Veggie Thrill

Grubbin' in El Segundo

It's nothing short of a miracle that one of the best vegan restaurants I've ever been to is here in the South Bay! I mean LA does have some pretty legit vegan restaurants... but I would never have expected one like this to pop up in El Segundo. (There are also other locations in Hollywood and Irvine, and hopefully more coming soon!)

Haters beware, because this place is helping to break all the stereotypes associated with vegan food and re-define the concept of fast food. Ignorant people may dismiss vegan restaurants as bland, expensive rabbit food for hippies. But they have no idea what they're missing: chili cheese fries, nachos, burgers, caesar salad, fried "chicken" wings, soup, chocolate pudding... and it doesn't stop there. This may change people's minds about their wrong perceptions about vegan food, and people may be rejoiced to find fast food that won't clog your arteries.

Ok, so it may not be quite as fast as most fast food places. But who needs drive-thrus when you can dine in a nice, modern, clean environment? The atmosphere is spacious and relaxing even though I pretty much always see it busy. It may not be quite as cheap as your local In-N-Out, but it is more healthy (while not sacrificing taste), and of course they use better quality and cruelty-free ingredients than the suddenly "health conscious" McDonald's. The results will surprise vegans and non-vegans alike.


Deirdre loves the Veggie Grill! We don't blame her.

I've enjoyed everything I've had from their menu... every burger, sandwich, and salad I've had from there so far has been consistently delicious. I can't pick a favorite, but I think it's MANDATORY that you try AT LEAST one item with the VG cheese. This is one the most legit vegan cheeses I have had anywhere! Move over, Velveeta. The VG cheeseburger is a good, solid vegan cheeseburger (though they could put more cheese on it). The nachos should be your first choice for an appetizer, and the mac and cheese your first choice for a side dish. And don't forget, just because it's not on the menu, does not mean you can't order chili cheese fries. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!

You can also get the regular sweet potato fries as a side order (but they're so much better with chili and cheese on them!) or the kale. Yes, kale. It has a delicious miso sauce on them, and they're cooked to a delightful texture and have a mild, pleasant taste. Eating your veggies was never this fun, believe me. The coleslaw is nothing special, and if you're going to order salad, I'd say get one of the big ones instead of on the side. There's free refills on the tasty lemonades and teas that also won't give you diabetes.

The only criticism I have is the dessert menu. With main courses this impressive, you'd think they'd have the sweets to match. I mean, they're not bad at all, just kind of lacking in selection. Their best dessert in my opinion was the pumpkin cheesecake, which they'd taken off the menu a while ago. The carrot cake is fabulous, and the frosting is of course, legit. The chocolate pudding is rich and smooth. The cookies are ok. They should bring in vegan milkshakes and ice cream to the mix. Maybe they could have a dessert of the day, like how they have a soup of the day.

But whether you're a strict vegan, a meat lover who thinks they can't stand vegan food, or anyone in between, this place is for you.

The Veggie Grill