California is truly one of the best places to live and visit when it comes to finding great places to eat. No matter what kind of food you are looking for Los Angeles is sure to have it. Especially when it comes to food that is good for you. For this post, I want to focus on Healthy Places to Eat in Los Angeles. Not only are these places good for you but I hope to also provide information that will be good for your wallet as well.
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Healthy Places to Eat in Los Angeles
I think Los Angeles is one of the best cities when it comes to finding healthy food to eat. A lot of eateries throughout Los Angeles may not be “healthy” places overall but will have some healthy options on the menu. For this post, I wanted to focus on places to eat that primarily have healthy options. This post will always be a work in progress as I continue to find out about healthy places to eat in Los Angeles to share with you.
Urban Plates
*I was invited to try some food at Urban Plates but I am under no obligation to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Elliott and I love going to Urban Plates for date night. We are so lucky to have one at 2nd and PCH near where we live in Long Beach. This is a great option we want to eat out but also want to make healthy choices. They use clean and organic (when possible) ingredients to create a variety of menu items that are made fresh in-house and from scratch. Half of the menu is vegetarian and 1/3 is vegan, they have over 15 meals that have 40 grams or more of protein and over 15 meals that are 540 calories or less.
This is one of the best places to go with a group as there is something on the menu that should work for everyone. Our favorite location to visit is in Long Beach but you’ll find this delicious eatery in Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Pasadena, Playa Vista, and Woodland Hills.
LA Dreaming Favorites:
- The Chicken Cobb Salad
- Chimichurri Steak Plate with mashed potatoes and asparagus
- For a drink, we highly recommend having the Strawberry Basil Lemonade. It was suggested to us when we ordered and we were offered a sample before committing to it. We were both blown away but how delicious it was and each of us ended up ordering one.
- When you are feeling indulgent we love the chocolate vanilla layer cake and the hummingbird cake.
I love being resourceful and knowing that I am getting the best deal possible. Urban Plates has revamped its Plate Pass Program which is now $5 a month. What do you get with Plate Pass? You’ll receive 20% off most menu items. The discount does not apply to delivery purchases, gift cards, or catering. Details about Plate Pass are linked here.
Urth Caffe
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Urth Caffe, a European-style casual cafe, was the first place I tried out of all the ones on this list. My best friend brought me to the Pasadena location years ago and I really enjoyed it. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner but to me, they truly stand out as one of the best spots for breakfast when you are looking for healthy places to eat in LA. One of the most popular and beautiful items to get here is the heirloom organic coffee. They are able to make several menu items with plant-based ingredients upon request. The menu has some unique options like a pizza with butternut squash but it is absolutely worth a visit.
As far as I know, Urth Caffe is the only place on this list that has a location at LAX. They are located in the Southwest wing at terminal one. The other locations are in Hawthorne, Pasadena, DTLA, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and West Hollywood.
LA Dreaming Favorites:
- For breakfast, the Urth Acai Bowl and the Egg White & Spinach Breakfast Panini are really good. If you want a more indulgent breakfast, the Urth Bread Pudding Breakfast is fantastic. The honey vanilla latte can be even healthier if you substitute regular milk for almond milk.
- The Sprout Sandwich
- Grilled Cilantro Chicken Breast Sandwich – they do have cheese-free pesto available.
I recently learned that they do have a VIP loyalty program. You can earn free drinks and free bags of coffee through eligible purchases. They also give you a treat during your birthday month and you get a free drink when you refer someone and they make a purchase. If you are interested in joining you can use my referral link here.
Mendocino Farms
I will be fully honest and tell you that my best friend and I love Mendocino Farms but Elliott is not a fan. And you know what? That is perfectly okay because we all have different tastes. I just wanted to mention that as that may happen to you with a place or two on this list where you might really be a fan but whoever you go with might not.
Mendocino Farms is one of my favorite places to get a sandwich. I typically get half a sandwich with a side of couscous which feels like the perfect amount for me. They do offer gluten-free sandwiches and they have vegan and vegetarian options as well. You will find Mendo locations on 3rd & Fairfax by The Grove, Brentwood, Calabasas, Century City, and Culver City, they have 3 locations in DTLA, El Segundo, Long Beach, Los Feliz, Marina Del Rey, Pasadena, Rolling Hills, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Toluca Lake, West Hollywood, and Westlake Village.
I was recently excited to learn that they have a secret menu. They have the 3 Lil’ Piggies which is a Kurobuta pork belly and house-smoke pulled pork sandwich. Another secret menu item is the Drunk’n Goat on Highway 128 which features Drake Family Farms goat cheese, french brie, cranberry chutney, green apple, and Scarborough Farm’s greens on buckwheat. As well as an adult-sized PB&J with house-made peanut butter and Coldwater Canyon Provisions strawberry rhubarb jam.
They have shared the Mendocino Farms couscous recipe which is my favorite side to get here.
LA Dreaming Favorites:
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- Impossible Taco Salad
- “Not So Fried” Mary’s Chicken Sandwich
- The Farm Club
They do not have a loyalty program at this time and I do not know of any money-saving deals for Mendo. If you do please let me know and I’ll share the details.
Tocaya
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If you are looking for a healthy take on Mexican food, Tocaya might be the place for you. The menu is full of vegan and gluten-free items which probably don’t immediately come to mind when you think of Mexican food which is what makes Tocaya such an exciting concept. If you need them to customize any of the meals based on your dietary restrictions be sure to let them know as a lot of the items are customizable. The dishes are full of flavor and I love the atmosphere at the different locations.
You can find Tocaya locations in Long Beach (at my beloved 2nd & PCH), Studio City, Pasadena, Westwood, Venice, Santa Monica, Toluca Lake, West Hollywood, Hollywood, DTLA, Century City, Playa Vista, El Segundo, and Beverly Hills.
LA Dreaming Favorites:
- Fajita Del Rey Bowl
- Tocaya Salad
I just joined the Tocaya rewards program so I look forward to sharing with you how that can help save you money as I learn more about it.
Noble Bird
Another spot at 2nd & PCH in Long Beach that I love dining at is Noble Bird. This eatery is tasty but also healthy and incredibly friendly for dinners with allergies. Noble Bird was created by Sidney and Steve Price after they had trouble finding places they could eat that were allergy friendly for their children. For healthy kid meals, they have an alternative PB&J that they call Safe Butter and Jelly with chickpea butter and fresh fruit puree. On the menu, you’ll find sandwiches, salads, and bowls but my family loves getting a rotisserie chicken with two sides and a baguette making it a family-style meal.
At the moment they only have the Long Beach location but I am hopeful that they will be able to expand to more locations.
LA Dreaming Favorites:
- We love getting the traditional pasture raised and brined (for 24 hours) chicken with roasted potatoes and charred green beans.
Lemonade
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Similar to so many places listed here Lemonade is vegan-friendly but this place is a little different than the other spots we’ve talked about so far. What makes it unique is its cafeteria-like setup. The creators of Lemonade like to say that they serve California comfort food which they believe starts with a clean and healthy veggie-focused menu. Around 90% of their marketplace menu is 90% vegetarian and 20% vegan with 20 different vegetable combinations. They have the land + sea part of their menu which focuses on protein. You can find Lemonade in Pasadena, Glendale, DTLA, Toluca Lake, Studio City, West Hollywood, Torrance, Venice, Manhattan Beach, and Santa Monica.
If you want to try some of their recipes at home they have a Lemonade Cookbook available for sale on Amazon.
LA Dreaming Favorites:
- The Golden Cauliflower Sandwich
- A Poke Bowl
- You cannot go wrong with any of the lemonade flavors
Veggie Grill
When you want your fill of veggie/plant-based food Veggie Grill is the place to go. The menu is vegan and gluten-free. I love eating at places like this where I don’t have to feel any guilt for eating out.
LA Dreaming Favorites:
- Super Greens + Quinoa Salad
- House Veggie Burger
You can get a free entree when you download the Veggie Grill app.
Malibu Farm
Malibu Farms is the priciest place on the list so this isn’t one that I frequent very often. However, I really enjoyed my experience dining at the Malibu location and would happily eat at the Newport location as well when I’m in Orange County. I have a full blog post about my dining experience at Malibu Farm.
- Blue Nachos
- Kale Cesar Salad
