Been wanting to check out Variable Cafe for so long! Was extra excited to see the Yelp Top places…read moreto eat trophy at their counter :) Out of everything I tried, the coconut shrimp was supreme. Second fave was the drunk cauliflower. And then the tikka masala. The Tikka was still good but maybe not exactly what I was expecting - very veggie heavy plate. They have so many more items on their menu I'd love to try. Oh and the teas come in a really cute beaker setup, and they can make to your desired sweetness. It's a cute little spot, space is clean, and they have a bathroom for customers. There's a small parking lot in the shopping center where you can park for free too, yay!

|[ u n v a r i a b l e l o v e ]| This review was a long…read moretime coming- this is my fav vegan resto! The quality and service is consistently great and I LOVE how delicious everything is. My go to is the Seoul bowl it's so good and perfectly marinated while still being health conscious 5/5. The newer tikka masala has been a fav lately- it's veggie based but the spices and flavor are on point, just as delicious as a non-vegan dish! I think with soy meat it could be even better, I'll see if that's an option next time, but this was 4.5/5. West coast shrimp side is really satisfying and savory. I rly should try more items here but it's hard to deviate from my favs haha. |[ s i p ]| Drinks are also decent but the star for me here is the food. I really look forward to more new food items to come. |[ n o t e s ]| Parking lot is small and kinda hit or miss but it's worth it. :) Ambiance- cute brunch spot while still health conscious.

Bee Wali AF is a plant based restaurant that offers a vegan twist on comfort foods in a 1950s…read morereminiscent diner setting. I walked into this retro diner (that felt more like a time warp), feeling all nostalgic from the tables to the chairs to the flooring. I ordered the kebab plate; it arrived with pita, hummus, roasted anaheim pepper, basmati rice, cucumber salad, and two kabobs. I could not wait to make it disappear. I really enjoyed the roasted grape tomatoes as they were bursting with flavor--everything was delightful. We only part to meet again. Next time I have my eyes on the falafel plate, tikka masala, and the curry fries. The cool thing is you do not have to be vegan to enjoy a meal here as they have something for everyone including burgers and fries. Mediterranean, Indian, and American fare are all offered here. Service was great. Plenty of seating inside and a small outdoor seating in the front. Street parking and bathrooms available. If you like what you see, go see what you like! "Until it's your turn keep clapping for others!" Fun facts: Started as a pop up Husband and wife team AF stands for amazing food

I've been wanting to try this food for a good long time but I live 90 minutes away. Today was the…read moreday and I was satisfied in every way! Bee and Wali were just as friendly and kind as their reputation. I admire their hard work and dedication so much, they've built something incredibly special. In other words, a welcoming and comfortable space with food that is OUT OF THIS WORLD DELICIOUS!!!! I had the chicken schwarma pita with fries and every single bite was a party, a celebration of what it means to be human with taste buds! Super fresh and visually stunning, secret ingredient is love. I can't wait to come back!

First time here. This is a very nice restaurant so dress accordingly. Dimly lit, dark woods,…read morecandle-lit vibes. Staff from host, to bartender to waitress were all helpful and friendly. We were told it's common for tables to get several plates and share. We ended up getting the cheese and pâté to start. Very small portion of the cheese but good nonetheless. We also got the vegan calamari fritti which was also good (but likely because it's hard to make friend food taste bad). I was stunned by how tasteful the corn and barley risotto is. It tasted smooth like butter. Very flavorful and would get again. We also got the spicy rigatoni and lasagna. I think I preferred the rigatoni over the lasagna but if you naturally gravitate toward lasagna (I don't) then you should disregard my opinion and try it. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't my favorite or the night. We also got the brownie sundae for dessert and it was VERY rich! Good but too much for just me in terms of richness. Definitely something worth sharing. Overall, 10/10 experience. Valet $15 and on the side of the buildings entrance. Highly recommend this option as parking was difficult for us otherwise.

The delivery Bolognese was okay, but nothing like the thick juicy noodles smothered in meat sauce…read morein the menu photo. The sauce was feh tossed with standard packaged linguine (not tagliatelle as listed) that tasted pre-cooked. The "umami flavor" I read about in a review was AWOL. If it had been $12, okay but it was $24. With a $2.00 "gluten free surcharge."

Our friends took us here. The food was amazing but the owner/chef was even better. He is the…read morenicest/kindest man. He made the experience totally unforgettable in the most positive way. Highly recommend!

Twelve years ago, I fell in love with Au Lac and wrote a glowing review. Living on LA's Westside, I…read morerarely make it to Downtown, so today was my first visit back since then. I can't believe it's been 12 years--and I'm so happy to say it was every bit as incredible as I remembered. My friend and I came for lunch. I ordered the vegetable pho, and she had the curry rice. Both dishes were absolutely delicious--fresh, flavorful, comforting, and beautifully prepared. Honestly, I wish we had more time because we had another appointment downtown. I would have loved to try more dishes and definitely dessert! Our server was wonderful--friendly, attentive, and incredibly professional. He checked on us at just the right moments without ever feeling intrusive. The service was as impressive as the food. The restaurant has such a warm, relaxing atmosphere. I especially loved the beautiful ceramic water cups with bird designs--they were so unique and charming. Even the water tasted wonderful! I'm thrilled that Au Lac is still thriving after all these years. If anything, the food tasted even better than I remembered. I certainly won't wait another 12 years before coming back. In fact, I was so impressed that I convinced my husband to come with me next Saturday for dinner! I've tried many vegan restaurants over the years, and Au Lac remains my absolute favorite. My favorite on the Westside is Variable Café, but if you're willing to drive a little farther, Au Lac is on another level. I can't recommend this restaurant highly enough. Whether you're vegan or not, this place is truly outstanding. Five stars without hesitation!

O.m.g. so delicious. We went at 5 ish so there was oke ty od indoor seating which we thought would…read morebe a cooler choice but we got hot in no time. They only have a hose A/C in the corner that didn't do much to cool the place down. The food though was amazing! As 2 vegetarians and 1 vegan, we had never seen such an extensive plant based option with not only vegan cheeses but meat substitutes with protein! No wonder they have been ranked #1 for multiple years. The starter bread came in a brown bag and was soft and delicious, especially with the house pesto. You could really taste the basil but it didnt feel too oily. We got the calamari because none of us have ever seen a vegan one on a menu! It was breaded and fried and had a squishy center made of pea protein that I guess simulates the real one? It came with a marinara dipping sauce. I could obly have a few because they were fried and I felt like they were a bit too salty Next the pastas came out - the Pistachio pesto and the fusili with sausage. Both were delicious. The pesto sauce was the same one we had with the bread but the pasta had Pistachio chunks in it as well and generous amounts of pesto. The sausage was chewy and the sauce must've had either the same seasoning or chunks of it blended in because you could taste the same flavor in that as well! We had hopes of trying dessert but these 3 dishes were a perfect size for our party and we had been starving ourselves for most of the day for this (probably due to all the protein included in a usually carb only meal). The service was prompt, dishes came out quickly, and water was always filled. I am looking forward to returning to try all the other dishes!

Really enjoyed our dinner at Civico 2064. The restaurant itself is beautiful, with a warm, inviting…read moreatmosphere, and I especially appreciated the low noise level--it made for such a relaxed and enjoyable evening. Service was great, and the wine pairings complemented the meal really well. We started with the calamari and tuna crudo. Both were good, although the crudo could have used a little more brightness and acidity--some extra citrus or lemon would have really elevated it. For pasta, the gnocchi was great, but the Pappardelle Brasato was outstanding and easily one of the highlights of the meal. And then there was the tiramisu--absolutely outstanding. Honestly, one of the best tiramisus I've ever had. I would come back for that alone. Overall, the food was very good, with a couple of standout dishes rather than everything completely blowing us away. Beautiful ambience, attentive service, great wine, and a wonderfully quiet dining room. I'd definitely consider coming back--and the tiramisu is a must.

First timer, but this place is fantastic! LOVE the ambiance. The happy hour specials are…read morephenomenal, 2 of us ate a 4 course meal for right around $100, unheard of in LA. We had the crispy rice, nachos with beef added on top, and the vodka pizza which is one of my favorite vegan pizzas to date. We also got the noodles (non spicy ones) and the brownie with ice cream OMG, amazing. Our waiter, cannot remember his name unfortunately, was fantastic. Very attentive and gave great suggestions. Overall, 10/10, will definitely be back!!

Overall a solid spot to get your fix of creative vegan dishes. Very cute ambiance and it's not…read moreoverly busy because we got seated relatively quickly for a Saturday night. What we ordered: + Chaga chai: Basically hot coffee with chai but much stronger earthy taste with the turmeric. A good spin on the usual and oat milk optional if you find it too strong. + Crispy mushroom hand roll: 1 each and this was a bit hard to eat without making a mess on your hands. If you like crunchy mushrooms, this is nice but a pass for me. + Spicy salmon hand roll: This is a fun one where you make your own hand roll. It's a February special. + Dragon: My favorite of all the sushi. This tastes the closest to real sushi because of the unagi sauce and I liked the slight chewy texture of the tempura inside. + Pressed & torched: If you like truffle sauce, this is a win but I'm less of a fan of how mushy/soft the rice is. Warm melted avocado is nice though. Parking was easy with street parking or valet. Street parking is metered for $2/hour but you can only pay one hour at a time. Set your alarms if you need more time.

VEGAN DELICIOUSNESS FOR THOSE SEEKING THAT DELIGHT while in Lincoln heights cradled in the…read morebeautiful mural of Ganesha protecting the Neighborhood

This place is AMAZING. Especially for a vegetarian who hasn't had catsu in forever. I accidentally…read morecame across it while stuck in traffic and we've been craving it and coming back a couple times within a month. We live over an hour away. The chicken stays crispy for a long time and reheats nicely as leftovers. Everything we've ordered is really good and crave-worthy. We got the lucky catsu, curry catsu, crispy shrimp, spam masubi, catsu masubi, orange chicken, crispy chicken. Top two favorites are lucky and curry catsu. Small things I'd personally wish to change is that the onion is too strong in the macaroni salad. Wish it wasn't in there period. And the rice is a little on the dryer side and it sticks to the container- so when you scrape up the last bits of rice, you could be eating the paper from the container. I like that they use compostable containers though!! But yeah the rice is on the harder side especially as leftovers. But whatever, their main items are bomb and makes me not care about anything else. Service is quick! Note: it is not a sit down restaurant. You order (ahead) and park on the street and call them to let them know you're outside. They'll bring the food out. Reception isn't great outside fyi. I've been here 3 times and never last long enough to get a photo before digging in. There are two other vegan restaurants right next to it, same concept - order and pick up. Great for different options if one is craving Mexican from Cena or hot dogs from All franks.

Just had an amazing burrito here. I loved everything about the experience. Ordered online, pulled…read moreup, the door opened and I had my food in about 10 seconds. Couldn't believe how much I enjoyed this burrito. Crispy potatoes, killer beans, a great scramble, perfect handmade tortilla and really good salsa. It was sooo good! Loved the fresh little cup of chunky chile garlic salsa too. Seriously impressed. Can't wait to try more.

I get the taco plate. Good stuff. Favorite…read more My friend had me try the street dog: Yuuuuum!

I can't wait to come back to this place. It's absolutely adorable, the staff are so friendly, and…read morethe concept is brilliant. I went on a whole food vegan diet for 40 days as part of a cleanse and health journey. So my fiancé and I decided to come out here before a concert one night. He's been vegan for years and years, but I've never had that diet so it was hard for us to go out. We found this place and knew we had to go. We arrived about an hour before close, got sat immediately, and had a super sweet server (I wish I remembered her name). But I didn't realize that the menu items were all affirmations. As someone who has had a super tough year physically and emotionally, I've been really getting into meditation and manifesting and overall good vibes. So I thought going there and seeing that menu was absolutely a sign. It's fully vegan and whole food. And VAST. There was so much to choose from. I asked opinions on what to get. I think I ended up getting I Am Restored for my drink. Delish. Not sweet but very good. And then my partner and I got the I Am Glorious and the I Am Next Level to share. Everything was SO good. House made. Great flavor. And great presentation. My only wish was that is was more affordable (why does healthy yummy food have to be so expensive?!). We'd be going more often and we don't live close by. But it's worth it. Excited for our next trip back there! Side note - we also ordered delivery from them as well. The I Am Caring nachos (did notttt travel well.. get them in person). And the I Am Giving Margherita pizza. That was yummy. Recommend for vegans and non vegans alike!

I visited Cafe Gratitude for lunch during Dine LA Week and thought the $25 deal was a great value…read more You get to choose two dishes, both in full-size portions, plus a drink. I ended up getting so full that I took my second dish home! I absolutely loved the coconut drink, "I Am Chill." They were also happy to customize it with less ice, which I really appreciated. The "I Am Next Level" bowl was delicious, healthy, and very satisfying. My second dish, the "I Am Beaming" Pesto Alfredo Pasta, was a little too creamy for my taste, but it was still enjoyable. It was fairly noisy during lunch on Friday, and the service was decent but could have been a little more attentive. There were a few moments when I found myself wondering when the waiter would come back to my table. Overall, a great Dine LA value with delicious, healthy food and some creative drink options. I'd definitely come back to try more dishes!

A must try for plant based sandwiches! We went around 12 pm on Saturday and it was quite busy. It…read moretook about 30 minutes for our order to come out. We got the Reuben and the Californian. They were both tasty. I think we preferred the Californian a little more. The Reuben just had a little too much sauerkraut for my preference. We also tried their potato salad and their guava Fresca. They were both good but the guava Fresca could have had a little more sweetness. They do have a few tables and stools along one side of the wall. Covered tables are also available outside. They do have one bathroom available for customers. Parking is free either in their small parking lot or along the streets.

I have had this spot saved for a while and could finally make the drive. Grabbed lunch for my homie…read moreand I but since I was super hungry and excited, I only got 2 pictures; sorry yelp! The cashier was super patient and helpful which I appreciate a ton! The location is on the corner of a lil strip of businesses so a few parking spots which makes a difference. Inside was a small setup but again super cute Here's what we got: 1. The Smokey (10/10) - it's banging! I really wanted to try it specifically because the onion-jalapeño jam got me stuck... and it did not disappoint! 2. The brisket breakfast burrito (9/10) - I asked them to cut both in half since I was gonna share with someone in the streets haha I love burritos, I love vegan breakfast burritos so nom nom nom! 3. Speculoos brownie (10/10) - it's super El Niño so the brownie was hot and ready by the time I landed so it was gooey and delish af I will definitely be back when I can push out to HP to grab refrigerated meets and cheezes! Please come support a vegan business!!