San Diego Vegan
These are some favorite vegan-friendly restaurants around San Diego.
If you have other suggestions, let us know!
And to encourage kind options, always remember to give positive online reviews to restaurants that offer good vegan options.
San Diego / La Jolla / La Mesa
Botanic Burgers (La Jolla)
Burgers with Impossible patty or falafel patty, french fries, baked potato... more
Cafe Gratitude (Little Italy)
Falafel burger, blackened tempeh wrap, chicken fried-mushroom sandwich, eggplant pasta, Mexican bowl... more
Choice Juicery 1 (Del Sur)
100% vegan and gluten free smoothies, superfood bowls, macho nacho, happy hummus platter... more
Choice Juicery 2 (Little Italy)
100% vegan and gluten free smoothies, superfood bowls, macho nacho, happy hummus platter... more
Donna Jean (Bankers Hill)
Award winning pizzas, pasta, calzones, and brunch items... more
El Avocado (La Jolla)
Veggie sandwiches, caesar wrap, pasteries, smoothies, hummus platter, chickpea salads, nachos... more
El Veganito (La Mesa)
100% vegan. Phish tacos, jackfruit tacos, bee-fast burrito.
Evolution Fast Food (Bankers Hill)
Vegan fast food. Burgers with choice of tempeh or black bean patty, fried chicken sandwich, raw tacos, loaded fries... more
Grains Cafe (University Heights)
Kale tempura, tofu nuggets, buffalo cauliflower, holy shiitake, grilled calamari mushroom, Philly cheez sando, glazed chick'n strips... more
Green Door Cafe (La Jolla)
Bombay vegan burger, mac n' cashew cheese, raw avocado chocolate mousse pie, supergreen smoothie... more
Greenhaus (Linda Vista)
Pick a veggie protein (spicy tofu, veggie meatballs, spiced chickpeas) and add it to tacos, salad, naan wrap. See a photo of their menu of Yelp.
Jai Jus (East Village)
Vegan bowls and smoothies... more
Jyoti-Bihanga (Normal Heights)
Vegan neatloaf sandwich, Thai stir fry, soy turkey avocado wrap, vegan burrito, chocolate moussecake. Mostly vegan, but be sure to confirm... more
Kindred (South Park)
Memphis BBQ jackruit sandwich, seitan skewers, grilled cheese, buttermilk biscuits, creamy beer mac, seared broccoli side... more
Loving Hut 1 (University Heights)
Vegan Asian. Mushroom drumsticks, vegan cheese wontons, BBQ soy roll, spinach quesadilla, blissful pho, and Supreme Master material (she advocates vegan)... more
Loving Hut 2 (Mira Mesa)
Lucky chow mein, Texas fries, Avocado BLT sando, organic tempeh reuben, Guacquin Phoenix burger, fish tacos, epic ramen, and Supreme Master material (she advocates vegan)... more
Native Foods 1 (Clairemont)
100% vegan. Spicy cauliflower dippers, jalapeno burger, Buddha bowl, cauliflower po' boy sandwich, taco salad, sweet potato fries... more
Native Foods 2 (Midway)
100% vegan. Spicy cauliflower dippers, jalapeno burger, Buddha bowl, cauliflower po' boy sandwich, taco salad, sweet potato fries... more
Thanh Tinh Chay (Normal Heights)
Vegetarian/vegan Vietnamese. Vietnamese sandwich, crepe, jicama rolls, vegan pho, udon.
NoW Sushi (Pacific Beach)
Vegan sushi, seaweed salad, Saving Nemo roll, shiitake mushroom eel, lettuce wraps... more
Peace Pies (Ocean Beach)
100% vegan. Mystical mushroom quesadilla, mushroom stroganoff, peaceful pizza, bliss burger, Mediterranean wrap... more
Plant Power Fast Food (Ocean Beach)
Classic 'bacon cheeseburger', holy guacamole burger, battered buffalo wings, chick'n nuggets, kaleslaw, raw tacos, chocolate cheezecake, Just Egg breakfast burrito... more
Plumeria (University Heights)
Thai crispy roll, satay tofu skewers, eggplant beans, steamed soy fish, broccoli. Mostly vegan — some dishes have egg but are marked... more
Rollin Roots (Kearny Mesa)
Vegan food truck. Sandwiches include the spicy boy buffalo chikun, rich gal 'shrimp', daikon love, and BBQ jackfruit. Check website for hours... more
Sattvik Foods (Miramar)
Indian restaurant with vegan options marked on the menu... more
Second Nature (Pacific Beach)
Hybrid menu. Some good vegan options, but poorly marked. Vegan nachos, Maitake mushroom hot wangs, Beyond burger... more
Sipz 1 (Clairemont)
100% vegan sushi. Cali crab roll, Thai salad roll, fried wontonz, walnut shrimp, noodle bowls, cheeze cake... more
Sipz 2 (La Jolla)
100% vegan sushi. Cali crab roll, Thai salad roll, fried wontonz, walnut shrimp, noodle bowls, cheeze cake... more
Sipz 3 (North Park)
100% vegan sushi. Cali crab roll, Thai salad roll, fried wontonz, walnut shrimp, noodle bowls, cheeze cake... more
Soulshine Vegan Cafe (Pacific Beach)
Vegan cafe. Superfood avocado toast, vegetable quiche, herb biscuit sandwich with egg patty, melted provolone and bacon... more
The PurpleMint Vegan Bistro (Grantville)
Vegan bistro. Avocado spring rolls, satay chick'n wraps, jack fruit salad, mushroom/tofu wonton soup, chick'n pho... more
The Veggie Grill (University City)
Immunity bowl, deli sub, masala curry bowl, two taco plate, southwestern nachos, diablo quesadilla burger... more
The Village SD (North Park)
Vegan calamari, quinoa bowl, village burger, chorizo tacos, karne asada fries, mushroom fajitas... more
World Beat Cafe (Balboa Park)
Cheezy bean burrito, Jamaican red curry, Costa chica chile, jerk Rasta burger... more
The Yasai 1 (Kearny Mesa)
Vegan sushi and ramen. Yasai means vegetable in Japanese... more
The Yasai 2 (Little Italy)
Vegan sushi and ramen. Yasai means vegetable in Japanese... more
Trilogy Sanctuary (La Jolla)
100% vegan cafe combined with a yoga studio. Smoothies, bowls, veggie scramble, falafel tacos, raw wrap... more
True Food 1 (Mission Valley)
Hybrid menu with well marked vegan options. Butternut squash pizza, charred cauliflower, edamame guacamole, immunity bowl, Korean noodle bowl... more
True Food 2 (University City)
Hybrid menu with well marked vegan options. Butternut squash pizza, charred cauliflower, edamame guacamole, immunity bowl, Korean noodle bowl... more
Veganic Thai Cafe (Hillcrest)
Thai. Almost every item on the menu is marked as vegan... more
Veggilish (Downtown)
Macro nutrient bowls with sauteed tofu or sauteed chickpeas as alternatives to meat... more
Encinitas / Solana / Del Mar
Choice Juicery 3 (Encinitas)
100% vegan and gluten free smoothies, superfood bowls, macho nacho, happy hummus platter... more
Choice Juicery 4 (Solana)
100% vegan and gluten free smoothies, superfood bowls, macho nacho, happy hummus platter... more
Flower Child (Del Mar)
Hybrid menu with vegan items marked and tofu protein option... more
Lotus Cafe & Juice Bar (Encinitas)
Well marked hybrid menu. VO means vegan option, HV is vegan with honey. There a vegan tofu scramble, vegan Buddha bowl, falafel pita... more
Modern Times Far West Lounge (Encinitas)
Craft beer, coffee, and some vegan food... more
Plant Power Fast Food (Encinitas)
Classic 'bacon cheeseburger', holy guacamole burger, battered buffalo wings, chick'n nuggets, kaleslaw, raw tacos, chocolate cheezecake, Just Egg breakfast burrito... more
Plumeria (Encinitas)
Thai crispy roll, satay tofu skewers, eggplant beans, steamed soy fish, broccoli. Mostly vegan — some dishes have egg but are marked... more
Carlsbad & Oceanside
Choice Juicery (Carlsbad)
100% vegan and gluten free smoothies, superfood bowls, macho nacho, happy hummus platter... more
Cultivated Greens (Carlsbad)
Rotating menu has included cauliflower wings, cali-mari, tacos and burritos... more
Phatties (Escondido)
Vegan Mexican cuisine... more
The Veggie Grill (Carlsbad)
Immunity bowl, deli sub, masala curry bowl, two taco plate, southwestern nachos, diablo quesadilla burger... more
For inexpensive, healthy, and consistently delicious plant-based meals,
nothing beats learning to prepare your own!
Recommended Recipes
Well, recipes from the movies we recommend ☺
ForksOverKnives.com
GameChangersMovie.com
PlantPureNation.com
PlantStrong.com
VeganEasy.com
WhatTheHealthFilm.com
Adaptt.org
More Recipes
You're about to see that you're not giving up anything by going plant-based!
Remember to bookmark recipes you'd like to try.
BadManners.com
BakeAndDestroy.com
BlissfulBasil.com
BrandNewVegan.com
Brownble.com
ChooseVeg.com
CrazyVeganKitchen.com
CupfulOfKale.com
DelightfulVegans.com
EatFigsNotPigs.com
EatPlant-Based.com
FoodForTheSoul.me
FromMyBowl.com
GreenEvi.com
HealthyHappyLife.com
GoHerbie.com
HolyCowVegan.net
HotForFoodBlog.com
iLoveVegan.com
KeepInItKind.com
KindEarth.net
LazyCatKitchen.com
LikeAVegan.com.au
LivVeganStrong.com
LoveVeg.com
LovingItVegan.com
MamaSezz.com
MississippiVegan.com
MyDarlingVegan.com
MyGoodnessKitchen.com
NAVS-Online.org
NoraCooks.com
Nutriciously.com
OlivesForDinner.com
OneIngredientChef.com
PeacefulCuisine.com
PlantBasedCooking.com
RunningOnRealFood.com
SeitanIsMyMotor.com
Simple-Veganista.com
SimpleVeganBlog.com
SweetSimpleVegan.com
TheColorfulKitchen.com
TheCompassionateRoad.com
TheCuriousChickpea.com
TheFullHelping.com
TheHungryHerbivores.com
TheKoreanVegan.com
TheMinimalistVegan.com
ThePlantBasedSchool.com
Veganosity.com
VeganSociety.com
Veganuary.com
VeganYackAttack.com
VeggieJam.com
VeggiesDontBite.com
VeggieSoulFood.com
VegWeb.com
VelvetAndVinegar.com
YourDailyVegan.com
Health Focused(ish)
You may be more likely to find more WFPB (whole foods, plant based) recipes on these sites:
CleanFoodDirtyGirl.com
DreenaBurton.com
DrMcDougall.com
ElephantasticVegan.com
FatFreeVegan.com
ForksOverKnives.com
GameChangersMovie.com
HappyHerbivore.com
HummuSapien.com
ItDoesntTasteLikeChicken.com
LoveAndLemons.com
NutritionStudies.org
OhSheGlows.com
OneGreenPlanet.org
Plants-Rule.com
PlantStrong.com
StraightUpFood.com
TheVegan8.com
ThisRawsomeVeganLife.com
UCDIntegrativeMedicine.com
VegAngela.com
VeganHeaven.org
VeganLovlie.com
VeganRicha.com
Wholly-Plants.com
Ethnic Focused
25 Vegan Greek Recipes
50 Vegan Italian Recipes
25 Vegan Japanese Recipes
70 Vegan Mexican Recipes 35 Vegan Thai Recipes
70 Vegan Mexican Recipes 35 Vegan Thai Recipes
Dessert Focused
YouTube Channels
AvantgardeVegan
Brown Vegan
Cheap Lazy Vegan
Chef Ani
Deliciously Ella
Easy Vegan
Eco-Vegan Gal
Edgy Veg
Fully Raw Kristina
Hot for Food
Jason Wrobel
Madeleine Olivia
Mary's Test Kitchen
Oh She Glows
Peaceful Cuisine
Sarah's Vegan Kitchen
Sweet Potato Soul
The Happy Pear
The Sexy Vegan
The Sweetest Vegan
The Vegan Corner
Vegan Cooking with Love
Vegan Richa
Vegan Zombie
VeganBlackMetalChef
Veggie Rose
Resources
Not a specifically vegan recipe site, but search for "vegan + your desired dish" and
you can find just about any recipe veganized. For example:
vegan chocolate cake
Great Reddit channel for cooking inspiration.
Popular website and app to find vegan-friendly restaurants.
Could you use some guidance from a real person? Challenge22 can help.
Hate cooking?
Experimenting with easy recipes is the surest way to find vegan meals you love. However, if you have zero interest in cooking, these services deliver
boxes of ready-to-heat, plant-based meals:
Daily-Harvest.com — Add your own rice/quinoa to bowls.
MamaSezz.com — WFPB, no added oil, non-gmo.
PlantPureNation.com — WFPB, no added oil.
PurpleCarrot.com — They send ingredients, you learn to cook.
Veestro.com — POPULAR, prioritizes taste.
VeginOut.com — No added oil, low sodium/sugar.
MamaSezz.com — WFPB, no added oil, non-gmo.
PlantPureNation.com — WFPB, no added oil.
PurpleCarrot.com — They send ingredients, you learn to cook.
Veestro.com — POPULAR, prioritizes taste.
VeginOut.com — No added oil, low sodium/sugar.
The best plant-based products on Earth grow directly out of the earth,
and can be found in the produce area and bulk bins of any decent supermarket.
But here are some favorite processed foods you might also want to try ☺
3rd Party Favorites
Useful 3rd party lists. Keep scrolling down for our favorites.
Everywhere: VegNews Top 100 VegNews 2020 VegNews 2021 VegNews 2022 Good Housekeeping's Best of 2022 TheManual.com's Top 8 CleanPlate.com's Top 17 BuzzFeed.com's top 20 of 2022 Top Accidentally Vegan More Accidentally Vegan Recommended Youtube
Everywhere: VegNews Top 100 VegNews 2020 VegNews 2021 VegNews 2022 Good Housekeeping's Best of 2022 TheManual.com's Top 8 CleanPlate.com's Top 17 BuzzFeed.com's top 20 of 2022 Top Accidentally Vegan More Accidentally Vegan Recommended Youtube
Costco:
by VegNews
StaceyHomeMaker
VegetarianZen
Target: by LiveKindly PETA VegNews
Trader Joe's: by LiveKindly TastingTable.com VegNews 1 VegNews 2 WomensHealth PETA
Walmart: by ImHungryForThat.com PETA VegNews
Amazon: Vegan.com's Favorites
Whole Foods: VegFaqs.com
Target: by LiveKindly PETA VegNews
Trader Joe's: by LiveKindly TastingTable.com VegNews 1 VegNews 2 WomensHealth PETA
Walmart: by ImHungryForThat.com PETA VegNews
Amazon: Vegan.com's Favorites
Whole Foods: VegFaqs.com
Our Favorites

It's not exactly healthy (lots of coconut oil), but hopefully you're not eating cheese for your health. At least this one's made with plants, not pus.

Miyoko's is expensive (~$10) because it's made with nuts, but it's amazing for special occassions. UPDATE 2022: Miyoko's liquid mozzarella is a game changer for pizzas!

Oat doesn't just make one of the best-tasting vegan milks, it's also one of the best choices for the environment. We recommend Oatly's medium-thick version in the bluish container (not "whole", not "skinny", but "semi"). Find your nearest retailer with the Oatly Finder. Bonus: it's fortified with calcium and B12!

One big difference you'll notice among plant-based milks is the amount of sugar. Some are as sweet as soft drinks, others are similar to cow secretion, and others (like this pea-protein-based Ripple, which also contains calcium+B12) go sugar free. It may take a little experimentation to find your sweet spot.

If you're a coffee drinker, you'll have no trouble finding soy/almond/coconut/oat and other vegan creamers. Here's one we like.

Egg from plants (rather than the backside of a chicken) with zero cholesterol. Great for scrambles, omelettes, pancakes, etc.

Ugh, I can't believe I ever ate butter — the solidified secretion of a cow's nipple, gross. Try this.

Violife gets our vote for best plant-based parmesan cheese. Note that it requires a grater. Follow Your Heart is a good pre-grated alternative.
Vegan Meats

Tofurkey's Italian sausage makes an excellent addition to any pasta dish. But don't be surprised if you find yourself eating them straight out of the package.

No, they don't taste like hot dogs — it's difficult to simulate the taste of pig faces, butts and guts with plants. But think of Field Roasts as something new, and they taste great!

If you were ever a chicken nugget addict, you'll love gardein.

We like to cut these up and add 'em to quinoa/avocado/veggie bowls, salads, etc. They have a spicy taste, and a crunchy/fried texture.

Tired of tofu? Pumfu may sound strange, but it's an amazing product. 100% organic pumpkin seeds and filtered water, no other ingredients. And it doesn't taste like pumpkin or tofu – we can't describe it, just try it!

Wow, we just said it's difficult to simulate the taste of dead animals with plants, but the scientists at Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods have done it — without the hormones, antibiotics, blood, cholesterol or cruelty!
Vegan Snacks

The main ingredient in hummus is protein-packed garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas). Most brands are vegan.

An amazing, special occasion spread. The only drawback is that it's too good to eat in moderation.

If making a plant-based pizza, Daiya cheese comes pre-shredded. Or you can just buy one of their pre-made frozen pizzas, add some fresh veggies on top — and maybe some more Daiya on top of that! UPDATE: We also recommend the Sweet Earth Veggie Lover from Whole Foods (add your own Tofurkey Italian Sausage).

We love the tough/chewiness of Primal Spirit's jerky. Depending on the flavor, they're made of seitan, soy, and/or shiitake mushrooms. For something a bit softer, Louisville Vegan Jerky comes in smoked black pepper, maple bacon, buffalo dill, and smoky Carolina BBQ flavors.
Vegan Desserts

The best chocolate cake ever is vegan! Although Just Desserts products are sold many places, we seem to find this vegan gem most consistently at Safeway/Albertsons.

Alternative Baking's cookies can be found in numerous supermarkets these days. We also love Uncle Eddies, found at Whole Foods. Both are "sweeter" than their cruel counterparts!

The Cowboy Creamies from Sugar Plum Bakery are amazing. Actually, everything they sell is amazing! In addition to delivery, some local markets sell their stuff.

It's called Coconut Bliss because it's made with coconut milk, but it comes in several flavors, including this decadent dark chocolate.
Vegan Staples

This brown rice ramen from Costco is a cheap, lazy, healthy vegan's dream. Just add some vegetables (e.g. brocolli, mushrooms, bean sprouts, bok choy), maybe a meat alternative (e.g. Pumfu or tofu) and you've got a gourmet meal in 5-10 minutes. Drain for stir-fry style. Add soy sauce or bouillon for quick and easy seasoning. Note: we haven't found a cheaper source than Costco, and IN-STORE IS CHEAPER than online. Costco is also the place for quinoa and more.
Alcohol

If you're into beans for protein (or anything that takes long to cook), an Instant Pot could be a worthwhile purchase. If you're a 1-2 person household, go with the mini version.

Last, but certainly not least for many of us, be aware that not all alcohols are vegan. For vegan wine, you're typically safe with organic brands. Most beers are vegan, but some contain ingredients like gelatin. You can confirm that your drink is worthy of your affection at Barnivore.com, or try something new from Food52's list.
Corrections/suggestions? Tell us