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My birthday was just a few weeks ago–I am officially twenty-three years-old! That’s right! Being a year older is…h’woo, babe. Nothing that extraordinary. Yes, it stinks that I’m closer to dying and gaining a few wrinkles here and there, but hey, more experience and more wisdom gained is all worth it! Check out all the phenomenal eats I shared during my birthday week (though it’s technically still my birthday month…hint hint, wink wink!)–there will be a full blog post detailing all the celebrations I partook in (both in L.A. and S.F.!), but here are the overviews for now:
Let me paint this scenario: I had this tremendously, unbelievably vivid dream one night where I was trapped in a deep, dark, gloomy, cave-structured and swampy watered ride run by these exaggerated and spooky characters you’d see in Tim Burton movies. The roller coaster was PACKED with passengers stuck in their water carts, including myself. I had no idea how I ended up here and there was no way to escape. The tunnel was painted and carved to resemble a purple sea monster engulfing us all. Then it clicked: someway and somehow, I recollected that legend holds that anyone who boards the ride may or may not return back. The anticipation sent me in full body chills (not the good kind). It wasn’t until I opened my wings and abruptly flew out of my cart and zipped out of the cave, hearing people shouting and directing engineers and guards to chase me on their wings and flying motor bikes.
THAT is EXACTLY how I would describe 2020. You just need to find the answer within yourself to make a better year out of it, I guess?
Anyways, one of the most crucial sectors in our food industry that most people tend to dismiss as one for “low-skilled workers” or “middle to lower-middle class” people is the world of foodservice operations.
If you are in the Bay Area…
FOODSERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS (vegan-friendly)
- Pho de Nguyen
- Nuttin’ Butter Cookies
- L.H. Bakeshop
- Piazza’s Loves Food
- Teni East Kitchen
- Crepes on Cole
- Flavas Jamaican Grill
- The Citrus Club
- Smitten Ice Cream
- Dimond Slice Pizza
- Indie Superette
- Marin Gourmet Foods
- Naan n’ Curry
- Cybelle’s Front Room
- The Acai R
- Delightful Foods Bakery
- Volcano Kitchen
- Rainbow Donuts Berkeley
- Toss Noodle Bar
- Moon Bowls
- Oori Rice Triangles
- Imm Thai Street Food
- Noori
- Imperial Tea Court
- Tin Vietnamese Restaurant
- CupCakin Bake Shop
- Lers Ros Thai
- Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen
- Humphrey Slocombe
- Thanh Huong Restaurant
FOODSERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS (entirely or mostly vegan)
- Thai Idea Vegetarian
- Souley Vegan
- Golden Era Vegan Restaurant
- Loving Hut (this location had pretty bad customer service, but the food was tasty)
- Malibu’s Burgers
- Vegan Wonderland
- Ananda Fuara
- Wildseed
- Gracias Madre
- Vegan Mob
- Enjoy Vegetarian
- Vegan Picnic
- Chaya San Francisco
- Om Sabor (I personally have not tried their products, but I heard they are phenomenal!)
- Indochine Vegan
- The Vegan Hood Chefs
If you are in the Central Coast…
FOODSERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS (vegan-friendly)
- Luna Red
- SLO Brew Rock
- Mama Ganache Artisan Chocolates
- San Luis Taqueria
- Thai Classic
- Linnaea’s Cafe
- HaHa Ramen & Sushi
- Lilac Patisserie
- Petra
- SloDoCo Donuts
- Big Sky Cafe
- SLO Food Co Op
- Shalimar
- Woodstock’s Pizza SLO
- Seeds on Garden
FOODSERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS (entirely or mostly vegan)
- Bliss Cafe
- New Earth Superfoods
- Oliver’s
- Sunshine Morro Bay
- MESAVERDE
- Miss Teaberry’s Baked Goods
- Kacey Cakes
If you are in Southern California…
FOODSERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS (vegan-friendly)
- Oono Sushi
- Eveleigh
- The Place to Be
- Red Ginger Asian Bistro
- Me + Crepe
- L.A. Vegan Thai
- Sweet Laurel Bakery (also ships!)
- Pho 21
- Pizza Boy Glendale
- UbaTaba Acai
- Chaumont Bakery & Cafe
- Voodoo Doughnuts
- Street Churros
- Co-Opportunity Market
- Live Beaming (also ships!)
- Spice Affair
- Momma Fung & Co.
- Pokelicious
- Craig’s
- True Food Kitchen
- It’s Boba Time
- Earth Bar
- Blue Star Donuts
- NONG LA
- Shake Smart
- Tamago Sando
- CATCH
- Stalking Horse Pub
- Fish Dish (not very vegan-friendly, but my family loves it and I used to love this place when non-vegan)
- Anarbagh
- Society Kitchen
- Bibigo
- The Falafel Factory
- Toca Madera
- Sprinkles Cupcakes
- Happy Days Cafe
- Flower Child
- The Butcher, the Baker, & the Cappuccino Maker Cafe
- Sunny Blue
- MagPies Soft Serve
- The Bigg Chill
- Streets of India Cafe
- I Heart Boba
- Tocaya Organica
- Salt & Straw (also ships!)
- Humphrey Yogart
- Samosa House
- Huckleberry Bakery & Cafe
- Royal Delhi Palace
- Treats by B
- Body Energy Club (also ships!)
- Mrs. Winston’s
- Shabuya
- Noodle World
- Rori’s Artisanal Creamery
- Blue Plate Taco
- Urth Caffe
- Tifa Chocolate + Gelato
- A Divine H2O
- Kitchen Story L.A.
- Kaju Soft Tofu
- The Dirty Cookie (also ships!)
- by CHLOE.
- McConnell’s Ice Cream (also ships!)
- Crave Cafe Sushi
- Chef Kang (again, not very vegan-friendly, but it is a family favorite)
FOODSERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS (entirely or mostly vegan)
- Pomegranate Los Angeles
- Rainbow Juices
- Ridiculous Baking Company
- Shojin
- Southern Fried Vegan
- Vinh Loi Tofu
- Cocobella Creamer
- Pura Vita
- The Donuttery
- Wild Living Foods
- Thai Vegan
- Monty’s Good Burger
- Rawberri
- Frozen Fruit Co. (also ships!)
- Erin McKenna’s Bakery
- VeStation
- Plant Food + Wine
- Under the Sun
- Baby Love Sweetery (also ships!)
- Raw Junkies
- Viva Vegan (formerly Golden Mean Cafe)
- Au Lac
- The Vegan Joint
- Veggie Grill
- Hug Life Ice Cream
- Yvonne’s Vegan Kitchen
- AB Sorbets
- SunCafe Organic
- Donut Friend
- Rahel Ethiopian Vegan Cuisine
- Garden Wok
- Vegetable L.A.
- PBJ.LA
- Humble Hearts Bakery
- Elderberries Cafe
- Workaholic
- Giselle’s Vegan Kitchen
- Berry Bowl
- Follow Your Heart Market + Cafe
- Crossroads Kitchen
- Lotus Vegan
- Plant Power Fast Food
- Yoga-Urt
- Enjoyersmile
- Laduree by Matthew Kenney
If you are an online shopper…
- Anne’s Apothecary
- No Cookie
- Pan’s Mushroom Jerky
- Joolie’s Dates
- The Amazing Chickpea
- Crapola
- iWon Organics (iWonAMB for 25% off)
- Alpha Foods
- Empowered Cookie
- Clean South
- Queen Hippie Gypsy
- Omni Bev
- Kween and Co.
- The Lions Choice
- Noosh
- Oat My Goodness
- Bhu Foods
- Woodridge Snacks
- Belichka
- Eclipse Foods
- Maxine’s Heavenly
- Prime Roots
- Lutz Cosmetics
- iApparel
- Purely Drinks
- Krimsey’s Cajun Kitchen
- Orenda Tribe
- Haipazaza Phezuta
- Just Bagels
- Ozery Bakery
- Gourmet Treats
- The Lip Bar
- Keep Me for Eva
- PureFit
- No Bones Beach Club
- Good Kind Foods
- Hu Kitchen
- Longeve Brands
- Oatzarella
- Young Kobras
- Valentine Burger Co.
- Evoke Foods
- Eat Mezcla (EatMezcla15 for 15% off)
- HIIT Nutrition
- Good Planet Foods
- Uncut
- KIZEConcepts
- Nakd Bars
- Down to Cook Foods
- Urban Accents
- Rebbl
- Engage Organics
- GrandyOats
- Bada Bean Snacks
- Frill
- Lesser Evil
- Too Good Gourmet
- Cacoco
- Wateke Food
- Coracao Confections
- Happy Planet
- Bermuda’s Ginger Beer
- Young Scent
- Bobo’s Oat Bars
- Nuttzo
- CORE Foods
- Purely Elizabeth
- Tarazi
- Revive Kombucha
- Wheat Montana Farms
- Boulder Bake
- OLIPOP
- Love Grown Foods
- Kuna Pops
- Vixed Baking Company
- YumButter
- Fuji Oil Holdings Inc.
- AtheenOats
- Yoconut Dairy Free
- Nutiva
- The Cookie Dough Cafe
- GrandyOats
- Dandies Marshmallows
- Abbot’s Butcher
- Rancho Meladuco Date Farm
- Enlightened
- Samurai Ramen
- McConnell’s Fine Frozen Desserts
- Clearly Kombucha
- Sorbatto
- Bright Foods
- Tolerant Organic
- Barnana
- Legendary Foods
- Lakanto
- Shockingly Healthy
- KaKookies
- Sweet Nothings
- DEUX
- Catalina Crunch
- SoulMuch
- incrEDIBLE spoons
- Blum Snacks
- I still am looking for many more to try myself and offer my insignificant stamp of approval, but here are a few lists of businesses that look absolutely amazing:
Happy Holidays!
