|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
In a culinary-focused city as big and diverse as the City of Angels, it is no surprise that vegan food in Los Angeles is well represented. From cozy brick-and-mortar establishments to tasty food trucks, there’s an experience sure to tempt tastebuds while remaining true to the tenets of a plant-based diet.
Here, we’re spotlighting five Black-owned hotspots to consider the next time you’re craving vegan food in Los Angeles.
On the Menu: Vegan Food in Los Angeles
Based in South Los Angeles in the historic Crenshaw District community, Baba’s Vegan Cafe is a family-owned establishment best known for its plant-based dishes and Jamaican-style veggie platters. Established by self-described culinary artivist Baba Wo’se Kofi, Baba’s Vegan Cafe was created to provide the community with a healthier dining option while introducing individuals to the flavors and versatility of a vegan lifestyle, “one mouth at a time.”
Standouts from the menu include the “Welcome Home Plate” (featuring their kale & mac salad, rice, beans, cabbage and fried cauliflower) and the “Soul Platter” (includes their hot mac, yams, greens, rice, beans with fried mushrooms). Foodies can dine in, pick up, or arrange for a catered event to enjoy this cafe’s delicious African diasporic vegan food in Los Angeles.
With a menu described as “plant-based comfort food,” Gorilla Grub is a vegan pop-up restaurant and catering establishment based in Los Angeles that can be found at local farmers’ markets and festivals.
Their gumbo, BBQ pulled porkless sandwich with potato salad and fruit cobblers will make your mouth water. Celebrating nine years of serving up vegan deliciousness, you can keep pace with where to spot Gorilla Grub’s next appearance by following them on social media (Instagram and Facebook).
While this popular hotspot of “plant-based deliciousness” is located in the city of Inglewood, it’s still considered to be part of the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area and we just couldn’t resist including it in this collection of eateries serving vegan food in Los Angeles. Stuff I Eat is helmed by chef Babette Davis, a world-class vegan chef with a loyal social media fan base.
Established in 2008 by Davis and her husband, Ron, this dining establishment features a menu designed for individuals who are exploring vegan flavors, as well as those transitioning to a whole-food, plant-based diet.
Stuff I Eat’s Organic Soul Food Sampler Plate, which as its name implies, includes vegan renditions of soul food classics like mac vegan mac ‘n’ cheese, yams, kale greens, black-eyed peas, potato salad, coleslaw, a cornbread muffin and your choice of BBQ tofu or BBQ jackfruit. Also on the menu are various types of fresh, creative salads and delicious sandwiches that showcase the versatility of vegan dining options.
“Wholesome soul food” as described by chef Maya Nailah is the mission of Centric Eats. In sharing her knowledge and love for vegan cuisine, Chef Nailah hopes to raise awareness about plant-based whole foods. Based in North Hollywood, a neighborhood within the city of Los Angeles, Centric Eats operates as a food truck.
They offer a vegan soul food menu spotlighting delicious dishes like baked mac and cheese and their I Can’t Believe It’s Not Chicken, made from oyster mushrooms. Its “Vegan Wing Stop” concept–a riff on the Wing Stop restaurant—features vegan wings and strips available in various flavors (jerk, BBQ, lemon pepper) served with dips like ranch and honey mustard.
You can find the Centric Eats food truck typically stationed at 5300 Bakman Avenue serving their sought-after menu of vegan food in Los Angeles or check out their Instagram account for additional scheduled locations.
Compton Vegan has been serving the greater Los Angeles and Orange County areas since 2017. Starting the kitchen as a mobile delivery service, founder Lemel Durrah aimed to provide Compton with affordable and healthy plant-based food options.
Today, diners can pull up to the Compton Vegan food truck to enjoy their signature veganized comfort food dishes like vegan gumbo, BBQ jackfruit ribz and buffalo chik’n mac.
Likewise, stop by the Compton Vegan Express located inside Colony, a community kitchen in West Los Angeles offering multiple food brands and entrepreneurs kitchen space.
Follow them on Instagram and Facebook to catch the latest happenings and menu selections.
While the landscape for enjoying vegan food in Los Angeles is constantly changing, we hope starting with these established favorites will begin your journey of exploring the flavors of a plant-based menu and, in return, promote a healthier lifestyle.
