A quality vegetarian restaurant knows that it takes more than a plate of leafy greens to please the palate, and these Top 10 Vegetarian Restaurants in Los Angeles, presented in alphabetical order, are masters in making meatless meals memorable.
A quality vegetarian restaurant knows that it takes more than a plate of leafy greens to please the palate, and these Top 10 Vegetarian Restaurants in Los An... more
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Created 09/08/08
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1
A Votre Santé
13016 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049 / 310-451-1813
These casual health-oriented spots feature breakfast items-omelets, scrambled tofu, blue-born-banana pancakes-until three in the afternoon, and such all day entrées as chicken curry with brown rice, salads, chicken and turkey burgers, stir-fried veggies and smooth Mediterranean dips with pita bread.
2
Bombay Café
12021 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064 / 310-473-3388
Following a trend toward modern versions of such classic cuisines as Thai, Italian, French, and others, Bombay Café chef-co-owner Neela Paniz has created what some have dubbed Cal-Indian cuisine. But traditionalists need not be deterred---this fresh, lighter take on the venerable curries and masalas of yore does not forsake authenticity. In fact, Bombay Café offers a wealth of authentic dishes, including items you might buy from a vendor on the streets or beaches of Bombay, such as burrito-like frankies filled with lamb or cauliflower, or uttapam, a semolina griddle cake topped with tomatoes, onion, green chiles and cilantro. Samosas and pakoras are top-drawer, and we are impressed with entrées such as sindhi chicken, poached with onions, ginger, chiles and masala, then sautéed with mango powder, coriander and hot peppers. All of the dishes from the tandoor are aromatic and flavorful, the curries creamy, and the many varieties of traditional breads ideal for mopping up sauces that are pungent but not fiery. Bombay Café usually offers a wide selection of Paniz's signature chutneys: intriguing varieties such as spicy tomato, walnut, tamarind-date, and green apple-cranberry.
3
Grace
7360 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 / 323-934-4400
Grace represents neighborhood dining at its most elegant. The bistro-chic décor (an odd urban mix of earthy colors, Japanese design and ’70s retro shapes) sets the pace for a warm experience. Chef-partner Neal Fraser, an Iron Chef victor who formerly ran the kitchens at Boxer and Jimmy's, has collaborated with three other restaurant veterans on this project. Whether you love or dislike the look, the atmosphere becomes irrelevant once you've tasted Fraser's cuisine. Great with seafood, from his intense lobster stock to delicate, seared scallops, via a moist skate, this chef's seafood dishes are sure bets. Other highlights include foie gras, an innovative sashimi appetizer, and a trio of soups followed by wild boar tenderloin in violet mustard sauce. The wine list represents excellent value (for restaurant heavies, there's a separate cellar list of more rare finds). For desserts, expect sophisticated renditions of old favorites, like gourmet donuts. Each element of the menu is commendable on its own, but when experienced together they embody the restaurant's well-chosen identity, simply Grace.
4
Inn of the Seventh Ray
128 Old Topanga Rd., Topanga, CA 90290 / 310-455-1311
Located in the heart of Topanga Canyon, the restaurant's main building retains much of its history from the 1930s, when it was a private retreat, church, garage, gas station and auto junkyard. Inspired by its one-time holy sanctuary spirit, the owners transformed the place into one of the most romantic restaurants in Los Angeles. It starts with the drive through the canyon, then to the tables spread about the garden under gorgeous trees, and along the winding creek, and ends with the gift store on the way out. The owners initially introduced the restaurant as vegetarian, but have departed from that concept, hiring young and talented chef Cyril Kabaoglu. Born and trained in France, Kabaoglu has perfectly integrated California's culture to create a modern cuisine of his own, using all fresh and organic products. He has free reign to play with the ingredients, and he takes the time to design each plate for the pleasure of your eyes. He has composed à la carte dishes as well as a vegetarian tasting menu, an all-raw foods menu and a traditional menu. We tried a little of each to ensure that his technique works in all. We started with raw velouté, espuma and carrot chips, followed by an heirloom tomato tartare topped with goat cheese and roasted bay beets. The raw scallops were layered on a bed of portobello mushrooms, while the roasted langoustines were served with cuttlefish seasoned with squid ink oil. Foie gras is not on the menu every day (unless you order it in advance), but when it is, it comes on homemade brioche, with amaretto and almond nougatine. Vanilla is used to perfume the parsnip purée gracefully plated under the John Dory. After the roasted duck breast in duck jus vinaigrette, we were convinced that Kabaoglu is a chef on the rise. Artisanal cheeses can also be ordered as an appetizer. The sushi fruit platter was the least interesting of the desserts, so try the apple baked in Calvados on salted caramel (hey, after all, Kabaoglu is from Normandy), sprinkled with almond cookie, with a spoon of a delicate raw cookie dough. We can't forget to mention that the bread is homemade and delicious. The bucolic and soothing setting (we prefer the outside rather than the indoor dining room, still bearing its stained-glass of its past) is a good excuse to linger and peruse the quite substantial wine list, boasting over 400 selections from around the world.
5
Joe's
1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291 / 310-399-5811
Chef-owner Joe Miller is not your average Joe---he doesn't tend to grab the spotlight like some of his celebrity chef peers, but he has clearly established himself as one of L.A.'s top toques. His quiet approach, insistence on high quality ingredients and innovation with a classical foundation has made him a local favorite. Red tones and modern paintings adorning the walls offer a laid-back yet casually elegant ambience. Miller excels with seafood, so it is sometimes difficult to choose between his meat preparations and the products from the sea. Appetizers might include grilled baby octopus with Greek salad, soft shell crab with pork belly hash and shishito peppers, or a terrine of goat cheese and yellow beets. Entrées range from grilled white sea bass with calamari and black gnocchi, a tasty lobster with truffle oil, Tasmanian ocean trout with potato linguini or a veal tenderloin with wild rice, a Kurobuta pork loin in milk sauce and garlic juice, and a crispy chicken with ricotta gnocchi. The pastry chef now comes in with his apricot or Key lime tarts, his espresso-chocolate cake, or strawberry-pistachio parfait with eucalyptus foam. Prices here have always been extremely reasonable---lunches ($15) and prix-fixe dinners are particular values---for a restaurant of this caliber. Sommelier-general manager Nicolas Gourdon oversees a very nice wine list with over 300 choices, including some Mouton-Rothschild and Vosne-Romanée bottles. The busy brunch is also a good way to discover the restaurant. Miller was a pioneer in Venice and although the vibrant restaurant scene has exploded around him, Joe's remains one of the community's premier dining destinations. To enjoy more of Miller's food outside the restaurant, he has teamed up in a catering adventure with The Wine House, assuring that the culinary preparations are always paired with the right wines.
6
M Café de Chaya
7119 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90046 / 323-525-0588
Created by the masterminds behind iconic restaurants Chaya Brasserie and Chaya Venice, M Café is a perfect spot for inspiring the whole family to enjoy healthy cuisine. Displayed in a deli-style setup with a case of glorious goodies running the entire span of the rectangular space, the macrobiotic-based cuisine focuses on flavor. Although the menu is meat-free and veggie-heavy, there are several hearty fish selections, like the grilled tuna burger. We love the vegetable inari sushi over brown rice, as well as the almost matchstick-thin organic fries. Among the most enjoyable options are the three- and four-salad combos, which allow you to mix-and-match from the colorful displays of pasta salads, marinated vegetables and slaws. Desserts are also conscious cuisine, made without eggs, dairy or refined cane sugar. Try the chocolate-and-green-tea pound cake for a unique, delicious treat. The restaurant also does a brisk take-out business for all three meals.
7
Paru's Restaurant
5140 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027 / 323-661-7600
This little gem is hidden (literally) on an unassuming stretch of Sunset Boulevard. You ring a doorbell and the gate will open to a small overgrown garden and cozy dining room interior, decorated with vibrant Indian fabrics and pictures of various Indian saints and gurus. In that exotic and welcoming small space, a hip crowd munches on south Indian food that's not extraordinary but reliably good. The menu is strictly vegetarian and prepared with the spiritual concept of loving kindness. We love to start with its always-fresh samosas and order various curries such as cauliflower with potato, spinach with lentils, and chickpeas or eggplant matched with some warm paratha or poori (Indian flatbread). If you're not familiar with the south Indian style (looking for naan? You won't find it here), try the combination plates such as Punjab Glory or Yogi's Delight and familiarize yourself with uttapam (thick lentil crêpe), masala dosa or vadai. The options are small, but you can't beat the prices and they make a delicious mango lassi and a very nice cup of chai. There's a reason this place has been around since 1979.
8
Pradeep's Indian Cuisine
1405 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90403 / 310-393-1467
Indian cuisine meets Californian health consciousness. Stroll in from trendy Montana Avenue and treat your taste buds to traditional Indian curries prepared without butter or cream. Vegetarians delight in dishes like okra masala or curry-infused tofu and cauliflower, which, like most of the menu, do not sacrifice flavor. Finally, diners can leave feeling both light of heart and light of belly. Also located at 517 Washington Blvd., Marina del Rey, 310-577-9293; and 326 S. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-203-3367.
9
Real Food Daily
414 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90048 / 310-289-9910
This outpost of Real Food Daily offers the same vegan cuisine as its Santa Monica location but with the addition of a decadent yet healthful weekend brunch. Inside, earth-tone refurbished wood salvaged from Indonesia used as tabletops create a warm, inviting atmosphere. The menu is fairly basic and, unlike many health food establishments, focuses on the tastes and textures unique to vegetable-based foods rather than attempting to imitate meat meals. We love the mushroom sandwich and barbecue tofu chop salad. But the brunch menu is where this Real Food outdoes itself. The tofu omelets---shaped like an egg version, stuffed with either vegetables or vegan cheese---is a true surprise. The pancakes are some of the best whole grain flapjacks we've tasted.
10
The Spot
110 Second St., Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 / 310-376-2355
The Spot is famous among natural food restaurants, a haven since the 1960s for vegetarians. Its mission statement is focused and unwavering, stressing organic whole grains and legumes, seasonal organic produce when available, homemade bread, desserts sweetened with honey or maple syrup and oil- and dairy-free soups. Whole wheat burritos and sandwiches are filled with things like baked tofu, avocado and brown rice. There’s even a meat-less meatloaf, made with mushrooms, walnuts and brown rice, bathed in mushroom gravy. Salads are accented with surprisingly original dressings, highlighted by the herb dressing with soy oil and apple cider vinegar. There are even pastas under the “Little Bit of Italy” banner; the pasta’s whole wheat, but the marinara sauce is the real deal. Everything is wholesome, and the prices are reasonable.
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