Picking a restaurant can be tough when you're trying to eat plant based more often, especially if you have non-vegan friends or family members who don't always want to go to a vegan restaurant.
This list has something for everyone. Not only do each of these fast-casual chains have multiple vegan items to choose from, they also have gluten free and allergen-friendly options.
These are my favorite vegan takeout meals I order from popular chains in San Diego. (I decided to focus on non-vegan chains in this post, and cover vegan restaurants in a separate post later.)
Most of these restaurants are based in Southern California, but I've included other cities and states they're located in as well.
Bonus: all of these restaurants have online ordering and contactless pickup. That's part of why they're my favorite places to get takeout. I appreciated this before the pandemic too because it's faster and more convenient.
Each of these restaurants has:
- Meals under $15 (some under $10)
- Vegan and gluten-free options
- Online ordering
- Convenient pickup and/or curbside pickup
1. Luna Grill
Pictured: House Salad with falafel ($10.25)
Locations: Southern California and Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
Vegan Options at Luna Grill:
- Coastal Med Bowl with Beyond Meat (sub tzatziki for tahini)
- Santorini Veggie Bowl (remove tzatiziki or replace with tahini)
- Beyond Burger (without feta or bun)
- Falafel Wrap or Plate
- Veggie Kabob Plate
- Lentil Soup
- Original and Spicy Hummus
- Stuffed Grape Leaves
- Simply Seasoned Fries
- House Salad - add falafel ($2.50) or veggie kabob ($4.50) to any salad
- Any Gourmet Salad (without the cheese)
Prices: $9-$14.25
Rewards: After signing up for rewards and placing my first order, I got coupons for a free appetizer and $5 off.
Luna Grill has put a lot of effort into creating more vegan options over the past couple of years. For example, they switched to vegan pita bread and no longer cook the Beyond Burger in butter.
When I first googled if the pita bread was vegan at Luna Grill, I found a 2017 allergen menu that said it contained dairy (it did at the time). But I noticed their menu now has marked it as vegan. I contacted Luna Grill to make sure and they responded with a helpful explanation of the changes they've made recently and the vegan options they have now. Here's what I learned:
Is the pita bread at Luna Grill vegan?
Yes, it is now. It used to contain dairy, but they switched about 2 years ago. However, at the beginning of the pandemic there were some supply issues and they had to substitute the non-vegan pita bread temporarily. Now all locations should have the vegan pita bread again. If you have allergies you might want to double check with your location.
Is the Beyond Burger at Luna Grill vegan?
Not as it is on the menu, but it can be prepared vegan style by ordering without feta or the bun.
It used to be cooked in butter, but they now use a mixture of rice bran oil and olive oil. You can order extra pita bread from the sides menu to use instead of the bun, this will make it more expensive though.
It used to be cooked in butter, but they now use a mixture of rice bran oil and olive oil. You can order extra pita bread from the sides menu to use instead of the bun, this will make it more expensive though.
2. Rubio's Coastal Grill
Pictured: California Bowl with grilled veggies and no chipotle white sauce ($8.99)
Locations: California, Arizona, and Nevada
Vegan Options at Rubio's:
- California Bowl with Grilled Veggies (without chipotle white sauce)
- Cilantro Lime Quinoa Bowl
- Balsamic and Grilled Veggie Salad
- Mango Avocado Salad
- Burrito Especial with Veggies (without chipotle white sauce)
- Grilled Gourmet Taco with Veggies (without chipotle white sauce or toasted cheese)
- Chips, Guacamole, Salsas
Prices: $8.29-$10.29
Rewards: I order from Rubio's a few times a month and regularly get a reward for a free entree. They also send out coupons randomly, the other day I got a $2 off coupon.
Rubio's has this cool filtered menu that makes it easy to search for vegan options. You select vegan (or gluten-free or other allergens) and it will tell you what you can order and if you need to customize the ingredients.
I love the California Bowl from Rubio's. It's the takeout meal I get the most often and has been for a few years. You might think this would be easy enough to make at home. I've tried and can't replicate it because their sauce and seasonings are so good.
It comes with rice, beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, lettuce, grilled cauliflower, corn, and peppers, and the most delicious roasted red salsa.
This is a good meal if you still eat meat and are trying to eat plant based more often, because you can order it with fish, grilled veggies, or both. I used to get it with fish a lot, so it was a natural transition to get the same thing but with grilled veggies.
3. Mendocino Farms
Pictured:
Half Vegan Banh Mi and individual-size Power Lunch Side Salad ($9.95)
Family-size Spicy Curried Couscous ($7.50)
Locations: Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, recently expanded to the Bay Area, Sacramento, Houston, and Dallas
Vegan Options at Mendocino Farms:
- Vegan Banh Mi
- Impossible Burger Queen
- Impossible Taco Salad
- Mama Chen's Chinese Chicken Salad (sub chicken with tofu)
- Spicy Curried Couscous
- Power Lunch Side Salad
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Marinated Red Beet Salad
Prices:
Salads and sandwiches: $10-13, or $9.95 for a half sandwich and individual-size side
Sides: $2.75-$7.50 depending on the size
I don't eat a lot of tofu, but it tastes almost like chicken on this vegan Banh Mi. It's baked and very firm, not wet or squishy. I also love the sauces on this sandwich. The veggies are crispy and add a satisfying crunch. And the bread is firm enough to keep it from getting soggy on the drive home.
The Power Lunch Side Salad is tangy and slightly sweet. It definitely tastes healthy, but there are enough textures and flavors to keep it interesting.
The Spicy Curried Couscous is my favorite side. I order it in the largest size and eat is as a snack the next day (if it lasts that long). I also make it at home and it's still really good but not quite the same.
The Spicy Curried Couscous is my favorite side. I order it in the largest size and eat is as a snack the next day (if it lasts that long). I also make it at home and it's still really good but not quite the same.
4. Kebab Shop
Pictured: Falafel Wrap with spicy cilantro sauce ($9.50)
Locations: San Diego, Orange County, Bay Area, Austin
Vegan Options at Kebab Shop:
- Falafel wrap or box with no garlic sauce, choose fries or veggies for the box (the rice contains dairy)
- Spicy Chili and Spicy Cilantro sauces
- Hummus and Pita Bread
- Some locations: Tabouli and a Kale and Quinoa Salad (my location use to have these but doesn't anymore)
Price: $9.50 for a falafel wrap or box
Kebab Shop has a simple menu, so they don't have as many choices compared to the other places on this list. I appreciate when a restaurant has a simple menu though because then they really focus on those few things and perfect them. Besides, their falafel is so good I wouldn't order something else instead anyway.
Something unique about the falafel at Kebab Shop is they have some whole chickpeas in the batter. It makes the texture more interesting.
I like to order extra falafel and spicy cilantro sauce to eat the next day with some grilled veggies and rice or salad.
The Falafel Wrap at Kebab Shop is the most filling vegan meal on this list. Sometimes I have trouble finishing it, and I have a big appetite.
This wrap and the veggie burrito at Rubio's are the only takeout options on this list that don't have plastic packaging. They both still come in a plastic bag though. Before the pandemic I would ask for no bag.
5. Panera Bread
Pictured: "You Pick Two" with Ten Vegetable Soup, Greek Salad without feta and added pickled onions, and a French Baguette ($11.08)
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Locations: Panera Bread is the largest chain on this list with over 2,000 locations throughout the US and Canada.
Vegan Options at Panera Bread:
- Available menu items may vary by store and day of the week
- Ten Vegetable Soup
- Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich (without feta, change bread to one of the below)
- Seasonal Greens Salad - add quinoa or avocado to any salad for $1
- Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
- Fuji Apple Salad (without chicken and gorgonzola)
- Greek Salad (without feta)
- Modern Greek Salad (without feta)
- Asian Sesame Salad (without chicken and wontons)
- Spicy Thai Salad (without chicken and wontons)
- Bread: French Baguette, Black Pepper Focaccia, Sea Salt Focaccia, Country Rustic Sourdough, Whole Grain Sourdough, Artisan Ciabatta, and Classic Sourdough
- Bagels: Plain, Everything, Blueberry, and Sesame Bagels
- Steel Cut Oatmeal with Strawberries & Pecans
- Peach & Blueberry Smoothie with Almond Milk
- Green Passion Smoothie
Prices:
Soups, sandwiches, and salads range from $6.79 - $10.49. "You Pick Two" will cost more, but is less than ordering each item separately.
Rewards: They have a rewards program but I don't seem to eat here often enough to earn anything good. Sometimes I get a $2 off coupon.
Panera has saved me more than a few times when I was traveling and had a hard time finding restaurants with vegan or vegetarian options. They're also a favorite among my gluten-free friends.
I know most of the vegan items at Panera require a customization, but it's easy to do that when you order online or through the app. Panera has the best app that I've used in terms of order customization. You can add pretty much any ingredient they have (some are free and some are an additional charge). You could essentially create your own salad or sandwich if you want.
These are my favorite vegan takeout options in San Diego. I'll update this post if I find more!