Curator’s statement
San Diego is a great place to visit if you're trying to get all of the benefits of SoCal's weather with none of the traffic – or expenses – of Los Angeles. It's become a great city for those who want to lounge on the beach or learn more about America's naval history. But it's also become a great place for vegan diets as well. It doesn't matter if you're a long-time vegan, new to it or just like to skip the meat from time to time – San Diego is actually a great town for you.
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Things to do in San Diego
La Jolla
Great Neighborhoods for Vegan Eats
Downtown/Gaslamp: Generally, if you're staying in San Diego for work or for any of the massive conferences that are held at the Convention Center, you'll be staying downtown or in the Gaslamp Quarter. This lively area is where you'll find loads of restaurants, bars and the heart of San Diego's nightlife.
La Jolla/Pacific Coast: This upscale community in the west of the city is a great place to do some shopping as well as get a glimpse of the seals that like to take a rest on the beaches nearby.
Little Italy: Just to the northwest of downtown, Little Italy is another great area for restaurants and bars. Taking a walk up India Street will give you a litany of Italian spots with vegan options.
Places to eat & drink in San Diego
A vegan dish from The Yasai
Donna Jean: This Italian fusion spot nestled right next to Balboa Park in Banker's Hill is one of the foremost vegan eateries in the city. With pizza and pasta selections that will confound you at the fact there's no animal products. Don't forget about swinging by for brunch as well.
Plant Power: Ever wondered what McDonald's would be like if it was totally plant-based? Plant Power provides comforting eats with familiar fast food tastes. No matter where you are in town, you're usually not far from one of its three locations in San Diego.
Trilogy Sanctuary: Soak in some underrated views and some of the best vegan dishes as well. More of your expected healthy bites like açaí bowls and veggie wraps, but also really good deserts as well. You might even be inclined to take a yoga class before lunch!
The Yasai: Vegan sushi sounds like it should be oxymoronic. But at this gorgeous spot on the north edge of Little Italy, you can taste great experimental dishes.
Pokez: A 20-year-old staple of San Diego, Pokez is your go to for vegan Mexican dishes.
Need to know
In general, California is an incredibly vegetarian- and vegan-friendly state. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't check out some of these incredible restaurants that could help you re-think what vegan food can even be.
Travel Advisor
Norris Howard
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For more travel tips, check out Fora Advisor Nadia Bess’ guide, Ultimate Guide to Visiting San Diego, CA.
This guide is part of our ongoing series on travel to San Diego.