BESTIES Vegan Paradise - Los Angeles, California

Hay

Firstly, the fact that they accept EBT is amazing. The food is okay. The ice cream is good. I would recommend getting toppings because the plain could taste well plain. The chili cheese fries could use salt. Mozzarella sticks taste a bit healthy but aren’t bad. The hotdog was good but oddly hard. Overall, it’s a cool spot, and the food is decent. They are also pretty close to public transportation, so that’s cool.

Brett C.

Besties is truly a vegan paradise carrying all manner of plant-made goodness. From their jerky & chocolate wall to refrigerated and frozen delicacies not found anywhere else. They also offer fresh made foods most days and always serving amazing vegan soft serve. Do yourself a favor of flavor and pay them a visit soon!

Meg

Besties has the finest curated selection of vegan products that I’ve ever seen, especially for cheese. I’m also a fan of the pierogis, I got a very tasty pecan pie there for Thanksgiving, the vegan caviar is very tasty and worked well with the Thanksgiving cheeseboard I made, the cheeses also provided via Besties.

The owner and staff seem like genuine down to earth people. I will always return when I feel like splurging a little on some high quality vegan products.

Rick

I've lived around the corner from Besties since they opened. This shop and it's owners have done nothing but give back to the community and make being vegan so accessible and easy. They are fair, just and always fight for what's right. The owners have also been absolutely incredible to me and everyone in the neighborhood. It saddens me that a corporate company PAID people to write one star reviews after being exposed for exploiting them. That same company refuses to take accountability and is deleting comments from people calling them out on their social media so they can maintain their "image". Don't forget, people. Corporate entities will always be evil. Shop LOCAL. Shop BESTIES.

dave G.

This is such a special place and LA is so lucky to have them be part of the community.

They’re largely a carefully curated specialty shop of obscure vegan versions of nearly everything one’s heart could desire, but also very much like a vegan 7-Eleven. It’s a really welcoming spot to hang out at either way. They take EBT and are constantly offering free or extremely cheap specials that keep me coming there at least once or twice a week. As a homeless vegan, it’s very cool to know I can come here and get something warm for $6, or some free soft serve, or use food stamps for a snack I can’t find at any other corner store.

Everyone working there is really nice and you can just tell their hearts are firmly invested in this project for all the right reasons.

Adriana P.

So glad to have found this place. The selection is awesome, the vibes are awesome, the food is fire- had the hot dog, the korean chicken and the tuna sub, and the cookie - my partner and I were super impressed. This will be our new go-to spot. Thanks Matt for welcoming us, for helping us out with all our questions and giving so many great recommendations. Grateful to have this place in our city!

Michael H.

Plant-Based Calamari Ring Sandwich / 5⭐!

Besties Vegan Paradise 100% lives up to the paradise moniker.

It is the most impressive, entirely vegan market I have ever visited and it is super close to my house! The amount of choices in every grocery category you can imagine is staggering. A few years ago I had a bit of a health scare and was given the option to change diet or go on pills. I chose to change my diet and have since focused on finding more vegan and vegetarian options (full disclaimer, I am not 100% vegan/vegetarian but I'm trying, especially at home).

Luckily, living in health conscious LA makes that task easier but it can still be tricky. Discovering Besties close to my house was like winning the vegan lottery. They have a lovely, colorful store with shelves packed with unique, vegan items you can't find anywhere else. The bold blue colors mixed with the classic market signage and the fully stocked appealing shelves full of all kinds of goodies really makes Besties stand out.

One aspect of Besties I really enjoyed is they have an impressive deli counter that also serves hot food like hot dogs and fish sandwiches as well as treats like soft serve ice cream. They also have a huge selection of deli sliced vegan meats and cheeses but if you want a treat or a snack while you shop, they have you covered.

I had an amazing calamari ring fish sandwich. The bread was soft. The calamari was chewy and crispy. The tartar sauce topping was tart, tangy and paired well with the sandwich. They host vegan pop-ups so check their social media and find out when those are happening.

Everyone I talked to was friendly and helpful. There was also a sense of pride in their market. They have won an award for being the best vegan market multiple years and it clearly shows. I don't think they have parking and street parking is a bit tricky but don't let that stop you from trying them out!

Marsha M.

Great local vegan shop. The selection is fantastic. It really covers everything from basic pantry style staples to treats savory and sweet, a huge selection of marshmallows and frozen ingredients, meals and desserts. There's also a selection of beauty and personal products, and some home goods, candles, crystal lamps.