". Made with mouth-watering roasted beets, figs, pickled red cabbage, and shallots, soft and fragrant buffalo-milk blue cheese, pistachio, and a light dressing of balsamic and olive oil complete the dish.
Sunchokes
The Wallace
3833 Main St.
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 202-6400
www.thewallacela.com
Locally sourced and sustainable cuisine is the order of the day at The Wallace, a hip, industrial-style cafe located in the core of Culver City. Executive Chef Joel Miller offers the artistically plated "Sunchokes," a perfectly-plated mix of sunchokes with labneh, sweet red bell pepper vinaigrette, turmeric oil, and sumac.
The Guildsmith
Daily Dose Cafe
1820 Industrial St.
Los Angeles, CA 90021
(844) 932-4593
www.dailydosela.com
In the heart of downtown LA's Arts District, the Daily Dose Cafe cafe offers a bevy of delightful coffees, teas, and sandwiches. Among the favorite Vegetarian options is "The Guildsmith," which is a fresh take on a vegetarian sandwich: a crisp baguette stuffed with fried Queso Blanco cheese, fresh guacamole, ripe serrano chiles, sweet red onion, soft feta cheese, and refreshing mint, topped with Aleppo Pepper and Sauce Vert.
Beet Tartare
Cliff's Edge
3626 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 666-6116
www.cliffsedgecafe.com
The Cliff's Edge has a justifiably romantic reputation. With a charming, secluded garden patio and a stylish interior dining room, craft cocktails, and a wide range of eclectic menu options, one vegetarian standout is the "Beet Tartare," a playful riff on beef tartare, made with salt-roasted beets, sweet and sour beets, pistachio, mint, and crispy grilled bread.
