AMERICA’S FINEST CITY

6 years ago I decided to move to San Diego to start a new life for myself. I was getting sick and tired of the cold, long, drawn out Michigan winters and I wanted more sunshine, fun, and fresh food in my life. After I decided to go vegan, I was desperate to find others who resonated with my new lifestyle choice. After doing some research, I found that the majority of vegans lived in warmer climates, especially on the west coast. Even though I did not know anyone in San Diego, I found the courage to put myself out there online as a vegan. I joined online groups, attended meetups, hosted potlucks or “fruitlucks”, and coordinated hikes so I got to meet a lot of people that resonated with the same things as me. Living in San Diego as a vegan has honestly been the best experience of my life!

If you’re a new or seasoned vegan, vegan junk foodie or health freak, the finest city in America has something to offer you. Below is a great resource of vegan and vegan friendly restaurants, markets, pop ups in San Diego, including my all time favorites that I recommend for those who are just visiting. Keep scrolling to find helpful and successful San Diego vegans sharing this lifestyle online. Don’t judge a raw vegan though… Just because I haven’t eaten at most of these restaurants, doesn’t mean I don’t know what to recommend others. I hear the talk of the town and what other vegans are loving right now so I wouldn’t steer you in the wrong direction. San Diego is the perfect city for health conscious people so please visit and support these restaurants making a difference in our world! Special shot out to Vegan in San Diego for inspiring me to create this list!

restaurant GUIDE

💚 Vegan

🌿 Vegetarian

😊 Vegan Friendly

GINGER’S RECOMMENDATIONS

💚 Peace Pies

Come visit San Diego’s only 100% raw vegan restaurant. They have two locations in Ocean Beach and in Encinitas. They offer a full menu consisting of salads, pizzas, wraps, entrees, dried goods, desserts, chocolates and accessories to aid in the live food lifestyle. Pictured to the left is the mango curry wrap with cheezy kale chips.

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ChoiceJuiceProtein (1).jpeg — 💚 Choice Juicery

The owner Nastasha is a huge inspiration of mine who chased her dream and opened up her own business as a single mom. Choice offers healthy juices, delicious smoothies, salads, wraps, plant based sushi, and even banana bread for on the go meals. They have four locations across San Diego: Carlsbad, Solana Beach, 4S Ranch, and Downtown so check one out soon!

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💚 Trilogy Sanctuary

Trilogy Sanctuary is not your typical vegan cafe. It houses a yoga studio, boutique, and hangout spot for the spiritually conscious. They have everything from open mic night, to fire dancers, sound healing, to dance medicine parties. Pictured are the two perfect tacos and they are perfectly delicious.

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💚 Evolution Fast Food

This was San Diego’s very first vegan drive through. They offer everything from burgers and fries, to smoothies, to raw vegan take aways like these raw tacos. I used to get the raw tacos every Friday after moving here. Roll on up to Evolution Fast Food next time you’re in the Balboa Park area!

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💚 Cafe Gratitude

When you need to say “I AM” before every order, you know you’re in Southern California. This branch of the LA chain offers creative plant based fare, juices, beer & wine in hip and clean digs. There was some controversy a couple of years ago when the owners started eating animal products again, but their restaurant is 100% plant based and I can still support that.

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🌿 Plumeria Vegetarian Restaurant

This was my raw till 4 nostalgia place. They are located in University Heights but recently opened a new location in Encinitas called Plum. Their fresh spring rolls and yellow curry was my all time favorite to order.

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💚 Eve

Eve is a casual restaurant serving up imaginative menus of various plan based vegan meals all day. They have two locations in Encinitas and Oceanside with room for events. Their menu includes warm macrobiotic bowls, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, salads, smoothies, and best yet, kids eat free every single day!

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health food stores

🌿 Ocean Beach People’s Organic Coop Market (Ocean Beach)

😊 Jimbos (Downtown, Del Mar, Carlsbad, 4S Ranch)

😊 Whole Foods (Hillcrest, La Jolla, Del Mar)

😊 Sprouts Farmers Market (20 different locations)

😊 Trader Joes (14 different locations)

😊 Windmill Farms (Del Cerro)

😊 Boney's Bayside Market (Coronado)

FRUIT AND PRODUCE MARKETS

🌿 The Fruit Stand (PB Area)

😊 Farm Stand West (Escondido)

😊 99 Ranch Market (Kearny Mesa)

😊 Zion Market (Kearny Mesa)

😊 H-Mart (Mira Mesa)

😊 Vine Ripe (La Mesa)

😊 Just Peachy (Leucadia)

juice bars

💚 Choice Superfood (Carlsbad, Del Sur, Little Italy, Solana Beach)

💚 Juice Crafters (Hillcrest, La Jolla & Encinitas)

💚 Beaming (Del Mar, La Costa, La Jolla)

💚 Sol-ti (Miramar)

💚 Vitality Tap (Downtown, Del Mar)

💚 Natural Delights Juice Bar (North Park)

💚 Lotus Cafe and Juice Bar (Encinitas)

💚 Juice Wave (Mission Beach)

💚 Pure Press (near Cowles Mt.)

💚 Project Juice (Hillcrest)

💚 Lucky Dutch Juice (North Park)

💚 Oh! Juice

🌿 Nekter Juice Bar (Point Loma, Downtown, Encinitas, Del Mar, La Jolla, Poway, Carlsbad, San Marcos)

😊 Liv (Hillcrest)

😊 Juice Adventure (Chula Vista)

😊 Senor Mangos (North Park)

RAW FOOD

💚 Peace Pies (Ocean Beach & Encinitas)

💚 Cafe Gratitude (Downtown)

american classics

💚 Veggie Grill (UTC, Carlsbad)

💚 Native Foods (Encinitas, Point Loma, Clairemont Mesa)

💚 The Modern Vegan (North Park)

💚 Anthem Vegan (Chula Vista - inside Brew Bar, North Park - inside Toronado)

💚 Donna Jean SD (Balboa Park)

💚 World Beat Cafe (Palisades)

💚 Bigfoot Natural Cafe (Carlsbad)

💚 California Homemades (Escondido)

💚 Evolution Fast Food (Balboa Park)

💚 Grains (University Heights)

💚 Kindred (South Park)

💚 Modern Times Far West Lounge (Encinitas)

💚 Roots UCSD (UCSD)

💚 Soulshine (Mission Beach)

💚 Spoiled Vegans Cafe (East Village)

💚 The Village (North Park)

🌿 The Purple Mint Vegetarian Bistro (Grantville)

🌿 True Food Kitchen (Fashion Valley)

😊 Flower Child (Del Mar)

😊 The Naked Cafe (Solana Beach, Encinitas, Old Town)

😊 Greenspot Salad Company (4S Ranch, Sorrento Valley)

😊 Tender Greens (Downtown, Point Loma, Mission Valley, University City)

😊 Ki’s Restaurant (Cardiff by the Sea)

😊 Breakfast Republic (North Park, Liberty Station, Ocean Beach, Encinitas, or East Village)

😊 Parakeet Cafe (La Jolla)

😊 Souplantation (11 locations throughout San Diego)

FINE DINING

🌿 Cafe Gratitude (Little Italy)

😊 Civico 1845 (Little Italy)

fast food

💚 Evolution Fast Food (Hillcrest)

💚 Plant Power Fast Food (Encinitas, Ocean Beach, SDSU)

PIZZA

💚 Donna Jean (Balboa Park)

😊 URBN (North Park)

😊 Red House Pizza (University Heights)

😊 Project Pie (Hillcrest, Chula Vista, Eastlake)

😊 Landini’s Pizzeria (Little Italy)

😊 Pizzeria Luigi (North Park, Golden Hill, Imperial Beach)

😊 Sammy's Woodfire Pizza (Mission Valley, La Mesa, Poway, La Jolla)

😊 Mountain Mike’s (Linda Vista, San Carlos)

😊 Woodstock’s Pizza (College Area, Pacific Beach)

😊 Gianni’s Pizza (Oceanside)

😊 Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza (Carlsbad, Encinitas, Clairemont Mesa)

😊 Paradise Pizza (Carlsbad)

😊 Napizza (4S Commons Town Center, Encinitas, Little Italy, UTC)

😊 Baja Pizzeria (Teralta West)

😊 PizzaRev (Miramar, Torrey Highlands)

😊 Pizzeria Luigi SD (Golden Hill, Imperial Beach, North Park)

😊 Tribute Pizza (North Park)

😊 Baja Pizzeria (North Park)

😊 Leucadia Pizzeria (Encinitas)

😊 Blaze Pizza (Encinitas, Kerny Mesa, Carlsbad)

😊 Pieology Pizzeria (Carlsbad, Clairemont Mesa, Escondido, Hillcrest, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach)

😊 Wynola Pizza (Julian)

😊 Zia Gourmet Pizza (Normal Heights)

😊 zpizza (La Jolla, Scripps Ranch, Linda Vista)

SUSHI

💚 NoW Sushi (Mission Beach)

🌿 Sipz Fusion (Clairemont)

😊 Sushi 2 (Downtown)

😊 Ebisu (Hillcrest)

😊 Harney Sushi (Old Town San Diego)

😊 Leo's Kitchen (Pacific Beach Farmers Market, Little Italy Farmers Market)

😊 Kappa Sushi (Mira Mesa)

ASIAN

💚 Veganic (Hillcrest)

💚 The Purple Mint (Allied Gardens)

💚 Loving Hut (University Heights & Mira Mesa)

🌿 Plumeria Vegetarian Restaurant (University Heights)

🌿 Plum (Encinitas)

😊 Taste of Thai (Hillcrest, Del Mar)

😊 Tajima Ramen Bar (Hillcrest, North Park, Kearny Mesa)

😊 Del Mar Rendezvous China Bistro (Del Mar)

😊 Convoy Tofu House (Kearny Mesa)

😊 Amarin Thai (Hillcrest)

😊 Thotsakan Thai & Vegetarian Cuisine (Downtown)

😊 Wei Wei Asian Express (College Area)

😊 World Curry (Pacific Beach)

😊 Thai Time (El Cajon)

😊 Tajima Ramen Bar (Hillcrest)

😊 Tao (Normal Heights)

😊 Curry & More (San Marcos)

😊 BeShock Ramen (Downtown East Village)

😊 Busy B Thai Cafe (El Cajon)

😊 Hachi Ramen (Banker’s Hill)

😊 Pinto Thai (Ramona)

😊 Dumplings N More (Hillcrest)

😊 Kim’s Vietnamese Restaurant (Encinitas)

😊 Pho Hut & Grill (Clairemont)

😊 Mint Downtown Thai (Downtown)

MEXICAN

💚 Vegan Tacos San Diego (formerly La Taqueria Vegiee) (Food truck in South Park)

💚 El Veganito SD (Escondido farmer's market)

😊 Ranchos Cocina (North Park)

😊 Pokez Mexican Restaurant & Vegetarian Cuisine (Downtown)

😊 Chipolte (Multiple Locations)

😊 El Comal Mexican Restaurant (North Park)

😊 Berta’s Latin American Restaurant (Old Town)

😊 Del Sur Mexican Cantina (South Park)

😊 Old Town Mexican Cafe (Old Town San Diego)

😊 Don Carlos Taco Shop (La Jolla)

ETHNIC

🌿 Muzita Abyssinian Bistro (University Heights)

😊 Awash Ethiopian Restaurant and Market (University Heights)

😊 Flavors of East Africa (University Heights)

INDIAN

🌿 Rasraj (Miramar)

😊 Himalayan Cuisine (La Mesa)

😊 Urban India (Downtown)

😊 Gourmet India (Downtown)

😊 Cafe of India (Point Loma)

😊 Gihon Ethiopian (North Park)

😊 Urban India (Downtown San Diego)

😊 Taste of the Himalayas (Carlsbad, El Cajon, Hillcrest, La Jolla, Midway District, UTC)

😊 Royal India (Downtown San Diego)

😊 Annapurna Indian Cuisine (Mira Mesa)

😊 Gourmet India (Downtown San Diego)

😊 Bombay Coast (Clairemont, La Jolla)

FARMER’S MARKETS

VENDORS TO LOOK OUT FOR

💚 Majestic Garlic (Hillcrest Farmers Market, Whole Foods, Jimbos, Lazy Acres, Windmill Farms, OB People’s Co-op)

💚 Bitchin' Sauce (Vons, Whole Foods, Jimbos, Sundays at Hillcrest)

dessert, coffee, and tea

💚 Starry Lane Bakery (Hillcrest)

💚 Millie's Gelato (OB People’s Co-op, Seaside market)

💚 Valley Girl Vegan Sweets (Pine Valley but delivers)

💚 Flora Bakeshop

💚 Hazel & Jade Bakery (Hillcrest)

💚 OvenLovely

💚 Snopel’s Bakeshop

💚 SoulMUCH (Ocean Beach farmer’s market)

💚 Unison Baking Co (Modern Times Cafe, Grindhouse CV, Coffee Cycle, Unico Juice Shop, OB Garden Cafe)
💚 Maya’s Cookies (Farmer’s markets and special orders)

💚 Nibble Chocolate (Old Town San Diego; multiple pop-ups throughout the county)

💚 Get Fluffed Up

🌿 Banana Dang Coffee (Oceanside)

🌿 Coffee and Tea Collective (East Village, North Park)

🌿 Holy Matcha Green Tea Cafe — North Park|

🌿 Juliantla Chocolate (Julian)

😊 Lestat's on Park (University Heights)

😊 2Good2Be Bakery and Cafe (Encinitas, Rancho Bernardo)

😊 Sprinkles Cupcakes (La Jolla)

😊 Donut Panic (Grantville/Mission Valley)

😊 Donut Bar (Downtown)

😊 Nomad Donuts (North Park)