Welcome To LA
LA takes the gluten-free, sugar-free cake for being the most health conscious, vegan-friendly and fitness-obsessed destination. As culturally rewarding as the Getty or LACMA are to visit, be sure to take a break from sightseeing with the unbendy masses to spend some time flitting like an LA local from class to juice bar to amazing vegan meal.
Famed yogis like Seane Corn and Shiva Rae call LA home. A number of boutique fitness studios will kick your tourist tush into red carpet-ready shape. Cafe Gratitude’s two locations serve some of the best raw fare around, and LA’s culinary culturati have declared vegan cuisine like that at Crossroads Kitchen to be this town's favorite.
Breakfast
A Votre Sante
13016 San Vicente Boulevard, Brentwood
Tucked away on the outskirts of the westside's Brentwood Country Mart, A Votre Sante has been adored as the ultimate casual, healthy brekkie spot by celebs and civilians for years. Whatever you do, order at least one blue corn banana pancake.
Cafe Gratitude
639 N Larchmont Boulevard, Los Angeles
512 Rose Avenue, Venice
300 S Sante Fe, Arts District
Raw, cooked, crunchy and scene-y, Cafe Gratitude is the vegan version of what The Ivy restaurant on Robertson must be to omnivores. Wear your biggest shades, grab a table outside and try a bowl of anything off of the breakfast menu. Lunch is pretty fab, too.
Where to Sweat
Soul Cycle
11640 San Vicente Boulevard, Brentwood
601 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood
8570 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood
9465 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills
120 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica
140 S Lake Avenue, Pasadena
3874 Cross Creek Road, Malibu
Lady Gaga rented out this location to celebrate her birthday sweating it out with her nearest and dearest. Dance your heart out on a bike to famously inspiring soundtracks, then pick up some Soul gear from the retail space as a party favor on your way out.
Sweat Garage
801 North Fairfax Avenue, Hollywood
The interval-heavy workout here varies each class, but the focus on hardcore strength and cardio are always at the heart of each session. Intervals are split between treadmill sprints, lifting/bodyweight work, and other drills to keep the cardio coming
Where To Eat
Mohawk Bend
2141 Sunset Boulevard, Silverlake
An omni restaurant, with veg and gluten-free options to spare, this spot can see you through a pitch perfectly healthy start to the day. Or take a little walk on the wild side and try a bit of the plant-based crab cake or vegan-ified Elvis French toast. If it’s eastside-cool atmosphere you’re looking for, it’s a must-eat.
Native Foods
9343 Culver Blvd, Culver City
1114 Gayley Avenue, Westwood
2901 Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica
The Scorpion burger is a must-try, as is the Rockin' Moroccan bowl. Casual, quick and delicious, this SoCal mini-chain of California vegan cuisine is a no-brainer for an on-the-go lunch stop with easy indoor and outdoor seating.
Where To Juice
Beverly Hills Juice
8382 Beverly Blvd, Beverly Hills
There is nothing trendy, shiny or new about BH Juice. And that's why we love it. This original LA juice bar opened in 1975, and has been continuously serving a selection of cold-pressed juices and smoothies to original and new health hipsters since.
Moon Juice
507 Rose Avenue, Venice
2839 W Sunset Boulevard, Silverlake
929 S Broadway Boulevard, Downtown
Lucky for locals, LA has no shortage of cold-pressed, organic juice bars. We love them all! That said, Moon Juice is at the head of the back in LA and everywhere with their gorgeous and creative selection. Their tiny LA shops serve excellent cold-pressed juices, as well as an impressive selection of organic, healing dusts, delicate raw snacks and housemade protein powders.
Yoga
Yoga YogaWorks Venice
2215 Main Street, Santa Monica (+Westwood, Studio City)
Yes, we know YogaWorks is a chain, but it all started in LA. And yogi Vinnie Marino who's famous for his sweaty, packed (seriously, packed) classes is based out of this studio. It's cult-y and fabulous and a total scene. Just don't plan on working out in the next 24.
The Yoga Collective
512 Rose Avenue, Venice
In the middle of beachy hipster heaven, TYC offers butt kicking and inspiring classes. We keep the focus on our own mat while practicing, but before and after we can't help but check out the ah-mazing yoga getups sported by the regulars.
Dinner
Crossroads
8284 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood
Book in advance. Tal Ronnen's plant-based only spot is not just being flocked to by vegans, but by seemingly every celebrity and LA local with an Instagram account. One of few places that gets equal points for delicious food and a super buzz-y scene.
Craig's
8826 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood
A non-veg traditional American restaurant that has a whole section on its menu dedicated to vegan items such as a Gardein chicken parmigiana and a gluten-free quinoa bowl. Kathy Freston and Portia de Rossi are regulars.
Drinks
Feed Body + Soul
1239 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice
They had us at 'Marian Farms Biodynamic Curacao'. Classic cocktails are made with creative, organic ingredients. And a rotating list of seasonal cocktails isn't too shabby either.
The Springs
1510 North Stanley Avenue, Silverlake
Also known for it’s raw vegan cuisine, yoga classes and bodywork studio, The Springs has a top notch wine list of organic, sustainable and biodynamic wines from the west coast served on tap. Located in the heart of the Arts District, it’s the perfect place to start the evening on a weekend night.