Thanksgiving Around Los Angeles

Thanks to you and all HappyCow visitors during Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, a family feasting holiday celebrated in the United States, centered historically (and unfortunately) around a large roasted turkey, is happening soon. Vegans and vegetarians work hard to introduce their loved ones to compassionate veg* options, and are often challenged to survive a carnivore-centric holiday socially with family and friends.

You can use HappyCow to find a restaurant with like minded people, or to pick up food and bring it to your Thanksgiving get together.

Here are some Los Angeles restaurants featured on HappyCow that are offering Thanksgiving meals this year, just to give you an idea of what vegans eat at Thanksgiving. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving? And if so, what’s your favorite veg* dish?

Green Earth Vegan, Pasadena
I’ve already eaten a delicious slice of vegan pumpkin cheesecake from Green Earth Vegan. Don’t miss their holiday feast! Their Thanksgiving will be served from November 26-30. Call them for details.

Real Food Daily, Multiple Locations
Real Food Daily has several locations, including Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Pasadena, and one at the Los Angeles Airport Terminal 4 (first vegan restaurant at a major airport). Visit RFD’s website and download the pdf with the 21st annual “Thanksgiving To Go” details.

SunCafe, Studio City
SunCafe is actually closed on Thanksgiving Day. You can pre-order one of their COOKED VEGAN or RAW Thanksgiving To-Go Boxes instead. Call SunCafe at 818.927.4100 to place your order by Monday, November 24th.

Crossroads
I recently met Chef Tal Ronnen and experienced his culinary expertise at MUSE Talks at MUSE School CA in Calabasas. If you want an amazing elite Thanksgiving experience, plan to visit Crossroads on Melrose.

Café Gratitude, Venice Beach
FREE Thanksgiving until food runs out! Want to volunteer to help them? Call Café Gratitude Venice Beach. Cafe Gratitude’s Venice location is serving butternut squash and sage lentil loaf, garlic mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, raw stuffing, persimmon and pomegranate salad, and pumpkin pie. Free between 11 a.m-3 p.m. or until the food runs out. Call Café Gratitude Venice Beach to find out their Los Angeles holiday details and hours.

Native Foods, Westwood
Check out “Native Foods Thanksgiving To Go” and their Wellington. What is a Native Wellington you might ask? “An elegant puff-pastry filled with savory Native Seitan, steamed kale and thinly sliced yams complete with Native stuffing made from whole wheat bread, a caramelized onion compote and rosemary and thyme herbed mushrooms.”

There are many other amazing options and restaurants in Los Angeles featuring veg* menus, or that are open during the holidays with their everyday fabulous offerings. Please review the Los Angeles listings in HappyCow to find out more.

 

Want to Celebrate Animals? Centerpiece a photo of the turkey you adopt on your table. I love birds. Real wild turkeys (no no no, not the booze lol) are big, beautiful, colorful and AWESOME. If you want a turkey on your table this Thanksgiving, please visit Farm Sanctuary‘s adoption page, where you can share a photo of a rescued turkey on the table, rather than a carcass full of cholesterol: www.adoptaturkey.org

Here is a lovely photo album of their turkeys to get you in the spirit! Click here.

Gentle Barn also has a Thanksgiving event where you can feed pie to real turkeys on Thanksgiving day! Contact them for reservations! What a great event for children.

 

 

Want to exercise to work off that feast? The star of veg* Thanksgiving, and deserving of all appreciation, is Turtle Island Food’s Tofurky—a vegan faux turkey. Tofurky has given many veg* people a wonderful transitional and traditional Thanksgiving alternative. I’m thankful for Tofurky, are you? Do you like to trot, run or walk? Do you want to work off your feast early? Then help Tofurky celebrate their annual Tofurky Trot in Pasadena! For more info click here.

 

 

 

And finally, please enjoy this super vegan recipe that’s perfect for Thanksgiving (or any time)! It’s Pumpkin Cheesecake With Bourbon-Brown Sugar Cream, and it’s featured in The HappyCow Cookbook. Click here for the recipe.

Thanks and appreciation again to you from HappyCow for all of your support and contributions. HappyCow’s Mission is, ”To make healthy food choices easy to find and more accessible.” Thanks to you, other veg* people internationally have a resource they can rely on.

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