if there’s one good thing about santa clarita, it’s tomato joe’s. even with the billions of restaurants in los angeles and our very own vegan pizzeria, we don’t have anything like the thick-crusted, beer-flavored pies that come out of the scv. yes, yes, i know i have written about this before…but some food is just so damn delicious, i gotta remind you of it over and over.

tomato joe’s is located in valencia and has a surprising amount of vegan offerings. in fact, they are probably the most vegan-friendly, yet traditional pizzeria i’ve ever been to. they’ve got vegan cheese, vegan meats, and several vegan sauces available—plus, the veganocity of all items is clearly indicated on the menu.

tomato joe's pizza with beer crust, vegan pepperoni, mushrooms, roasted garlic, and vegan cheese.

whenever i go to tomato joe’s, i go for one thing, the beer batter crust. the thick fluffy bread is pure magic, and is made with hefeweizen brewed right next door at the wolf creek brewery. this crust is only available in an extra large size, but that’s the only size i’d ever dream of getting at tomato joe’s anyways. the more leftovers, the better!

on our recent pie, we got the beer crust loaded up with mushrooms, vegan pepperoni, roasted garlic, vegan mozzarella, and traditional sauce. as with everything i’ve tried from tomato joe’s, it was delicious. what’s most shocking to me, is that tomato joe’s still uses follow your heart cheese, and i actually like it! they some how defy chemistry and get this stuff not only to melt, but actually taste decent. it is CRAZY. all the other toppings are top notch as well, from the fresh vegetables to the rich sauces and faux meats. we didn’t get them on this pizza, but i also highly recommend you try the vegan olive oil sauce and the field roast sausage.

sally's secret garden (vegan): extra virgin olive oil, vegan mozzarella, fresh basil, white mushrooms, red onion, green pepper, roasted garlic.

my omnivorous parents live near tomato joe’s, so we always pick up a pizza for them when we are there. pictured above is the sally’s secret garden pizza, made vegan (yay!) with follow your heart cheese on a thin crust. of course i wouldn’t go near this thing because it was covered in bell peppers (which i hate), but my family really enjoyed it. they are big fans of the the crispy crust that tomato joe’s offers, and while i agree that it’s good, i don’t think it even comes close to the thick one flavored with beer.

except for a few tables scattered outside, there is nowhere to actually sit and eat at tomato joe’s—it’s much more of a take-out and delivery place. but even if you don’t have family to go visit in the scv, it really is worth the drive just to eat this amazing pizza. so go get some and bring it back to LA, if it can survive the car trip without being devoured. seriously, this stuff is that good. get the beer crust.

tomato joe’s
27732 McBean Pkwy
Valencia, CA 91354
(661) 263-8646

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FINALLY! cruzer pizza in los feliz (LA’s only all vegan pizzeria) has updated their menu, and we are super honored to be publishing it first on quarrygirl.com.

have a look for yourself. loads of new vegan pizzas, sandwiches featuring match meats, and even daiya bread sticks! not to mention vegan cheesecake by madeleine bistro. basically, it’s all amazing! (click here for the PDF version.)

regular customers will notice a new addition to the menu, which is a super tasty sounding peta pizza. this thing comes with eggplant, portobello mushrooms, tomatoes, and daiya…plus, a portion of the proceeds are donated to to help animals. watch this fun video featuring michelle sass from cruzer and royale  & lauren from peta to see how the pizza got selected.

head over to cruzer asap for their new menu items and a very special peta pizza. lemme know what you think!

cruzer pizza
4449 Prospect Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 666-0600

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Why did I just put my house on the market and quit my job? Why am I now sitting here looking into employment opportunities and real estate prices in another city? I can tell you it’s not because of this article which names Santa Barbara as the 6th best “Medium and Small Metro Area” in the USA, or the fact that a few minutes drive from said metro area are some of the oldest and finest wineries in North America.

It’s not even because my comedic hero John Cleese lives there. Nah. The reason I’m tempted to up roots and hitchhike north is because Santa Barbara has the very best pizza I’ve ever eaten. AND, I’m not just talking about since becoming vegan – I’m talking about the best pizza ever. In the world. Of all time. For me, at least.

Situated about three miles north of Downtown Santa Barbara, on State St., Pizza Guru looks more like a coffee shop than a pizza parlor. Subdued lighting, dark antique tables, gilt-edged mirrors, potted plants and a chalk board in the bathroom (more on that later) give a very homely feeling to this up-market organic pizzeria. Inside you’ll find friendly staff, low-key locals and an absolutely HUGE selection of vegan crusts, sauces and toppings lovingly prepared by a small team of hard working people dedicated to giving you the very best pizza experience.

As all of us pizza lovers know, a perfect pie has four perfect things blended in perfect harmony, which at Pizza Guru they really do, er, perfect:

The Crust: Hand tossed, yet consistently textured. This crust is crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and has a perfect amount of oil so that after the first bite or two you have an awesome mouth texture without feeling over-greased or over dried. Crusts come in Signature (white, which we had), Whole Wheat and Gluten-free (something very rare for a commercial pizzeria).

The Sauce: We opted for Vegan Garlic White Sauce, which was so much more than a blob of garlic infused olive oil: It was creamy, yet light, leading to a healthy-tasting vibe with more of a flavor of garlic than overpowering raw garlic. The special Marinara is also vegan, so there are two choices of sauces with three pizza crusts leading to six vegan variations. And that’s before the cheese and toppings.

The Cheese: Nowadays, there’s only one vegan cheese that works on pizza: Daiya Italian Blend. Pizza Guru do a great job using just the right amount, and cooking it perfectly. As we all know, over-cooked Daiya (or, indeed, over-cooked cheese of any persuasion) really isn’t that good any more than under-cooked cheese is. Pizza Guru do Daiya just right. You seriously won’t get a better rendition of Daiya anywhere else.

The Toppings: In addition to 14 vegetable toppings (from the basic onions to the avant garde “Mushroom Blend”), Pizza Guru has three vegan protein offerings: Toasted Tofu, Pepperoni and Canadian Bacon. We opted for a bunch of vegetables: Mushroom Blend (diced mushrooms, leading to more of a mushroom flavor than chunky mushrooms to chew on: a good thing), tomatoes, garlic, jalapenos and the vegan pepperoni.

For vegan pizza converts (such as myself), this pie had a strikingly similar consistency to a Pizza Hut deep dish pizza, but without the overbearing oily taste (and, of course, the non-vegan ingredients). At the same time hearty and tasty but not too filling to make one feel bloated, Pizza Guru really strikes a very careful balance and delivers, both metaphorically, and also to a five mile delivery radius, on a wonderfully unique, yet strangely familiar vegan pizza offering.

Next time you’re in Santa Barbara whether it’s after an afternoon of wine tasting, or on a day trip from wherever you are (only 90 minutes from LA, don’t forget), Pizza Guru is either a must-visit destination or the only ‘phone number you need to know for delivery to your hotel room.

If you dine in, though, there’s a good selection of tap beers and locally produced wines (some organic) so you can get your fill of alcohol too. There are also a few bars on that block including “Don’s Cocktails” a hard-hitting urban dive bar/drinking den with a difference you’ll have to visit to find out.

So, after re-living my visit to Pizza Guru just now I recalled my offer on an apartment, begged my boss for my job back and decided it was easier to drive up north a few times a year than actually move to Santa Barbara. Also, John Cleese is older than my mother (that’s saying something) so I’m not sure I’m ready for the sedentary life of retirement just yet.

Oh, and chalk-boards in restrooms are BEGGING to be drawn on. So shoot us

Pizza Guru
3534 State St
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 563-3250

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back in the day when i was a teenager, my friends and i used to have epic pizza parties. we’d order way more than we could eat from the nearest delivery place and stay up all night chowing on pizza, guzzling soda, and watching movies. when i turned vegan, i assumed that avenue of pleasure was forever closed off to me. i mean, i could always make own vegan pizza, but there was no way i could eat pie from my closest delivery joint.

well now many years later, zpizza has re-opened that door. the chain has several locations all over the nation, and offers delicious vegan pizza covered with daiya cheese. recently my friend hosted a good old fashioned pizza party that reminded me of the early days…except everything was vegan, there was no movie watching, and i was drinking beer instead of soda. just have a look at the spread:

vegan california: organic tomato sauce, daiya mozzarella, fresh rounds of tomatoes, red onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, black olives.

vegan greek: daiya mozzarella, red onions, greek olives, fresh rounds of tomatoes, oregano.

vegan napoli: homemade roasted garlic sauce, daiya mozzarella, fresh rounds of tomatoes, fresh basil.

vegan provence: organic tomato sauce, homemade roasted garlic sauce, daiya mozzarella, artichoke hearts, capers, tomatoes, fresh basil.

vegan tuscan: roasted garlic sauce, daiya mozzarella, cremini, shiitake and button mushrooms, caramelized onions, truffle oil and thyme.

vegan cheese pizza with daiya mozzarella

our haul was amazing, and i can’t even believe we are at a day in age where we can get this much VEGAN PIZZA from a NATIONAL CHAIN. how FUCKING AWESOME IS THAT?! i could die happy.

one thing to note: when ordering from zpizza, you must specify that you want vegan cheese, and ask that they leave off non-vegan ingredients. for example, a lot of these pizzas come with extra feta by default…so just be sure to read the menu description before ordering. also, zpizza offers a “berkeley vegan” pizza that isn’t always vegan. some locations are still using morningstar farms crumbles, which contain milk and egg, so be sure to ask.

anyways, if you need some more plans for this 3 day weekend, i suggest you round up some friends and have an epic vegan zpizza party. a splendid time is guaranteed for all!

check out zpizza’s website for all their locations.

PS: i’d like to thank brittany from sick of lettuce for all this pizza. i am still full.

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just a few days ago, we were lamenting that there’s not enough vegan-friendly eat-in pizzerias, where one can relax with a bottle of red wine and a tasty pizza in a comfy dimly-lit environment. well, pizza fusion hollywood has come to the rescue.

pizza fusion hollywood has been open for a while, but up until yesterday the only vegan cheese they offered was follow your heart. after being spoiled by the countless places to get daiya in LA, i vowed to never eat FYH again…and even wrote an open letter to pizza fusion hollywood begging them to carry daiya. earlier this week, they sent me an email saying they would finally be introducing daiya to their menu (in addition to FYH), and inviting me over for a pizza tasting. of course my reply was, hell yes!

i hit up pizza fusion hollywood along with brittany from sick of lettuce, to try out their daiya-covered pizzas, and i must say the whole experience was pretty wonderful. when i arrived i was floored by how inviting and cozy the restaurant was. i’d been to pizza fusion in santa monica before, but the hollywood location is much more my style. it’s smaller and more intimate, but with a pretty big bar, and cute tables looking out on sunset blvd. our server was extremely friendly and brought us a drink list with all the vegan options clearly marked.

we ordered a glass of beer and wine and spent a while poring over the menu, deciding what we could veganize. ahhh, this is so the pizza experience i have been looking for! tap beer, wine, and all the time in the world to just hang out and chill.

we started out with the flatbread and dip trio appetizer, which is not vegan by default, but can be made animal-free by omitting the artichoke spread and olive tapenade.

flatbread and dip veganized: served with marinara and olive oil.

they brought it out with extra marinara sauce and olive oil for dipping, and the whole thing was downright delicious. the portion was huge, but we had no problem polishing off every last triangle. the bread was moist and covered in delicate seasonings, and the sauce was rich and flavorful.

very vegan: crimini mushrooms, roasted garlic, tomato sauce, and daiya cheese.

the first pizza we tried was the only one that is vegan by default: the very vegan. it came with mushrooms, garlic, tomato sauce and daiya cheese. i’ve had this pizza before with follow your heart, and i must say this was a huge improvement! they didn’t put too much cheese on the pizza, but rather just the right amount, so it wasn’t overly gooey. mushrooms and garlic are pretty much my two favorite pizza toppings anyway, so this was right up my street.

vegan bbq chicken pizza: bbq sauce, roasted red onion, fresh garlic, basil, daiya cheese.

the next pizza we tried was the bbq chicken pizza, with daiya and vegan chicken strips. this thing was awesome, and the faux chicken was soft and chewy. it was pretty light and healthy tasting too, again pizza fusion didn’t overload the thing with cheese and soy meat. sweet and tangy with a kick of garlic, this pizza was perfect.

farmer's market vegan: roasted artichoke hearts, red onion, zucchini, roasted portobello, tomato sauce, and daiya.

the last pizza we sampled was a vegan version of the farmer’s market, a pie loaded with roasted vegetables. pizza fusion did not skimp on the toppings one bit; there were huge chunks of everything from portobello mushrooms to zucchini to artichokes. while we chose the white crust option for the first two pizzas, we got this one with multigrain crust. i’m not gonna lie, i like the white crust better, but the multigrain one was pretty good as well.

just when i thought i was gonna explode, they brought out some brownies and ice cream for us to try as well. the brownie was vegan and gluten free, and while i’m used to more decadent desserts, it was definitely great for a GF item. i’d had a pizza fusion brownie before at the santa monica location, and this one was much better and softer on the inside. the real star of the dessert plate though, was the vegan strawberry ice cream. completely rich and insanely delicious.

overall, our experience at pizza fusion hollywood was lovely and i can’t wait to return. the food was good, the vibe was chill, the staff was nice, and the beer was on tap. plus the place is really easy to get to, close to my house, and validates parking for up to an hour. for convenience and atmosphere, pizza fusion hollywood has everywhere else in town beat.

so check this place out when you have a chance. get some vegan pizza and take your pick of either daiya or follow your heart. isn’t it great to have all these options?

pizza fusion hollywood
7950 W. Sunset Blvd.
Suite 104
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Phone: 323-375-3390

Sun–Thur 11am – 10pm
Fri–Saturday 11am – 11pm

PS: the pizza fusion in santa monica also carries both daiya and follow your heart. yay!

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One thing I miss about my vegetarian days is spending an evening with some friends in a pizza restaurant. Take some tasty pizza, a few glasses of wine, and a liberal helping of grated chillies, add in a cool environment (preferably dark, with an extensive bar) and you’ve got a winning combination.

While many cities have pizza restaurants, and all of them can serve a vegetarian pizza, getting a vegan pizza usually involves a major inquiry into the composition of the dough and sauce then (at best) eating the thing with no cheese, usually a dry, affair. It’s also embarrassing going there with friends and ending up with a green salad, should the crust not be vegan, so I tend to avoid eat-in pizza restaurants these days.

So, imagine how thrilled I was to visit City O City on our recent trip to Denver. Whomever thought this place up is a complete genius, and I wish they’d open one (or several) in every city in the USA. The place is entirely vegetarian, super vegan-friendly (they make two vegan cheeses on the premises and have a ton of vegan meats) has a full bar, extensive wine selection, cocktails, microbrews, candlelit tables, a rotating art gallery and all the hustle and bustle of a busy, downtown pizza joint. As if that’s not enough, they have several vegan breakfast items, vegan sweets and even an organic coffee bar!

We hit up City O City on a busy Saturday night, were promptly seated and started to pour over the menu. Oh boy. Before we even got to the pizza section we were pulled in by “Seitan Wings” with a choice of sauces and dressing. We hoped these were vegan, and indeed they turned out to be, so we ordered them along with our drinks while we debated our pizza order.

buffalo seitan wings. $7

Within a few minutes a HUMONGOUS basket of spicy seitan “wings” arrived, along with a cool ranch dipping sauce and sticks of celery. This dish was absolutely amazing – crunchy, hotter than hell and chewy beyond belief. The order was only $7, so we thought it would be good to share between two people, but it turned out to be not only much larger than we thought, but much tastier too. It was gone in a couple of minutes.

For our main dishes, we opted for the meaty “Animal Lover’s” pizza, which came with vegan sausage, pepperoni onion and mushrooms. We subbed jalapenos for the green peppers that usually accompany this pie for a spicy, meaty and hearty meal to warm us up from the sub-zero temperatures outside.

animal lover's pizza: seitan sausage, seitan pepperoni, fresh chilies, caramelized onion, mushroom, vegan mozzarella. $9

Cuz we’re gluttons, we ordered another pie, the very Italian sounding “Florentine”, an olive-oil-based pizza with roma tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms and fresh rosemary. Yes, it was as good as it sounds. Better, probably.

florentine pizza: garlic-infused olive oil, mushroom, spinach, roma tomato, fresh rosemary, vegan cheese. $9

Both pizzas were covered in home-made vegan mozzarella, which was really tasty and melty. City O City also has an option of vegan cashew ricotta which we didn’t try, but looked very tasty on the pie at the table next to us. In fact, when we asked the people eating it what they thought they said it was better than the vegan mozzarella, which was awesome to begin with.

The crust was thin and crispy, all blackened on the underside and crunchy on the edge, yet soft where it matters (just like me!). The sauces range from the basic (garlic infused olive oil) to the exotic: fig, hummus, chipoltle marinara. The only non-vegan protein topping is an egg, dwarfed by seitan sausage, seitan pepperoni, tempeh bacon, bbq tofu and even falafel. If that isn’t enough, you can choose from 16 vegetable toppings and an array of salads, wraps and fried stuff, nearly all of it vegan.

I simply can’t sing the praises of City O City enough. The place is awesomely vegan friendly, the food is incredibly tasty and filling and there’s a bar with so many different drinks you could spend a whole day there and never eat or drink the same thing twice. Indeed, I intend to on my next trip to Denver.

City O City even had cool decorative lamps!

Talking of Denver, where I was lucky enough to live for a year (sadly before City O City was open), this restaurant attracted a great crowd of hip Denver natives who are that unmistakable vibe of unassuming, pleasant and just pleased to be there.

City O City
206 E 13th Ave
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 831-6443
Mon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Sat-Sun. 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.

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just a quick post to let you know that cruzer pizza los feliz, LA’s only vegan pizzeria, now has some new and delicious additions to their menu.

starting today, cruzer is offering daiya cheese-filled bread sticks and philly cheesesteak sandwiches with match meats in addition to their vegan pizzas and salads!

having tried the daiya bread sticks today, i can say they are nothing short of revolutionary. much thinner and richer than a calzone, these long bread tubes are coated in garlic and oil then filled with insanely stretchy vegan mozzarella. dipped in marinara sauce, they are absolutely perfect and remind me of my dairy-eating days more than anything….minus the cruelty. seriously, you must try them!

the philly cheesesteak sandwiches are equally rave-worthy, with the kickass combo of match meats, daiya cheese, sauteed vegetables, and vegenaise. the bread is soft and fluffy, the meat is salty, the cheese is melty, and the vegetables are cooked to perfection! i of course, ordered my sandwich w/o bell peppers, and it was the best vegan cheesesteak sandwich i’ve ever had. i liked mine spicy, so cruzer was happy to throw in some jalapenos as well.

so if you haven’t been to cruzer, i dunno what you are waiting for. let’s see…

1.) they are the only vegan pizzeria in LA
2.) they offer daiya, field roast, and gardein
3.) they are the only establishment in the western US to carry match meats
4.) they have vegan cheese-filled bread sticks
5.) they serve the best philly cheesesteak sammies ever
6.) they have a QUARRYGIRL PIZZA

you have no excuse not to go.

cruzer pizza
4449 Prospect Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 666-0600
open at 4pm daily

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hey trusty vegans: i have some great news for you! starting today the official quarrygirl pizza is available at cruzer in los feliz. not just that, but a portion of the proceeds for every quarrygirl pizza you buy will go to benefit compassion over killing. it’s a win/win situation, if you ask me.

quarrygirl pizza: olive oil, garlic, marinated portobello mushrooms, button mushrooms, daiya cheese, field roast, fresh basil.

the quarrygirl pizza is super heavy and fully loaded with daiya cheese, marinated mushrooms, garlic sauce, field roast italian sausage and fresh basil.

i am a huge garlic fan, so that’s what this pizza is all about. there’s no tomato sauce on it, just garlicky goodness that goes perfectly with all the italian field roast. the portobellos are soaked in a red wine and garlic marinade, and there’s even garlic sprinkled on top. field roast is my favorite vegan sausage ever, so i was adamant about using it as a topping. when we started designing my pizza, cruzer didn’t even carry field roast….but i’m happy to say they found a distributor and have it in stock starting today.

the quarrygirl pizza is surely a crowd-pleaser; it’s hearty has enough fake meat to please vegans and omnivores alike. call cruzer today and order one! not only will you be helping the animals out by supporting compassion over killing, but you will get an amazing pie as well.

cruzer pizza
4449 Prospect Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 666-0600

PS: stay tuned for more awesome menu items coming up at cruzer over the next month. lots of exciting stuff in the works!

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UPDATE 1/10/10: i just heard that the culver city m cafe is running this pizza special on wednesday nights after 5pm! yay!

as if there aren’t enough places to get delicious vegan pizza in los angeles, you can now add m cafe de chaya on melrose to the list! on saturdays only, after 5pm (that means right now), the restaurant is offering a pizza night special for just $10.50.

thin crust individually prepared pizza toped with a slow cooked rustic marinara, daiya cheese, and fresh basil. $10.50 (add a baby green salad for $1.50)

i hit up m cafe on melrose this evening to try the special out on its very first night…and wow, i was very impressed. first off, the pizza is huge. m cafe is usually pretty expensive, but at under 11 bucks this pie is more than enough to feed 2 people. secondly, the crust is incredible. it’s ultra thin and crispy, and baked on the premises. it reminds me of gourmet pizza that one would find at a super classy joint. thirdly, all the ingredients are top notch and full of flavor. from the generous sprinklings of fresh basil to the hearty rustic marinara, the pizza is all so divine. oh, and lastly the whole thing is covered in daiya, the best vegan cheese around.

i think it’s safe to say, m cafe really hit a home run with this vegan pizza. while our options are plentiful in LA, i can’t think of another restaurant where you can get such a high-quality artisan pie at such a low price. it truly is amazing.

m cafe is open until 10pm tonight, so i suggest you get over there and eat some pizza like NOW. if you can’t make it this evening, be sure to hit them up next saturday. i really want to make sure this special stays around, because it’s so fucking good.

m cafe melrose
7119 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 525-0588

BTW, as far as i know this pizza is only at the melrose location. only on saturdays. only after 5pm. correct me if you hear differently!

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i really can’t possibly give cruzer pizza enough love on this blog, ever. the small los feliz pizzeria went from actually offering the dreaded veal on their menu less than a year ago, to being the first place in the western U.S. to serve daiya, and now just months later to being california’s only 100% vegan pizzeria! can you believe it? as vegan.com put it so well, cruzer went from veal to vegan in no time! it’s like a fairy tale.

while cruzer pizza has already transformed into an entirely animal-free establishment, they are still improving their vegan menu. rumor is that very soon they will start offering various fake meats and cheeses for us to choose from, as well as novelty/gluttony dishes like potato skins, mozzarella sticks and cheesesteak sandwiches. in the meantime though, cruzer has been teasing the vegan community via twitter with specials like calzone samples and free “sassy caesar salads” with a pizza purchase! (if you don’t follow cruzer on twitter, you are crazy and missing out).

vegan calzone with daiya cheese, tomatoes, and basil

already a menu item, the vegan calzones at cruzer are delicious. i’ve tried the margherita flavor as well as gardein bbq chicken, and they are both insane.

cruzer uses daiya cheese and a wonderfully crispy dough, so the whole thing blossoms into this beautiful combo of crunchy and melty.

the sassy caesar salad is not a menu item yet, but i highly suggest that if you see cruzer tweet about it, you go over and get one as soon as you can. created by michelle sass (a vegan of over 20 years and the food consultant responsible for cruzer’s leap to all animal-free, and for hooking them up with daiya in the first place), this salad is covered in rich and creamy homemade dressing and topped with oven baked croutons. seriously, so good. i am hoping cruzer starts selling this dressing by the gallon, because it’s the best vegan caeser i’ve ever had….even ousting my beloved pure luck. i also think the croutons are key in making this salad a win; imagine fluffy cubed bread doused in oil and covered in herbs, then baked to perfection. yeah, cruzer should start selling these in bulk as well. michelle sass makes an ingenious sassy salad indeed.

so the lesson you should have learned from this post is to follow cruzer on twitter, and to get your ass over there as soon as they launch their new menu. i have a feeling it will be epic. and let’s hope michelle sass keeps spreading the vegan word around LA, because she seriously helped turn cruzer into something beyond my wildest dreams.

cruzer pizza los feliz
4449 Prospect Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 666-0600

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While we usually cover LA’s extraordinary selection of vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants (vegan, vegetarian and vegan-friendly), some individual menu items in our city stand out as exceptional, and we thought they deserved their own post.

We chose no-compromise vegan foods: menu items that make no apology for being vegan and that, with only a couple of exceptions, you can order pretty much any time.

Have some things to add to the list, or stuff you don’t like? Let us know in the comments!

A Taste of Life “Breakfast Sandwich”

UPDATE: just found out that in addition to being available at the Hollywood Farmers Market, this amazing breakfast sandwich can be found at Locali…so you can eat it seven days a week!

Why? Because it’s awesome, and they don’t run out of them now by 10am like they used to! The Hollywood Farmer’s Market is a Mecca for LA vegans, with plenty of superb things to enjoy. However, the staple food item to eat on the spot is from Taste Of Life. Their amazing Breakfast Sandwich is substantial, filling, tasty and completely vegan, costs only $5 and can be unwrapped and eaten on the go while you’re stocking up on stupidly over-priced organic carrots.

vegan breakfast sandwich: sausage, tofu, and cheese on a fluffy muffin. $5

Of course, if Taste Of Life does run out of La’s only vegan “McMuffin” , don’t forget you can get a side of amazing Mac ‘n’ Cheese which you can also wolf down while walking around the market.

Locali “Vegan Reuben”

LA’s eponymous Vegan Reuben Wars are, by now, legend. Despite the fact that Locali has done its best to alienate its twitter following, they do make some pretty amazing prepared vegan food, and the Reuben is no different. Like many dishes on this list, somebody sat down, deconstructed a Reuben, thought about how to veganize it, and experimented to perfect it. The resulting complex array of flavors and textures indicate this was no mean feat. We have had readers who have tried this sandwich write in from various different states, and tell us that this is the best vegan reuben they’ve ever tasted. Seriously!

vegan reuben: marinated deli slices topped with daiya cheese, sauerkraut & smothered with homemade vegan russian dressing. $9.75

Pure Luck Anything with jackfruit in it!

jackfruit torta: sauteed jackfruit “carnitas”, plus pinto beans, lettuce, tomato, onions, tomatillo salsa, sliced avocado and vegan mayo on a grilled rustic roll. $9

Why? Because Jackfruit, done Pure Luck style, is practically in a food group of its own. From the world infamous Todd’s Barbecue Sandwich, to the Jackfruit Torta, Tacos and Burrito, whatever they do to this exotic Bangladeshi delicacy (the Jackfruit is the National Fruit of Bangladesh, in case you didn’t know) takes it to a whole new level. Of course, any of the above ordered with a side of Potato Pals will fill you up on amazing, great value food. Oh, and they have a great selection of microbrews too, served on tap at reasonable prices…

todd's bbq sandwich: BBQ Jackfruit “pulled-pork” with pickles, onions and vegan mayo on a rustic roll. choice of side. $9

Madeleine Bistro “Donut”

fresh organic donut with organic fruit compote. $2

Why? Because like everything Chef Dave prepares, the donut is at the pinnacle of vegan cuisine. Something so simple and yet so tasty is a real treat to enjoy, and it arrives warm and crispy to your table. Of course, if you go to Madeleine’s for a donut, don’t forget the other menu items so that you can order some of the best vegan food on the West Coast (or any coast, actually). Yeah, and it costs only $2… WTF?

M Cafe “Vegan Benedict”

vegan benedict: grilled whole-grain baguette steamed kale, tomato, tempeh bacon with soy hollandaise. $10.25

Why? Because LA is awash with Vegan Benedicts, and most are created pretty equal – usually some form of English Muffin with tofu, spinach and a creamy sauce. M Cafe, however, throws all they have into the pot on this one with their own crusty bread (baked on the premises), an awesome scrambled tofu mix, crunchy tempeh bacon and perfectly steamed kale, all topped with a wonderfully creamy hollandaise-style sauce. It’s a feast for two, easily eatable by one.

Vinh Loi Tofu “VL Sub”

ham sub at vinh loi tofu $5.50

Why? Because getting full in this town on tasty vegan food for only $5.50 is only really possible in one place: Vinh Loi Tofu. Chef Kevin Tran takes a generous size half baguette, and stuffs it full of his legendary seasoned “vegan meats” (from his factory out back), tons of vegetables, fresh jalapenos and sells it at a rock bottom price. Oh, and while you’re there, order some excellent deep fried tofu, Pad Thai or noodle soup to eat in, or to go. This stuff keeps in the fridge for weeks, and heats up really well, so stock up!

Purgatory Pizza Any of their gourmet pizzas

vegan pizza: daiya cheese, kalamata olives, fresh basil and tomatoes.

Why? Back in the day, Purgatory was the only pizza joint in LA that truly innovated the art of gourmet vegan pizza – breaking away from the humdrum Follow Your Heart cheese. Even though the legendary Chef Ricky has moved out of LA, Purgatory continues to create his awesome recipes with Daiya cheese as well as Field Roast and Gardein “meats”, gourmet sauteed vegetables and a pioneering creativity unmatched anywhere else. Also, you can BYOB, and eat in – try it, you won’t be sorry!

Purgatory was, is and (until a challenger unseats it!) the best vegan pizza in LA.

Stuff I Eat “The Soul Food Platter”

organic soul food platter: yams, Vegan mac 'n ' cheese, Organic BBQ Tofu, organic kale greens, organic mini cornbread muffins and your choice of organic potato salad or coleslaw. $18

Why? Because just a few blocks from I405 down in Old Town Inglewood lurks one of the most sumptuous vegan dishes known to man, woman or beast. The “Soul Food Platter” is a bit of an understatement, as this dish arrives on two plates, two bowls and a jug or two of sauces and dressing and spans the gamut of Soul Food from beans to mac n cheese to cornbread and greens. (Not all of it would fit into the picture, there are side dishes missing!) This meal is arguably the best vegan thing to eat in LA, is all fresh, organic and just fucking awesome. Nuff Said. Go try it.

Meet Market “All You Can Eat Brunch”

vegans get their fill of breakfast, orange juice, and coffee on sunday mornings. $10

Why? I’ll tell you why. Tofu scramble. Breakfast potatoes. “Bacon”. Seitan sausage. Waffles. French toast. Fresh fruit. All of it the best in town, and all of it (and as much of it) available to you most Sundays for only $10 a person. Add in unlimited organic coffee and fresh orange juice with everything completely vegan, and this event seems too good to be true. Well, it isn’t. It’s good AND true, proving heaven really is a place on earth – or in Silverlake, at least.

The Frankenstand “The Franken” or “The Witch”

the franken: this classic sausage will make you feel alive! with a monster blend of sun dried tomatoes and basil giving it a slightly sweet taste. $5

Mr. Ray “catch me if you can” Frankenstand invented illusive, desirable mobile food dining long before Kogi was a glimmer in Mike Prasad’s eye (he invented Kogi, right?!). Peering out of the shadows of an obscure MySpace page, Frankenstand now has a twitter presence and is much easier to find these days. Show up as late as you like when Frankens are being cooked, and you’ll enjoy awesome service, creative plant-based dogs and a range of sides and toppings, all completely vegan. I love standing in line at 1am outside an event watching omnivores wolfing down vegan food, and going back for more. You should too.

There are, of course, another 10 awesome meals in LA – Samosa House Jackfruit Curry, Native Foods Cheeseburger, Cafe Muse Buffalo Wrap, Cruzer Pizza (form the all-vegan location in Los Feliz), Flore Seitan Avocado Salad, Frysmith Chili Fries, Veggie Grill V Burger, Mamas Hot Tamales Enchiladas, Shojin Sushi, Yummy Cupcakes in a jar (an amazing invention, if you ask me, and the jars have a second life as wine glasses!).

There are also another 10, and 10 after that too. I love being a vegan in LA with such a huge choice of amazing things to eat every day.

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vegan calzone with daiya cheese, tomatoes, and basil

we told you a few days ago that cruzer pizza in los feliz would be making the leap to become a 100% vegan pizzeria, and as of yesterday they have officially stopped selling animal products! i stopped by on cruzer’s first night of being an animal-free establishment and they even let me test some products and start designing my very own “quarrygirl pizza” to appear on their january menu!

although they don’t offer it now, cruzer was experimenting with some italian field roast sausage in the kitchen last night. this is one of my favorite fake meats ever, so i had to use it as a topping on the quarrygirl pizza.

other toppings included two types of marinated mushrooms…

daiya cheese, garlic, and plenty of olive oil…

i even got to put this in the oven myself and see it through the whole process!

the pizza came out absolutely wonderful. it was very rich and greasy, with a heavy mushroom taste and crispy crumbled sausage. there was no tomato sauce on it, but rather an oil base. by the time this actually ends up on cruzer’s menu, the sauce and flavors will be more sophisticated….but hey, it was great for a first try!

quarrygirl pizza (coming soon!) white sauce, mushrooms, field roast sausage, garlic, and daiya cheese.

while i was at cruzer, i also got to make a gluten-free pizza and test that out. i must admit, it was pretty damn good! the g-f pizzas are smaller and the crust is much crispier, but i quite enjoyed it.

it was great hanging out at cruzer on their first night as a vegan pizzeria, and hearing all the orders come in. there were even a few people that called up for meat pizzas, and ended up trying out the vegan ones instead! so awesome. although cruzer is using daiya, gardein, and yves products right now, they are looking to expand and carry a variety of vegan cheeses as well as other mock meats. stay tuned, because i have a feeling that their menu is going to get really fucking interesting. until then, go support cruzer anyway. hooray for LA’s first and only vegan pizza place!

this is where the meat products used to be at cruzer....all gone!

oh and BTW, now you can follow cruzer on twitter!

cruzer pizza
4449 Prospect Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 666-0600
Sun-Thu. 4pm-10pm
Fri-Sat. 4pm-11pm

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hey people: i’ve got some breaking los angeles vegan news, so listen up! lucky for us, cruzer pizza and pasta in los feliz (the first place in the western US to start carrying daiya cheese) has made the decision to turn into a 100% vegan establishment. they are using up their remaining meat and cheese supplies, and expect to be completely animal-free by monday. not just that, but over the holidays they are revamping their menu and adding loads of new stuff—all vegan, of course!

do you understand what this means?! this is HUGE. an all vegan pizza place, that delivers, right here in LA!!! there are barely any vegan pizza joints in the country, and to get to the few there are, you would need to take a plane journey. i am soooOOOOOooooOOOOOOOo excited about this. go eat at cruzer now to show your support…they offer huge fluffy and delicious pizzas covered in daiya cheese and mock meats like gardein. and if you see the owner give them a kiss from me, because this is the best news i’ve heard in awhile.

PS: the glendale cruzer location offers vegan stuff as well, but there are no plans for it to go completely animal-free. just fyi, this is only for the los feliz restaurant.
PPS: cruzer is in the process of changing their delivery hours, so call ahead.

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if you ever find yourself in thousand oaks, be sure to grab a meal at PizzaSalad. the all organic eatery focuses on “environmentally responsible” pizza and salad, which of course means they have loads of vegan options. we tried them out a few weeks ago, and all our food was not just delicious, but extremely fresh and healthy tasting.

pizza special: soy-free vegan cheese, broccoli, zucchini and tomatoes. $16

the day we were there, PizzaSalad was advertising a specialty pizza packed with vegetables including broccoli, zucchini and tomatoes. we just had to try it. the restaurant had two different kinds of vegan cheese to choose from, one with soy and one that was soy-free. when we asked if either of the cheeses contained casein, the employee behind the counter pulled out an ingredient list for both. they were both 100% vegan, and we went with the soy-free option that was made from cassava root. the pizza was absolutely wonderful. thin chalky crust, perfectly melted cheese, and a generous amount of vegetables. a+!

kosa salad: crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce, portobella mushrooms, natural black olives and artichokes tossed in grava dressing. $6.30

we also ordered a salad to share—the kosa, which comes with romaine, iceberg, portobella mushrooms, black olives and artichokes. it was all tossed in a unique vegan dressing made from a blend of oil, tahini, cider vinegar, soy sauce, lemon juice, herbs and spices. the salad at first didn’t really sound that interesting to me, but with one bite it blew me away. it was tangy and flavorful and filled with the freshest produce you can imagine. the salad was just as good (if not better) than the pizza!

i really can’t fault any of the food we ate at PizzaSalad, everything was top notch. the atmosphere is really casual, with a counter you order at and a few small tables for dining. my only complaint with this place is that the dude who served us was rude beyond belief. as he showed us the ingredients for the vegan cheeses, he looked totally annoyed that we had asked about casein. then i smiled at him on the way out and he gave me a really nasty look. whatever, i will be back to PizzaSalad because the food was fucking awesome.

PizzaSalad
1655 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd #104
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
805-371-7878

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hey los angeles vegans! just a quick post to let you know that whole foods has some special holiday offerings including seasonal products from gardein and field roast.

in the prepared foods section, you can find a whole holiday spread which features stuffed turk’y roasts by gardein and stuffed hazelnut cranberry en croute by field roast. both products look absolutely delicious, although i haven’t had the chance to try them yet.

gardein stuffed turkey at whole foods

they also are offering gardein rosemary grilled breast. seriously, there is no excuse not to have a vegan thanksgiving. everything you need is at whole foods!

also, at whole foods west hollywood (fairfax and sanmo) they will be offering 50% OFF all whole and 12 inch prepack pizzas! This includes the basu’s homestyle pizzas, the black garlic pizzas, or you can create your own! they also have a hummus pizza and a field roast pizza, which i haven’t tried yet. whole foods uses daiya cheese on their vegan pizza and they do a fucking amazing job, so i suggest you take this opportunity to check it out if you haven’t already.

i know i will be hitting up whole foods for some vegan thanksgiving eats, as well as a post-holiday pizza.

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