Los Angeles vegan restaurant named best in the nation by Yelp

Perhaps no city in the U.S. has the abundance and demand for vegan cuisine like Los Angeles.

So it’s probably not surprising to see that the top ranked vegan restaurant in the entire country can be found in the L.A. area.

Yelp, the global online repository for business reviews and customer service watchdogs, has released its Top 100 list of the nation’s best vegan restaurants, and not only are three of the top 10 in the greater Los Angeles area, but No. 1 is right in the South Bay.

According to Yelp, the best vegan restaurant in America is lil’ Vegerie in Redondo Beach.

The restaurant offers bowls, salads and juices that even the most committed carnivore would enjoy, according to Yelp. Opened in 2022 by chef and “former vegan skeptic” Jason Cervantes, lil’ Vegerie was founded with the mission to make vegan food “quick, clean, and delicious.”

Yelpers have praised the restaurant’s clean, wholesome menu and its robust flavors. One reviewer even said they would put lil’ Vegerie’s “Philly Cheesesteak bowl” against any other steak sandwich in the area and expect it to hold its own.

If you’re an avid Yelp user and the restaurant name sounds familiar, lil’ Vegerie was also named the No. 1 place to eat in Los Angeles in Yelp’s 2023 rankings.

“I’m not trying to make anyone vegan,” Cervantes said. “I’m showing people that this food can taste good.”

But Cervantes’ restaurant isn’t the only one making waves in L.A.; Hey, Sunshine Kitchen in Culver City came in at the No. 4 spot on the Yelp list.

The Culver City vegan joint was opened last year by siblings Heather Golden Ray and Jenny Engel. The restaurant was also crowned No. 1 in Yelp’s 25 hot & new women-owned restaurants 2024 list.

Popular items at Hey, Sunshine include jackfruit carnitas tacos and a Mediterranean Chickpea patty sandwich, but Yelpers rave the most about the restaurants warm bowls, including vegan “beef” crumble and barbecue tofu.

“I am a major omnivore, but you wouldn’t miss the meat here,” one reviewer wrote of Hey, Sunshine.

Venture a little further south and you’ll stumble upon another of the Top 10 best vegan restaurant in the U.S.

Located in Garden Grove in Orange County, Yelp’s No. 7 vegan restaurant is Vegan Stops.

Unlike many vegan restaurants, Vegan Stops doesn’t make mock meats or “fast-food dupes.” Instead, the restaurant crafts authentic Mediterranean dishes from the family’s Syrian roots.

Mohammad Takwa owns the restaurant and his stepmother is in charge of the kitchen. The menu is crafted with special care, Yelp said, with special attention placed on the veggies, legumes and healthy oils used.

Menu highlights include a roasted cauliflower dish drizzled with tahini sauce and a trio of bulgur pilafs topped with veggies like green peppers, sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions.

Yelpers also praised the pasta, which reheats well if you have leftovers.

In total, nine California vegan restaurants made it in Yelp’s Top 100 list.

The California restaurants that made the cut are below:

For the complete list of America’s best vegan restaurants, according to Yelp, click here.

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