LA vegan friends! VegNews released their list of vegan restaurants of the year: https://vegnews.com/restaurant-awards-2026

Which restaurants are you glad made the list? Do you think they missed any hard hitters?

I’m so happy that Pura Vita is receiving so much love, but idk about listing it four times (share the love!). I’m surprised that Cafe Gratitude made the list (they weren’t even vegan last I checked a year ago, since they served honey and bee pollen in their smoothies at the time). Also a little disappointed that they included chain restaurants (Mr. Charlie’s, Veggie Grill, Planta) in the list.

Imo, it’s crazy that they didn’t list any LA restaurants on the Latin food list!! We ride for The Grain Cafe, El Cocinero, and Cena Vegan at dawn!!!

Best Vegan Fast-Food Restaurant

Plant Power Fast Food
California & Nevada

2nd Place: Slutty Vegan (Multiple Locations)
3rd Place: Mr. Charlie’s (Multiple Locations)
Editors’ Vote: Mr. Charlie’s (Multiple Locations)

Best Vegan Fast-Casual Restaurant

Next Level Veggie Grill
Nationwide

2nd Place: Chloe’s (New York, NY)
3rd Place: Native Foods (California & Colorado)
Editors’ Vote: Winter Park Biscuit Co. (Orlando, FL)

Best Casual Vegan Restaurant

Monster Vegan
Philadelphia, PA

2nd Place: Follow Your Heart Cafe (Canoga Park, CA)
3rd Place: BeeWali’s Vegan AF (Los Angeles, CA)
Editors’ Vote: The Plot (Oceanside, CA)

Best Vegan Upscale Restaurant

Crossroads Kitchen
Los Angeles, CA & Las Vegas, NV

2nd Place: Pura Vita (West Hollywood, CA)
3rd Place: Anixi (New York, NY)
Editors’ Vote: Little Saint (Healdsburg, CA)

Best Vegan Diner

Doomie’s Home Cookin’
Los Angeles, CA

2nd Place: The Modern Vegan (Las Vegas, NV)
3rd Place: The Tasty (Philadelphia, PA)
Editors’ Vote: The Tasty (Philadelphia, PA)

Best Vegan Pizzeria

Boxcar Pizza
Portland, OR

2nd Place: Donna Jean (San Diego, CA)
3rd Place: Paranormal Pizza (Bethlehem, PA)
Editors’ Vote: Paranormal Pizza (Bethlehem, PA)

Best Vegan Deli

Ben & Esther’s
Portland, OR & San Diego, CA

2nd Place: Maciel’s Plant-Based Butcher & Deli (Los Angeles, CA)
3rd Place: The Butcher’s Son (Berkeley, CA)
Editors’ Vote: The Herbivorous Butcher(Minneapolis, MN)

Best Vegan Italian Restaurant

Pura Vita
West Hollywood, CA

2nd Place: Tarantino’s Vegan (Las Vegas, NV)
3rd Place: Monster Vegan (Philadelphia, PA)
Editors’ Vote: Pura Vita (West Hollywood, CA)

Best Vegan Asian Restaurant

Spicy Moon
New York, NY

2nd Place: Chef Kenny’s Dim Sum (Las Vegas, NV)
3rd Place: Alice & Friends (Chicago, IL)
Editors’ Vote: Spicy Moon (New York, NY)

Best Vegan Sushi Restaurant

Planta
Multiple Locations

2nd Place: Beyond Sushi (New York, NY)
3rd Place: Shizen (San Francisco, CA)
Editors’ Vote: Ma-Kin Sushi (Agoura Hills, CA)

Best Vegan Soul Food Restaurant

Souley Vegan
Oakland, CA

2nd Place: Dirty Lettuce (Portland, OR)
3rd Place: Soul Veg City (Chicago, IL)
Editors’ Vote: The Land of Kush (Baltimore, MD)

Best Vegan Latin Restaurant

Tacotarian
Las Vegas, NV & San Diego, CA

2nd Place: Mis Tacones (Portland, OR)
3rd Place: Penelope’s Vegan Taqueria (Chicago, IL)
Editors’ Vote: The Cocinita (Miami, FL)

Best Vegan Healthy Restaurant

Cafe Gratitude
Los Angeles, CA

2nd Place: Le Botaniste (New York, NY)
3rd Place: Caravan of Dreams (New York, NY)
Editors’ Vote: Trilogy Sanctuary (La Jolla, CA)

Best Vegan Doughnut Shop

Donut Friend
Los Angeles, CA

2nd Place: Doe Donuts (Portland, OR)
3rd Place: Dottie’s Donuts (Philadelphia, PA)
Editors’ Vote: Vegan Doughnut Company(Lakewood, OH)

Best Vegan Ice Cream Spot

Like No Udder
Providence, RI

2nd Place: Kate’s Ice Cream (Portland, OR)
3rd Place: Awan (West Hollywood & Los Angeles, CA)
Editors’ Vote: Runaway Cow (Chicago, IL)

Best Vegan Bakery

Vegan Treats
Bethlehem, PA

2nd Place: Cinnaholic (Nationwide)
3rd Place: Houlden’s Rise Above (Tucson, AZ)
Editors’ Vote: Délice de Bernay (New York, NY)

Best Vegan Coffee Shop

Grindcore House
Philadelphia, PA

2nd Place: Timeless Coffee (Oakland, CA)
3rd Place: Coffee and Plants (Studio City, CA)
Editors’ Vote: Clownboy Coffee (Rochester, NY)

Best Vegan Bar

Mothership
San Diego, CA

2nd Place: Ladybird (New York, NY)
3rd Place: Charlie was a sinner. (Philadelphia, PA)
Editors’ Vote: Ladybird (New York, NY)

Best Vegan Chef

Tara Punzone
Pura Vita—West Hollywood, CA

2nd Place: Haley Duren (Long Count—New York, NY)
3rd Place: Tal Ronnen (Crossroads Kitchen—Los Angeles, CA)
Editors’ Vote: Tara Punzone (Pura Vita—West Hollywood, CA)

Best New Vegan Restaurant

Fungi Foods
Oakland, CA

2nd Place: Not Ya Mama’s Vegan Café (Salem, MA)
3rd Place: Mother Other (Denver, CO)
Editors’ Vote: Secret Vegan Kitchen (Oceanside, NY)

Best Vegan Restaurant in America