Eat Your Greens: The Best Kid-Friendly Vegetarian Restaurants

Are you still trying to turn over a new leaf in the New Year? Don’t worry, there’s still time! Whether you are already a vegan, a vegetarian or would just like to eat a bit healthier, Los Angeles has dozens of delectable choices that you and your kids will absolutely love. Going to a vegan or vegetarian restaurant is also a great way to get your little restaurant goers to try new veggies and it’s also a great way to get inspired with ingenious ideas on how to prepare them in different and delicious ways.

Café Gratitude
You’ll be thanking your lucky stars when you take your kids to eat at this Larchmont Village gem. They specialize in great gourmet, organic, raw and cooked food farmed from their very own Vacaville California farm. Café Gratitude is truly a feel good family friendly place; you’ll know what we mean when you begin perusing their playfully titled menu. Try their I AM WARM hot miso soup and for breakfast your kids will love the I AM FANTASTIC banana-chia seed crepes served with fresh fruit, coconut crème and maple syrup. Venture over to the raw side and enjoy their I AM HEARTY  live pizza with pesto tapenade, cashew ricotta, basil and brazil nut parmesan or transform your fussy little ones by ordering I AM TRANSFORMED seasonal corn tacos with caramelized butternut squash, black beans, avocados and cashew nacho cheese – Yum! If you still have room left, why not wash it all down with their up-beet I AM WORTH IT kale, beet, celery, cucumber and lemon juice drink. If you weren’t a convert yet, consider yourself converted! Your kids will be filled with gratitude…literally.

Café Gratitude
639 Larchmont Boulevard
Los Angeles, Ca
323-580-6383
Online: cafegratitudela.com

Real Food Daily (RFD)
Real Food Daily may sound like a personal mantra for parents who are trying to prepare the best and healthiest food possible for their kids each day. Rest assured, RFD will do just that, but you won’t have to do the cooking this time. This organic, vegan, seasonally inspired and kid-friendly Los Angeles vegetarian staple will delight and win over even the pickiest, veggie-phobic kids around. Kiss that veggie resistance goodbye as your munchkins indulge in RFD burgers served with avocado, tempeh bacon, and melted cashew cheese, or try a TV DINNER complete with a savory tempeh vegetable loaf, mashed potatoes, golden gravy, and mixed fresh vegetables. Still can’t decide? Check out their SUPREME BURRITO, WET OR DRY with black beans, tempeh bacon and Spanish rice – basically the works! Then give yourselves a pat on the back for eating so well by sharing a CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE with raw cacao powder, berry juice and agave nectar. Be sure and visit their Santa Monica restaurant after taking the kids for a bike ride along the beach.

Online: realfood.com

RFD – Santa Monica & Bakery Cafe
514 & 516 Santa Monica Boulevard
Santa Monica, Ca
310-451-7544

RFD – West Hollywood
414 North La Cienega Boulevard
Los Angeles, Ca
310-289-9910

Native Foods Café
Your little veggie lovers will be head over heels for Native Foods Café where feel good food sets the mood. You know you’re in a family friendly restaurant when there’s a special segment on the menu that reads KIDS ARE COOL! Your cool kids will enjoy all of their favorites with a vegan revamp. They can choose from Freddie’s Mac and Cheese made with Quinoa, the “super” pasta, complete with “cow friendly” cheese sauce and broccoli trees or how about a Sloppy Sam’Wich with BBQ’d Native original seitan bits with tomato “smile” slices and edamame. Pizza fingers and vegan “chicken” nuggets are also sure to please. Before you go, don’t pass up gaining extra parental brownie points with their dairy-free, cholesterol-free and refined sugar-free desserts like their peanut butter parfait, double delight brownies and the carrot cream cheese cupcakes.

Culver City
9343 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, Ca
310-559-3601

Westwood Village
1110 1/2 Gayley Avenue
Los Angeles, Ca
310-209-1055

Online: nativefoods.com

Flore Vegan
Take a trip down the Sunset Strip just off of Sunset Boulevard in Silverlake for more organic family friendly vegan fare at Flore Vegan. Kids love choosing from their Child’s plates part of the menu for their deceivingly healthy burrito, broccoli kale burger, cashew cheese quesadilla or their tofu egg salad sandwich. They even make a drink just for kiddos called the babycino, a comforting cup of steamed frothy soy milk goodness.

3818 West Sunset Boulevard
Silverlake, Ca
323-953-0611
Online: florevegan.com

And now something for dessert…

Babycakes NYC
Babycakes is a refined sugar-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, soy-free…vegan and kosher bakery that will just about make you feel good for being just a little bit bad. If your kiddos need a little sweet treat after all of these healthy vegan restaurants let them indulge with one of their glutinous guilt-free baked goods. Goodies range from double chocolate crumb cake to red velvet cupcakes to savory biscuits and good old fashioned apple pie. Go on, you know you want to, and you should!

Hollywood / Larchmont
236 North Larchmont Boulevard
Los Angeles, Ca
323-463-2023
Online: babycakesnyc.com

— Jessica Jones