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Los Angeles has no shortage of vegan eateries. With a wide variety of plant-based options from sushi to West African cuisine, there is almost certainly an option for whatever food craving may come.
While the scene remains robust in L.A., there have been some shakeups this year. In April, the acclaimed, previously fully plant-based restaurant Sage Plant Bistro & Brewery announced that it would be incorporating “regenerative farm-based beef, bison, cheese and eggs” to its menu, effectively rebranding as Sage Regenerative Kitchen & Brewery.
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In an Earth Day Instagram post, chef Mollie Engelhart announced the change. The chef said the new focus of the restaurant would be “regeneration.” Engelhart said in the video: “I realized that when I started Sage Vegan Bistro, I thought a vegan diet was what was best.” She went on to say that after seven years of regenerative farming, she changed her mind.
The comments section of the post was flooded with upset former customers. Engelhart replied to some customers, assuring that Sage would still be offering plant-based options along with its new non-vegan menu items. They made the official switch at the end of May.
Plant-based restaurant Nic’s on Beverly shuttered in March. The Beverly Boulevard eatery from restaurateur Nic Adler had almost closed in 2023, citing rent costs and difficulties from the COVID lockdown, saying in an Instagram post: “We have worked with the landlord for the past year, but ultimately, we cannot find an arrangement that works for them. They want it all.” Just a day before it was set to close in 2023, it was announced that the restaurant was able to reach an agreement with the landlord to stay open.
Nic’s ultimately closed its doors almost a year later on March 31, 2024. “We have reached the end of our road,” an Instagram post from the restaurant read. “What an incredible second chance you gave Nic’s, but even that was not enough to emerge from the weight of the last few years.”
Adler is expected to return to the plant-based food scene soon, collaborating with singer Billie Eilish and brother Finneas for Argento — a vegan Italian restaurant in Silver Lake. The new spot, situated where Little Pine once was, is expected to open this summer, according to the restaurant’s Instagram bio.
L.A.’s Best Vegan Restaurants
While the restaurant landscape continues to evolve in L.A., there are still plenty of go-to spots for those looking for anything from a plant-based night out to a casual mid-week lunch.
Cafe Gratitude: 639 N Larchmont Blvd., Larchmont and 512 Rose Ave., Venice
Crossroads Kitchen: 8284 Melrose Ave., Melrose and 4776 Commons Way, Suite A, Calabasas
De Buena Planta: 2815 W Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake
Gracias Madre: 8905 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood
Justine’s Wine Bar: 2029 Blake Ave., #102, Frogtown
Maciel’s Plant-Based Butcher Shop: 5933 York Blvd., Highland Park
Pura Vita: 8274 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood
Jennifer Stojkovic’s Recommendations
As the founder of the Vegan Women’s Summit, Stojkovic certainly knows her stuff when it comes to a plant-based diet.
“I think that in terms of helping people start their sustainability journey, plant-based eating, and in particular plant-based restaurants, are one of the best, kind of, gateways into how to change the way that you live,” the founder and author told The Hollywood Reporter.
“From an experience perspective,” she continued. “Restaurants actually provide people with the ability to reimagine the types of purchases and decisions that they make to make a more sustainable lifestyle.”
Stojkovic has a slew of suggestions for local vegan fare, ranging from mouth-watering vegan ice cream to West African cuisine, and even plant-based sushi.
BESTIES Vegan Paradise: 4882 Fountain Ave., East Hollywood
Ma-Kin Vegan Sushi: 30313 Canwood St., Unit 34-35, Agoura Hills
Ubuntu: 7469 Melrose Ave., Melrose
This story first appeared in the June 2024 Sustainability issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to see the rest of the issue.
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