The Best Veggie Burgers in Los Angeles

Brothers Fred and Max Guerrero launched this classic burger window in Chinatown’s Central Plaza in 2015. The Oinkster chef Andre Guerrero’s sons are both vegetarian, and they take their vegan burger as seriously as their hamburger. They make vegan patties daily in-house from barley, roasted mushrooms, eggplant, leeks, chickpeas, cashews and more. The toothsome patty joins tomato, lettuce, onion, and vegan thousand island dressing on a soft “sponge bun.” Follow Your Heart Vegan cheese, crafted with coconut oil, is available as an add-on, or you can substitute cow-based American cheese.

Across from Fairfax High School, fashion entrepreneurs Michael Shab and Andrés Izquieta partnered with Gina Ragnone on this fast casual falafel concept. The space features reclaimed wood, green furniture, and a fully vegan menu. Fala Bar sells five different types of falafel, all fried in grapeseed oil and available as either balls or flattened “burgers.” The kale variety is is our favorite, featuring garbanzo beans, cilantro, garlic, cumin, onion, and kale flecks. The crisp patty joins house-made Thousand Island dressing, lemony kale, pickled purple cabbage, grilled onion and avocado on hamburger bun.

Towering restaurateur Richard Mandeville, wife Susann and chef John Gladish now have two Fat Dogs to tend to in West Hollywood and North Hollywood. They’re best known for comfort food and craft beer, and have a pretty unique take on the veggie burger with their Alternative Burger. A chickpea and brown rice patty stacks alfalfa sprouts, tomato, avocado and lemon herb aioli on a brioche bun. The burger also gains crunch from sunflower seeds, nutty richness from tahini and peanut butter, and still more tang and contrast from soy sauce, lemon, onion and carrot.

Jason Bernstein and James Starr were early adopters to now-trendy Fairfax Village. Their restaurant has cranked up the flair over the years and now houses burger-themed skateboard decks on the wall, along with Jeff McCarthy’s paintings of menu items paired with local celebrities, including Eric Dickerson on a Grilled Cheese and Chick Hearn on a Burger. Still, comfort food is the focus, and their veggie burger is no exception. A coarse miso and root vegetable patty includes beets that stain the burger purple. Arugula, pickled onion, avocado, ketchup and aioli contribute crunchy and acidity to a brioche bun. Each veggie burger comes with a choice of side, and if you’re smart, skin-on fried sweet potato wedges with garlic aioli.

In 2008, Ruth Kim, Roian Atwood and chef Joshua Siegel partnered on The Park, an eclectic American bistro. The space resides near Dodger Stadium and houses pistachio green walls, white and black checked floors, and a small front patio. Their house-made veggie burger features a patty of lentils, bulgur, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, breadcrumbs and more, all sandwiched on a burger bun with lettuce, tomato, red onion and pickles.

The motto is “United We Sand” at this airy weekday cafe with a glass front and grey and white color scheme in West L.A. Their house-made veggie burger is soft inside, with a golden crust, and combines the joys of barley, potato, mushroom, onion, egg whites, garbanzo bean flour, breadcrumbs, yellow onions, garlic, thyme, parsley, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and red potatoes. That ingredient list is a mouthful, and this burger’s a mouthful when paired with crisp iceberg lettuce, melted sharp cheddar, fried onions and herb aioli. Each burger comes with French fries or salad.