Cuisine Scene: Vegan
Long Beach has long been a hotspot for vegan dining, offering an incredible and diverse array of options, spanning multiple cuisines. From vegan Mexican and Japanese dishes to indulgent desserts, frozen treats, and flavorful Indian fare, the city offers something for every plant-based palate.
GRAIN CAFE
One of the city’s venerable vegan spots, The Grain Cafe (4403 E Fourth St) offers a little bit of everything, from Mediterranean to Mexican–its burrito drenched in mole negro is much loved– plus, you can enjoy pizza, nachos, salads, curry and quesadillas. And that’s not even taking into account the breakfast options, including omelets, waffles, crepes. There’s also a long list of desserts made exclusively from organic ingredients, including its incredible Strawberry Almond Cake.
MANGIAFOLIE
It was a big deal when Mangiafolie (2306 E Fourth St) showed up on Retro Row. Chef Paul Reese had already earned a very loyal following with his Long Beach Vegan Pizza. Now, with this brick and mortar space, he is bringing the same creativity and flavor to a fully realized Italian menu that includes inventive takes on the essentials like lasagna and gnocchi. Oh, and the pizzas are still on the menu–some with red sauce, some with white, one with pesto. And there’s an Olive Oil Cake–cardamom, orange–that’s become an immediate dessert sensation.
HUG LIFE
Hug Life (2707 E Fourth St) has a wide roster of frozen vegan treats and flavors. Located on Retro Row’s fringe, this shop calls itself the “anti-dairy creamery” and offers ice cream flavors such as Vietnamese Coffee, Mango, Chamoy and Roasted Black Sesame Seed. It also offers such tasty treats as milkshakes and ice cream tacos–folded with three scoops of ice cream, topped with condensed coconut milk. Its Brownie a la Mode is spectacular with toppings of your choice.
PLANTITA’S KITCHEN
PlanTita’s Kitchen (1950 W Willow St) was founded by Aileen Castañeda, whose dedication to replicating her mother’s and grandmother’s recipes ensures a unique, plant-based dining experience honoring family traditions while offering something new and exciting. It creatively reimagines traditional Mexican recipes without meat or dairy with dishes like jackfruit pozole verde, hearts of palm aguachile, elote fried “ribbs,” and queso-loaded fries with braised soyrizo.
HIGHER TASTE
Higher Taste (340 E Fourth St) serves a plant-based array of cuisines and creative combinations. Popular items include the Thai Temple Bowl, a refreshing and aromatic dish with a balance of tangy, sweet and spicy flavor. The Ahimsa Burger combines a savory patty with fresh veggies and flavorful sauces. There are lighter options like smoothies as well as innovative bowls, wraps, burritos, spring rolls and salads, all crafted with seasonal produce.
APPU’S TURMERIC CAFE
Appu’s Turmeric Cafe (2211A Palo Verde Ave) offers a unique Indian-Mexican fusion menu of all vegetarian and vegan dishes. Enjoy both Indian and Mexican entrees, from a crunchy vegan samosa chaat to the Maharani Burrito, made with turmeric rice and the restaurant’s high-protein blend of Maharani ingredients, including garbanzo beans, peas and veggies. Appu’s also makes vegan mango lassi and vegan lemongrass chai, plus vegan Indian flat bread.
VEGAN CASTLE
Vegan Castle (2400 Santa Fe Ave) serves a full menu of classic and innovative sushi roll creations, of a quality to excite vegan and non-vegans alike. Many find it hard to believe its signature Spider Roll is not made with fish, but actually a soy-based spicy “tuna.” Other popular rolls include the Dragon and Volcano rolls as well as a sweet Sherry Roll with deep fried banana cream cheese, avocado and strawberry. Plus, they have a great selection of beer and sake.