Eve in Encinitas has closed but its crew has reassembled under a new name and is operating out of the Living Tea Kombucha tap room. Here, they serve a made-from-scratch menu featuring loaded vegan burgers, monster fries, and a super gyro as big as a baby. Not to be missed on the specials like the Chikun Parmesan, a succulent seitan cutlet smothered in house-made sunflower cheese served over pesto spaghetti and tangy marinara sauce.

Now with three locations, power couple Jessica and Davin Waite present a culinary journey where vegetable-centric creations captivate even the most steadfast omnivores. Start with dishes like the lion’s mane mushroom “crab cakes” or a Reuben with pastrami-spice marinated beets and house cultured sauerkraut. Be sure to save room for the Shepherd’s Pie which, even meatless, is one of the best versions in San Diego.

Mexico City natives Mario and Veronica Cabrera bring vegan favorites to their corner of a Vista strip mall. Starting daily at 8 a.m., find organic coffee and filling vegan breakfast offerings like their Morning Glory breakfast burrito, toast spread with roasted garlic cashew pate with kale, chickpeas and pumpkin seeds, or arguably the best vegan chilaquiles in San Diego.

After a devastating fire razed the Encinitas location of San Diego’s premier raw food restaurant four years ago, it has risen anew. Food processors work triple time at Peace Pies, whose kitchen committed to zero waste long before it became a trendy term. Led by chef and owner J.P. Alfred, the kitchen orchestrates a symphony of flavors, crafting timeless classics such as avocado toast with truffle salt and unexpected new favorites like their raw sunflower seed crust pizza.

This vibrant Poway gem, formerly a green juice shop, is where new owners Sienna and John Sardo are aiming to make wholesome foods accessible to the area through refreshing smoothies and well-seasoned wraps. Pro tip: add savory asada mushroom to the Harvest Wrap for an extra burst of flavor.

Tucked between storefronts, a long hall leads into the cozy covered patio at this La Jolla cafe where chef Martin Hall whips organic vegetables into soups and sandwiches that showcase seasonality, from the popular Bombay burger to cashew cream smoothed Cinnabon Pancakes. Even the side salad accompanying most dishes is boldly crafted, with dressed cabbage, delicate pea tendrils, and a scattering of roasted fennel, sesame, and sunflower seeds.

When Purple Mint announced a developer was turning their stipmall into condos the outpouring from fans was palpable. Despite the challenge, their perseverance led them to a new home on El Cajon Blvd in City Heights. While the space may be more modest, the essence of their pan-Asian menu remains unchanged. Beloved dishes such as the sizzling “Filet Mignon” served in a cast iron pan and the iconic Double Delight Rolls — featuring crispy egg-less rolls enveloping fresh vegetables in delicate rice paper — continue to delight.

This fully vegan market offers hundreds of verified vegan items — many that cannot be found at most other markets — along with a variety of ready-to-eat foods. Near the door, find a cooler of grab-and-go sandwiches and deli salads by Veg’n Out, and the deli offers made-to-order hot food, from tater tot and tofu scramble-stuffed breakfast burritos in the morning to a thick vegan turkey bacon ranch sandwich. Currently in the evenings they are serving the Bell, a nostalgic take on the crunch wrap and double-decker taco.

If your local coffee shop serves vegan pastries, there is a good chance they come from the kitchen of Vanessa Corrales. The talented baker turns out trays of fresh, seasonal creations, from mango blackberry kouign twists to classic chocolate or almond stuffed croissants.

Lumi alum Justin Ramirez produces a stunning array of vegan sushi from his College Area ghost kitchen. Though there is no dining in, pick-up or delivery is seamless. The menu ranges from classic rolls with avocado or shiitake mushrooms to intricate creations like the Ritz with “shrimp” tempura topped with a hyper-realistic “smoked salmon”, spicy mayo, and thin slices of lemon.

Owners and siblings Napatr and Katiya follow their own muse at this University Heights favorite, where the menu fuses the complexity of Thai flavors with international favorites, resulting in dishes like the Drunken Angel, spicy serrano and garlic-sauced angel hair pasta with tofu and fresh peppercorn, as well as popcorn cauliflower with cashew ranch and Buffalo sauce, and spicy salt and pepper king mushroom strips.

There’s no such thing as too many tacos, especially vegan ones. Expanded from Las Vegas in 2022, this North Park hotspot serves house-made seitan al pastor and mushrooms asada tacos folded into corn tortillas. The menu also offers flautas, burritos, and quesadillas plus margaritas (or aguas frescas) to top off a meal.

This instantly-popular vegan and fully gluten-free spot in Little Saigon prepares many Vietnamese dishes that are rarely found without meat. Here, traditional-style bún huế comes beefless and steamed bánh bèo cakes are topped with crispy root vegetables and tofu. The menu focuses on organic produce, made-from-scratch mock meats, and a generous menu of banh mis all served on house-baked gluten-free bread.

Scratch-made sauces and seasonal vegetables fill the menu of chef Roy Elam’s restaurant. Crushed California tomatoes and local Scratch House cheese are featured on pizzas, the centerpiece of the menu. Not to be missed are the seasonal pastas, like hand-rolled strozzapreti with broccolini and white wine garlic cream, or the Really Good Salad with pickled raisins, shaved carrots, radishes, and toasted pistachios.

One of San Diego’s oldest vegetarian restaurants went fully vegan during the winter of 2020. Centered in the heart of Balboa Park, it offers an array of vegetable-based soul food via dishes like Jamaican veggie patties filled with spicy cabbage or jerk tofu or Louisiana Creole gumbo with collard greens and salad.

The recently-revamped menu adds more shareable dishes, like the hexagon of black marble holding BBQ yuba, shawarma-style Impossible, and house-made classic seitan skewers and torched carrots with cannellini pate. Cocktails (or mocktails) are a must. Both offer curious creations with titillating ingredients like their pineapple turmeric shrub and ktult plum tincture.