Top Row (L-R): My Vegan Restaurant, Sage Vegan Bistro’s Buffalo Cauliflower, Green Earth Vegan Cuisine’s Pumpkin Cheesecake, Real Food Daily’s Vegan Breakfast Pizza, True Food Kitchen’s Jackfruit Lettuce Wraps, Granville’s Artisan Flatbread. Bottom Row (L-R): MyNamaste Spiceland’s Vegan Pasta, Daddy’s Chicken Shack Loaded Sweet Potato Fries, The Pizza Plant’s Pizza, Osawa’s Katsu Curry Rice, Tibet Nepal House’s Chanaa Masala, Lucky Baldwin’s Cottage pie.
November is World Vegan Month, where vegans around the world take pride in their contributions to the environment and food chain.
Whether or not you’re vegan, you can participate in this world month observance by checking out any of the following vegan restaurants in Pasadena, thanks to Visit Pasadena, the Pasadena Center Operating Company.
Pasadena’s pioneering My Vegan Restaurant, at 633 S. Arroyo Parkway, has been delighting customers with their Thai-inspired Asian fare for over a decade. The Pad Thai is a customer favorite, and so are their Orange Chicken and Angry Pork dishes, where they use soy-based meat substitutes. This lunch and dinner outpost can also accommodate gluten-free and soy-free dietary restrictions. They accept takeout and delivery orders. Call (626) 578-9017 or visit www.myveganrestaurants.com.
Sage Vegan Bistro, at One Colorado, is open for weekday breakfast, weekend brunch and lunch and dinner daily. The globally influenced, plant-based restaurant is dedicated to using locally sourced organic produce. In the spirit of their hashtag #feastwithoutthebeast, dishes like the Cauliflower “Wings,” Taco Salad and the Bollywood Bowl riff on international favorites. They’re open 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily for outdoor dining, delivery and takeout. Call (626) 564-8111 or visit www.sageveganbistro.com/pasadena-location.
Green Earth Vegan Cuisine, located at 37 S. Fair Oaks Ave., specializes in vegan fusion cuisine. It’s a family-run restaurant with American, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai and Vietnamese dishes on the lunch and dinner menu. They even have a vegan twist on Canada’s signature poutine! Save room for decadent desserts like carrot cake, cheesecake and Thai banana rolls with ice cream. They’re open for dine-in, Sunday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday to Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. For takeout and delivery orders, visit www.greenearthvegan.square.site.
Real Food Daily, at 899 E. Del Mar Blvd., has a broad menu that includes breakfast all day, salads, burgers, pizzas, tacos, bowls and sandwiches. You can pair your meal with healthy drinks or indulge in beer, wine, hard kombucha and other alcoholic libations. They’re open for dine-in, 12 to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For curbside pickup and no-contact delivery, order online through www.realfood.com/online-ordering.
True Food Kitchen, at 168 W. Colorado Blvd., is part of a national chain dedicated to seasonal, healthy, nutritious cuisine. The menu is coded with “(v)” so it’s easy to home in on what’s vegan-friendly—from soups and salads to pizzas, bowls and burgers. They can also adapt dishes to suit diets like keto and paleo. For dine, curbside pickup, and no-contact delivery, they’re open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. the rest of the week. Visit www.truefoodkitchen.com/locations/pasadena for more information.
Granville, at 270 S. Lake Ave., also denotes vegan items on their menus, making it a great spot for groups with mixed dietary preferences. Think lemon couscous, homemade chili, butter lettuce cups, beet salad, vegan burgers, poblano quinoa and farro mushroom risotto. They accept pickup and delivery orders, and are open for rooftop and patio dining for lunch and dinner. Visit www.granvillecafe.com.
My Namaste Spiceland, located at 270 N. Hill Ave., is an Indian/British market and informal café with an all-vegetarian menu that includes loads of vegan options. The robust menu features Indian specialties from several regions as well as street food like pani puri. Vegan dosas, samosas and mango lassi are some tasty treats. They accept takeaway and no-contact delivery orders only, from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Visit www.mynamastespiceland.com.
Daddy’s Chicken Shack, at 11 W. Dayton St.,has earned a cult following for their buttermilk fried chicken sandwiches, but vegans have been equally delighted with their animal-free offers, such as The Vegan Daddy, a coconut curry milk brined cauliflower sandwich that gets a flavorful punch from the toppings of sambal vegan mayo, napa slaw, cilantro and mint; and Vegan Daddy Nuggets, basically a deconstructed version of the sandwich that skips the bun. They’re open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visit www.daddyschickenshack.com for more information.
When you’re craving guilt-free pizza pies, check Instagram to find out when and where The Pizza Plant truck will be in Pasadena on its weekly rotation. The 100-percent organic, plant-based gourmet pizzas are whimsical and creative, using ingredients like seasonal veggies, cashew cheese, plant-based sausage and shitake bacon. The menu also includes “plantwiches” and salads. You can also take out some pizza from Whole Foods Market, at 465 S. Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena. Visit www.thepizzaplant.com for more information.
Delicatessen by Osawa, at 851 Cordova St., is a fast-casual Japanese staple where vegans can order the vegan curry rice consisting of steamed vegetables and rice. Their daily assortment of fresh cold deli sides also typically includes some vegan items like beet salad, eggplant and tofu and ginger cucumber. It’s always best to confirm that the sides are indeed vegan, as some dressings contain fish sauce and eggs. They’re open for delivery orders only. Call (626) 844-8788 or visit www.delicabyosawa.com for more information.
Vegans can find a variety of options at Tibet Nepal House, located at 36 E. Holly St., dedicated to the Himalayan cuisine of Tibet, Nepal and India. From the potato pickle salad and vegetable samosas to the Ali Gobi curry and vegetable fried rice, you can have a truly transporting plant-based feast here. They’re open for takeaway and delivery orders only. Visit www.tibetnepalhouse.com/menu.html.
If you’re looking for a place to watch a sporting event on television, Lucky Baldwin’s Pub, at 17 S. Raymond Ave., is your spot. They’re known for their beer selection and casual gastropub fare, and in addition to their meaty offerings, the British pub has a mushroom and lentil pie that can be served vegan as well as a veggie burger. Visit www.luckybaldwins.pub or call (626) 795-0652.
