This week I’ve finally got round to going through my photos from last year’s amazing trip to California. I wrote about my trip to Farm Sanctuary in ‘California Dreaming – A Trip To Farm Sanctuary’, and thought it would be rude not to reminisce about the huge selection of vegan food that was available during my trip. Here are some of my highlights that I would recommend to anyone travelling to the Golden State:
God bless you, Veggie Grill. You became a part of my daily routine when travelling through So Cal. This chain restaurant is 100% vegan and the great thing is, it’s pretty much everywhere. I visited Veggie Grill restaurants in L.A., Irvine, Long Beach and San Diego, not to mention a couple of others I stopped by to pick up ‘take out’ for a ‘road trip’. The food is delicious, nutritious and great value for money. They also cater for every mood; vitamin-packed salads and bowls for when you’re feeling the California health buzz, Mac-n-Cheese and a selection of faux-meat favourites for when you’d prefer some comfort food. Together with vegan treats (the carrot cake was ridiculously good) smoothies and juices, Veggie Grill wins my gold star for eating in California!
Now I know Whole Foods isn’t anything new to people in England as we have a few in London, but believe me, Whole Foods in the U.S. is a completely different experience. For one, it’s so much bigger. I almost got a little emotional when confronted with the choice of dairy-free milks and cheeses in the supermarket, and wondered why the hell I hadn’t visited America sooner?! Whole Foods is a California vegan’s paradise. Completely spoilt with a wide selection of organic, fresh, vegan goodness, and with stores always within easy reach, Whole Foods makes you laugh at all that time you spent staring at the ‘Free From’ section in Tesco. Not in California.
My final recommendation goes to a hidden gem that I’m really pleased I found in Palm Springs. This was a stop off en route back to California from Las Vegas. I was tired, hungover, hungry and when the sign for Nature’s Health Food & Cafe appeared in the distance, I felt like my guardian angel had intervened to save me.
The smoothies here were incredible, and there was a large selection of healthy and organic vegan food. I opted for the faux-chicken fajitas which were delicious. The cafe is inside the health store, which is also stocked full of vegan products – perfect to grab a few necessities for the rest of your journey.
Overall, California was truly a Vegan Boho success! I’ve never had as many options for food as I did here. I’m currently planning my next trip to the U.S., and am looking forward to re-visiting Southern California to experience more vegan food favourites. What are your California vegan recommendations?
Awesome! Ahimsa Cafe is good and Steamed restaurant is good also!
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Cool thanks! Will check those out when I’m back in Cali 🙂
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