Almost all the food is vegan, with the exception of a few drinks that contain honey and pollen (ask which ones). Part of the the Cafe Gratitude brand originating from San Francisco - its second Los Angeles location. Menu features both raw food as well as cooked meals, vegan desserts and raw pies. Trendy, beach vibe and busy at mealtime. Also offers breakfast until 1pm which includes pancakes, waffles, and french toast. Open Mon-Sun 9:00am-9:00pm.
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512 Rose Ave, Venice, California, USA, 90291
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- Outdoor seating
- Wheelchair accessible
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 15 Apr 2024 by swrobel
Update business info -
Added by webmaster on 16 Jul 2012
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131 Reviews
First Review by gr8vegan
ArtVB
Points +336
Decent vegan food in Venice - Edit
Food is good and the smoothies are very tasty. I really like their bowls and salads.
Read moreGuest
bluesunflower02
Points +96
perfection - Edit
hands down the best tasting vegan food that I have ever had. Staff is very kind and friendly. 10/10 would recommend.
Read morePros: friendly staff, amazing food, nice atmosphere
Cons: costly
Guest
XOXO
Points +2073
try the vegan milk shake - Edit
Every time I go to LA I can't help to stop at this place to get a vegan milk shake! Please try it!
Read moreGuest
jackie.r.7289
Points +141
Cheesy menu but solid food - Edit
We'd had two mediocre experiences here in the past, so when my husband suggested we go, both of us were still a bit on the fence. We made a reservation for half hour away (easy to get), and walked over just a few minutes before. We were pleasantly greeted and had an attentive server for the evening. I'll say, we're both very into vegan food and trying new foods/restaurants, but it is a bit much with some of the names of the dishes here "I am abundant, I am celebrating" etc. as names of dishes - it gets a bit hokey! However, our food was fantastic this time!
Read moreWe started with the "I am dynamic" aka yam cauliflower samosa chaat. We sometimes doubt ordering Indian food outside of an Indian restaurants, but the mix of flavor sounded really good on this. Also, it's rare I have a samosa since I don't eat fried, and this one was baked! This was easily our favorite part of the meal. Very generously-sized whole wheat samosa (two of them) stuffed with yam and cauliflower, kale, tomato and garam masala topped with (the best part) coconut mint chutney and tomato jam. It was all sitting in a small pool of chana masala. The flavors were vibrant, and each one truly better than the next. The mint chutney was a fabulous bright green. We were literally soaking every last drop of this up.
The next two dishes came out simultaneously and were specials. One was a warm salad of brussel sprout leaves, spinach, coconut bacon, avocado, tomato and a few other goodies. There was a more subtle version of a vegan ranch that coated the salad well too. It almost reminded me a vegan avocado BLT in salad form, it was really tasty. The coconut bacon was crisp and didn't try to be bacon, instead it nicely maintained its coconut flavor. We also split the Hawaiian pizza (cooked version), which was also full of toppings. It included a nut cheese, the coconut bacon, pineapple and more. The crust was crunchy and satisfying, and all of the flavors were nicely melted together.
We finished with a key lime pie "awakening". This is never my favorite dessert anywhere, but the mix of flavors looked neat (creamy avocado and lime custard - as you'd imagine, not too sweet; coconut meringue - creamy and dessert-like, but, again, missing some sugar; pecan macadamia date crust - strong nutty flavor but the best part of the pie). I'm all about healthier desserts, but this just wasn't awesome. We have had the brownie sundae here before and would likely stick with that again instead of branching out.
Guest
cephas
Points +24
Amazing place! - Edit
All organic so you don't have to worry about gmo soy or wheat. Awesome menu!
Read morePros: delicious and nutritional
Cons: fair prices but not cheap
Guest
serrarose
Points +532
Amazing! - Edit
Extensive vegan menu with many gluten free/soy free options. Hard to pick just one thing to eat bc u want to eat it all.
Read moreOn this visit we ordered the Indian curry and the raw pizza along with delicious smoothies and some raw cheesecake to finish. Everything was amazing! From the food to the service. Our waitress was wonderful and very accommodating and the kitchen staff are super talented!
Pros: Wonderful food and service
Cons: Too expensive to be my daily go to restaurant
Guest
tauberl
Points +472
awesome dining experience - Edit
This is just an awesome LA-area dining experience. The food was really creative and the environment was fancy and fun. I was with a group of vegans and non-veg people, end everyone really enjoyed the food. We ordered a bunch of different stuff, highlights were the autumn bruschetta, eggplant parm panini, and sweet potato wedges with cashew dipping sauce. The mint shake was delicious for dessert. It's kind of pricey but what I would expect for LA dining. I would definitely recommend!
Read morePros: cool atmosphere , large, original menu
Cons: a little pricey
Guest
NeilGaudet
Points +346
great food - Edit
Was here for breakfast. Friendly people. Tasty food. The portions were huge
Read morePros: tasty
Cons: maybe a little pricy
Guest
The.Vegan.Traveler
Points +60
Lovely Menu - Edit
The menu has a lot to choose from and everything looks good. Selections of squeezed juice and smoothies and elixirs. But very expensive. Portions were smaller than I expected. Highlight was seeing actor Ian Somerhalder get seated not 15 feet away. So handsome and quite a distraction.
Read morePros: Extensive menu, Nice atmosphere
Cons: Expensive , Small portions
Guest
universo
Points +58
I like this place - Edit
I've been to Cafe Gratitude a few times now. I had corn tacos for lunch and they were delicious. The vegan mocha cheesecake for dessert was also good. I asked the server and he told me none of the desserts had honey.
Read moreGuest
KaleRaw
Points +60
Top Raw Food restaurant - Edit
Outstanding place!
Read morePros: Excellent food, friendly staff
Guest
nickb
Points +251
Wonderful Dining Experience - Edit
Cafe Gratitude is a wonderful dining experience. The menu has an extensive selection of dishes - lots of healthy options. The 'I am Whole' macrobiotic bowl was the standout for our table, and the 'I am Cool' smoothie is amazing! The 'I am Awesome' eggplant panini was also delicious. I wish CG would come to Australia - I would love to work my way through the whole menu!
Read morePros: Extensive menu, Delicious, healthy food, Nice vibe/atmosphere
Cons: Honey in some desserts
Guest
karenb
Points +26
excellent food - Edit
Went for dinner and then breakfast the following morning. Good menu and good selection. Location and current menus are online. Will definitely go back next time we are in town.
Read moreGuest
VeggiTiny
Points +92
one of my favorite places!! - Edit
I love this place and come here often.
Read moreGuest
Troktagon
Points +179
Great, fresh plant-based food - Edit
We stopped for lunch at this place. The food was delicious. We had a quesadilla, a crepe and a mexican bowl. All were fresh and tasty. The only thing we didn't really like was the over the top LA-vibe. When you order, they respond with an affirmation using the name of the dish. For example, "I'd like the quesadilla" was followed by "You are Generous," which was also repeated when they served the food. Still, it's delicious and worth going if you don't mind feeling like you're visiting a shrink or attending an AA meeting while you eat.
Read morePros: Delicious, Fresh
Cons: Gimmicky
Guest
m.rose
Points +108
Love It - Edit
the salads are great, i especially like PURE. but, my favorite dish is WHOLE (depending on the type of squash or yam i liked it better w/o). the garlic-tahini sauce is so yummy and i love their kim chi. my daughter loves the smoothies and simple snacks, she gets either the apple slices w/almond butter or tortillas w/guacamole. fun atmosphere and i've never had to wait for a table. my favorite place to eat these days!!!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Friday August 23, 2013
Pros: food, fun atmosphere
Guest
cat1
Points +76
Awesome - Edit
I love this place, friendly staff, great tasting food and a good vibe, can't fault it.
Read morePros: good food , friendly staff , good vibe
Guest
JackieP
Points +379
Don't be fooled--it's not health food - Edit
Food is super good, but when you take the highest calorie vegan ingredients and combine them, of course the food is going to be good. It had a bit of a haughty atmosphere, which didn't impress me. Considerably pricey. Parking is difficult.
Read morePros: good food, friendly staff
Cons: Difficult parking, Expensive, Snobbish atmosphere
Guest
sglcklch
Points +3761
Loved this place - Edit
I had heard so many things about Café Gratitude that I made it a must-eat during our trip, and it didn't disappoint. We arrived at 6 o'clock for dinner and the place was already starting to fill up. By the time we were finished, there were crowds waiting. So I'd suggest making a reservation to secure a table. The atmosphere was quite lively, but as we were seated outside, the noise level wasn't a problem for us.
Read moreEverything we ordered was good and tasted very fresh. I really liked that every item on the menu was made from scratch-just wholesome plant-based ingredients without all that fake meat/dairy stuff. The eggplant parmesan panini (I AM AWESOME) was outstanding. Even the side salad was great, not just some sloppy greens as it is sadly quite often the case. The Indian lentil rice bowl (I AM HUMBLE) was decent, but I would've preferred it to be much spicier. The cheesecake and the dark chocolate nugget were perfect to round off our meal. That nugget was the real deal for any self-proclaimed dark chocolate fiend; it was intense but at the same time so satisfying and delightful.
Service was friendly, although slow at times as the place got busy. Out of all the restaurants we went to during our week-long trip, this was probably my favorite and I'm definitely looking forward to coming back when I visit the area again.
Pros: delicious & wholesome food, good vibe
Guest
Ribaldry
Points +49
Eating in Venice - Edit
I haven't been to the Larchmont location or any of the other Cafe Gratitude locations, but I have been to the one in Venice twice and loved it both times. I have enjoyed, and would recommend: the raw zucchini lasagna with cashew ricotta, hempseed and basil pesto, and olive tapenade (I Am Fabulous); the cooked tacos with veggies, guac, cashew nacho cheese, salsa fresca, and black beans -- I added the avocado, yum! (I Am Transformed); the heirloom tomato bruschetta with cashew mozzarella and fig-balsamic drizzle (I Am Present); the fresh ginger ale (I Am Effervescent); and the I Am Cherished cashew cheesecake with an almond-date crust. All of these were exemplary and the cashew cheeses are so creamy and unctuous that you will probably dream about them later. 3 of my friends, who are not even veg, enjoyed the I Am Guapo/a sandwich ("Our Mexican torta sandwich on grilled Panini bread with pureed black beans, cashew nacho cheese, spicy red pepper sauce, crispy chipotle-maple coconut, romaine lettuce, tomato and avocado") -- on of them got it on the live gluten-free wrap. Another friend enjoyed I Am Happy ("Mediterranean wrap with live falafels, zucchini cilantro hummus, spinach, red onion, tomato, cucumber, red chili pepper sauce and garlic tahini dressing on live sun-dried tomato bread"). I have come here twice, once with my fiance and 2 other friends, another time with just one friend, and despite all of my dining companions being omni, they all loved the food here, too. And, of course, for vegan and vegetarian diners, it's even more fantastic to know that all of the food, except for a few desserts with honey, is 100% vegan. There are a number of gluten-free choices, and plenty of good raw options, but I would not come here if you have a nut allergy, given the vast amounts of coconut and cashew employed in the food prep. Some people have complained about the prices, but I find them pretty standard for good dining in LA. I would recommend coming here after a day at the beach, to enjoy the open spaces of the restaurant -- sit on the porch and watch the other beachcombers go by outside! -- and a tasty, fresh, healthy meal.
Read morePros: Delicious, Fresh & healthy, Good vibe
Cons: Off-limits for people with nut allergies
Guest
vegandeb
Points +101
A Must Do - Edit
This place is fantastic. You must try at least one of the locations. My fav restaurant in LA.
Read moreAbout average price for area. There are more affordable dishes if you search the menu. It's worth the price.
Pros: great food, huge dessert case, donation dish
Guest
eric
Points +21348
Veg addition to Santa Monica - Edit
I had been eagerly waiting for this place to open since I live nearby and finally got to try it last night. It was only the 3rd day open and already packed for dinner on a Thursday. I sat at the communal table and got to meet some friendly folks, all women at the table. The inside of the place gets loud which made it difficult to chat with the woman across from me.
Read moreFor my entree I had the raw enchiladas (I AM ELATED). The dish was presented nicely, however for $13.75 I felt the portion was pretty small (see photo). The enchiladas were spicy, and tasted great- finished every drop.
For dessert I got a slice of the chocolate coconut cream pie (I AM IRRESISTIBLE). Loved it, although slightly steep price of $8.50. considering the location, I can understand their prices, just a little over what I feft reasonable. Also, if you're vegan, be sure to confirm that your dessert choice does not contain honey as some do.
Overall, this is a great addition to Santa Monica and I'll definitely be back.
Pros: menu, raw desserts
Cons: noisy inside, pricey
Guest
gr8vegan
Points +2357
Its here, its really here! - Edit
Cafe Gratitude Venice is my savior! I can't tell you how excited I've been for it to open, I've been driving, peddling, walking by now for months! As chance would have it I was out of town for day1, but made it to day2 of the grand opening. Everything is sparkling new and the entire staff is so excited too, you can really feel the vibe in the air! The menu isn't as extensive as the Larchmont, but I'm sure they are just warming up! I especially appreciate the beer/wine on the menu! I had the blonde ale and it was fantastic. Sitting outside in Venice enjoying a beer and a I am grateful bowl is heaven for this healthy vegan! I top my bowl of brown rice, quinoa, kale and beans with a side of Kim Chi and always pay the $7 suggested price for this donation bowl (which is the best item on the menu IMHO). You won't find a kinder staff with so much excitement and enthusiasm and as you look around you can see all the other patrons are on the same wave length, birds of a feather flock together! I'm home!
Read moreThank you Cafe Gratitude!
Pros: I am Grateful, kim chi, beer & wine!
Guest
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