Cafe Gratitude

I… am…loving…this…place!!! This is hands down my favorite restaurant. I love it, my kids love it. It is located in the Arts District in LA, and though it seems like it has a small parking lot, I’ve never had any issues. Ok, about the food– Exquisite. Perfect. Delicious. Healthy. Plant-​based. The menu has a great variety of meals, shakes, and great desserts. I usually get the «I Am Whole» Microbiotic bowl. My kids make fun because I always tend to get this, though I’ve tried some of their other meals. It’s sooo good. I ask for avocado as well (which yes, they do charge extra), and it’s worth it.
The staff is always pleasant. They always ask you if you’d like to hear the question of the day, which is usually something that sparks up a sense of positive vibes.
If you are in the area, or even if you’re not-it’s worth the drive. Highly, highly, highly recommend this favorite restaurant of mine…

DO NOT GO HERE. We went here on a string of restaurants for DineLA but was the worst experience. The server we got was the WORST. Her name was Kristen S. for those who want to avoid a disaster of an experience!
First she didn’t understand their own DineLA menu — the staff need to get on the same page… You pick 2 out of 6 items as instructed (4 plates, 1 specialty drink and/​or 1 dessert). We picked 2 dishes and ordered a matcha latte and another drink (omitting the drink and dessert) — but she decides to discard our drink order and bring us the DineLA special drinks instead… We finished our food and she brings dessert…
The surprise came when we got the bill — turns out she charged us for each individual plate and the bill was a whopping $ 90-​something! Mind you the DineLA lunch is supposed to be $ 15. We addressed this and she went to correct it and came back. She dropped the bill off and scurried off. She still charged us for the drink and dessert — ones that we didn’t order in the first place. At that point we were fuming but had tickets to the Broad and didn’t want to miss our slot so took off. We didn’t have time or patience to deal with the stupidity and lack of accountability of the waitress Kristen S. DO NOT GO HERE. I sure won’t be returning and I rarely feel this strongly so.

As far as food choices and preferences go, mine are about as crunchy granola as it gets – which is why my friends were especially surprised that it has taken me this long to step foot into Café Gratitude…
Well, if you had to ask me, I’d say that the delay was in large part due to the fact that I may have been living in a state of denial, refusing to admit to the crunchy-​granola-​ness of my preferences. I just didn’t want to be placed into the I-​eat-​at-​Café-​Gratitude-​and-​I-​love-​it box. I refused to fit yet another LA stereotype. With that being said, I ate at Café Gratitude, and unfortunately, I loved it.
I went with a dear friend for lunch on a Friday, and naturally, as hangry girls tend to do, we ordered up a storm. Though everything sounded beyond appetizing, we reassured ourselves that this would be the first of many visits, and narrowed down our choices to Pure (the Asian, kale, and sea vegetable salad), Humble (the Indian curry bowl), and celebrating (the collard spring rolls).
The collard spring rolls were the first to arrive and let me just say that these little babies were redefining what it meant to be «fresh to death». The avocado, daikon, and pickled filling provided such a beautiful contrast of flavors and textures. And the dipping sauces… UMF! The almond dipping sauces was the most beautiful raw and vegan ode to Asia. YASSS! Yes my little raw vegan burrito – yes.
Next up? The kale and sea vegetable salad with the sesame wasabi and garlic tahini dressing. What an absolute treat! I consider myself a textural snob, and thanks to the assortment of sea vegetables, this salad definitely didn’t disappoint. And don’t you even dare think that I forgot about the teriyaki almonds. Fantastic flavors and textures – it makes for a great accompanying dish, but as a main entrée, it’s a bit too light for my hangry tastes.
The Indian curry bowl was by far the heaviest and most fulfilling of the three dishes. Now, I’m not usually the biggest fan of grain bowls… Only because rather than focus on each individual component of the bowl, most joints rely on the grain bowl concept as a whole to do the selling. This usually results in underwhelming components, and ultimately a satisfactory rather than stellar end product. The humble bowl was the grain bowl exception with the rather contradictory name – the bowl and its flavors were anything but humble. It was such an absolute flavor bomb with the tomato jam and mint chutney definitely stealing the show. Heavy and as hearty as plant-​based vegan could and should ever get.
I’ll beat you to the punch and say what you’re all thinking, and I could care less. With food this fantastic, I’ll own up to any and every LA stereotype in the book. I have no shame. Take note world – I eat at Café Gratitude (and I hope to continue to) and I love it.

Came here for Dine LA during their lunch hours and I must say, this is a very cute and trendy place.
I ordered their I Am Humble (indian curry quinoa/​brown rice bowl and added avocado. Super delicious and flavorful! I would like to come back here and try other things on their menu.

The food was pretty good, and the staff seemed friendly but I would not recommend coming here if you’re at all wanting to do anything else for the evening. We made reservations just in case, were seated immediately, and somehow the service ended up being incredibly slow. Two hours later we are just now getting the check after asking for things multiple times. Couples cycled in and out entirely before we were helped multiple times. Not ending feeling «grateful».
Updated: the food looked lovely as presented, but it ended up giving my companion food poisoning or something equivalent. We are both already vegan, so it doesn’t seem like our bodies ought to react to anything consumed there abnormally.

I was so surprised at the amazing flavors in every dish! Went here for Dine LA and their lunch menu was excellent. Can’t remember the names as they were a bit weird, but one was a kale and quinoa bowl with tempeh tofu and avocado and a Reuben sandwich. Very delicious and flavorful! I may go back tomorrow!

I was too late to get dinner with my friends (stupid LA traffic…) but I did make it in time for dessert! I got the «sensational» — fuyu persimmon pudding with a gluten free pastry, almond buttermilk, coconut cashew cream, and cashew coconut ice cream. Vegan /​gluten free food isn’t really my thing, but this was delicious and I honestly couldn’t tell that it was gluten free. I found myself scraping at the cup to eat every last crumb. Can’t say I tasted the persimmon flavor though. The vibe of the restaurant is also very cute and so LA with all of the quotes and stuff about gratitude. You can’t really be in a bad mood in there. There’s free parking too, which is a huge plus :)

Mixed feelings about this place.
First of all the location is great. Right in the center of the arts district in DTLA. Free 2 hour parking with validation. The inside of this place is super modern and hip. Total hipster ambiance.
Staff… I can only base my review on the girl who helped me at the register. She also made my coffee. I asked her if she the cinnamon roll was gluten free and she rudely said «yeah all of our pastries are gluten free» like I’m supposed to know that. It was my first time there. :(
She was also very snobby to my friend when she asked if there was real bacon on the non dairy donut with «maple bacon» on top. She said «no, we are a vegan/​gluten free» the way she said it made my friend feel «dumb» in her words.
Our pastries were great though I can’t complain there. My cinnamon roll was beyond amazing. Considering it was vegan and gluten free I still enjoyed it very much.
I also tried the flourless, non dairy, gluten free maple bacon donut. The bacon was actually made out of coconut. Surprisingly this was also very good.
To drink I had the light which is a latte with almond milk. First time having coffee with almond milk. Definitely a taste to acquire a crave for.
Pricing is just like any other café. For a latte and pastry I paid around $ 10. Pretty good.
There’s also a wall full of overpriced merchandise. All the merchandise of course is organic, natural and eco friendly I guess. You know «hipster approved» ;)
I’ll probably be back to try more gluten free pastries. Oh yeah I also love all the words of motivation on the cups and boxes to go.

Wow. Was just here for DineLA and everything was fantastic!
First off, seriously the DineLA menu is FILLING. This is not one of those places where they give you small servings at all! My friend and I each finished one appetizer, boxed the entrée, had dessert, and finished our 1 drink each and we were *stuffed to the brim* with food and lunch for tomorrow!
Since you get a choice of 2 for each set, I recommend that you bring a friend so you can order the whole DineLA menu and share! Everything was super delicious, but let me break down some of the things that I loved:
–I am confident: Loved this whole thing. The cauliflower steak was just the perfect amount of cooked, with still some crunch to it, and the sun-​dried tomato and olive tapenade was so flavorful!
–I am present: Do savor that golden balsamic reduction on the salad; it is exquisite! Just the right amount of sweet and tart!
–I am devoted: Take a good spoonful of that shiitake gravy with your lentil and butternut squash loaf because it is good.
–I am warm-​hearted: The flavors in this polenta are all around yum — all at once light and creamy. I say you don’t need to order the extra basil hempseed pesto because it is so complete without it, but if you do, it’s still super heavenly.
–I am sensational: This. This right here was just *bomb*. Warm and gooey on the inside and crunchy and chewy on the edges. And what is that familiar and yet elusive taste? It was like caramel-​banana-​coconut-​cream of corn? Just absolutely, downright delicious. That’s all you need to know, just definitely order it!
–I am surrendering: *Very* decadent. So much deep chocolate/​cacao, espresso taste. Good, but I do think the brownie definitely over-​powered the cashew ice cream, which was oh-​so-​light.
This was *so* worth DineLA, and I’m definitely coming back even when it’s not!
Service was excellent. I’ve been to the Berkeley branch (now closed – so sad!) and this is definitely more luxe than its NorCal version, but I like it! Love the vibe and how they have those thought-​provoking questions of the day.
Parking in the lot right next to it is free with validation!

If you want proof that an organic, plant based diet can be flavorful and filling… go to Café Gratitude.
My friend and I came here for lunch during L.A. Restaurant Week ($ 15 dollars for 2 items off the RW menu) and fell in love with the food and the atmosphere. The restaurant is so welcoming; from the staff to the décor everything made you want to be there and the delicious food will have you coming back.
We ordered off the RW menu and had:
I am… ECSTATIC: roasted brussel sprouts
I am… CELEBRATING: collard greens spring rolls
I am… ACCEPTING: sushi bowl with tempeh
I am… LOVELY: peach cobbler
My favorite items were the ACCEPTING and the LOVELY. Café Grattiude’s plant based sushi bowl was so flavorful and filling; they definietly got the sushi taste into the dish without the fish… crazy! Also it was my first introduction to tempeh and I LOVED it. The glutten-​free peach cobbler was also so good… I especially appreciated the cashew based ice-​cream since I am trying to stay away from dairy.
So glad I was introduced to Café Gratitude during RW and will be back to try other food items!

Café Gratitude has been on my list since their first larchmont soft opening half a decade ago. The entire concept of love and sensibility really drew me in. Next to Native foods, CG has a solid place in my heart for delicious vegan food. They have this creative mantra of ordering by starting with «I AM»… [insert name of dish].
Today,
I AM… Whole (bowl): warm, nutty, and hearty braised butternut squash, seasoned sauteed greens, housemade kimchee, black sesame seed gomasio, garlic-​tahini sauce, terriyaki almonds, sunflower sprouts, and quinoa. Also known as the macrobiotic bowl.
One may believe 15 is a hefty price for a bowl of veggies, and although I agree, I also relish the fact that I and my girls were completely full (spiritually and physically). Eating clean and feeling satiated is surely an enlightening and enjoyable experience. This content delightfulness may be a placebo effect, but It’s one I’d willingly accept. Thanks CG for making my girls’ day brighter, balanced, and full of gratitude!
Food for thought with Café Gratitude’s awesome vision on clean eating:
«Eating clean is easy and furthermore, is a tangible and enjoyable lifestyle that promotes one’s vitality, health and well-​being. It restores both the mind and body not only through what we consume, but through love, acceptance, gratitude, worth, creation, abundance and generosity.»

Delicious lunch (5 stars)
Came on a whim.
Got here in no time on a Sunday afternoon.
Easy parking
Got a table right away
Got wine and beer
Liked the kale chips and dip
Got Humble Bowl with quinoa
Got Awesome Sandwich
Both were fuckingly delicious
Got Irresistible coconut pie
I am definitely coming back.
I am not vegan!
I eat pork and beef.
I love this joint!

This is the second vegan/​vegetarian restaurant I’ve ever been to and my oh my, who knew eating vegetarian tasted so good?
They won me over before I even arrived by offering a private parking lot with free validated 2 hour parking. Thank you for taking the stress out of parking in LA.
The atmosphere and service were wonderful. The interior is decorated in an earthy/​nature-​y touch with large windows and a brightly lit room. There’s plentiful seating and great vegan/​vegetarian options on their menu. Our waitress also started my group of 3 with an adorable question of the day — «Who do you love?»
I ordered the Awesome (eggplant parmesan panini) that comes with a side of mixed green. It absolutely hit the spot. The eggplant was coated in crispy cornmeal and was soft (but not mushy) on the inside. The marinara was a great sauce to pair, and I loved the extra nutty kick from the arugula. The amaranth and millet bun was also extraordinary. Note that a lot of Unilocal pictures show that the Awesome comes with a side of sweet potato fries — they changed their menu so it now comes with mixed greens instead (also delicious). Finally to those who don’t think vegetarian food is filling, I have a huge appetite and even I was stuffed.
Highly recommended!

Absolutely love this place!!!
The warmth and love in the food and service makes you leave feeling really whole
I absolutely love that they have wifi!
Another bonus is the parking!
Quick service
Definitely found my new favorites
1. Highly recommend I am whole — macrobiotic bowl that had the most delicious kale with so many clean wholesome bursts of flavor.
2. I am humble! I love the Indian flavored with the sweet and spicy chutneys the pairing works so beautifully together with the yams it’s an absolute must try especially if you like lentils
Question of the day is always so contemplative
Makes me want to become vegan

I absolutely love café gratitude! I eat here 2 – 4 times a week and it does not get old. I get A1 service from the staff (with the exception of one female server with pink hair who is CONSISTENTLY horrible and I can’t figure out why she even works here).
I would recommend the sour dough French toast for breakfast which artfully pairs sweet with savory. The mucho bowl is also a great option any time of day!

Been to this location twice now! If you come at night, it’s a little hidden but there’s a spacious parking lot to help mark it.
Beautiful décor & larger space than the Larchmont location. Also, since it’s newer, the servers here are more diligent about the «affirmations» (You are Humble! If you ordered the «Humble» and such.)
I usually get the following but, you really can’t go wrong with ANY dish at Café Gratitude:
*DYNAMIC (yam cauliflower samosa chaat — two whole wheat samosas, roasted garnet yam and cauliflower filling, kale, chana masala, tomato, housemade bengali garam masala, coconut mint chutney, spicy tomato jam): I love Samosas and I love Café Gratitude’s version of it. I’m amazed by how «buttery» the crust is — tastes baked as opposed t deep-​fried. The samosas sit sit on a bed of lentils so it’s super filling! It is a tad spicy but love the kick.
*PURE (asian kale & sea vegetable salad — shaved kale, avocado, sea palm, nori, cucumber,
carrots, cilantro, basil, green onions, teriyaki almonds, sesame wasabi and garlic tahini dressing): This salad is super refreshing — a little tangy with lots of flavor!
*HUMBLE (indian curry bowl — curried red lentil dal, spinach, roasted garnet yams,
coconut mint chutney, spicy tomato jam, chopped scallions, sprouted probiotic brown rice or quinoa): So hearty and tasty. Love the slight sweetness from the chutney/​jam. I always get half brown rice, half quinoa!
*SWEET housemade chocolate sampler 11(choose any three of our chocolate selection) — these rotate but I LOVE the Almond Butter Cup! I’ve also had the Chocolate Pistachio & Brazil Nut Ganache. If you got a piece of chocolate alone, it’s $ 5! So 3 for $ 11 is obviously a better deal!

I was feeling AWESOME and BLESSED today when I had touched down to this adorable lil vegan joint for lunch. The place feels very chilled and serene — so relaxing! It’s in the same plaza as EdiBOLS, and it has a free parking lot (or you can street park for free too).
I got the ($ 15) AWESOME eggplant parmesan panini, which consists of an herb-​cornmeal crusted eggplant, grilled gluten-​free amaranth and millet bun, marinara sauce, cashew, ricotta, tomatoes, Brazilian nut, parmesan, arugula, basil with a side of mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette. I love how the eggplant itself tastes like a yummy, faux hamburger patty. It was thick and tender. The bun itself was soft and chewy, thank goodness not hard! Though I will say, this Panini is a bit messy with all the marinara sauce and so you’ll be wiping your mouth a lot in between bites, lol! Overall, I dig this meal — I full and alert, and stayed fulled up until my 3:15pm work break, lol
I also got the ($ 9) BLESSED spritzer, which is homemade green lemonade consisting of kale, cucumber, celery, lemon, agave, sparkling water and mint. It was cool and refreshing, especially for a hot day in DTLA and best of all, it’s a non-​alcoholic version of a mojito, yay!
Service here is sweet and attentive, and they allow you to enjoy your meal without feeling rushed. I have eaten at the Larchmont location, but I didn’t like the atmosphere over there. The staff is nice over there, but you do feel rushed. Over here, it’s so serene and chilled. I rather come here from now on.
The presentation for the drink and food itself is gorgeous and of course, their infamous slogan — what are you grateful for? It was delicious and fulfilling. Usually, I’m not a fan of vegan joint since I’m a lil worried that I’ll be hungry again. However, this place left me filled and happy, yay! Would I come back? You bet!

We were looking for a place other than The Pie Hole in the Arts District for coffee/​tea and desert after dinner. Urth Caffe was too busy as usual and parking was horrible. Figured, we’d try something new and different. I’m usually disappointed with most vegan restaurants but gambled on Café Gratitude.
The interior is very appealing and homely. Interior is something you’d find in a Pottery Barn catalog. The hostess and waitress here are friendly with a smile and look like they came from yoga class. All dishes here are made at the restaurant. 100% organic plant based food served here. There’s no processed food.
We came for a green tea latte and ice coffee. Both were pretty good. Latte is matcha powder, almond milk and honey. Wish the latte was served hotter. The iced coffee is cold brewed. For dessert, we tried the Irresistible Coconut Cream Pie. It’s made of coconut custard, dark chocolate swirl, and a date crust. This dessert is raw and agave free. Not a bad dessert, not great either. Since it’s vegan, it’s better than average that I’ve had before.
Not a bad place to try if you want something healthy. Otherwise, go pig out somewhere else.

The Café Gratitude in Arts District hasn’t been opened for too long! There’s the one in Venice & another one in Larchmont. When this one opened I had to try it since it’s the closest one to me. Parking isn’t street parking. There’s a decent sized lot with lots of parking for Café Gratitude diners. I love how it’s not street parking which is rare for LA. Also, it’s free parking too which is another bonus :)
Going in, there’s always a server that’s ready to seat you whenever you want. There’s outdoor seating as well as indoor. I’ve been here twice and I always sat indoors. The seating is super cute and hipster. The tables, chairs, décor & interior design of this place is on point. They give napkin towels, which makes it a bit more fancy. The water jug is also super cute!
Macrobiotic Bowl — $ 15
This is really really delicious. It’s a big bowl filled with veggies, kimchi, black beans, sweet potatoes, sprouts, toasted almonds, quinoa/​rice and your choice of dressing. It’s so delicious and filling! Lots of veggies in this bowl. So healthy & yummy!
Food — I love all the options on this menu. It’s a great place for vegetarians and those who are trying to eat clean (which is me). It may not be the ideal place for body builders or guys because there’s no meat. It’s a place for girls who like to eat brunch & catch up on a nice afternoon or morning! There’s also a to-​go counter where you can buy pastries, donuts or other sweets to go! They all look so delicious. You might need to buy some to go if you went to take a look.
Seating — Many tables for 2 and 4 available. There’s also larger tables for groups and families. Round tables for 6 – 8 and long tables for 10 – 12 people as well. There’s also a bar on the right side of the restaurant when you enter through the doors.
Ambiance/​décor — all just perfect. TOO CUTE. The bowls and plates are also super cute because it says «What are you grateful for?» on the sides of the bottom of the plate/​bowl. The windows also say things like «I am grateful, I am compassionate, I am … etc».
Price — The price might be on the higher end but the quality & selection of the food proves that it’s worth it!
This is my favorite brunch place in LA so far!

Located in the Arts District next to a few shabby looking apartment buildings, Café Gratitude brings something new and different with its focus on healthy eating, positive and friendly vibes, and unique menu names. And a huge plus is that it offers free parking in its own lot! Not having to prowl for parking in LA is a definite plus in my book.
The first think I noticed when I noticed Café Gratitude was its very modern-​looking storefront. There are a ton of open windows as well as an outdoor patio area off to the side of the restaurant. Upon walking inside, I was taken away by the brightness and airiness of the restaurant itself. Everything was very pristine and white — very clean and precise — with tasteful decorations framing the restaurant. Imagine pretty much all white table and chair furniture with plants in the alcoves and white twinkling lights overhead. I would think just sitting in this place would give you brain power or would help get your creative juices flowing if you’re using the free Wi-​Fi to do some work.
So Café Gratitude is an all vegan restaurant that uses only the best and freshest ingredients. At the top of the menu, it states «I AM…» and the menu names that follow are positive adjectives that really make you think as you order — at least it did for me. All of the food items were so colorful and pretty that I forgot I wasn’t even eating any meat!
«I AM…»
Thriving: I took a few sips of their special cooked soup of the day. It was really warm and filling, but for $ 8, I probably wouldn’t order it again. It wasn’t that special to me.
Fortified: I was convinced because of the sautéed vegetables! This is packed with market autumn veggies and your choice of rice or quinoa with your choice of sauce. I believe I picked the garlic tahini, which was recommended by our server. I loved this bowl! It had a lot of vegetables in it, and with the graininess of the quinoa, and the zing from the sauce, I thought it was amazing!
Humble: My friends really liked this dish, and I could see why. It’s an Indian curry bowl, but had no presence of meat whatsoever. Instead, there was lentil, spinach, yams, chutney, and rice or quinoa. Again, the sauce — sweet tamarind sauce — really brought the whole bowl together. It was really good!
Extraordinary: A house BLT that includes coconut bacon, romaine, tomato, avocado, and a chipotle cashew aioli with a side of spicy coleslaw. I liked the sandwich, but wasn’t a big fan of it. I think the flavors weren’t as bold as the Whole or Humble.
Grateful: A community bowl in which Café Gratitude donates $ 1 for every bowl sold. It contains kale, black beans, garlic tahini sauce, and your choice of probiotic brown rice or quinoa. This was pretty tasty. If you like black beans, I think you’ll be okay with this bowl. However, I preferred the Fortified because it had lots more vegetables inside.
Hearty: Raw Hawaiian pizza with fresh pineapple, sun-​dried tomatoes, olives, avocado, cashew mozzarella, onion sunflower crust, and more. (There are so many ingredients for each item!) I thought this was pretty good for a vegan pizza. Taste was there and I liked the toppings on top of the pizza. However, for $ 15, meh, I don’t know if I’d order it again.
I also have heard great things about their pressed juices — $ 9 each, they better be good! They have a bakery section off to the side as well. My
tl;dr — A very good experience at my first vegan café! The service was good and our servers were friendly and engaging as they patiently waited for our party to order — giving us suggestions and answering all our questions. Food is quite pricey, so I would recommend going family style and sharing so you can taste as many dishes as you possibly can. I love the concept of Café Gratitude — each bowl asks «What are you grateful for?» which definitely reminds you to keep a positive mindset as you leave for your day.