Well, here I am all of a sudden under the 75 degree Los Angeles sun. Lots of miles away from the snowy, slushy, slippery streets in New York. I am warm, but I am also hungry. My last trip here was full of homemade meals on the fly but this time I've decided to eat my way through LA. I'm swearing off homemade meals and exploring what This Town (I'm told I should refer to LA as "This Town") has to offer.
So what's for lunch? Does anyone out there have a favorite restaurant in LA that I should check out? What should I order? What do you like? How do I get there? Will they accept cookies instead of cash? I want to be in the know!
Oh, and can you hurry please? I only have 2 brownies in my purse and I'm reaching for them right now!
tacos! (when in rome)
You are a stone's throw from Olvera Street. Taquitos at Juanita's are a must! Great quick lunch.
If you don't eat meat they have tacos de papas. Never had them but I don't see how you can go wrong.
Mendocino Farms (Downtown LA) for yummy soups, sammies and salads (any sandwich can be made into a salad).
Veggie Grill (West Hollywood) for amazing tempeh salad and delicious sweet potato fries.
M Cafe (West Hollywood) for anything.
The Gate of India (Hollywood) for curries.
Mao's Kitchen (West Hollywood) for the freshest Chinese, ever, any dish can be made vegan.
Good luck on your search, let us know what you find!
Real Food Daily on La Cienega, near Rodeo Drive!
Vegan, macrobiotic... the whole shebang!
was just thinking about how much I use to love going to Weilands Brewery (Near little Tokyo). I love Pete's Cafe also downtown. Can't wait to visit you, hold on to your brownies!
xx
Flore (3818 W Sunset Blvd)- get avocado and citrus shake,
then brown rice bowl with tofu and krispy kale.
yum!
also Local (2943 W Sunset Blvd)-
amazing quinoa burger and salad bar!
oh.. and Gingergrass (2396 Glendale Blvd)
gingergrass salad or jack & ginger salad
In NYC and didn't get to make a pit stop at the Babycakes NYC store this trip, but the good news is that I'm moving to LA on Saturday! Excited to get my Babycakes fix at the new store!
Oh my gosh!! Is it true? Is there going to be a sugar free bakery in LA soon? Or is babycakes here already??
If so, this is so exciting.
I just moved from LA! Wish you had been there this past year when I was diagnosed with my gluten allergy. My saving grace was Mani's cafe. They only have two gluten free items- peanut buttercookies and lemon poppyseed cake, and their healthy food is tasty and wonderful. That said, you will be welcome in LA and much needed. Also good eating is the gluten free pizza at deano's in the old farmers market on fairfax and third. M cafe is great too if you like sushi or macrobiotic. There is one in Beverly Hills and one on Melrose. Enjoy!
Hi there,
I am so excited to get over to your new Spot! I have been a downtown Resident for five years now so I can give you a list of fabulous places! My friend Talia Baiocchi went to NYU and I believe you were in the same soroity and what not. Try:
Church & State
Bottega Louie
Hama Sushi (Best spicy and seared tuna in town)
I am sure you have discovered Petes Cafe
Eastside Deli
I would love to write a blog and interview you check it out:
http://carlynsheart.blogspot.com/
Good luck with everythingk and I hope you love LA
WHOA. Ok, yesterday I just went to Whole Foods cause I was too tired to be adventurous but the raw food selection in CA is UNBELIEVABLE. So many options and creativity--I had this gluten-free, vegan raw bagel sandwich from Rawvolution and it was so fun to eat. So delicious. I'm going to make my rounds on the above places--thank you guys!!
If you're downtown you have to go to Shojin in Little Tokyo! I'm not sure what on the menu is GF so you'll have to ask them.
http://theshojin.com/
If you're looking for raw food I've heard Cru in Silverlake and SunPower Natural Cafe in Studio City are good.
http://crusilverlake.com/
http://www.sunpowernatural.com/
If you haven't already, check out the quarrygirl.com blog. It's the best LA vegan food blog, and funny too. Send her a tweet for her recommendations!
http://www.quarrygirl.com/
I hope you have at least a few days to eat in LA.
Hugo's in West Hollywood has a menu with TONS of gluten free and vegan options, and many of the dishes can be modified to your liking. They even have a vegan, gluten-free blueberry cheesecake! But I gotta say, it's got nothing on anything I've tried at Babycakes.
Good luck!
we westsiders are wondering why in the world you opened up downtown??? its painful getting there!!!
For my money, SunPower Natural Organic Cafe is the best in Los Angeles (it's across the street from Universal Studios). They make most everything from scratch, no fake meats or bottled sauces. Their BBQ Sunflower Burgers is awesome as is their Supreme Pizza. The cashew shakes are off the chart and their desserts are almost all gluten free - check out the Coconut Butter Pecan Vegan Cheesecake. OMG!
Don't listen to all those Westsiders complaining about your downtown location. Downtown is funky and all, but it's back to the future time. More and more people living there every year. And besides, those people (Westwood and further east dwellers) will have a subway to get downtown in only ten years. (Yeah, I said "only.")
As far as eating, having lived in the PE Building for 4 years (no longer), you are in luck. Cole's is amazing, but I understand you are a vegetarian. Even JJ's that little sandwich shop across the street, makes a decent veggie sandwich, and if you want to trek over to the Financial district, Lemonade is very good for lunch. I believe they have vegetarian options.
Will visit you folks soon.
I don't know any specific places in LA but if you make it down south to Laguna Beach my favorite place in the world is this adorable place called The Stand. I grew up on it and I live for it! Its vegan. I order the humus guacamole peta pocket, frozen fruit soft serve, tamale's, and the humus bowl. Their smoothies are also amazing! Try it out you will not be left disappointed! I just bought your cookbook and I am making the chocolate cupcakes tonight. I can't wait. EnjoY cAlIFORNIA And the SUNSHINE!
kAndYce CaRroll
238 Thalia Street
Laguna Beach, CA 92651-2712
(949) 494-8101
Definitely Bottega Louie, it's some blocks away from you. Which by the way I can't wait to go to BabyCakes, going tomorrow!
Cuvée on Robertson.
Milk on Beverly is REALLY good.
& while you're in West LA go visit WESC for some neat clothing! ;)
RFD on La Cienega near Beverley. Amazing vegan food!
Hi - Was recently in your L.A. bakery and I was a little disappointed. What I had to eat was way good, but there was not much of an assortment, just cookies, cupcakes and some slices of your breads. I had come from Utah and was hoping to grab a bunch of goodies, but only had a couple of cookies.
Do you carry different items on certain days of the week? I will be in L.A. again in April.
Thanks!!!
RAW/Juliano's in Santa Monica! Have the Tom Gai soup & the cheesy kelp pasta & the coconut cheese cake, all raw vegan & incredible!! Enjoy!
I can't wait to check out the LA Babycakes!
Wonderful places to eat, and not too far from downtown LA:
Elf in Echo Park
(vegetarian and vegan, on Sunset, cash only, exquisite food)
Bulan in Silverlake (also on Melrose)
(vegetarian/vegan Thai food, REALLY good)
Scoops, near LACC
Gelato, and soy-based VEGAN gelato! VERY yummy.
Pure Luck, across the street from Scoops
Nice funky vegan restaurant and good vibe. Also has a good selection of beer.
I have been mostly vegetarian since 1975 (fish on occasion), and have moved toward being vegan very recently. So I am also on the prowl for great vegan food and recipes.
I know this is an old post, but I still have to warn you: Mani's can be dangerous. The menu looks great, and the food tastes incredible... but they stuck a cracker garnish on my gluten-free quinoa salad (I'm still recovering).
I'd stick with Hugo's! Amazing food, and last time I was there I sat across from Orlando Bloom and Christoph Waltz having lunch together :)
BabyCakes is a godsend. Thank you for actually *knowing* what gluten is!