"Fish" tacos 🌮 at Roots - UCSD in La Jolla
Roots burger 🍔 at Roots - UCSD in La Jolla
Menu for Roots (as of 18 Sep 2018). at Roots - UCSD in La Jolla

  • Roots - UCSD
    (11)
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  • White Vegan
Vegan
American
Take-out

Open during school semesters only. UCSD's all-veg eatery and lounge, located on the Muir College campus below Pines Restaurant. Diners choose from a variety of hearty entrees, sides, snacks, and smoothies. Open Mon-Thu 11:00am-9:00pm.

Venue map for Roots - UCSD
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11 Reviews

First Review by katroshka

Avatar jlusin

jlusin

Points +425

Vegan
20 Jan 2024

Tasty

Friendly service, campus environment, a little expensive

Updated from previous review on 2024-01-20

Pros: All vegan menu , Wheel chair accessible , Friendly service

Cons: Expensive , Hard to find, No parking available

Buddha Grain Bowl at Roots - UCSD in La Jolla

Black bean burger with sweet potato fries at Roots - UCSD in La Jolla

Coconut Tofu soup at Roots - UCSD in La Jolla

Avatar AnnaPC

AnnaPC

Points +72

Vegan
16 Mar 2019

Vegan university housing café

Really good for a university housing restaurant. We took their best sellers: fish tacos and roots burger. Their sweet potatoes fries 🍟 are a must. For dessert we had the brownie. I loved the small chocolate chip in it 😍

Pros: All is vegan. , They use reusable plates and utensils , You can compost your scraps

Cons: Portions are small, It's not the most cosy restaurant

"Fish" tacos 🌮 at Roots - UCSD in La Jolla

Roots burger 🍔 at Roots - UCSD in La Jolla

Avatar westcornersville

westcornersville

Points +659

Vegan
19 Sep 2018

Mix of Dishes, Some Creative

Lots of variety of dishes here, including some that are creative. They have various vegan burgers, plus tacos, gnocchi, noodles made from veggies, BBQ jackfruit, tofu dishes and others. They have soups, salads and smoothies. Tasted great. Slightly smaller portion sizes than I prefer though.

Location is correct on the map--it's in the Stewart Commons in the John Muir College of UCSD (note the address is the UCSD postal address). Nearest free parking (sometimes 2 hours only) is a 1/4 mile walk away on La Jolla Shores Drive.

Pros: creative dishes, tasty food, good variety

Cons: Portion sizes a bit small, Not open during school breaks

Menu for Roots (as of 18 Sep 2018). at Roots - UCSD in La Jolla

Avatar RushinContractor

RushinContractor

Points +30

Vegan
12 Sep 2018

Great for on-campus lunch!

I just joined UCSD and this place is going to be a regular lunch spot. I will consume each and every item on the menu over time and the Root burger I had so far was very good indeed. Prices are comparable to rest of the campus food and with a community dining plan this is by far the cheapest vegan place with quality food.

While my rating says 5 stars, I acknowledge that the place is not very accessible to non-UCSD folks. The parking situation in the university is a mess and being in basement of sort, it can be difficult to find. Worth a visit if you ever end up in the university though.

Pros: Amazing prices for all-vegan fare, Very clean, Great food

Cons: Parking

Avatar Durpadurp

Durpadurp

Points +114

Vegan
18 Apr 2018

vegan on campus? really?

Wandering through my alma mater and just past my old dorm room I spied Roots. Considering I used to live on Peanut Butter Sandwiches and Ramen noodles when I was last here, This is a huge step up. Had the Root Burger which was your standard burger like veggie patty but it was topped with portobello mushrooms and onions with some lettuce and avocado on the side. You can also get soy cheese and veganaise on it but I’m not into that. I got a piping hot side of sweet potato friend and ate it all outside in the quad of Muir College. Lots of choices and desserts too.

Pros: on campus, great sweet potato fries

Avatar CélineLoriot

CélineLoriot

Points +30

Vegan
16 Feb 2017

great surprise

I wanted to try it for long and eventually did it. I went with the root burger and it was delicious. Try to come early before student get out of class because it turn super crowded fast!
Really cheap for a non student folk! ($8 for the burger with a little side salad and piece of avocado)

Avatar SamJones

SamJones

Points +16

Vegan
21 Feb 2015

Tough Parking, Difficult Directions, Good Food

Parking was a challenge (best in the "lower lot" $3 for 2 hours).
Lots of options, but some were spicier than one in our party wanted.
Another person in our party actually vomited while at the restaurant... unclear whether the food was at fault... but a number of us had rumbly tummies afterwards.

***Finally, the address above and on the website (hdh.ucsd.edu/diningmenus…) is incorrect ... it should be "Stewart Commons, UCSD"

Anyhow, aside from these two points, the food was good and filling. no issues with the service, though it is cafeteria-style and bus-your-own.

Pros: Good Food, Good Variety, Cheap

Cons: Tough Parking, Hard to Find, Possible food illness issues

Avatar reflecte

reflecte

Points +33

Vegetarian
13 Aug 2014

Good Option for the Campus

One of the fancier places to eat on campus but just a little bit pricy. Their Root burger is my standard go to meal because it has all the right ingredients (veggie chicken, avocado, other good stuff). Occasionally the buns aren't heated well but overall this place has been awesome. The desserts and sweet potato fries are always a hit. Overall, a nice clean place therapeutic food. It can be busy at times though, especially during mealtimes or after classes.

Pros: Friendly Staff, Nice Vibe

Cons: Slightly expensive

Avatar ERami

ERami

Points +49

Vegan
15 Oct 2013

Great for vegetarian/vegan

I wish they had Roots when I was a student at UCSD. Back then the student co-op (which was in the old student center) and Che Cafe had what passed for vegetarian food. It was bland and boring. There was no Price Center with ethnic vegetarian, let alone vegan, fast food places.

Times change, and now there is Roots! I have been there a handful of times, and I must say that it is a good deal for what you pay. The portions are big, and the offerings change with the season. Their menu changes from week to week. You can check it out online: http://hdh.ucsd.edu/DiningMenus/default.aspx?i=32
I usually get one of their Field and Farm salads, which are full of fresh vegetables. Each salad is quite filling, but if I crave more, I get a cup of soup or an order of sweet potato fries along with the salad.

I live near campus so I can easily walk or bike to Roots. I suppose it is a little more challenging if you are a visitor and try to find parking. The Muir parking lot has visitor spots and a self-pay booth, but actually finding a space may be more difficult.

Roots is closed during the weekend and during school breaks as I found out when I made a special trip to Roots over the summer. Go during the school year and enjoy their wonderful food!

Pros: healthy and fresh , airy and light seating areas, reasonable prices

Cons: closed on weekends and breaks, visitor parking is scarce

Avatar steveveg

steveveg

Points +2201

Vegan
07 Mar 2013

Unusual school run vegetarian cafe

Roots is a university operated vegetarian dining spot that has mostly vegan food. It is highly unusual among school cafeterias in that respect, and something that should be copied by other schools. The food is great - there were plentiful choices. We had a Hetch Hetchy(Potato Gnocchi) bowl,Sweet Passage (Polenta, Marinara & Veggies), and a bowl of black bean soup. All the dishes were tasty and filling. This place is a great option if you are in the neighborhood. I don't know what the parking situation is though. I thought prices were reasonable.

Pros: Almost entirely vegan, relaxed atmosphere, very helpful staff

Cons: Closed Sat & Sun, closes 4 PM Fri

Avatar katroshka

katroshka

Points +91

Vegan
17 Jan 2012

Pretty good, a little pricey

I ate here the first day of classes and it was OK, but not great. The serving size was small and not all that filling for $7. That being said, comparing it to the other dining services on campus it was pretty good, but the Indian place in Price has better bang for your buck, and the co-op seems healthier and WAY cheaper, I will most likely continue to eat at the co-op. I hope Roots gets better, I love the idea and would like to support it.

Pros: decent on-campus food, interesting menu, good atmosphere

Cons: expensive, small portions, a little bland

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