Vegan
American
Fast food
Delivery
Take-out
Fusion
Small chain of vegan restaurants originating from Southern California. Offers a menu of sandwiches, veggie burgers, bowls, salads, and others. Order at the counter and food is brought to your table. Reported closed, May 2020.
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127 N El Camino Real, Encinitas, California, USA, 92024
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 09 May 2020 by Mike Weinberg
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39 Reviews
First Review by veganandorganic
Gyan Penrose-Kafka
Points +44
Vegan junk food - Edit
OK, so I have to admit, I've been to Native Foods about a dozen times. There's only one thing on the menu that appeals to me, and that's because it's mostly vegetables with some "Thai" curry sauce.
Read moreThe rest of the menu is mostly junk food -- Deep fried, breaded, smothered in dressing, lots of sugar, etc.
The corn and soy products they use (tortillas, tofu, corn meal, etc.) are not organic, and therefore are GMO.
It's a great place to take non-vegetarians as they'll be able to get something that approximates meat, and when smothered in dressing/sauce, might not be distinguishable from the slaughtered version. But, if you're serious about eating healthy, don't expect that eating at Native Foods will help.
Pros: Good place to take carnivores, Kale, Chupa Cabra Sauce
Cons: Mostly junk food, GMO (non-organic soy and corn)
webmaster
Hi Gyan,
Read moreWhere did you find out that the corn and soy products they use are not organic and contain GMOs?
Thanks for letting us know!
Gyan Penrose-Kafka
I asked in the restaurant in Encinitas, CA and they told me that neither the corn nor the tofu are organic. Since 88% of corn and 93% of soy are GMO, it is highly likely that the non-organic corn and soy at Native Foods are GMO. However, I should have said "The corn and soy products they use (tortillas, tofu, corn meal, etc.) are not organic, and therefore *probably* are GMO."
Read moreAdditionally, there is nothing on their website that says they use organic or non-gmo, which one would think they would want to highlight if they were doing it. To be fair, they do encourage people to eat organic, but to me that comes across as "greenwashing" if they themselves are not serving it to their customers.
Guest
BajaGirl
Points +48
Creative plant based food - Edit
Don’t let the exterior fool you. It looks like a strip mall fast food place but the menu was inventive, delicious and inexpensive. We tried the meatballs over cauliflower mash with gravy and cranberry sauces which was comfort food at its best. The Rubin sandwich ticked all the boxes. The Thai Brussels sprouts were breaded and fried and served with a mouth watering Thai chili sauce. There were plenty of WFPB options but we tried the vegan comforting foods for an awesome change.
Read morePros: Delicious all vegan food, Inexpensive , A nice variety
Cons: There was a funky smell outside the restaurant , Nothing special about the interior design
Guest
Kristen_stanley
Points +254
A local favorite! - Edit
I’ve been coming here for years and am never disappointed! I usually get the twister wrap - it’s a classic! I’ve been impressed by their desserts. Also, the staff are always very friendly. Love Native Foods!!
Read morePros: All vegan, Friendly staff
Guest
OnlyVegan
Points +46
Disappointed - Edit
Food was cold not hot. Very disappointed compare to the other locations
Read moreCons: Food was cold
Guest
Concannon
Points +23
Wow - Edit
I had the BBQ Brisket Burger and it's HANDS DOWN one idea the best sandwiches I have ever had! Not just vegan sandwich, I'm talking one of the best EVER!
Read morePros: Great food
Guest
TBR
Points +375
Great selection. Delicious. - Edit
I had the 'meatball' sub with chips and it was all delicious with nice sauces etc. My wife had the double cheeseburger. Really happy with both.
Read morePros: 100% vegan
Cons: No cons.
Guest
ScottCline
Points +3102
Delicious bowl - Edit
I had the Orange Cauliflower and it was delicious.
Read morePros: Delicious, light, Not too expensive
Guest
Megsicle
Points +330
Wow - Edit
Huge portions and bomb vegan food!
Read moreGuest
RubyMacarthur
Points +114
Love this place - Edit
awesome vegan options, convenient, cheapish and good quality
Read moreGuest
Lheidger
Points +269
Fabulous food - Edit
I ordered the wonderful orange "chikn" and LOVED it. The sauce was amazing, the texture was great, and the other veggies included really made the meal. I would definitely recommend and I already want to go back.
Read morePros: Healthy vegan food, GF options, Friendly staff
Guest
DavidKWinslow
Points +178
Always good - Edit
BBQ Brisket was the bomb! Wife loved the “Chicken” Cordon Blu.
Read moreGuest
westsideveg
Points +218
Hidden gem! - Edit
We stumbled across this place & WOW were we glad we did! Everything is vegan. Love their mission and focus on sustainability.
Read morePros: All vegan, Amazing desserts, Friendly and helpful staff
Cons: Wish there were more locations around the country
Guest
Zaz374
Points +214
Too much to choose - Edit
Lovely meal, ate too much
Read morePros: Loads of options , Great flavours
Guest
KatieBush
Points +3176
Native Foods - Edit
Lots of vegan junk food offerings, few "healthy" options. I went for the Cuban rice bowl and it was fairly good. The ratio of pineapple and jackfruit to the rest of the bowl was overwhelming; it was too sweet and briny. The inside of this place is really cute. Service was decent. It was a decent meal for an okay price. I'll probably go back.
Read moreGuest
ClaudiaMunday
Points +301
Unbelievable - Edit
Honestly one of the best vegan restaurants I’ve been to. Dog friendly as well! Amazing
Read morePros: All vegan, Free WiFi (password: BEINSPIRED) , Outdoor seating with heaters
Cons: Not an easy choice because there’s so much!
Guest
brionydsd
Points +18
Inconsistent - Edit
We have eaten here countless times over the years and hope they return to their glory days when they first opened.
Read moreI love their cauliflower appetizer and Korean BBQ bowl but unfortunately their quality is inconsistent. When it’s great, it’s great. When it’s not, it’s meh and disappointing.
They seem to have high staff turnover which may contribute to their inconsistent service and quality.
Pros: Delicious , Indulgent, Variety
Cons: Inconsistent , High staff turnover , Decor
Guest
mirand3
Points +49
Eh - Edit
Fake meat was good, but there weren’t many food options from what i saw. Food portions are very large
Read moreGuest
danielarizo
Points +16
disappointed - Edit
I was excited to try this place out, the chicken and waffles were amazing but the tacos tasted like nothing, i didn't even finish them, just flavor less. Pretty disappointed.
Read moreGuest
linaE
Points +70
1st visit, good experience - Edit
Being used to only having a few food choices, it was tough to choose an entree. My daughter with the casein allergy was THRILLED to see their desert case with things she could eat that usually have dairy. You order at the desk, and the server brings out the food when it's ready. The food was very tasty, although the OK burger was an odd flavor combination for me. The Portabello/"sausage" burger I thought was tastier. Big portions, good prices, busy place. If you're using your GPS to get to the restaurant, be careful! Ours had us get off the I-5 too early and took us all the back winding 2 land roads which took forever. Stay on the 5, get off on Encinitas blvd and it's in a big shopping plaza with Trader Joes, Ralph's.
Read morePros: Excellent variety of vegan options, Super yummy dessert case, Nut, wheat, and soy free menus available
Cons: Very busy place, Service was great! nice people!!
Guest
mettepalludan
Points +122
Nice place - Edit
We had the waffles & chicken, the Oklahoma burger and sweet potato fries with ranch sauce. Everything was good, and some small birds joined us outside grapping small pieces of food that accidently fell from our plates 😉
Read moreGuest
HungryVeganTraveler
Points +68
Vegan "Chicken" & Waffles! - Edit
Just awesome. Visited the location in Chicago previously, and the selection is fantastic. The"chicken" & waffles served with kale, corn, onions, & a fruit syrup is delicious! Worth the trip.
Read morePros: Selection
Guest
RikkiR
Points +94
Countless great experiences here! - Edit
My fiancé and I have frequented this Native Foods locations several times over the course of our year living in the area. It was my third NF location I'd ever visited and his first. The restaurant has gone through a heavy-duty remodel--including a reworking of the menu--and, for the most part, it's only improved.
Read moreNew ownership came at a critical time, I think; waitstaff and service quality had started to dip and we'd stopped visiting for a few months. But after we heard about the remodel we headed back to check it out. There were new employees as well as old favorites who recognized us, and we got the opportunity to become a little chummy with one of the owners. Very nice people who obviously care.
There have been a few times when the food hasn't been as great as it was before, and others when the food has been even better. I think you'll run into that pretty much everywhere, though, especially if you patronize a place often enough. I asked the female owner specifically about the huge variations in their blondie qualities, and she explained that she had noticed it, too, and when she confronted their baker about it the baker had said it was due to some experimentation; she was asked to stick with the agreed-upon recipe, reportedly. But we've noticed since then that it's always hit and miss with the blondies, which is a shame because when they're a hit they're seriously SO good!
Our favorite dishes are:
-Native Nachos (I always get the seitan and guac)
-Chicken Run Ranch (ask to get the patty tossed in buffalo!)
-their new Chicken & Waffles (don't be fooled: it's definitely a dinner entree with its kale and sweet corn combo served with a sriracha-infused maple syrup)
-Moroccan Bowl
-Meatball Sub
Favorite Desserts:
-Blondie (most of the time)
-Oatmeal creme pie
-PB Parfait
It can get understandably a little crowded around lunchtime, a little lackluster toward closing, but we've found that late dinnertime or early lunchtime is usually the sweet spots. With the exception of a few people, everyone who works here is so friendly, funny, and great!
Overall it's one of our favorites, but not our absolute favorite. We've blown the minds of many omnis by taking them here!
Pros: all-vegan, diverse cuisine choices, usually large portions, lovely patio ambiance, great staff
Cons: can't count on the blondies, the few staff who are unfriendly really stick out
Guest
smartin
Points +63
Used to Be a Favorite - Edit
Please change it back to the way it was with all the colorful artwork and fun happy staff! I don't know why or what this test run is all about, however I think it's failing and it's sad to see it happening.
Read moreThe food used to be AWESOME, now sometimes it's just meh. I've noticed all of the original staff has left too and they were all really cool people. I just hope they don't end up closing. I'd hate the public to think it didn't make it because it was one of 'those vegan' restaurants.
I miss what it was.
Pros: They Brought the Bistro Steak Sandwich Back
Cons: Remodel, Run Out of Menu Items, Tables are Always Dirty and Unbussed
Guest
CélineLoriot
Points +30
A great place to go - Edit
My first time in Native food, and it was delicious!
Read moreIt's always great to go to a 100% vegan place so you don't have to look for something you can eat and to ask to remove everything !!! I definitely recommend that place. Employees are super nice, the place is really big, clean and nice, AND the food was really good! All my non vegan friend tried and they loved it.
Pros: all vegan
Guest
Jdclark08
Points +84
delicious!!! - Edit
This is hands down my favorite vegan restaurant. It is a chain so at first I was skeptical, but they make their cheeses (and other foods) fresh. Every meal has been so good and the staff is super friendly. They have bogo on Wednesdays so def take advantage of that. My husband, son, and I can leave there full with only spending about 27$. I cannot say enough about his place!
Read moreGuest
Elisethepinkmermaid
Points +32
Hit or Miss - Edit
I've been here quite a bunch and it's really hit or miss. Sometimes it's great and sometimes it is not great. Maybe it's going downhill? It used to be on point every time! Last time I ordered a wrap and there was too much salt in only one half of it and it was barely edible!
Read moreGuest
HappyVeganChica
Points +102
Best fast vegan! - Edit
Just put your phone down and drive there. Everything will have you asking how it's vegan. iIt's all amazing from the bacon cheeseburger to the nachos to the desserts to the potato salad.
Read morePros: It's all vegan!
Guest
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