Vegan
American
Fast food
Delivery
Take-out
Fusion
Gluten-free
African
African fusion est. 2017 with a mostly gluten free menu. There are two separate weekday and weekend menus, dishes include rice and quinoa bowls, soups and burgers, wraps, toast and more. Black owned. Open Mon-Thu 10:00am-9:00pm, Fri-Sat 10:00am-10:00pm, Sun 10:00am-9:00pm. Kitchen closes half hour before restaurant.
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Abbott Square Market, 725 Front St Ste 2, Santa Cruz, California, USA, 95060
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
- Free Wi-Fi
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Last update on 25 Aug 2025 by akindele_bankole@yaho
Update business info -
Added by Rebeli on 02 Jul 2017
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95 Reviews
First Review by VeganGeo
holly.noyes
Points +30
Delish - Edit
I went there this past weekend and had the peanut stew and cassava fries and it was delicious. Staff was super friendly as well and the food came out pretty quick. Def recommend!
Read moreGuest
RedheadedR
Points +346
Amazing food - Edit
We stopped in Santa Cruz and had a fantastic meal at Veg on the Edge 6-6-21. The staff was so nice and helpful- we had the pumpkin seed stew, a scramble taco and Suya taco, and plantains. Absolutely delicious and really hit the spot.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2021-06-07
Guest
Mophead
Points +127
Do not miss - Edit
Make sure you stop by this little restaurant among a variety of other food venues in the Abbot Square Market, right next to the Museum of Arts and History. You order at the counter and wait a few minutes for the one person booth preparing food and taking orders to get your dishes out. The shiitake suya bowl was fabulous, as was the plantain side dish. They also have vegan cookies, including gluten free ones - though we didn’t have room.
Read moreGuest
taiwanesetexan
Points +13606
One man band - Edit
The owner had a hard time keeping up with the few customers who were there on a Tuesday night. I guess the dishes are very involved, and they taste delicious! One of my friends had the pumpkin seed stew, which came out the fastest. About 20-30 minutes of waiting was needed for the cassava fries, pepper soup, and beet & pesto salad to come out. But if you’re really peckish, you can always start with a cookie since the various flavors are prepackaged and ready to go! I also tried a friend’s peppered plantains, which were yummy. Lovely West African food that wins over non-vegans and vegans alike. Highly recommended!
Read morePros: unique cuisine, delicious dishes
Cons: slow service
Guest
SonshineEvieK
Points +233
Owner AND food AMAZING! - Edit
This is our 2nd time and this will not be our last! We want to try just about everything on the menu. The portions are big and there is great flavor without being spicy hot (we can’t do spicy). Everything is so fresh! I love being able to get sweet potatoes and collard green in a meal. And the avocado sauce is unlike anything we’ve had...so delicious!
Read morePlease be patient at this establishment! The owner works alone and he’s seriously hustling trying to serve everyone well. 😊
Pros: It’s African inspired and Black owned!, Mostly gluten free as well, Bountiful and flavorful portions!
Cons: Parking can be hard
Guest
Corona
Points +288
Love veg on the edge - Edit
I used to work across the street from this place and I went many times for lunch. I love that it’s all vegan and I can try a different item each time! One of my favorites was the black rice bowl with either the beyond sausage or tofu with a delicious sauce they put on top!
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Variety and good portions, Friendly owner
Cons: Not cheap but vegan is usually like that
Guest
ZZ25
Points +16
😋 - Edit
One of a kind - Excellent 🌿💚
Read moreGuest
nicolebarkis
Points +98
Pretty good - Edit
Pretty good food. All vegan menu. The experience left a lot to be desired- awkward staff, incorrect order, very slow for the food to come out and didn’t get everything at the same time. I understand they’re not fast food but it seemed a lot of people were unhappy with the service.
Read morePros: All vegan menu
Guest
GregoryBK
Points +26
Delicious and friendly - Edit
I couldn’t find the restaurant and had to call - a very friendly guy stepped outside and waved to me. The store is part of the market connected to the museum.
Read moreI had the ègúsí and grilled peppered plantain. Both were delicious - great flavor with an West African flair!
Pros: Vegan, Friendly , West African options
Cons: Hard to find
Guest
ArtyChoke
Points +124
Tofu Scram - Edit
Tasty, Ital vegan food in downtown Santa Cruz. It’s in a sort of food court market. Nice people behind the counter and excellent all vegan food to match the positive vibe.
Read morePros: All vegan , Nice people , Delicious
Guest
JakeCombe
Points +22
Bland and boring - Edit
30 minute wait for my single bowl and side. Came out very bland and tasteless.
Read moreGuest
grapenutsf
Points +207
So delicious... & friendly too! - Edit
Perfect. So delicious. Friendly owners cooking right there- and he filled me in on Nigeria getting more vegan friendly as everyone learns more about the impact on the planet. The food was so tasty. I got the Egusi (pumpkin seed stew) and my husband got the black rice bowl. We were both thrilled and kept switching so we could eat the other dish too! Everything's vegan, so that makes it easy too. We'll be back!
Read moreGuest
snag
Points +18
Great place. - Edit
Friendly, knowledgable staff. Great tasting food. Unique flavors you can't find anywhere else.
Read morePros: Good taste. Unique dishes.
Cons: None.
Guest
jshyng1989
Points +16
Vegan Bowls are amazing! - Edit
Had the vegan sausage black rice bowl!
Read moreGuest
MeldyLee
Points +47
Solid vegan option downtown - Edit
I’m so grateful there is a vegan option downtown. The food is healthy and the atmosphere is fun.
Read morePros: All vegan options , Serve food on real plates with real cutlery , Willing to accommodate dietary restrictions
Cons: Some dishes lack pizazz
Guest
Lovelight111
Points +38
Super yummy, Flavorful - Edit
I had the pumpkin stew and it was so goood!!!! My friend had a different dish and said his was a cacophony of flavors and he was so happy that we stopped in Santa Cruz for lunch. I definitely recommend trying this place out!
Read morePros: Vegan AND gluten free options, Travels well, Awesome owner! Great service!!!
Guest
VeganLGM
Points +16
Delicious - Edit
I've been going to Veg on the Edge about once a month since it opened in Abbot Square.
Read moreThe owner is kind and friendly. He really cares about the food and his customers.
The stews are tasty and not the same old rice and beans that allot of vegan bowls have.
It's all in the sauce :)
Pros: Unique flavors, Friendly service, Great location
Cons: Can be pricey for everyday lunch, Sometimes service is slow
Guest
ParceusP
Points +297
Cannot recommend - Edit
Sorry, but I simply cannot recommend „Veg on The Edge“. We were there at around 6:30pm while half the menu was crossed off. I would really have tried the Burger. Additionally, the food is just okay. There needs to be more spice in it.
Read moreMaybe we hit up at a bad day but from our point of view we would avoid it.
akindele_bankole@yaho
Thank you for the review you posted about our restaurant. After a very unusually busy holiday weekend, which happened to overlap with Santa Cruz's first Friday celebration, many of the vendors at Abbott Square, the market where our restaurant is located, exhausted a number of their menu items just as we did. And we greatly apologize for the inconvenience that caused during the weekend.
Read moreBy Monday, the 8th of July (2019), we restocked our inventory. I, myself opened the restaurant yesterday, Tuesday the 9th, the day you indicated you were there at 6:30pm. We had our burgers and majority of our menu items were back up, except for the potato balls.
Your disappointment is totally understandable. Although most people that visit us regularly and many that travel into town to see us, find our food delightful and tasty. Our motto of "Compassion" is also expressed to everyone, through our non-biased and non-negative messaging, that helps everyone feel welcome and not judged.
Additionally, I double-checked with the Tuesday the 9th, 6:30pm closing staff, about the availability of our products on the menu, and he confirmed the only item unavailable were the potato balls. Perhaps, the time and date indicated in your massage was from the weekend and not from Tuesday, the 9th.
I just want to be sure anyone reading your message does not assume that the menu items continued to be unavailable beyond the weekend. We remain committed to bringing quality taste to all our customers, as we serve "Compassion in every plate".
Thank you, A
Guest
BirgitA
Points +292
Schlecht! - Edit
Die Hälfte der Karte war ausverkauft, das Personal war unglaublich unfreundlich und unbemüht und das Essen vollkommen geschmacklos.
Read moreDie Wraps sollten Avocado enthalten ( die anderen Zutaten waren ausverkauft), es war keinerlei Avocado im Gericht. Außerdem war keine Sauce in den Wraps, und der Rest komplett ohne Gewürze.
Die Pommes waren ohne Salz und die Tacos absolut ungenießbar.
Grässlich, absolute Geldverschwendung! Wir sind in ein anderes Restaurant gegangen.
akindele_bankole@yaho
Dear Birgita,
Read moreI'm so sorry for the unpleasant service that you received when you stopped by our restaurant during this past weekend. It was quite unfortunate that the food did not have all the component parts and the taste ultimately suffered. The weekend was quite a very busy one, and multiple unexpected and some unannounced events contributed to the exhaustion of a number of the menu items. I feel sad that you were not able to experience more of our products, as many of them are quite popular. Hence, the running out of items.
I'm not sure if you are still in town or if you have left back to Germany. However, it you are still in town, I would be delighted to treat you and your guest to a beautiful meal on us. Please do let me know if you're still around.
Thank you very much, Akindele
Guest
norarich
Points +28
All in all great experience - Edit
Tasty food!! Would totally eat here again. I got the veggie tacos and they were not too heavy or too light, just perfect. Also the employee was very kind. Highly recommend!
Read moreGuest
sofiadrogo
Points +11
Delicious! - Edit
We ordered the spicy sausage, black bean wrap, stew, and beet salad, and loved it all! You can tell the ingredients are high quality, and the recipes are very unique. The owner is so passionate about his restaurant, and such a wonderful person. If we return to California we’ll definitely be back for seconds!
Read morePros: Unique menu, Good prices, Nice location
Guest
NathanielRhett
Points +373
The potato balls! - Edit
Those little potato balls are so insanely good. I’ve had a few things here were pretty good. Nothing spectacular but I’ve definitely had worse vegan food.
Read moreGuest
TiffanyWorthington
Points +136
We love Veg On The Edge! - Edit
Everything I’ve had is healthy and yet rich and tasty! Very creative and different than you’d get anywhere else with its African twist. I love that its indoor-outdoor seating, there is often entertainment like a band in the evening. It is affiliated with the Museum Of Art & History (MAH) which has expanded to become hugely successful and a desirable place to wander in afterward with your drink and spend 15 minutes or a couple of hours taking in the local creativity! Awesome! So glad we can walk here from our home now, YAY!
Read morePros: All VEGAN! Creative owner, Akindele Bankole! , Very friendly , Fun downtown location
Guest
vegandoug
Points +346
Had hoped it would be better - Edit
The online Yelp looked good but were disappointed with the food. Thai peanut wrap was bland and dry. Temphe was also flavorless. Fries were well cooked but unsure if this is the norm or they were reheated old fries. Fries were also a bit oily in the bowl. Last, they were out of burgers which was my first choice
Read morePros: Good potential
Cons: Need to ask for sauce
Guest
MandrillusSphinx
Points +301
Really nice staff good food - Edit
It’s conveniently downtown in a food court next to lots of parking.
Read morePros: Lots of options, The bowls were nice
Cons: Burger was cold but everything else was on point
Guest
ScottReutter
Points +253
Yummy burrito - Edit
I checked this place out after completing a half Ironman triathlon so obviously I was very hungry! I got the burrito and the fries and both were very tasty. They came with a few sauces on the side which were very good too. Next time I’m in town I’ll definitely come back!
Read moreGuest
KaterinaFox
Points +826
Food that Keeps You on the EDGE of Your Seat - Edit
I was really happy to see a vegan restaurant so close to the beach. My biggest complaints were that the portions were pretty small and it was a little pricey. The atmosphere was a little weird, think mall food court (although this food court was much cleaner), with shared eating in the middle and restaurants around the walls. That being said, the food was really good and the staff was very friendly. I really enjoyed these African inspired dishes.
Read morePros: 100% vegan, African inspired
Cons: pricey, small portions, weird atmosphere
Guest
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