Finding good vegetarian and vegan places can be quite difficult, but over the years it has become easier to find good options for restaurants with good quality food. A vegetarian diet excludes all meat products while a vegan diet excludes all animal products such as dairy, meat, and eggs. Becoming a vegan or vegetarian can be due to the health benefits or a choice of lifestyle. 

People change their diets and become vegan or vegetarian considering many reasons. Some people feel that animal factories used to get meat are inhumane and torture for the animals. It is also to help the environment from the pollution we get from the masses of livestock and their wastes. It can also be from health concerns with the quality of animal products. 

Although, animal products have a good source of the supplements our body needs and when we don’t get enough of them, there are some health concerns. But there are good ways for vegetarians and vegans to receive those through healthy whole foods.

There are good ways to stay healthy and full with good vegetarian and vegan food options that taste good. There are plenty near Arcadia. Here are four recommendations for restaurants. 

Happy Buddha Kitchen is a restaurant in Temple City with vegetarian Vietnamese food. There is a wide variety of options to choose from on the menu, and they specify that you can let them know if you have any allergies or food restrictions. You can get items such as egg rolls, beef noodle soup, and clay pot peppered fish, and all the items are vegetarian contrary to their names. The flavors are authentic with all the meatless dishes. This restaurant is a woman- and family-owned and operated business. 

White Springs Cafe is a place with enjoyable and delicious vegetarian and vegan Thai food options. Their menu and options are made cleanly and wholeheartedly at good prices. The ambiance and location of the store are cozy and make you feel comfortable. The store is near N. First Avenue Street. I went there after school with my family, and it had a good environment, and the food was good quality. I liked the pad thai, the beyond veggie burger, and the stir fry mixed vegetables. There are quite a lot of menu items to choose from that are exciting. The restaurant is a family-owned business, and the food is made using organic non-GMO whole foods. 

The next restaurant is located in Pasadena called Namaste Spiceland. This is a place with vegetarian Indian food, which is my favorite. The food is made with quality and fresh ingredients, and there are a variety of different Indian food options at a reasonable price. I love to get the Dahi Puri ($6.99) and Samosa Chaat ($6.99) as appetizers and the combo 1 ($9.99) which comes with two vegetables, basmati rice, chapati/puri, pickle/onion, and raita. There is also an Indian grocery store as well. There weren’t many Indian options near me, and after this opened, my family and I occasionally went there, and it was a pleasant experience.

The last restaurant is an Indian restaurant located in South Pasadena called Radhika Modern Indian. They aren’t limited to just vegan and vegetarian but the vegan and vegetarian items they have are of good quality and taste wonderful.

French Teacher at Arcadia High School (AHS) Christina Vaughan appreciated how the food was, “absolutely phenomenally flavored and prepared to bring the leftovers [she] had for lunch. And that’s all that matters!!” This restaurant offers foods such as biriyani, different naans, vegetables, and lassi and sweets.

Food options for vegetarians are becoming more common, and it’s important to know where you can find them and the quality of the food. Staying healthy and having a good selection of different varieties of foods is vital and can be achieved! 

Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante