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Los Angeles vegan restaurant named best in the nation by Yelp

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Los Angeles vegan restaurant named best in the nation by Yelp

Perhaps no city in the U.S. has the abundance and demand for vegan cuisine like Los Angeles.

So it’s probably not surprising to see that the top ranked vegan restaurant in the entire country can be found in the L.A. area.

Yelp, the global online repository for business reviews and customer service watchdogs, has released its Top 100 list of the nation’s best vegan restaurants, and not only are three of the top 10 in the greater Los Angeles area, but No. 1 is right in the South Bay.

According to Yelp, the best vegan restaurant in America is lil’ Vegerie in Redondo Beach.

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The restaurant offers bowls, salads and juices that even the most committed carnivore would enjoy, according to Yelp. Opened in 2022 by chef and “former vegan skeptic” Jason Cervantes, lil’ Vegerie was founded with the mission to make vegan food “quick, clean, and delicious.”

Yelpers have praised the restaurant’s clean, wholesome menu and its robust flavors. One reviewer even said they would put lil’ Vegerie’s “Philly Cheesesteak bowl” against any other steak sandwich in the area and expect it to hold its own.

If you’re an avid Yelp user and the restaurant name sounds familiar, lil’ Vegerie was also named the No. 1 place to eat in Los Angeles in Yelp’s 2023 rankings.

“I’m not trying to make anyone vegan,” Cervantes said. “I’m showing people that this food can taste good.”

But Cervantes’ restaurant isn’t the only one making waves in L.A.; Hey, Sunshine Kitchen in Culver City came in at the No. 4 spot on the Yelp list.

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The Culver City vegan joint was opened last year by siblings Heather Golden Ray and Jenny Engel. The restaurant was also crowned No. 1 in Yelp’s 25 hot & new women-owned restaurants 2024 list.

Popular items at Hey, Sunshine include jackfruit carnitas tacos and a Mediterranean Chickpea patty sandwich, but Yelpers rave the most about the restaurants warm bowls, including vegan “beef” crumble and barbecue tofu.

“I am a major omnivore, but you wouldn’t miss the meat here,” one reviewer wrote of Hey, Sunshine.

Venture a little further south and you’ll stumble upon another of the Top 10 best vegan restaurant in the U.S.

Located in Garden Grove in Orange County, Yelp’s No. 7 vegan restaurant is Vegan Stops.

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Unlike many vegan restaurants, Vegan Stops doesn’t make mock meats or “fast-food dupes.” Instead, the restaurant crafts authentic Mediterranean dishes from the family’s Syrian roots.

Mohammad Takwa owns the restaurant and his stepmother is in charge of the kitchen. The menu is crafted with special care, Yelp said, with special attention placed on the veggies, legumes and healthy oils used.

Menu highlights include a roasted cauliflower dish drizzled with tahini sauce and a trio of bulgur pilafs topped with veggies like green peppers, sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions.

Yelpers also praised the pasta, which reheats well if you have leftovers.

In total, nine California vegan restaurants made it in Yelp’s Top 100 list.

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The California restaurants that made the cut are below:

Rank Restaurant Name City
1 lil’ Vegerie Redondo Beach
4 Hey, Sunshine Kitchen Culver City
7 Vegan Stops Garden Grove
13 Thanh Tinh Chay San Diego
22 BeeWali’s Vegan AF Los Angeles
35 Chef Tanya’s Kitchen Palm Springs
38 Veg & Go Plant-Based Fast Food Riverside
45 Variable Cafe Los Angeles
51 Hijo de su Madre Los Angeles

For the complete list of America’s best vegan restaurants, according to Yelp, click here.

Los Angeles, Ca

Man found guilty of sex trafficking victim along L.A.’s Figueroa Corridor

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Man found guilty of sex trafficking victim along L.A.’s Figueroa Corridor

A former Riverside County man was found guilty of sex trafficking a female victim and forcing her to engage in commercial sex acts along L.A.’s notorious Figueroa Corridor.

Elias Abdul Shabazz, 34, formerly of Perris, was found guilty by a jury following a five-day trial, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Prosecutors said Shabazz had led the victim to believe they were in a romantic relationship before he turned physically and sexually violent. He began demanding that the victim engage in commercial sex acts from May to October of 2021, court documents said.

He carried a handgun with him and, on occasion, was accused of using it to pistol-whip the victim. He also fired the gun at her feet while threatening to kill her, prosecutors said.

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At trial, the victim said Shabazz demanded that she meet a daily quota of commercial sex proceeds and that she was terrified of the consequences of not meeting that quota. 

She testified that Shabazz compelled her to work in the notorious Figueroa Corridor in South L.A., a dangerous area known for human trafficking and prostitution.

Shabazz had confiscated her identification card, Social Security card and birth certificate. He constantly monitored her cell phone to stop her from communicating with any friends or family.

“He also introduced her to addictive narcotics and controlled every aspect of her life, including when she ate, slept and showered,” prosecutors said.

In May 2025, Shabazz was arrested and has remained in federal custody. His last known address at the time was in Washington, D.C.

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On June 26, 2026, Shabazz was found guilty of one count of coercing or enticing interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 6, where he faces 15 years to life in prison.

“Sex trafficking matters rank among the most tragic cases our office prosecutes,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “This defendant will now face many years in a federal prison cell for his sick, disgusting, and disturbing behavior.”

“Elias Shabazz preyed on a vulnerable victim using physical and sexual violence and cruel psychological coercion to compel commercial sex acts for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “There is no place for this type of conduct in civilized society. We deeply respect the victim’s courage to face her trafficker in court. The Criminal Division will continue to bring these cases and try them.”

Anyone with information about human trafficking can report tips to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888

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Los Angeles, Ca

Watch Project Angel Food's 'Lead with Love' telethon on KTLA

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Watch Project Angel Food's 'Lead with Love' telethon on KTLA

The star-studded feel-good giveback event of the summer has returned. KTLA 5 is teaming up once again with Project Angel Food for the annual “Lead with Love: Going the Distance” telethon to raise critical funds for medically tailored meals delivered to people living with serious illnesses throughout Los Angeles County. The seventh annual telethon airs […]

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Los Angeles, Ca

Woman ambushed, violently attacked by robber in downtown Long Beach

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Woman ambushed, violently attacked by robber in downtown Long Beach

A woman was hospitalized with serious injuries after she was violently attacked by a robber in downtown Long Beach. On June 18, Jennifer Silva, 34, was attending a World Cup watch party at a Hooters restaurant at 90 Aquarium Way. After the game ended, she left the restaurant just before 11 p.m. As she walked […]

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