Despite a challenging year marked by numerous vegan restaurant closures, Los Angeles emerges as the vegan restaurant capital of the United States, a 2024 WalletHub study has found.
The pandemic era has resulted in mass restaurant closures nationwide, with LA hit hard. This year alone, Eater LA has tallied 75 restaurant closures due to multiple factors such as increasing food and labor costs combined with lower foot traffic due to rising living costs.
However, LA continues to hang onto its title as the ultimate plant-based destination, even amid a wave of vegan restaurant closures.
Los Angeles’ wave of vegan restaurant closures
The past year has seen several prominent vegan restaurants in Los Angeles close their doors due to rising operational costs and inflation, showing that even the strongest plant-based businesses are not immune to the economic climate.
Jakob Layman
One of the most notable closures is Hart House, Kevin Hart’s vegan fast-food chain, which shuttered all four of its locations last month. This was a major blow to the city’s fast-growing vegan fast-food scene, as Hart House had quickly gained popularity for its plant-based burgers and sandwiches.
Another significant closure was Karma Baker in Westlake Village, a destination for vegan, gluten-free desserts. Owner Celine Ikeler shared that the decision to close was “not made lightly,” citing challenges related to the current economic climate.
Nic’s On Beverly, located in Beverly Grove, also faced the harsh realities of running a vegan restaurant in this economic environment. After nearly closing in June 2023, the restaurant ultimately decided to close for good in March.
Shojin
The list of closures continues with Flore Vegan in Silver Lake, which closed after 16 years in business; sushi mainstay Shojin, which closed its Downtown LA location in April; and Matthew Kenney’s VEG’D in Costa Mesa in early 2024.
Vegan Drip Burger, a Latinx-owned ghost kitchen, also shuttered this year, and the owner of Soy Concha Bakery—a beloved vegan panaderia in Santa Ana and East LA—is seeking a buyer to continue operations after deciding to close.
Other vegan businesses have pivoted away from their plant-based concepts in an effort to appeal to a wider customer base.
This includes Sage Vegan Bistro (now operating as Sage Regenerative Kitchen with the addition of dairy, meat, and eggs to its menu); Hot Tongue Pizza (which added meat and cheese to its formerly vegan menu last year); and Burgerlords (a previously vegan-friendly burger shop that shifted focus to meat under new ownership).
Despite its attempt to attract more customers with a traditionally meat-heavy burger menu, Burgerlords closed its flagship Chinatown location in August.
LA is still a top city for vegans
Amid the wave of restaurant closures, Los Angeles remains an important hub for vegan and vegetarian food. WalletHub’s 2024 report ranked LA as the best city for plant-based living, beating out the previous top contender: Portland, OR.
Crossroads Kitchen
The study compared 100 US cities across 17 key indicators of vegan and vegetarian friendliness, including the cost of groceries, restaurant options, and access to community resources such as farmers’ markets and vegan festivals.
WalletHub’s findings show that LA excels in providing a wide array of affordable and high-quality vegan and vegetarian options, even when its plant-based restaurant count has dropped by 21 percent—from 61 to 48—since 2022.
The city ranked first overall and scored highly in key areas, such as the availability of highly rated restaurants offering plant-based meals. Los Angeles residents eat vegan and vegetarian food 187 percent more often than the national average, highlighting the city’s deep connection to plant-based eating.
“While vegetarians and vegans are still a relatively small share of the population, businesses are recognizing their impact on the market,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in a statement.
This impact is reflected in the remaining abundance of plant-based dining options throughout LA, which now offers the second-highest number of affordable restaurants with vegan and vegetarian options, according to WalletHub’s study.
Crossroads Kitchen
Fine-dining destination Crossroads Kitchen remains a celebrity favorite, along with Planta, which opened an expansive Marina Del Rey location last summer.
Monty’s Good Burger
For a fast-food fix, Billie Eilish’s favorite, Monty’s Good Burger, is cooking up fresh burgers and celebrity collabs at its four Los Angeles area locations.
This, combined with LA’s access to fresh produce through its many farmers’ markets and organic farms, ensures that the city remains a top destination for those seeking a plant-based lifestyle.
In addition, the city ranks 11th in the country for vegetarian cooking classes and 15th for vegan meetups, further highlighting the supportive and thriving nature of LA’s vegan community.
MoreUnique Photography
Los Angeles is also home to several vegan festivals. While VegFest LA did not hold a festival last year due to unforeseen circumstances, the event teased a 2024 return. In the meantime, Vegandale Los Angeles will hit LA State Historic Park with 120 vendors on October 13. Vegan Exchange, a weekly market in North Hollywood, will host its next event on October 20. And its larger sister festival, Vegan Street Fest, is set to return in April 2025.
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Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.
