Holy **** this place is a hidden gem! A vegetarian paradise. If you like fake meats and have always wanted to try cooking or buying various snacks this place is for you! They have frozen fake meats, and ones that are non-frozen as well that can be cooked. Various snacks and sauces. The workers are extremely friendly and walk you through the 200 various products they have. Fun fact: they source some of the fake meats for shizen in SF, world famous vegan sushi restaurant. Check this store out! read more

Need vegetarian and vegan items? They have it! I love the tofu skins and good array of sauces

Great hidden treasure, friendly helpful staff. I always find a new plant based meats! My favorite is the GlutenFree Chicken drums They also sell their products at Berkeley Bowl and Rainbow Grocery read more

Sick vegetarian offerings. Good prices. Best fake meat that you can buy. Staff is helpful. Great place to stock up.

Layonna is such a gem of Chinatown. I wish I knew of it sooner. The staff (and other shoppers there as I found out) are incredibly helpful and kind. The variety of vegetarian products is amazing. From a wide variety of Chinese / East Asian condiments and groceries to an amazing selection of prepared faux meat proteins - and all vegetarian. It's incredible. And a lot to offer in bulk too. One note - cash only unless you are spending more than $20 on groceries. Just a heads up. read more

Layonna's - Some of their rehydrated shredded soy fried up at home - Health Markets Near Me - Oakland, California

Layonna Vegetarian Health Food Market isn't really a natural food store, but a vegan butcher's shop that specializes in vegan faux mock meats. If you are looking for a Natural Food Store head to Sprouts further up Broadway or the Whole Foods near Lake Merritt. Layonna Vegetarian Health Food Market has an eclectic array of vegan mock meats & to my knowledge were all labeled clearly vegan. Most are made in Taiwan it seems. The most unusual mock meat was Vegan Beef Tendon. Special kudos for the bulk section of mock meats. I love making a large pot of vegan stew every week in my slow cooker & feel that using the bulk section here would be great to "beef" up my vegan stew a bit w/ some Vegan Beef Tendon or Vegan Shrimp or Vegan Scallops. Of course would focus my stew as always on dried beans & heaps of veggies yet the addition of some mock meats found here would keep it interesting for sure. Besides mock meats there is miso, dried mushrooms, & noodles along w/ tofu also available in bulk. For vegans that live in the East Bay or those that aspire to a plant powered lifestyle or flexitarans think you should come on over to experiment w/ some of the products here. I feel mock meats are especially useful for transition foods for those new vegans yet even seasoned vegans like myself having these to accompany your home cooked meals keeps things fresh! read more

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Been shopping with Miss Layonna for over twenty years. The selection is frozen, canned, jarred and dried, it is a completely vegetarian selection. The drumsticks can be tossed in the air fryer and covered with your favorite sauce. The buns are quickly microwaved for a filling snack. The fake beef, ham, and chicken can be used for all sorts of meals and the fake crab is my favorite for vegetarian crab and cream cheese wontons. Miss Layonna is a true Oakland gem for vegetarians. read more

I was told about this market by multiple people. It was my first time last week. Wow! All the fake meat products. It was super exciting getting to pick out all the yummy looking items to cook with. I definitely recommend the Lemongrass chicken, fake beef chunks, bacon, and jerky. All are amazing. I'll continue to support them and hope others do too. Did I mention they're fully vegan? read more

I have always heard of Layonna but randomly bumped into them on the corner of Broadway on my way to Jack London Square. They're walking distance from 12th St. BART and pack a lot of faux veg meat in 2 aisles! They have reasonably priced vegetable broth in cans, vegan beef jerky in black pepper or hot flavors ($2.99 for 70-100 gram bag), and tons of faux veg meat per pound or in frozen packs. I bet the Asian veg*n restaurants get their faux meat here, as you can get a ginormous bag of vegan shrimp for $49.99, or vegan chicken for around $39...it's like the Costco of faux vegan meats. For non-restauranteurs, they have regular sized options generally around $3-5 a bag. I got some black pepper steaks, two types of vegan bacon, and some vegan tuna. Other options include vegan crab/fish sticks, drumsticks, fish filets, fish cakes, fish balls, vegan ham (around $12.99 a large hock), triangular jade tofu cakes, and "pork" slices. They even have refrigerated vegan bao (cabbage filling is $2.99 for about a half dozen; a couple dollars higher for the faux meat stuffing). They have dried shiitake, textured vegetable protein (about $5.99 a lb), mushroom seasoning, vermicelli noodles, and several other dried ingredients in the middle section of the store. read more

Fantastic selection of homemade vegan meat and fish substitutes. Owners were friendly and helpful giving me a mini tour of the shop and suggesting recipes and cooking ideas. Purchased ham, smoked drumsticks, shrimp, crab, chicken and shredded tuna. Will definitely be back. read more

I do wish parking was better...but hey, it's a city so what else should I expect? This is the only place I can find a facon (vegan bacon) that we really, really like! read more

Layonna Vegeterian has all kinds of vegeterian stuff: canned, dried, frozen, dried, etc. some bulk packs (mock abalone and other meats) are in the refrigerator. eats: "ground" brand, Mock beef jerky (vegetarian3.29, 6 ounce) -comes hot too, tastes like beef jerky, cheaper. -mostly made of mushroom, salt, soy sauce and spices. potassium sorbate used as perservative. -made in taiwan -98 calories/ounce -4% fat, 11% soduium,, carbohydrate 6%, dietary fibre 26% -has slight sweet & low taste. crumbs -can now enjoy beef jerky, guilt free read more

Thank you Layonna for providing "mock" meat for us fellow vegetarians/vegans!!! Many years ago when I would do "no meat" for Lent, I thought it was the hardest task. They hardly had anything out there. I ate tofu and veggies for 40 days and 40 nights. As the years past, several companies stepped up with amazing meat substitute, which made giving up meat on Lent easier and easier. Once I turned vegan, my honey told me about this place and how they provide "mock" meat that looks and taste just like the real deal. At first I thought, how would he know since he's been vegetarian/vegan almost all his life...then I realized that's the key "almost" all his life. He once ate meat, it's not like he came out of his mom's tummy and said I want to be vegan. Even though he told me this I had to try it out for myself and sure enough I did and it was crazy good. Some of the items don't taste like the real deal, but the spices they add to it makes up for it. I was surprise it looked similar to the real thing. They sell mock ham, chicken, beef, scallops and fish...how is that possible? Who knows... They sell by the bulk if you own a company, which I'm sure this is where most of the restaurants get it. If you're like us just two people, you can purchase items by the pound or pre-packaged. They also sell, dried noodles, sauces and can products. The prices are very reasonable. When we first came here I was overwhelmed by the choices, but my favorite so far is the Veggie Steam Buns, Chicknon Chunks, Chicknon Drumsticks, Pork Chuncks and Beef Strips. My honey is a happy camper because I get to create new dishes in c/o Layonna. He is more than happy to stop by this place while heading home from BART...see what he thinks of the place. http://www.yelp.com/biz/layonna-vegetarian-health-food-market-oakland#hrid:zEBABUuU7dKWtK3m8xAWCQ View my pictures of the creations I've done!! read more

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Layonna's is much smaller than I expected. At first it looks pretty dismal due to the darkness and the abundance of freezers. After my eyes adjusted, I realized I was quite overwhelmed by the abundance of fake meat. They have the soy counterpart of everything from land to sea. I kept it pretty vanilla my first time 'round opting for two small packages of "chicken chunks," a frozen block of pancetta, a tray of vegan bacon, and soy in the shape of half a chicken (legs and all). So far I've made sticky lemon chicken out of the chicken chunks and they are delicious! I couldn't stop eating them right out of the packaging. It doesn't really taste like chicken, but more like ideal chicken. Kinda like what the Japanese did with melon and peach flavors. I'm itching to cook the rest of my stash, and Boyfriend is already harassing me to buy more chicken chunks. read more

Layonna's - Lemon Chicken made with "chicken chunks" from Layonna - Health Markets Near Me - Oakland, California

I love Layonna! This shop has so many great meat alternative options to add to my weekly meal plan! The staff working are always friendly and helpful with questions. It's a gem to have a shop like this in Oakland! read more

Layonna is a required visit for vegetarians and vegans. You can get a lot of items that Rainbow Grocery doesn't carry. +1: They sell mock meats in bulk, so you can choose the quantity you want, save some money, and not waste packaging. +1: The variety of mock meats is pretty insane! +1: I'm super crazy picky about mock seafood, so I don't usually like it. I used to go to Las Vegas just to get tuna melts because I think most tuna tastes too fishy. Layonna's tuna is delicious! I use it for tuna casserole and tuna melts, and it's a huge hit! +1: They have a brand of jerky that I haven't been able to find anywhere else. And it's named Zen! When I send care packages to vegans, I always include this jerky since it's so unique to this area. +1: Their nori is like a tenth of the price of the package I buy at Rainbow or Whole Foods. Such a good deal! Added bonus: It's walking distance from Souley Vegan, so you can make an excursion out of it. read more

Best place in the bay for vegan food and ingredients. I go here regularly and they have so many options!!!

Layonna's is kind of like a vegan toy store. I came here specifically for bulk chicken steak (used at Love n Haight, and sold in the smaller packages in places in SF) and Layonna's sure did deliver. Since the packaging and serving sizes don't really make sense, it's hard to gauge how many actually come in the package. But for $35, you'll be set on fake chicken for quite a well. Other highlights at Layonna's are the chicken chunks and drumsticks. I can't wait to come back and get some new items. read more

After 20 yrs of being a vegiterian It was my first time in this mini market in Oakland's China town. Two isles filled with Asian products. But if you look in the freezer you'll find tons of fake vegi meat products. I picked up veg pork, shrimp and salmon all vegan. The fake pork was great have yet to prepare the salmon and shrimp..Cant wait to go back! read more

Layonna's - a man in a store - Health Markets Near Me - Oakland, California

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Been here 4-5 times. Absolute favorite place to buy asian meat substitutes. I always buy their hotpot vegan fish balls (taro, mushroom, etc), and bean curd rolls! They are very unique, price is reasonable, and seems like the only place near me that sells these products! Wish they would sell pepperoni. read more

The Vegan shrimp is awesome. I am allergic to real shrimp and the vegan ones are a great substitute. Definitely buying more.

Best vegetarian meat selection, and this is coming from someone who doesn't even like fake meat much. Their vegetarian chicken pieces are THE.BEST. The market also has other essentials, like sauces, spices, coconut milk, etc, for cheaper prices than other supermarkets. read more

Love this little small gem. It's where I get my staple items such as tuna, shrimp and beef. For carnivorous person like my husband.. it's been helpful for him to transition to the vegan lifestyle when he can eat the familiar texture of meat in my home cooking. I shop at least once every week. Friendly family owned business and I'm blessed to be close by to this place. Very difficult to find places hat cater to the vegan diet and I am very lucky to find this place. read more

Layonna's - Bed of shrimp stir fry made with layonna products - Health Markets Near Me - Oakland, California

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The more I visit Layonna, the more I appreciate what this local business means to the Vegan community. Layonna Market is billed as a "health food market". I wouldn't exactly call it that since they don't really sell fruits and veggies. They're more like a Vegan butcher shop without the stench of death. While it certainly doesn't look like much from the outside or inside, (it's about the size of a bedroom) you'll find they are stocked with a whole host of items. Just be sure to check the ingredients as I'm not 100% sure if everything is completely Vegan. They have the English labels slapped on as an afterthought as most of these products are made in Taiwan or elsewhere overseas. They sell an entire line of mock meats that run the gamut from your average "chick-non", to abstract items such as "Abalone-non", along more obscure things you wouldn't dream of recreating. In fact, if you've had faux meat from any of the local Bay Area restaurants, chances are it came from Layonna as they supply many of the local restaurants. While you shouldn't be doing your regular weekly grocery shopping here, it's a great place to stock up on some accouterments to compliment your main dish of veggies. I love their drumsticks with the sugar cane "bone". Glaze 'em up 'n bake those bad boys and you have gourmet appetizers at home. Better yet, drop 'em in the deep fryer for an unhealthy, yet oh so yummy splurge. I also get their "pork chunks" that my babygirl transforms into the most amazing Adobo & Pancit you'll ever eat! Lately we've been getting their steamed buns. Throw these in a steamer basket and BOOM! you have something you can't even get at most restaurants. All at $3.49 for a pack of six. While I wish they had more flavor, they have a great texture. Nothing a little banana sauce or Sriracha can't remedy... The ladies that run the shop are all very friendly and helpful, even with limited English. The prices are pretty fair. You won't find it elsewhere for much less. They also stock a few other must-haves for all of your Asian cooking needs such as fish-less sauce, noodles, wrappers, ramen, and more such as huge bulk containers of MSG if that's your thing. Being located a few blocks from 12th street BART means I can hop off, grab a few items, then hop back on to head home where my babgygirl will create magic in the kitchen utilizing their ingredients. To see a few of the dazzling dishes my honey has made utilizing Layonna foods, check this out: http://www.yelp.com/biz/layonna-vegetarian-health-food-market-oakland#hrid:qmxs4awKuMM5MC8nOXIhBA read more

This place is very small, about the size of a bodega or corner store but it's filled with all the vegetarian meats you could every imagine, in a small (~3.99) or jumbo bag (~37.00). I didn't see any prepared food when I arrived and honestly, the frozen stuff is good enough of a deal that I didn't even mind. The people who work here are friendly and take note that English isn't the predominant language spoken here so be cognizant and respectful of that. I asked for help for a few vegetarian "chicken" items they had and they gladly pointed me to the right items! I was even gifted free produce with my purchase. Pretty sure it's way cheaper than Trader Joes for the quantity. Thanks again! read more

This is the market for vegetarians and vegans! I drive from LA to Oakland every 4 months to stock up. Yes, it's that GREAT!!! I've cooked so many wonderful vegetarian dishes with the protein and products that I get here. This place is small, but the stuff they sell are AMAZING and SO GOOD! The prices here are reasonable considering vegetarian and vegan foods are usually expensive. There is only street parking nearby, but it is Chinatown after all. You will eventually find a parking...just keep driving. :) The service here is great as well. The ladies always welcome me with a smile and help box all my food every time. Needless to say, I LOVE this place!!!! I just wish it was closer to LA. read more

I get giddy when omnivores get all nervous and uncomfortable about seitan, tempeh, and textured soy protein, as if it's some kind of "mystery meat." Meanwhile, they're gnawing on hormone-soaked ligaments, furry lips and bacteria-filled anus and not questioning a thing! It's always curious to me why people can't take the time to identify food. Instead they lump it into some nondescript category as if it doesn't matter what you're eating. Just as ham is different than chicken, so is seitan different than tempeh. The term "fake meat" implies that the soy protein is attempting to be meat. Vegetarians don't eat dead animals, so why would we want to eat fake dead animals? "Meat substitute" is a less annoying term, but again, I'm not trying to find an alternative for eating the flesh of the dead. Just trying to make dinner with no whiskers or veins. It's perfectly normal, easy, and healthy to eat a meat-free diet. I don't feel lacking anything and I don't need to apologize for it. Oh yeah, also, shop at Layonna! read more

It's a charming little place in downtown Oakland. LITTLE. It's a tiny store front that's probably the size of a large restaurant bathroom. No joke. But they fill this place to the ceilings with magical offerings of fake meats. TONS of fake meats. Dry bulk TVP? Check Frozen "chicken strips"? check Canned gluten fillets? check. The prices are good, and so is the opportunity to have Vegan junk food in your very own home. Also-- I second the suspicion that most places in the area are serving Layonna's fake meats. Their fake meats have amazing texture-- enough to fool a carnivore... and come in every shape, size and flavor. You want "ground" meat? Fillets? strips? chunks? nuggets? Yep! The prices are good, but the woman running the counter doesn't have the greatest grasp of the english language. Not that I'm being a hater-- AT ALL -- but it made it kinda hard to ask questions about their stock.... oh well. 5 stars. read more

The largest selection of vegan meat I've ever seen. I mean come on! Vegan shrimp AND vegan prawns! hahaha. There's duck, goose, chicken, beef, Cod Fish Steaks p: , and more! The lady doesn't speak good English but she's really nice! Check this place out! read more

Oh my goodness - fake meat lovers rejoice! This is such an awesome find in Oakland. They sell the most amazing fake meat (none of that gardein nonsense) and actually source to a bunch of vegan restaurants in the bay and around the US. They have every kind of combo you can imagine (fake chicken, beef, nuggets, seafood, etc) and most items are $6.95/pound. The owner of the establishment is such a kind lady and is happy to show you around and recommend cooking techniques / styles. It feels like a family-run spot, with friendly service and smiles. I ended up making this delicious coconut sate curry with makrut lime leaves and their soy pepper chicken. It was outstanding. Highly highly recommend Layonna! read more

If I believed in God, and I died, and I went to heaven.....I imagine this would be similar to what that's like. If you've ever been to Pizza Plaza and you're vegan, you've probably tried the buffalo wings they offer there. (Chewy, meaty-esque, stringy like the real thing - all with a fake "bone" for presentation...) LAYONNA SELLS THESE IN BULK. They also have veggie bacon, shrimp, SALMON, various types of chicken nuggets, shredded pork, fake fish that resembles the real thing, etc etc. They have everything. AND IT'S HELLA CHEAP. I got a bag of shrimp, some drumsticks, a package of bacon, a 4-pack of salmon, three chicken patties (Love'N'Haight in San Francisco uses Layonna for this stuff, as well.) - all for about $18. /swoon I'm considering a move to Oakland primarily for proximity to this place. Truth. read more

I just went here for my first time and I am so impressed! They had an amazing selection of meat substitutes. The store is very small and compact and it looks like one of those little shops you tend to avoid. Do not do this though, you'd really be missing out on a really good, inexpensive shopping experience! They have small sizes for individual consumption and giant packages of their products for restaurant and families. Their prices are really good. For what I'd pay $40 dollars for at Trader Joe's or Berkeley Bowl, I got for $21 and I even got a little more than usual because I wanted to try new things! This was a pleasant surprise that I'm kicking myself in the butt for not visiting earlier! Yay Layonna's! :) read more

So nice. Not a lot going on in the English speaking department, but kindness is universal. So things are mostly bulk here. That means you pay more now, and less overall. That's basically what bulk is. The drumsticks are fantastic. You can throw them in the microwave for a couple minutes, put some bbq sauce on them, and it's the fastest lunch ever. We got a bag of what looked like steak strips, but apparently is some semi dehydrated gluten. We don't know how to cook it, so it's been somewhat like a science experiment. I suggest staying away from that until you're a master of fake meats. Until then go for the chicken patties, drumsticks, etc. When we go back, we're getting the bacon. And probably asking for tips on the gluten cooking... read more

This place is great. There is so much fake meat... it almost makes your head spin. Who knew you could find all of this under one roof in Oakland?! They have pretty much every kind of fake meat you can think of: bacon, fish, chicken (many different types of chicken), shrimp, pork, the list goes on. They apparently try really hard for authenticity, b/c we bought some "bacon" there, and I swear my fake bacon had fake fat (the white part was a different and chewy texture). I wouldn't really call this place a "health food market" though. They have little more than fake meat products (which are likely highly processed). But that won't stop us from buying more deliciousness there. read more

Well, today I spent $15 or so on five different kinds of not-meat; three frozen and two canned. Tonight we dined on the huge frozen shrimp. The texture was eerily accurate and the flavor very convincing except for a faint, but pleasant, green-bean aftertaste. My daughter's vegetarian friend was in the house at dinnertime, which is why I made the experiment tonight. He was highly impressed. Seafood, he says, is one of the things he misses about vegetarianism, and this hit the spot. I'm looking forward to trying the braised seitan, vegetarian Peking Duck, vegetarian spare rib patties, and vegetarian "lucky roll" (bright pink, like bologna, which I hope it does NOT resemble). The vegetarian meats resemble "the real thing" not only in taste and texture, but also price - hence four stars, not five. There is also a small but interesting selection of foods that are *not* imitation meat; I couldn't resist the carrot noodles. Haven't cooked them yet. I will be back. Maybe I'll get some "goose" next time. Or "shark fin." read more

Our customers are always amazed by all the vegetarian dishes we serve at our restaurant in davis, (ding how) some even complained that the chef used real meat instead! I am not a vegetarian, but i do enjoy alot of the products..especially the Jen Jerky! I love the hickory flavored soo much..i even started selling them at the restaurant. There is a lack of communication, and i am chinese myself! So, just gab what u want, pay.. GET GOING! The parking is a bitch tho, u gotta pay to park in the back.. or walk from far away.. or i dunno. read more

Amazing selection of faux meat items! I'm a sucker for salty/savory snacks, and now after 20 years the potato chips are starting to show...so I'm always looking for tasty low cal/fat snacky. Now instead of getting a bag of Lays, I'll just heat up some veggie "chicken" nuggets! It's only a few blocks from home, I can burn calories riding there too. And I don't know why some people thought the place is expensive. I got 7 salmon fillets, a bag of chicken nuggets, a pound package of pressed tofu, and 6 of those chicken drumstick thingees for about $17. That's a lot of protein folks! And friendly ladies, both customers and workers! read more

I have been coming to this vegetarian market for years (why I've never checked in till recently is a mystery haha). It's small and easy to miss but the only market of its kind in Chinatown. The workers aren't super talkative but have always greeted me upon entering. I usually grab a shopping basket because I rarely leave without a handful of goods. They are happy to answer questions too but be patient as the workers mostly speak Mandarin. Prices aren't cheap and have increased over the years but as I mentioned, they don't really have competition. This is a one stop shop for most of your vegetarian needs (some items are vegan as well) - everything from canned, dried, frozen, and fresh items. Certain items are charged by the pound. I like the vegetarian fish, "chicken" drumsticks, "ham"roll (I usually get 3-4 servings out of one), variations of bean curd, fried fish tofu - basically things that are hard to find at other grocery stores. The dried "meats" are fun too and you can get a little or a lot. Credit card accepted but there is a minimum charge ($20 or $25 I believe) - since it's a bit pricey, it's not hard to meet it. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. Bring cash just in case and a shopping bag for all your goods! read more

I checked this place out looking for lunch options, and it wasn't quite what I expected. They have very little that's ready to eat (apart from soda, shame on you). It's mostly frozen faux meat options. Cool if you're cooking that, but probably not something I'd buy very often, and might only eat at Golden Lotus or similar. I'm sure I'll peek in some other time, but not for lunch. read more

Layonna is a vegetarian paradise. For anyone who cooks regularly for themselves and is vegetarian, this place will have ingredients found nowhere else. Layonna supplies ingredients to many of the local vegetarian restaurants (Golden Lotus notably) As such, most everything sold there is available in normal consumer size packages, and giant $50 bags for professional kitchens. Some favorites are the veggie bar b que pork, and veggie beef strips, but if you're like most vegetarians and miss eating bacon: then Layonna has you covered there. Their veggie bacon comes in a large chunk and requires thin slicing or dicing. It works well in omelettes or salads, and should satisfy most folks' craving. read more