Best Vegan Restaurants and Vegan Food in San Diego
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This comprehensive list of San Diego vegan restaurants has over 20 vegan spots and even more omni San Diego restaurants offering vegan food options.
Table of Contents
(click the links below to view restaurants by category)
- Vegan Restaurants
- Vegan-Friendly Restaurants
- Vegan Eats by Time of Day
- Sorted by Neighborhood
- Categorized by Cuisine
- Vegan Stores in San Diego
- Contact Me with Questions
- Similar Posts
Considering that I live in California, I’m surprised at how much time passed since the last time I went to San Diego! I really need to visit more often, because it is a great place for vegans!
Now that I went back in 2025, I want to share all the new (and old) vegan spots I had the pleasure of encountering. I hope this list of vegan food in San Diego helps you in planning your trip.
Vegan Restaurants in San Diego
Plant Power
Plant Power is a vegan fast food spot, sort of like a vegan McDonalds. I like how they use a lot of organic ingredients. And they have a vegan breakfast menu and newly added curly fries.
If you download the app, you get a free vegan milkshake on your birthday, and you earn rewards from each purchase that you can redeem for free food occasionally.
Locations: Encinitas, La Jolla, and Ocean Beach
Donna Jean
Donna Jean is a vegan restaurant that used to have 2 locations: San Diego and Los Angeles. However, the LA location closed recently, so this San Diego location is the only one left!
I went there for dinner, but they also offer brunch on weekends. We ordered the mushroom chicken fried steak, the Heathen pizza, the caesar salad, and the bread with garlic butter. Also pictured here is the Vulgar Display of Pineapple pizza that Crystal got another day.
They’re closed on Tuesdays and everyday for a couple hours between lunch and dinner service.
Neighborhood: North Park (in the location where Anthem used to be)
Kindred
Kindred is a vegan goth/metal bar with a dinner menu from 5-10pm. They also have brunch on weekends starting at 11:30am (and there’s no wait!).
When I came to San Diego in 2018, we came for dinner, so when I came back in 2025, I wanted to try their brunch. If you don’t drink, they also have cute mocktails with edible flower garnishes.
We ordered biscuits and gravy and a breakfast sandwich. I like that the breakfast sandwich has pickles on it. Everything I’ve ever had from there has been SO GOOD.
Neighborhood: South Park
Dreamboat
Dreamboat is a vegan soda shop (with that 50s diner aesthetic). They’re open every day for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. The breakfast menu is available from 8am-3pm. The lunch/dinner menu is available from 11am-close.
Crystal took the below pictures of the lunch special sandwich with crinkle cut fries (they call them wavy fries) and drinks.
Neighborhood: University Heights
Vulture
Vulture is a plant-based speakeasy that’s in the back of the vegan soda shop called Dreamboat.
They have an early bird menu that offers caesar salad, meatball sub, lion’s mane steak, and heart of palm crab cakes. They open at 5pm every night, and the early-bird specials are from 5-6pm every Sunday-Thursday.
Neighborhood: University Heights
Hazel & Jade
Hazel & Jade is a 100% plant-based coffee shop and bakery. I asked them if everything was vegan, and they said yes. They even make their own flavored syrups for their coffee, so the sugar is vegan too. I had an iced oat vanilla latte and it was as good as the ones at Artis in Berkeley!
I also got a savory croissant because the only bakery that had vegan savory filled croissants in Sacramento closed last year (RIP Mudpie). Crystal got the cinnamon roll. They also make vegan cakes if you order in advance (and for $10 extra, they’ll make a vegan GF cake).
They’re open every day from 7am-2pm, and there’s outdoor seating in front.
Neighborhood: Hillcrest
Plumeria
Plumeria is a vegan Thai restaurant. They market themselves as vegetarian, but it’s all vegan, and I think a lot of the Plumeria menu is gluten-free.
I recommend the See-Ew, Chicken Satay, and Thai Crispy Rolls. Thanks to Crystal for taking the pictures below.
They have 2 locations: University Heights and Encinitas
Evolution Fast Food
Evolution is a vegan drive thru that’s been in San Diego for a long time. They’re in a new location now that shares bathrooms with Donna Jean. The Evolution menu has a lot more than you’d think for a vegan fast food spot. There are burgers, wraps, tacos, burritos, nachos, loaded fries, nuggies, a crunchwrap, smoothies, shakes, desserts, and breakfast (served all day!).
Thanks to Crystal for the photo.
They’re open for lunch and dinner every day except for Tuesday.
Neighborhood: North Park
The Plot
The Plot is an all-vegan spot between Oceanside and Carlsbad that’s open for lunch and dinner. The Plot menu clearly labels which items have common allergens (nuts, gluten, soy).
Location: Oceanside
Tacotarian
Tacotarian is a vegan taqueria that’s open for lunch and dinner everyday. They’re located between University Heights and North Park. Crystal took the photos below of her 2 favorite dishes off of the Tacotarian menu: the taco platter and the burrito plate. They also serve brunch on weekends.
Neighborhood: University Heights/North Park
Mothership
Mothership is a space sci-fi themed vegan bar with all vegan appetizers. It’s owned by the same people as Kindred and Vulture. They’re open until midnight every day and are located in Burlingame, between North Park and South Park.
The Mothership menu labels food allergens and sensitivities very clearly including gluten, soy, nuts, citrus, onion, garlic, alcohol, and sesame. The scallion pancake even has vegan kewpie mayo, which I haven’t ever seen anywhere before.
Neighborhood: South Park
SPLIT Bakehouse
SPLIT Bakehouse is an all vegan bakery. The SPLIT Bakehouse menu has a wide variety of baked goods. Some of the highlights are croissants, danishes, conchas, galettes, cinnamon rolls, poptarts, and cheesecake. They also have cookies, scones, and muffins, but you can get those anywhere.
Neighborhood: La Mesa
The Yasai By Rakiraki
The Yasai By Rakiraki is an all vegan restaurant specializing in sushi and ramen. The Kearny Mesa location is open for dinner daily and lunch on weekends. The Little Italy location is open for dinner only Wednesday through Sunday.
2 Locations: Little Italy & Kearny Mesa
Ben & Esther’s Vegan Delicatessen
Ben and Esther’s Vegan Delicatessen is a vegan jewish deli. I haven’t been to the San Diego location, but I have been to the Seattle location, and I think they’re quite similar. This would be a great way to try classic Jewish food that you haven’t had since going vegan like lox bagels, vegan matzo ball soup, challah bread, whitefish bagel, knishes, and potato latkes.
They have 10 flavors of vegan bagels and 7 flavors of vegan cream cheese to choose from. If you prefer breakfast sandwiches, they have 9 varieties of those. What I loved about this place was how delicious the vegan cream cheese is.
Open: 7am-3pm every day
Neighborhood: Rolando
Thanh Tinh Chay
Thanh Tinh Chay is an all vegan Vietnamese restaurant that’s open for lunch and dinner every day except Wednesdays.
The coolest things about this spot are that they make their own mock meats and that the Thanh Tinh Chay menu has 1,860 items. That doesn’t even include dessert and drinks! That is not a typo. The menu is 71 pages long!
The downside is that it’s hella expensive (like around $100 for 2 people). Pictured here are the Helen special fried rice and one of the many soups (pictures courtesy of Crystal).
Neighborhood: City Heights
El Veganito
El Veganito is an all-vegan taco spot in a food court near SPLIT Bakehouse. Since they’re in a food court, they close early (7pm most nights and 6pm on Sundays). They’re closed on Mondays.
Neighborhood: La Mesa
Maya’s Cookies
Maya’s Cookies is a vegan cookie shop near the San Diego Vegan Market. They make big cookies that you think you can make last for 2 desserts, but really you’re just kidding yourself and you end up eating the whole thing yourself. They have a couple gluten-free options too.
They’re open 10am-4pm every day. I haven’t yet had a cookie I didn’t like from here. I’ve tried like 6 cookies so far I think. Pictured below are the Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Bun cookie and the soft serve with the gingerbread cookie.
Neighborhood: Grantville
Loving Hut
Loving Hut is a vegan worldwide chain restaurant that typically offers asian and american cuisine. While I have visited many Loving Huts over the 26 years I’ve been vegan, I no longer support them as they are huge Trump supporters.
Neighborhood: North Park
Grains
Grains markets themselves as a plant-based restaurant, but I am fairly certain they are fully vegan. As a spice wuss, I really like how the Grains menu identifies spicy dishes with an asterisk. They’re open daily for lunch and dinner.
Neighborhood: University Heights
Starry Lane Bakery
Starry Lane Bakery is an allergy-free bakery that’s open Thursday through Sunday. They’re very strict with keeping their establishment allergy free, so much that I had to put my oat milk latte in a locker outside and wasn’t able to bring it inside.
They have gluten-free vegan bread, cookies, pies, tortes, bars/brownies, cupcakes, muffins, and cakes.
Neighborhood: Hillcrest
Peace Pies
Peace Pies is a raw vegan spot that’s been there for almost 2 decades. They have the typical stuff that raw food restaurants have on their menus, but they also make custom raw cakes, with advance orders.
Neighborhood: Ocean Beach
Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in San Diego
Civico 1845
Civico 1845 is an omni Italian restaurant with a separate vegan menu. You can ask them to use gluten-free pasta for $2 extra. I recommend the vegan lasagna and the vegan tiramisu.
They’re open for dinner every day and also for lunch on weekends only.
Neighborhood: Little Italy
Pokez
Pokez is another omni spot, but it’s mexican food. It’s a San Diego landmark that’s been there for at least 30 years. I remember going here back in 1997 before I was even vegan and just a silly little vegetarian.
They have vegan chorizo, vegan machaca, beyond meat, and tofu as the protein choices. And they make a burrito so big that it’s 2 meals for $15. They’re open every day for brunch, lunch, and dinner, and the breakfast menu is available all day.
Neighborhood: East Village
Broad Street Dough Co.
Broad Street Dough Co. is an omni doughnut shop with vegan donuts. They also offer a couple vegan GF donuts. The photo below was taken by Erin (thank you!).
They open daily at 8am.
Location: Encinitas
Kairoa Brewing Company
Kairoa Brewing Company is an omnivore brewery with vegan options. The menu has the word VEGAN in green font on the items that are vegan. They also have the words CAN MAKE VEGAN in green font on some of the items. And the gluten-free items have GF in red font.
The vegan items from the lunch/dinner menu are spring rolls (fresh rolls, not fried), bulgogi fries, mac and cheese, mushroom risotto, and carrot cake. The dishes from the lunch/dinner menu that can be made vegan are panzanella, orzo, fish & chips, crispy chicken sandwich, bacon burger, and kale salad.
The only item from the Sunday brunch menu that can be made vegan is the Chilaquiles.
The photo below was taken by Crystal (thank you!).
They’re open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday and also for lunch on weekends and brunch only on Sundays.
Neighborhood: University Heights
TNT Pizza
TNT Pizza is an omni pizzeria that has vegan pizza by the slice. They have vegan buffalo chicken pizza and vegan ranch.
Neighborhood: East Village
Ultreya Coffee and Tea
Ultreya is a local San Diego coffee shop that roasts their own coffee beans. The milk options they offer include oat, almond, and macadamia. People really like their vegan Vietnamese coffee.
The vegan food options include the Handheld Sammy, a vegan breakfast sandwich, and bagels with vegan cream cheese. Vegan pastries include cinnamon rolls, donuts, and chocolate muffins. Some are even gluten-free and vegan. They used to get their vegan pastries from Hazel & Jade, but I’m not sure who is sourcing them now.
Neighborhood: Rolando
Breakfast Republic
Breakfast Republic is an omni breakfast restaurant with a short vegan menu consisting of 6 items. They include Jammin Bennie, Harvest Omelet, Breakfast Burrito, Frittata, Avocado Toast, and Tres leches Pancakes.
They have 6 locations: Mira Mesa, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Mission Valley, North Park, East Village
Nomad Donuts
Nomad Donuts is a donut and bagel shop that’s about half vegan. It’s cool that they mark the things that are NOT vegan, rather than the things that are. The bagel sandwich menu is fairly extensive, and the vegan donut selection is good.
Like most donut shops, they close early. Open daily except Mon-Tues. You can also bring your doggos.
Neighborhood: North Park
Paradise Yogurt
Paradise Yogurt is an omni place that has a couple vegan offerings like a vegan yogurt parfait and vegan frozen yogurt soft serve. There are vegan toppings for it like vegan peanut butter sauce.
They also have vegan cookies and brownies. They’re open 11am-10pm everyday.
Neighborhood: Mission Valley
Donutopolis
Donutopolis is an omni donut shop with vegan raised and cake donuts. They open at 5am daily for you early birds. If you go on Saturday, the vegan selection is much better.
Neighborhood: Mira Mesa
Dark Horse Coffee Roasters
Dark Horse Coffee is an omni coffee shop that offers vegan pastries. They’re open from 6:30am-4pm every day.
Neighborhood: Normal Heights
Heartwork Coffee Bar
Heartwork Coffee Bar is another omni coffee shop that offers vegan pastries. They have vegan mochas and vegan donuts.
They’re open from 7am-2pm every day.
Neighborhood: Mission Hills
Ranchos Cocina
Ranchos Cocina is an omni Mexican restaurant with vegan options. Get the vegan carne asada.
Neighborhood: North Park
Vegan Eats and Drinks in San Diego listed by Time of Day
Vegan Coffee Shops in San Diego
Vegan Breakfast and Vegan Brunch in San Diego
- Ben & Esther’s Vegan Delicatessen
- Breakfast Republic
- Donna Jean
- Dreamboat
- Evolution Fast Food
- Hazel & Jade
- Kairoa Brewing Company
- Kindred
- Nomad Donuts
- Paradise Yogurt
- Pokez
- San Diego Vegan Market
- Tacotarian
- The Plot
- Ultreya Coffee and Tea
Vegan and Vegan-Friendly Lunch Restaurants in San Diego
- Ben & Esther’s Vegan Delicatessen
- Donna Jean
- Dreamboat
- El Veganito
- Evolution Fast Food
- Grains
- Kairoa Brewing Company
- Loving Hut
- Nomad Donuts
- Peace Pies
- Plumeria
- Pokez
- Ranchos Cocina
- Tacotarian
- Thanh Tinh Chay
- The Plot
- TNT Pizza
Vegan Dinner Restaurants in San Diego
- Civico 1845
- Donna Jean
- Dreamboat
- El Veganito
- Evolution Fast Food
- Grains
- Kairoa Brewing Company
- Kindred
- Loving Hut
- Mothership
- Peace Pies
- Plumeria
- Pokez
- Ranchos Cocina
- Tacotarian
- Thanh Tinh Chay
- The Plot
- The Yasai By Rakiraki
- TNT Pizza
- Vulture
Vegan Desserts in San Diego
- Ben & Esther’s Vegan Delicatessen (they have desserts but they close at 3pm)
- Broad Street Dough Co.
- Donna Jean
- Dreamboat
- Hazel & Jade
- Kairoa Brewing Company
- Loving Hut
- Maya’s Cookies
- Nomad Donuts
- Paradise Yogurt
- Peace Pies
- SPLIT Bakehouse
- Starry Lane Bakery
- Thanh Tinh Chay
- Ultreya Coffee and Tea
Vegan Bars and Vegan-Friendly Bars in San Diego
Vegan San Diego Restaurants listed by Neighborhood
If you prefer to see your list of vegan restaurants on a map of San Diego, check out my Vegan San Diego Yelp list. Use the map view for planning. I will also break down my list of spots by neighborhood below.
City Heights
East Village
Encinitas/Carlsbad/Oceanside
Grantville
Hillcrest / Mission Hills
La Mesa
La Jolla
Little Italy
Mission Valley
Normal Heights
North Park
Ocean Beach
Poway
Rolando
South Park
University Heights
Vegan San Diego Restaurants listed by Cuisine
Vegan Burgers in San Diego
Vegan Cake in San Diego
Vegan Cupcakes in San Diego
Vegan Donuts in San Diego
- Broad Street Dough Co.
- Dark Horse Coffee Roasters
- Donutopolis
- Heartwork Coffee Bar
- Nomad Donuts
- Ultreya Coffee and Tea
Vegan Fast Food in San Diego
Vegan Ice Cream in San Diego
- Dreamboat
- Mothership (soft serve only)
- Paradise Yogurt
- Thanh Tinh Chay (one flavor only)
Vegan Pizza in San Diego
Vegan Ramen in San Diego
Vegan Sushi in San Diego
- The Plot (just one roll)
- The Yasai By Rakiraki
Vegan and Vegan-Friendly Bakeries in San Diego
Vegan and Vegan-Friendly Italian Restaurants in San Diego
These restaurants may not be technically Italian restaurants, but they have a decent amount of Italian dishes on their menus.
Vegan and Vegan-Friendly Mexican Food in San Diego
Vegan Thai Food in San Diego
Vegan Vietnamese Food in San Diego
Vegan Markets and Vegan-Friendly Shops in San Diego
San Diego Vegan Market
San Diego Vegan Market is a vegan store in San Diego right by Maya’s Cookies. They have specialty vegan meats, cheeses, and snacks that are hard to find in other stores.
They have a little menu where you can order takeout, but there are a couple of tables for eating there too. I got a breakfast burrito and I got to choose between a locally sourced vegan sausage or bacon. I got the bacon, and it was SO GOOD.
Neighborhood: Grantville
Scratch House
Scratch House makes vegan meats and cheeses for local restaurants, vegan stores around the country (including the San Diego Vegan Market of course), and the San Diego community through popups. The chef at Scratch House used to work at Veg’n Out before they closed. They also donate to local animal sanctuaries.
Neighborhood: Rolando
Whole Foods
I’m currently boycotting Whole Foods and Amazon, but if you’re in a pinch and want some vegan food and you’re near a Whole Foods, you can get vegan food at the hot bar, salad bar, prepared foods area, bakery, and grocery sections.
Locations: one in the Hillcrest neighborhood in San Diego and one in La Jolla
Comments or Questions?
If you have a San Diego vegan spot that is missing from my list, please message me (instagram or email) and let me know. Or if there’s anything on my list that has closed, I’d love to know.
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If you like this travel guide, you might also like my list of vegan restaurants in Portland, Oregon and my list of vegan food in Maui, Hawaii.
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For any photos that I have on this webpage that I did not take myself, I have received permission from each restaurant to feature their photo.
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