Mediterranean/Middle East is real easy for Vegans and vegetarians. Many of the dishes tend to be very obviously meat-centric or no meat at all. Most of the mezze dishes are vegetarian if not vegan-friendly. And the food of this cuisine is pretty substantial and satisfying as well. And most eateries usually offer shrimp and/or salmon.
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This has been my experience, as well. A few of my veg or Kosher friends (the latter end up being functionally veg at most places) actually really seem to like Persian. I know for myself that tahdig + veg stew + lentil soup is quite a satisfying meal.
Excellent idea, and perhaps quite fun for family members if they don’t have Ethiopian where they are. I vaguely recall Meals by Genet also having some “western” dishes, so a good choice for those who are less adventurous. And maybe combine it w/ a trip to the Peterson or LACMA to make a day of it.
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True that. I guess what I’m getting at is, while Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food is a good choice for vegetarians, I’d probably take them to a Lebanese or Israeli place first.
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And the vast majority of these places are Lebanese. The Israeli-owned places aren’t as common , mostly concentrated around the SFV and the Fairfax area. I haven’t been to the PC places but I believe those are more Arab and Syrian.
We really like Hummus Bar & Grill on Ventura in Tarzana. The quality of the food should satisfy most. But they are almost always packed.
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And, given where the OP’s lives, perhaps quite a bit of a trek w/o much else to recommend the general area (I work near that area, so…).
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That’s how I feel about Necco.
Enjoy the place, but not drive-worthy if you’re located anywhere east of Mid-City/Hancock Park.
Good to know. I haven’t been myself, but, since I live like 10 mins away, I may give it a try.
And now back to the original thread. 
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Definitely do.
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Great list, thank you very much! Yes, the lard is exactly the issue.
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Indian is good where I’m originally from (western New York state) but my cousins and aunts/uncles are in the NH country and don’t get to Manchester or Portsmouth that often so I think they’d enjoy some Indian here.
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Thread revival!
I’m looking for a vegetarian-friendly place for a pre-fixe birthday Brunch in DTLA for 15 ppl. The hostess who is paying for the food wants to keep the budget at $35-$40 pp. Someone else is paying for soft drinks, wine & beer.
Any kind of food is fine. Tried Au Lac but they don’t allow alcohol on the premises. My go-to for group things, Manuela, isn’t responding. I thought of Redbird. Any suggestions?
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hi @TheCookie,
girl and the goat? brunch menu has a few nonmeat items. there’s a vegan menu too, not sure if it’s available for brunch though.
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Oh this is excellent. Thanks!
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Warrior: I would pick Wurstkuche for this, unless it is too low-brow for the people or event. They have three vegan sausages. Everyone getting their own sausages and sharing fries makes logistics so much easier and ensures staying within budget. The more sophisticated idea that comes to mind is pizzas etc. at Gjelina, which has a private room that I think may just accommodate a party of this size. Ethiopian at Lalibela, which has delicious tofu tibs and lentil samosas, also crosses my mind. Plant Food + Wine is the best pure vegan option. Everyone would love the patio and atmosphere. But people probably would not get full on that budget. Jon + Vinny’s Brentwood I wonder? Have not been there, but the original would be a good choice if it were big enough.
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Gjelina’s very vegetarian-friendly without compromising the rest of the menu or getting all woo-woo. The brunch menu’s way more extensive than most.
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Oh, right. Too bad Baco is gone.
How about Bar Ama in DTLA? They also have some of the stuff from Baco Mercat on the menu.
edit: damn, after looking at the menu, maybe i’ll go tonight.
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Doesn’t look like they’re open for brunch
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Thanks @PeonyWarrior.
Those are great selections but don’t fit our needs. I thought of Ethiopian, lol. The birthday girl actually had her wedding lunch at Rahel Vegetarian. They brought their own wine and we had the whole place to ourselves. It was really fun. Unusual but great for a young vegetarian couple on a budget. But she wants something different for this one.
So far we’re either striking out or my sister (her mom) doesn’t like the menus. 
Search continues…
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