Friday Five: 5 Best Vegetarian Friendly Restaurants in Los Angeles

So I probably should have written about the 5 best vegetarian restaurants in Los Angeles while I lived there. But lately, I’ve found myself missing the food more than ever. I’ve also been missing the weather but that’s a whole different story. If you don’t already know, I’m vegan-ish. Chicago eats just aren’t the same. There are a lot less juice bars and a lot more pizza places. That’s no surprise. Before I get to the list, here is what happened this week on the blog:

• I talked about how to style a cozy corner
• Matt made an appearance as we styled his and hers shoes for spring
• There’s a new app that gives you cash back on travel
• And this sexy navy slip dress

Let’s get back to LA. Oh, LA. After living there for over a decade, this list of restaurants comes out on top every time. When we are traveling to a new place, I’m always scanning for plant based restaurants. Sometimes, it can be a struggle. So for my fellow vegetarians and/or people just looking for a healthy meal at a super trendy spot, I wanted to round up this list! We try a good balance of places since Matt is definitely a meat eater (he’s a Midwest boy through and through). We’ll go to a spot he wants to visit but he’ll always throw in a vegetarian-friendly or vegan place too. Here is the list!

(image from Venue Report)

1. Gracias Madre

You’ve definitely seen photos of this place on the internet. This is the epitome of LA: when being vegetarian is super trendy and bougie. I love it. The patio here is to die for so try to get a spot outside. If you can’t, don’t worry. The bar inside is equally adorable. I threw my birthday dinner here a few years back. Ballsy, right? All of my friends (none of them are vegetarian) griped and groaned about it leading up to the event. As soon as they had the first course, their tune definitely changed. I still have people telling me how good the food was! Things to order: the cauliflower, flautas, and guac. Always the guac.

(image from We Like LA)

2. Nobu Malibu

So this isn’t a vegetarian restaurant. It’s a sushi restaurant and it’s a well known chain. Note that I specifically called out the Malibu location (pass on the Hollywood one) because it’s my favorite of all the Nobu locations I’ve been to. This hotspot has one of the best views in Los Angeles because it’s right on the water. You can eat and literally be steps away from the ocean (see the photo below)! When Matt took that photo of me, E and Turtle from Entourage were right behind him! If you keep an eye out for celebrities, you are bound to see someone during your meal too. The vegetarian options aren’t as plentiful as the other places on this list but there are definitely multiple. Plus, they are really good at catering to your needs. The ambiance and location though made Nobu one of our most frequently visited spots for date night!

(image from The Butcher’s Daughter)

3. Butcher’s Daughter

Everyone knows the NYC location so you can imagine how excited I was when this spot opened in LA. Even if you swear by eating meat, this spot is a must see. With all the cute decor, you can’t leave without stealing a few photos of this adorable restaurant. If you go for brunch, get a spot on the patio! The BBQ Chicken Pizza and the Macro Bowl are my top picks if you’re looking for something hearty. The acai bowl is good in a pinch but see my next restaurant for the best one ever. You also can’t go wrong with Avocado Toast or as we like to call it “avo toast”.

(image from Project Food 2015)

4. Kreation

Also not a 100% vegetarian restaurant is this casual hole in the wall. Aside from green juice, I’ve been mega craving acai bowls. Kreation does both of these things very well. Chicagons, for the most part, don’t even know what those are. I had to teach my coworkers how to pronounce acai! Seriously. Kreation has hands down the best acai bowl I’ve ever tasted and I’ve easily had over 100. My favorite is the Jungle bowl, no mango and substitute almond or soy milk for coconut (fewer calories). So delicious and it’s massive! Yes, it’s very healthy but that’s what makes this so good IMO. Need a little less health? Try the Amazon bowl for something more traditional. This casual hipster joint is right on Abbot Kinney in Venice Beach. You can eat in or take out (the photo above is take out). I used to work across the street so I’ve tried just about everything on the menu that isn’t meat!

(image from Sage Vegan Bistro)

5. Sage Vegan Bistro

This trendy spot has lots of character. The entrance is a little garden and it’s tucked away in the middle of Culver City so it’s unexpected. Get the buffalo cauliflower. Just do it. Their jackfruit tacos are also incredible if they’re in season. This spot is also home to my favorite “ice cream” in the whole world.

A month ago, my coworkers and I went around sharing which flavor of ice cream we would be. Not what ice cream we liked to eat, but what flavor embodied who we were as a person most. I couldn’t figure mine out. I didn’t feel like anything captured me effectively. Then I had an epiphany. The Superfood flavor at Sage was it. It is so yummy and 100% vegan! Meat eaters, the dairy intolerant, and vegans all love it.

Have you been to any of these restaurants? Are they on your list?

If you’re looking for more posts like this, you can see all of the Friday Five posts here.