When people ask me if it’s hard to be a vegetarian, I always answer honestly, “No, it’s only hard if you don’t open your mind to new foods.” Cutting meat out of my diet (and yes that means fish and poultry), meant that I needed to be more adventurous with my home cooked meals.
However, when it came to eating out I would always worry that I’d be stuck ordering a house salad or pasta while my friends had fun and delicious entrees to enjoy. But eating out was such a prominent form of spending time with friends that I had to change my attitude about it. I kept hope that wherever we went I could at least find some sides to mash together to make a full meal, (flashback to The Boiling Crab – that one was rough).
Thankfully now, due in large part to my foodie boyfriend, I am a pro at finding delicious vegetarian friendly eateries. Instead of leaving the fate of my hungry stomach to chance, I check out the menu beforehand and skim through reviews of vegetarian dishes to ensure I’ll come out satisfied. It also helps that restaurants have greater selections of viable vegetarian options nowadays.
In the past two years I have probably eaten out more than I have in my entire life. I learned that San Diego has many hidden gems. Here is the list, in no particular order, of my top ten vegetarian friendly restaurants.
1. Kindred
This place is me in restaurant form. The entire place is magical, aesthetically pleasing, weird and friendly. The moment I sat down my soul was at ease. I do not often eat at all vegan or vegetarian places because they offer the same unimaginative hodge-podge of things, but Kindred is far from cookie cutter. While the menu is not extensive, each one of the dishes is incredibly flavorful; every taste and texture is carefully arranged to create a burst in your mouth. It felt amazing to know that Kindred strived to compile a culinary masterpiece with its vegan menu instead of creating seven uninspired salads and veggie burgers and calling it a day. Carnivores, vegans and everyone in between will appreciate this place!
2. Chaba Thai Kitchen
Thai food is a vegetarian’s staple, but I could go to six different Thai restaurants and find the same curry and noodle dishes — it gets boring. Chaba is on this list because they have a menu that is speckled with unique and regionally diverse dishes, most of which can easily be made vegetarian upon request. The flavors kept me more than happy, but the bubbling excitement of trying something new in a Thai restaurant is what made this place standout. If your Thai foodventures have gotten stale, stop by at Chaba, but be weary of their spicy levels.
3. Saigon on Fifth
When I first became a vegetarian, I didn’t put too much stress on avoiding meat based broths. It was a decision based on convenience. For the past few years I began to draw that line with a permanent marker rather than a pencil, and that’s why I love Sigon on 5th. This place has vegetarian broth for its Pho dishes. After eating here only once, I knew it was my favorite Pho place in San Diego. Besides the friendly service and adorable décor, the food was foodgasmic. I always start my dinner here with some veggie eggrolls which I can’t eat fast enough. The Pho is stuffed with veggies sitting on perfectly cooked noodles. I tell everyone about this place if they want some good vegetarian pho, or Vietnamese food in general. Just remember to go in hungry!
4. Tacos Perla
I found this one on accident while in North Park. Their flyer was on the window of a brewery down the block. After a quick check on Yelp, the promise of cricket filled tacos convinced a few friends to try it out. They brought back good news: there were vegetarian taco options available. The place was a perfect hole in the wall. It wasn’t just the fresh handmade tortillas that got me hooked, but the flavor that was packed into my taco. I wanted seven more after just the first bite. There was a giant mushroom in my taco, and it was juicy and chewy (a perfect meat substitute). I’ll always stop here for a bite when I’m in that part of town. If you decide to stop here too, don’t even think about skipping on their salsa toppings. *drool*
5. City Tacos
Ahh the flagship of my faith in Taco Tuesdays. Before I found this place, ravenous after a sunny day at the San Diego Zoo, I never found good vegetarian taco options. City Tacos is a hipster paradise: succulents are growing on the walls, the horchata is fresh and the entire place is the size of a dorm room. There are only two tacos that are vegetarian, but they are worth it. Pile on the salsa and be generous with that lime squeeze because both tacos are made even better with the added toppings. After experiencing the incredible food coma from these tacos I was elated to know that there was at least one place in San Diego that cared about making delicious vegetarian tacos. They got it right y’all.
6. Muzita Abyssinian Bistro
There is no way I can say enough good things about this place. This was my first experience eating Ethiopian food, and it was a surprise that I could not believe took 21 years of my life to feel. Once that first bite made its full impression on my taste buds, I knew I would be hooked for life. The best way to make vegetarian food delicious is to flavor it well. That is why Muzita’s food was so fantastic, it was bursting with flavor, plus any place that encourages me to eat with my hands is great in my book. When food is good, it of course brings you back to a place, but when the owner of the restaurant comes by every time you visit to banter and chat for a bit, that makes you feel like family. Muzita offers a feel good experience all around and I’ll always recommend this to anyone looking for a great meal.
7. Project Pie
You have probably heard of Project Pie’s counterparts, Pieology or Blaze Pizza. They’re popping up everywhere, but nothing can beat the original for me. Project Pie somehow makes the perfect crust every time. Their option to personalize any pizza makes it too easy to have a delicious and fresh vegetarian meal. Sitting on a corner in Hillcrest, Project Pie looks like a hole in the wall, but the inside has a wonderful ambiance, perfect for sunny SD days or gloomy weather. They don’t skimp on their toppings, everything tastes especially fresh and the crust is always crisped to the perfect amount. Even if you’re a fan of the other two, if you find yourself in Hillcrest I highly suggest stopping for a personal pie here.
8. Daddy’s Hot Dogs
Discovered this one out of necessity. I had gone out with friends to Table Commons where the beer was good, but their vegetarian spread was abysmal. So I took my hungry-self down the block to scavenge for something decent, but what I found was a hot dog fit for a queen! The place is run by one guy, surprise surprise, he’s a dad, and he is a beam of sunshine. His entire menu can be made vegetarian, (a breath of fresh air for me!), and he is so genuinely interested in his customers, he talked to me the entire time. It’s not worth buying soy hot dogs at the grocers, but this man has made an extensive menu with perfectly complementing ingredients, the soy dog becomes a real treat. If you have any doubts about Daddy’s Hot Dogs, just know I went back for thirds!
9. Amplified Ale Works
The summer of 2014 was the first time I had the chance to eat here. I was new to the San Diego foodie scene and venturing the city with new friends, full of optimism. Ale Works was the perfect place to spend a balmy summer evening. We sat outside watching the sunset, shared a pitcher of beer, and though all that was wonderful, the food was better. After the first bite I forgot about everything else around me and wanted to put my entire self into this bowl of food. Something about the fresh ingredients, cool flavors and summer vibes flowing through the atmosphere made this a memorable meal. The menu is flexible and if you’re willing to give Ale Works a chance, I suggest going on a summer evening.
When I first arrived in San Diego, I would have loved a list like this, written by a student not a travel site. I hope that my list makes it easier for vegetarians new to San Diego (and anyone else), to find delicious food that is worth writing about.
