I'm not a follower of the fro-yo movement. The sour-tasting yogurt from Pinkberry, Red Mango, Swirls, etc. etc. etc. make me pucker violently. Velvet Yogurt, on the other hand, is yogurt-tastic. I had heard great things about the place, and was strongly encouraged by Ms. Aimee G. ; ) to check it out. Glad we did! The self-serve aspect of it was great. I could choose exactly how much of each of the many healthy(er) yogurt flavors I wanted, and could handle it myself, without worry of catching swine flu from the typical borderline unhygienic worker at those types of places (not there!). They offer two sizes of bowls, though the yogurt and toppings are weighed and charged per the ounce. I had a small bit of the Heath Toffee yogurt topped with chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (healthy, huh?). My husband went hog-wild (or should I say, "swine-wild"), filling an entire bowl with Irish Mint and Cheesecake - both nonfat - topped with gummy bears, waffle cone flakes and sprinkles (good thing he works out!). We'll have to go back during their "Happy Hour," 3-5 PM, M-F, as the pounds of yogurt we purchased got a little $$. read more

Active Culture - Cheesecake & Irish Mint Yogurt; Waffle Cone Bits, Gummy Bears and Sprinkles Toppings (oink) - Vegetarian Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Bf and I were in town for the weekend, and walking to the Ocean Festival when we spotted this darling froyo place and had to stop in! The first thing I noticed was this wood ledge with barstools along the window, that people had carved into - apparently with the management's permission because the sign next to it said "do not carve into the WALL!". Cute! We found lots of flavors to taste, and went about tasting pretty much all of them between the two of us: vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, cookies and cream, euro tart, blackberry, mango, coffee, irish mint, cheesecake, and red velvet. My fave was the cookies and cream, and the only ones that I thought were just so-so were the coffee (not strong enough for me) and unfortunately the red velvet (it had a strange gritty after-texture). The final deal-sealing sight was in the bathroom: a Yelper's review wall!! SO cute! Multiple, laminated reviews were posted on the wall for all to see. Now THAT is Yelp friendly, and you gotta love that! read more

Active Culture - Go right ahead and carve on this ledge! - Vegetarian Near Me - San Clemente, California

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I had this place in Bend, Oregon and I was soooo EXCITED to come back and know that theres and Active Culture close to home! My boyfriend and I wanted a small bite so we decided on a Sundown juice and a sunrise kids burrito everything was DELICIOUS and extremely FLAVORFUL !! We appreciate the fast working and attentive staff! Keep doing a great job everyone, and we'll be back soon! read more

After having Pinkberry, I was convinced that it's the Ultimate Best in frozen yogurt. I still feel that way but this has to be a close second. It's a little watery but tastes great. I got the original, red velvet and English toffee. Topped it with Blueberry, Blackberry and Strawberry. They all tasted incredible. I love that it's self serve and I can mix the flavours and add my own toppings of choice. You pay by the weight. Sales staff are nice and keep the place very clean. If the fro-yo was a bit more solid, I would have loved it! In this case, it was a bit too soft and melted very fast. But the taste made up for it. I will be back for sure! read more

House burrito ! AMAZING. The flavored were perfect together and without meat ?! Even the tortilla was good lol organic . I didn't expect a lot but my tummy got more than enough :) Wish I didn't live over an hour away from this place. I'd be here more often read more

Active Culture - House burrito - Vegetarian Near Me - San Clemente, California

Just visited for lunch and had the wholesome bowl and my friend got the Simple salad with lemon vinaigrette. Definitely recommend the simple salad it was very refreshing! The bowl was $14 and the salad came out to $14 which is a lot for a simple salad... good fresh food but definitely over priced. read more

Active Culture - Wholesome bowl - Vegetarian Near Me - San Clemente, California

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I'm not impressed the $11 açaí bowl is ok but not amazing or will come back for it. Ordered over the phone, quick and easy. read more

Active Culture - This what a $11 açaí bowl looks like ... - Vegetarian Near Me - San Clemente, California

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This is the worst yogurt place I have ever been to. Yelp reviewers you lead me on to believe this place was awesome when in fact it sucked. Pretty much every "fresh" topping was gone, the ones that were there were mixed with other things. The Carmel was empty and when I asked for them to refill it I could hardly squeeze it out. I saw on the wall something about environmentally friendly cleaning detergents that they use which normally would impress me but this place smelled. It just didn't have a nice clean fresh smell and didn't feel like a very welcoming atmosphere. And honestly the yogurt wasn't that good. read more

Found and decided to try this place on a spontaneous occasion since we were already in the San Clemente area and wanted something light/healthy. From the pictures, I was very excited to try anything on their menu. From their salads to their bowls, everything was so vibrant and colorful. However, to my disappoint, the simply salad I ordered and the lentil burger my mom got both looked way better than they tasted. The price definitely does not match the quality and taste. My salad, which looked like a pinwheel of colors, was bland and barely had any avocado. The burger looked beautiful with its various layers of different shredded vegetables; however, like I've said before kind of pricey for what it was. The worst part, nevertheless, was the service. Since this was our first time here, I wasn't too familiar with the menu. I asked if the "Big Salad" was bigger than the "Simply salad," which in my opinion is a valid question since the former cost $3 more than the latter. The guy not only chuckled but also gave me a mocking look as if I'm crazy or something, then turned to the other cashier to exchange a glance with each other. I felt so embarrassed and simultaneously frustrated. I don't want attitude if I'm going to be buying food from that restaurant. If it's on the way, maybe I'll give it another shot. read more

My favorite favorite place to get myself a meal ! Try the SC rice bowl it's my favorite , I take all my out of town friends here !

The yogurt is great and the lunches look awesome! Yes I say "look" because my wife and I continue to go here for the Yogurt. It's really good. I typically get the European Tart and Raspberry. We've promised ourselves to do lunch here shortly and I'll update the review once we do. My wife always gets the Salted Carmel. The salted carmel is in our opinion the best around here which keeps us going back to the Active Culture. LOCATION and AMBIANCE (Rating 3) While the location is in the heart of San Clemente, the interior is not well kept. Yogurt machines often are left with drippings in trays and tables not as clean as I'd like. I think it's mostly due to under-staffing for how busy they typically are. They do have a nice patio that is great for people watching and ample seating. SERVICE (Rating 3) The staff has always been very nice but always busy. I've never felt like there was above and beyond service displayed. YOGURT - SALTED CARAMEL (Rating 5) This is one of the best salted caramel yogurts we've tasted. A perfect balance of sweet with the burnt undertones of caramel. Other yogurt shops should use this as their goal. YOGURT SALTED CARAMEL CORN (Rating 4) While not as well balanced as the Salted Caramel it still has a wonderful flavor and the popcorn nuances are absolutely there. EUROPEAN TART (Rating 4) This is just a truly unadulterated flavor. A bit tart, but a well balanced clean light vanilla flavor that's addicting. It goes with any topping (or none). It's a little like the first time you had Greek yogurt. It's not amazing but you come to appreciate it more and more as you understand it. Try It, you'll understand! read more

Active Culture - Vegetarian Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Very nice folks here! Healthy food options and welcoming bright atmosphere make it more appealing. Great walkable location too. Will be back! read more

AMAZING food here all fresh organic and tons of vegan options. Super friendly and clean, will be coming back on the reg. I had the wholesome lentil bowl and house burrito bomb.com !! Thanks Active Culture :) read more

My order was incorrect - I received chickpea bowl instead of lentils. But I didn't correct it because the wait time was already lengthy, I was hungry, and was on a schedule. Anyway It was quite a mediocre bowl. Not all the salt in the world could help. My partner's huevos rancheros was also mediocre. The highlight of this place was the date shake. The dates and walnuts slightly chunky making it a very enjoyable drink. read more

Visited this place while I was in the area for a wedding! I went there twice. Probably the best vegan place I've tried this far. I had the lentil bowl and it was delicious and PACKED. I was surprised at how much food you get! I also had the lentil bbq burger the second visit there and it was so so good. It felt so healthy and it was very filling! I got it with the gluten free bun and it was amazing. Totally recommend trying this place if you're in the area! read more

This place is so awesome! I want whatever tools they have behind there to make such magic happen! Guilt free burger read more

The food is delicious here and the portions are huge! The customer service is what kept it from 5 stars. They didn't ask how we were doing, take the dinner dishes away after we ordered dessert. The workers didn't know the hours, because we wanted to come back in the morning so we were stuck with their answer "8 or 9". We ordered 2 dinners, the house burrito and not-your-mommas nachos. Both were overflowing with deliciousness. Then we had the yogurt and it was oh so good, also coconut based, made it even better! We sat outside on the patio, and it was all quite enjoyable minus the lack of service. I would come back for a to go order. read more

Active Culture - House Burrito on top and Not-Your-Mommas Nachos. Huge nachos! Lots of everything! Tasted so good! - Vegetarian Near Me - San Clemente, California

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I love these types of places & always hope the food is good. Well today, I'm in luck again. They have a lot of things on the menu & most look really good. The staff was very knowledgeable & courteous. We ordered a Humans Wrap & Southwest Wrap. Also an Acai Bowl. First of all, Acai bowl was DAMN GOOD. The wraps were also delicious. The humans wrap was slightly dry on the inside but they had some dipping sauces. Definitely a winner! read more

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The og sauce is the best! Love all the frozen yogurt options and the shakes. The date shake is my favorite.

Can't recommend this place enough!! We are from out of town and man am I going to miss this place when we leave!!!! Everything is good. I've come here almost everyday I've been here lol. The wraps are fantastic!! Bagels are super good!! But my favorite thing was the BBQ Burger!! Vegan and so so good!!! Everything is made fast and fresh. Love this place!! Will definitely seek it out when we are back in town! read more

This place is incredible! So healthy and delicious! I love how they have a lot of different options on the menu. And if you're in the mood for something sweet they have frozen yogurt flavors and treats to put on top, smoothies, and shakes! We had a wonderful experience and we are 100% going back! read more

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Officially addicted after only one visit. I will be a frequent customer at Active Culture. I came by here last night on the recommendation of my supervisor from work. I ordered a Wholesome Bowl and my supervisor had insisted I try the Raw Coconut Shake. The employees were extremely friendly and helpful - they seemed genuinely interested in their work and when they asked about how my day was going, it wasn't the usual robotic conversation you find at most eateries. They offered suggestions and were very informative about the menu. The service was fast - surprisingly fast for how fresh the food is. It may have been because I was there at night and not during the lunch rush. But my food came out quick and smelled AMAZING. I took one sip of the Raw Coconut Shake and I was sold. If there was such a way to blend up perfection and put it in a shake, Active Culture has succeeded. The Wholesome Bowl was filling, fresh, and absolutely phenomenal. Prepared to perfection. I cannot wait to go back to Active Culture and try more items from the menu. read more

I called to place an order to go Saturday morning. I ordered the Avocado toast , two smoothies, and nachos. They never brought out my nachos, and then when I called her she told me I would have to repay over the phone because she forgot to input the nachos , and now I would have to wait a whole extra 15 minutes, which defeats the purpose of the convince of curb side pick up. I actually decided to just go in and pay in person in my rob because I was so flustered in the moment. I didn't get a single sorry. Not to mention the avocado toast was a complete joke. Something I could of made at home. Completely bland on a big burnt slab of bread. Every bite was just pure biting into bread. The costumer service was a joke and the employees were very hostile. read more

Active Culture - the avocado toast ^ - Vegetarian Near Me - San Clemente, California

ordered potato tacos for takeout. The avocados were brown and the green onions were rotten (slimy and soapy tasting). Took a couple bites and tossed it out. I wonder if they gave me spoiled veggies because it was a takeout order and I'd be less likely to bring it back. maybe they couldn't smell the spoiled veggies, but who would cut into an avocado, see it's brown, and serve it anyway? read more

Always a pleasure to come and eat here. Potato Tacos, Saucy BBQ burrito, funky sour beers made the drive from LA to San Diego way easier. Cool staff. I've eaten here 4 times, and this most recent was still great. It's nice to know about this place so that I don't end up having to eat junk just because I'm traveling. They got some great flavors together and they chop up the veggies how I like them. read more

Fabulous food, fabulous service, I truly enjoy it. So many healthy choices whether you're vegan or vegetarian. Awesome place! read more

Best bowls in OC! Seriously, me and my husband always stop by here whenever we're in Laguna Beach.

This always hits the spot. Its healthy food that feels like a treat! great for vegans

Fantastic vegan food for this non-vegan and his vegetarian friend. Servings could've been larger but the food was fantastic and they're handling covid well. read more

3/21/2014: So after I wrote my judgment on this place, they finally straightened things out and had been trying to make up to everyone by serving great yogurt flavors and 50% discount on yogurt all week long. Since then, they have served Red Velvet yogurt for the first time since opening (and hopefully not the last). It was freaking delicious. We so love the Irish Mint and hope it will be back every week. I hope it's not just for St. Patrick's Day. The past few weeks have been much better than the past few months. We're really looking forward to what other yogurt flavors they will serve every week. I'm glad that they try to be better with serving yogurt because we were really hoping this would be our favorite yogurt place. I really, really wanted to love this place. ------------------------------------------------------------- Written back in 3/7/2014 with a 1 star rating: So sad that Velvet Yogurt is now pretty much gone. Literally. I can't remember them serving Red Velvet yogurt ever again since their "grand opening". Since then, they've had a few hits and a lot of misses. Now that it's been a few months, it's finally getting a little bit more consistent with their yogurt flavors being available (although, still not completely satisfactory). There were times when the only selection were peanut butter and TWO vanilla flavors. Not even chocolate was available. Really, people? We had to get back in the car and drive to Golden Spoon. I said we might as well drive directly to Golden Spoon every time but we had sweet memories of what Velvet Yogurt used to be... I think Velvet Yogurt was a much better thing. My fiance and I used to go there every week. We keep hoping that the new Active Culture will rise from the ashes and be an awesome reincarnation of something better. We're still hoping and so, we keep coming every Friday to try out the yogurt. And we are often disappointed. The best yogurt they've ever had since opening was the cake batter flavor, but they've only had it that one time. Apparently, they have been trying to make it again but somehow couldn't replicate it. The service is friendly, which is always something I liked about Velvet Yogurt. The menu has expanded, beyond just yogurt. It's pretty healthy stuff and that's cool. But I really miss velvet yogurt and could really fall back in love with this reincarnation if they could only make the cake batter or red velvet flavor happen. I can also probably give this a better review and rating if they had a better selection every Friday night for yogurt flavors besides peanut butter and freaking two vanilla flavors. But all hope is not lost. I think they can still make it an awesome go to spot for yogurt, if they just try. read more

Good. I got the OG bowl. I wish I got something more salad based. The OG bowl is rice-based, so it's suitable for people who prefer something more filling than a salad. It's like a healthier version of the chipotle bowl. Next time I want to get a salad-based bowl like eastern winds salad bowl that has kale as the base. read more

Food was okay, a little bland but fresh tasting. Otherwise, weird vibes, bad prices, unfriendly staff, and we were the only two customers in there and the bathroom was constantly occupied. read more

I've been wanting to check this place out in San Clemente, and finally got a chance to as I was passing by. Food: I ordered their Wholesome Bowl for just under $12 with organic brown rice, organic black and red beans, cheddar cheese, cabbage, salsa, avocado, cilantro, and OG sauce. The portion was actually very, very huge. I like the crunch of the chopped cabbage and the OG sauce, which kind of reminded me a little bit of curry. It was way more than enough food and I had leftovers for a few meals and snacks. Drink: I ordered the açai smoothie which is made with an apple juice base. It was a tad sweeter than I'm used to but still delicious. I drink the whole thing immediately. Overall this is a healthy, vegan option with a full menu and even a yogurt bar without the bells and whistle's. read more

This place makes eating healthy and well sooooo yummy! The only reason why it doesn't have 5 stars is because it's a little pricey. But it's worth it! The very helpful counter guy recommended the Whole Bowl with quinoa subbed for the brown rice. It was not only delicious, but quite filling. I also shared some of the Not Your Momma's Nachos with my kids which were also delicious. I've had the Blue-Green Envy smoothie and although the chia seeds take some getting used to, it's scrumptious and makes me feel so healthy! I reviewed Velvet Yogurt years ago when it was across the street and it sounds like that end has been having trouble, but my kids still love it (I haven't tried it lately). read more

If you're looking for something healthy and delicious, this is the place to go! It's a little pricey but you get what you pay for, which is quality. I love their chocolate-almond shake. They make their own almond milk, and you can really taste the difference. They also have a good selection of frozen yogurt. I like the location, but plan ahead because of parking on Del Mar. They have a nice seating area outside as well. Staff is friendly and the place is always kept clean! read more

Active Culture - Chocolate Bliss Shake - coconut, almond, chocolate... What's better? Guilt free! - Vegetarian Near Me - San Clemente, California

Enjoyed a Wholesome Bowl with an egg added on top ($1.50 more) and it was pretty good. Very filling portions and very tasty as a vegetarian item. The majority of the menu is vegetarian/vegan with the exception of one dish that contains prosciutto (sorry carnivores). We left feeling healthy and full! Will definitely be back. read more

Active Culture - Vegetarian Near Me - San Clemente, California

Foods very good and healthy, but still good. Not healthy but tastes like grass. It's healthy but tastes really good. You crave it, even though it's healthy. You get it, right? Love this place. Plus they have self serve desert, I mean frozen yogurt. Probably not as healthy, but still it's really good. And now they have beer on draft. Not healthy for your body, but maybe your mind. read more

After we went to a Del Mar street for a community show "putting on a glitz" today I walked in through open door, got some yogurt and went to pay with a $10 bill. That was a mistake... "I'm sorry, we don't take cash", I was baffled, they told me some story about a Chinese town going cashless... are we in China? My money isn't good enough for you? How insulting... he's like "it's posted on the door" well, the door was opened and I missed it and sorry but I didn't bring my glasses to read your silly policy on the counter. Absolutely ridiculous and I will never support you, ever again. The counter help was rude and couldn't crack a smile for nothing. Don't accept cash, but cash tips are ok, right? Disgraceful read more

Always a great treat here at Velvet Yogurt! Great FroYo and a good selection of fruits and toppings. Then almost always have a non-dairy option for the vegan misses as well :) Tonight's vegan treat was watermelon! With Carob chips and coconut shavings, crumbled Oreos, and fruit on the bottom, Ali had a delicious portion! Mine was half the watermelon, have French toast, fruit on the bottom, Heath bar and coconut shavings on top :) Soon, they'll be moving across the street, and rebranding as "Active Culture"! Awesome upgrade to an already great place! read more

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One of my favorite healthy spots in South OC. They have amazing healthy bowls and açaí bowls! The coconut smoothie is out of this world and one of my top all time favorite smoothies. This is a must if you want something healthy and delicious. read more