San Diego named one of the most vegetarian-friendly cities
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San Diego isn't a bad place to live if you don't eat meat.
Driving the news: San Diego was recently named 4th best city for vegans and vegetarians in a WalletHub study that aimed to find the most delicious and cheapest places for a plant-based diet.
- It considered factors like the cost of groceries and meals and the share of restaurants serving meatless menu items.
- San Diego's highest ranking was for its diversity, accessibility and quality of vegan and vegetarian options.
The big picture: Portland topped the list and six of the top 20 cities were on the West Coast, including Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.
Zoom in: Kindred, a heavy-metal themed vegan restaurant and cocktail bar in South Park, has garnered national attention and local love. It also recently refreshed its menu and space.
- San Diego Magazine food writer and TV personality Troy Johnson named it the best restaurant in 2021 for creating "a rad place for even the most bacon-reeking food lover to come and enjoy a meal and a craft cocktail."
- Guy Fieri and local skateboard legend Tony Hawk tried the "crazy creative vegan cooking" at Kindred on an episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" in 2022.
- Order the staff favorite Vegan BBQ Yuba Skewers or try to make them yourself with this recipe.
💠Andy's thought bubble: North Park's Tacotarian, the San Diego spot for a restaurant with four Las Vegas locations, was a welcome neighborhood addition –— I'm partial to the barbacoa-style taco made from seasoned jackfruit.
- But when vegetarian family members visit, they're eager to get back to North Park mainstay City Tacos, particularly for the portobello taco (I prefer chile relleno, but ymmv).
💠Kate's thought bubble: I'm not a vegetarian, but I was impressed by the plant-based Japanese sushi menu at The Yasai by RakiRaki in Convoy.