How is my yearly trek to Vegas and San Diego already over? 🙁
It really, never gets old. Yes, Vegas is exhausting. I work too much, drink too much, don’t sleep at all and only get a few moments a day to eat. But I get to see some of my favorite people from around the country and hang out with my best friend, non-stop for five days. And it also gets me an automatic trip to California for free, so it’s honestly the biggest blessing. This year, was alot of the same old-many of my same favorite vegan west coast spots, but a few, really, really, REALLY incredible new additions that will now become an annual tradition as well.
If you’re heading to the west coast soon, OR are so in love with many of these pics, that you want to plan a trip to Vegas and SoCal, check out these restaurants immediately!
Almost ALWAYS my first stop in Vegas, I head to Slice of Vegas in Mandalay Bay whenever I am lucky enough to get a break for a minute. And all my co-workers are always impressed with my meal! I always want to try their assortment of pizzas and salads, but since I have to almost walk, work and eat at the same time, this delicious meatball sub with Daiya cheese and fries is always a more travel-friendly choice. And it never disappoints!
Hussong’s is hands-down the most favored Vegas spot among the 20 staff that travel with me for this particular expo. We all go crazy for their chips, margaritas, and of course, their vegan menu. We always go twice during our trip and this year was no different. I would have gone four times if we could have! I had the vegan “steak” quesadilla one night, which all my carnivore friends actually fought over. The other time, I got the Baja Fish Tacos which honestly looked and tasted just like McDonald’s chicken nuggets. SO DAMN GOOD.
A new spot for all of us, we finally made our first trip to the Wynn. I was super excited because every restaurant has a vegan menu, so I knew I wouldn’t starve, This pizza had random ingredients compiled together (corn, kale, almond, ricotta cheese) but overall, it was pretty good. The crust was a little too thin for me, and I was honestly so full from my Slice of Vegas meal from earlier that day, that I feel like I didn’t give it a fair chance. Either way, it was a nice change and everyone else was super impressed with their dishes.
My first stop in San Diego was one I had been dreaming about. Kindred just opened in South Park and I was DYING to try it. A self-proclaimed vegan death metal spot, Kindred was everything I’d hoped it would be. Awesome decor, killer drinks, moderate prices, addictive appetizers and creative entrees, I only wish I could have tried EVERYTHING. I had the BEST BBQ jackfruit sandwich I’ve ever had, and my friend had the pistachio crusted tofu salad. We also shared pickled buffalo cauliflower and fried pickles, which were to die for. I forsee Kindred being one of the hottest vegan spots in SoCal this year and I already can’t wait to go back.
No stranger to Lean & Green Cafe in La Jolla, I am always impressed with their smoothies, juices, acai bowls, vegan ice cream and assortment of healthy, organic snacks, wraps and salads. This time, we had carrot juices, strawberry Acai bowls and vegan cheesecake ice cream. One of the best spots in my go-to beach at La Jolla 🙂
I’ve tried many Swami’s on the west coast and they’re all kick ass. However, I’ve never tried the one that I consider the “original” which is located across from Swami’s Beach and the Self-Realization Meditation Gardens, which I spend a lot of time at each year. This particular one is rather small and ALWAYS packed, so I knew it had to be dope. I knew I needed to eat before the Pats game though, so I made a point to stop here for their BLTA sandwich (mock bacon, plus avocado) and it was so incredible. Almost life-changing. I can’t pinpoint what was actually so good, but I was in love and inhaled the whole thing. It was super filling and a great way to kick off day-drinking for Brady, Edelman and Gronk 😉
You can’t go anywhere on the west coast and NOT go to Veggie Grill. If only this fast food chain would hit the east coast. I;d seriously eat there every day and never get sick of it. They have such amazing options and I only ever struggle with what to get every trip. I always go with a pear Better Booch, but this year I chose to go with a buffalo bomber sandwich for an entree. It did not disappoint. Lisa got a tempeh Reuben sandwich and even though she’s not vegan, she was completely blown away by how good it was.
Though it’s Ocean Beach local wasn’t exactly idea, I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious this place was. Sunshine has a HUGE assortment of Acai bowls in every fathomable flavor, along with juices, smoothies and wheatgrass shots. Their prices were ridiculously cheap and I considered getting one of each, had I not been flying out later that day. It;s in a very unassuming cafe, with one of the sweetest guys working behind the counter!
This place. Literally. Heaven on earth. I almost can;t even talk about it, that’s how breath-taking it was. I don’t know how I ever missed this place before, but it was seriousl nirvana. A gorgeous rooftop bar overlooking the La Jolla shore. With aerial yoga. Gorgeous outdoor and indoor decor. Fresh juices, smoothies, coffee and jaw-dropping raw vegan entrees. I was speechless. I almost wept waiting in line, I was so happy to be there. I feasted on a matcha smoothie and some of the best tacos I have ever had, raw or otherwise. It was worth the hefty price tag, and I was 100% be back multiple times my next trip.
Of all the places, I planned to go this year, Cafe Gratitude was the one I was most hyped about. Though the place itself was gorgeous, the drinks unreal and the dessert to die for, everything else was lacking. Our entrees were rather bland and lackluster and semi dry. I had the double cheeseburger and Lisa had the Caesar salad wrap. Both were yummy, but nothing to really brag about. Maybe I just had overly high expectations, but I was a little disappointed. I will likely be back to try other things, as they have a truly impressive menu, but for a trip-ending meal, I was wishing for more.
About the Author
My husband, who is also a vegetarian, travels to Vegas a lot for work. I’ll have to share this with him – he’s always disappointed with the lack of veg options!