Order Variable Cafe Takeout or Delivery
Variable Cafe Photos
Business Info
VARIABLE CAFE ATMOSPHERE
More like Variable Cafe
Recommended Reviews - Variable Cafe
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
Wow! I generally am not a frequent visitor of Vegan restaurants but I was extremely impressed with variable cafe! I have a friend who has particular set of dietary restrictions and the staff was extremely accommodating and made fantastic recommendations. Everything was delicious and watch out because some of the portions are HUGE! We really enjoyed the pasta and the curry. The restaurant is intimate and comfortable, and everything was delicious. Highly recommend!
So good. I have a shellfish allergy and very much miss shrimp and crab. I got the vegan shrimp Po'Boy and had to call the waiter over to confirm it was not real shrimp...wow. Great fries too and huge portion for the Saint Louis No. 2 Po Boy. It was certainly enough for two people. Service is very friendly, but was a bit slow (one star deduction, but still... much love!). Cute, clean inside. Great vegan options.
My dad is vegan and lives in the Valley and I look for restaurants to meet at when we get together. We found this gem in West LA and love it. The owners/staff are super friendly and even though there are only a couple of people working, the service is fantastic....warm, friendly, and attentive without the over-attention some places have. I love their chili, it is soooo good and the flavors are fantastic. My dad, who has been vegan for like 40 years, and had every veggie burger in the world, swears this one is his favorite of all time. This place is super clean, little fresh flowers on all the tables, great desserts and I highly recommend, even if you aren't a vegan :).....easy parking and outside table available too!
The Variable Cafe stands out as the best vegan restaurant on the Westside. The food never disappoints and the service is top notch. As soon you walk in you feel a sense of community, as in "All are welcome." It's always a green flag when even the other patrons look up and smile and speak to you. The Goddess salad still remains as my favorite item on the menu, but the Drink Cauliflower is a strong competitor: plump, crispy battered cauliflower served with a flavors dipping sauce. I highly recommend dining here any day of the week. Come with friends, family, out of town guest, or just come solo and enjoy a hearty, healthy dining experience.
This is a super cute restaurant in the marina. I've passed by it many times and finally decided to stop in. The Caesar salad with the crispy chicken was very filling and delicious. The guacamole was also very good. Service was kind and pleasant. I'll definitely be back here...maybe to eat there instead of to go since it's so cute.
We are vegetarian but we always are looking to try vegan places we haven't tried yet. Variable Cafe was the one we picked for today and am I glad we did. They have so many options from appetizers, salads and mains as well as smoothies and drinks. The service was quick and efficient and the staff was very friendly. We even met the owner and she was so nice. The food was very tasty and with so many different options you easily will find something great. I had the Tikka Masala and it was amazing everything we ate was so flavorful and I can't wait to go back and try some more options. If you are looking for great vegan food...look no further!
My friend introduced me to one of her favorite vegan places, and I can see why! I had My Son's Pho ($18). I was pleasantly surprised to see fresh baby bok choy in it. Ingredients were plentiful. Soup was delicious! My friend had the Caesar's Hubris ($17), latte matcha ($7) and side dish of vegan chicken ($6) for her service dog who sat by the table. Everything was delicious! The restaurant is small. The owner, Plern, who's Thai, promotes artists' work on the walls. Our server was constantly busy and still attentive. Pleasant ambiance and free parking in the mini mall. We'll be back.
Omg, DELISH!!!! We had the Drunk Cauliflower & West Coast Shrimp to start - both great sharing dishes (& some of us were just finger-fooding it). I had the Little Venice Bowl subbed with cauliflower rice. I don't know why this was so delicious or made me so full. My hubby had the Sunset Strip Burger & Organic Strawberry Lemonade, both which he enjoyed, esp. the lemonade :). My cousins had the Chicken Tikka (I had a little taste & it was SO GOOD OMG). Service was great - kind & gentle. Parking was a bit tight (small lot), but there's also street parking. The desserts looked yummy, might try them next time.
Craving a hearty salad and satisfying smoothie? Variable Cafe is your place. Had just finished working an event in Venice, taking the long way home to avoid some of the traffic, and in search of something satisfying yet healthy to have for lunch. Did a search on the trusty old Yelp app and tada, Variable Cafe was immediately to our right. Walked straight to the counter and was greeted by a very pleasant man. Making a decision when you're starving can be overwhelming so I asked for a recommendation of his favorite salad and the smoothies looked too good to pass up so I ordered one of those as well. The employee was kind enough to offer me a seat but the cafe was small and I didn't want to take up space for potential incoming customers. I waited outside in the car and he sweetly walked my order out to me. Service was top notch so I was pretty excited about the food quality. Pics and reviews were high praising already. What I ordered: - Green Goddess Salad: hearty, sweet, full of healthy fats and fiber topped with the crisp apple dijon dressing really hit the spot -MDR Smoothie: ordered mine without pineapple (because allergies). Delish! I've tried a ton of green smoothies and this one takes the cake. I could have done with less granola since it became difficult to drink through the straw half way through the drink. Providing a spoon was very useful. Not too sweet, not too much greens forward. A perfect balance. Too bad I live so far from Variable Cafe because I could see myself getting my greens fix there regularly.
Found this little cafe because I was in the area and craving a smoothie. The place is small, but fills up quickly. I ordered the MDR smoothie and I really enjoyed it, plus it was filling. Next time I would skip the granola on the top since it didn't really make sense. Definitely coming back to try the food because it smelled so good.
Stopped in for lunch this afternoon. My hubby ordered a Banh Me sandwich which includes a side salad while I ordered a Raw Mongo salad. The banh me sandwich was tasty however, the bread wasn't at all crunchy as is normally the case with a with a sandwich like this. The side salad was delicious with a miso type dressing. I chose a raw Mongo salad which was tasty. The server was very helpful and kind. The restaurant was clean and comfortable Parking in the lot was limited, metered street paring available
The food was very good. Our party ordered a few things: -sunset strip burger -tikka masala -northern lights pasta -my sons pho -po boy -drunken cauliflower -small Venice bowl The highlights were the strip burger, the cauliflower and the pho. The portions are very generous and the food definitely worth trying. The restaurant is small but very cute and the staff is extremely helpful and friendly.
I popped in for brunch after shopping at Costco across the street, looking for something healthier than Costco fare. I was pleasantly surprised! Although I'm not vegan, my Caesar salad was delicious. It was filling, it tasted good, and it looked good. The service was great, and I would totally go back.
7 months ago
Business owner information
Plern W.
HI Karen!!…
1 year ago
Everything is a treat at this restaurant, the food is delicious, the service is gracious. The ambience is restorative. read more
Business owner information
Plern W.
Hi Susan,…
Was meeting up with a friend nearby for lunch and gave her some Vegan Options to choose and she was game for having a Vegan Meal.... This place seemed to have good reviews and was in a small plaza I haven't been to in over 20 years! Nice owner and clean place....Clean and pleasant maybe a tad chilly inside but that was it... We got the Drunken Cauliflower as an appetizer and my lunch was the Damn Good Chili and my friend had the Northern Lights Pasta... Everything tasted great and refreshing nothing overly done like at some Vegan places... My friend enjoyed her pasta and we both loved the Drunken Cauliflower. The Chili was good I am not sure if it was DAMN good...but definitely good and I would come back here again if in the area....wish the parking was easier in the plaza but I did choose an off time which made it slightly easier. read more
Variable Caffe is one of our favorite local spots! Owners are always so kind and welcoming and food is vegan and delicious. T2, TBanh Mi Sandwich, Vegan Pho and Caesar salad are my favorite, but I love everything on their menu! Also, finally had opportunity to try a new special, Indian Tikka Masala Curry, and every bite was delightful! Will definitely be ordering that one again. Ambient is perfect for causal or special dinners. You will find variety of beverages, but my favorite is strawberry lemonade. Parking is free and available right in front of the business. Parking lot does get full quickly, but street parking is available as well. Owners are wonderful, so if you are in the area, please come and support their business. Note: Artists, they're open to showcasing your art in their vegan-friendly space, consider reaching out! :) read more
1 year ago
Amazing. Get the Drunken Cauliflower- crisp in a delicious sauce. The owner was SO kind and the food was amazing. I'll drive the distance from the valley to come back! Thanks for everything! read more
Business owner information
Plern W.
Hi Crystal,…
1 year ago
Business owner information
Plern W.
Hi Herbert,…
If I could I would give them a 10 stars. My mouth was having a party eating this delicious vegan dish called Indian Tikka masala. All the spices in the sauce bursting in my mouth. It had broccoli, cauliflower and more veggies. I am so happy I found this place on Yelp. I wanted to Try something good and this was so great!! Order came with rice and the Indian bread. All so, so deliciously tasty. It was spicy but it had the perfect spicy level. So sad I don't have them in Fresno. I order on line clicking the link on Yelp. It was very easy to make my order. Everything on the menu was well explained, so I could make my decision on what to order. It was very hard to decide because everything in their menu sounded very good. Next time for your I will make a stop here again. My order was ready when I went to pick it up, she made my golden latte in the moment. The drink was so outstanding! The turmeric and the ginger were fantastic! I could taste them Both. The owner I believe it was. She was so nice friendly, and busy. She had more people in there. Very nice place not too big but enough seating available. I saw they had the this place is in the 100th places to eat here in LA. No wonder. read more
5 months ago
Business owner information
Plern W.
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear…
8 months ago
Business owner information
Plern W.
Hi Gloria!…
What a hidden gem! This restaurant exceeded my expectations. I found this restaurant by searching for vegan Pho (one of my favorite dishes). I looked up the reviews and I saw that pho was pretty good here. I took a chance and ordered Postmates the first time. That experience was ok but I knew I really wanted to visit the restaurant to get the full experience. Getting Pho delivered and eating at home is just not the same as eating it at the restaurant in the gigantic bowl with chopsticks and the large spoon with all the fixings (lime, basil, sriracha, etc). I ordered the My son's Pho (one of their best sellers) with extra limes, vegan carrot cake and sparkling water. The My Son's Pho was full of veggies (bok choy, mushrooms, sprouts, rice noodles, vegan meat, edamame). The broth was so delicious! I think I drank more broth than I ate the other goodies in the bowl. The extra lime squeeze gives the broth a flavorful taste. The vegan carrot cake was by far the best vegan dessert I've tasted in a while. The icing had like a zesty orange taste but nothing overbearing. It's a taste that is addictive lol! The texture and layers of taste made this cake phenomenal. The service was excellent as well. The staff at the restaurant greeted me with a smile when I walked in. I already knew what I wanted to order so I didn't need any recommendations. The restaurant was clean and had little touches of decor that I thought was so cute. I give this place a 10/10 highly recommend. If you're in the mood for Pho and in the Marina del Rey area this is your place if you're vegan or not. read more
2 years ago
Thanks to Yelp, 100% of my experiences match up with their review ratings when I pursue restaurants and services here!! Variable Cafe is way beyond 5 STARS, what can we do to give them the 10 Stars that they deserve? Smiley Faces & Hearts?! Overall: The Food at Variable is Outstanding, Inventive and Satisfying. Portions are perfect and service was exceptionally attentive and welcoming. The restaurant is invitingly clean (See A++ Health rating picture posted here) with warm and fun decor. Our visit was mid-afternoon, so we mostly had the cafe to ourselves which felt so special as this visit was part of a staycation and also a pre-planned destination - great expectations!! Parking was easy. Starter: - Organic Strawberry Acai Forever Smoothie. Tasty, crunchy, cool and delicious. Mains: - St. Louis #2 Po Boy Sandwich, flavorful with Cajun fries - Drunk Cauliflower - that crusty sweet goodness great crunch on the outside with a soft inside- (wow!) And then the wonderful dipping sauce . . . . We will never forget it and plan to come back soon for MORE of it!!! Finito: - Pumpkin Pie, tasty and the perfect slice that I dream of. A great ending to a perfect late lunch in LA. Thank you so much Variable Cafe!! A super highlight of my visit to your area, many thanks to the warm hospitality and divine dining experience. See you again SOON!! read more
I rarely give 5 stars but I literally don't have anything bad to say. The hostess was so nice and kept checking in to make sure we were good after we go seated. The food was delicious! I searched this place mainly for my mom who is vegetarian but I really enjoyed it and it was a good amount of food. Place was clean and I loved the art along the walls. I would definitely come back if I'm in the area again. read more
3 years ago
I ordered for pickup. First of all, the parking lot was spacious enough on a Sunday evening. The inside looked so cute, I wish I would've eaten there. My friends and I wanted to try a lot of items and we sure did. Our two appetizers: Cauliflower and Brussel Sprouts were both delicious and I enjoyed the dips they came with. A great way to get a veggie serving in your meal. We ordered three entrees. The banh me and the sunset strip burger had a great flavor. I felt their flavors were unique. Not a "typical veggie burger" flavor. It must have been the sauce and grilled onions inside. Banh me was also very delicious. However the Seoul Bowl was the least favorite item out of the five items we ordered. The flavor didn't wow me. I wouldn't get the Seoul bowl again. Overall, I'd come here again. And I'd love to dine in next time. read more
they should rename the drunken cauliflower to intoxicating cauliflower, because... gosh if i could eat that drunken cauliflower for the rest of my life, i would -- easily. we also ordered the pho and a cup of chili -- both were wonderful. the msc (marinated soy chicken) was super sweet which we didn't expect, but it added a nice touch. would 100/10 recommend place for any locals, vegan or not. ambience is cute and home-y vibes! the staff were super friendly as well read more
Business owner information
Plern W.
Hi Lauren,…
2 years ago
Ok new favorite restaurant omgggg. One, service is amazing and so kind. Haha came in two days in a row and she recognized me and handed me fruit for free!! All savory food was amazing. There's a parking lot. Drunken cauliflower is my korean fried chicken replacement, and so happy for the pho!! Ive missed pho and wasnt even sure who would have a good vegetarian option, but variable cafe satisfies this fs: the "beef" has such a unique flavor. Pumpkin spice latte was fire too- the whole coziness inside plus the drink gave me major Gilmore girls vibe. Carrot cake was a little dry for my liking- but the lemony frosting was yum. read more
This is a gem of a vegan restaurant! Great food and service. We started with the brussel sprouts. It came in a piping hot cast-iron pan with a sweet lime sauce to pour over. It was absolutely delicious. I got the burger & ordered the truffle fries with it. It had a barbecue sauce with grilled onions. Personally I wasn't a huge fan of the sauce, but the burger itself was good and the truffle fries were bomb. My guy got the pasta and that was utterly delicious. I didn't get photos, but there's local artwork on the walls. The server checked in on us often and was friendly. Highly recommend this cute cafe! read more
11 months ago
11 months ago
Fantastic ambiance, creative menu, attentive service, phenomenal food. I had two appetizers as my meal, in lieu of getting an entrée: "Kurt Brussel" roasted brussel sprouts with a lemon pepper sauce & coconut (plant-based) shrimp with orange glaze. It was more than enough food. Pairing just one appetizer with a side of rice (either brown or jasmine) or quinoa or noodles would have been plenty. This is my first time to come here and it's zoomed to the top echelon of my favorite vegan restaurants (up there with Au Lac in downtown LA). I highly recommend you try this place and predict you'll love it, too! read more
4 years ago
Delicious vegan cafe that has a lot of healthy options. There's a free small parking lot but it's a matter of luck as to whether you'll get a spot. There's metered street parking as well. Came here with a friend for dinner on a Tuesday evening and there were a couple of tables occupied, but the ambiance was still overall quite relaxed. The waiter was super friendly and checked in on us frequently. We split our food and got the drunk cauliflower to start. The sauce was delicious and the batter was well done. The pho surprised me by how rich the broth tasted, and the "shrimp" po'boy was quite large. It came with a side of fries which was delicious. We ended the meal with carrot cake, which was one of the best carrot cakes I've had (for both vegan and non-vegan cakes) - the frosting was thick and the cake was moist. Overall, highly recommend this spot for a healthy spot to catch up with a friend - for both vegans and non-vegans. read more
6 months ago
Business owner information
Plern W.
Hi Masrour!!!…
3 years ago
My friend is vegetarian so we came here for lunch! FLAVOR (3.75/5): 1. MY SON'S PHO: The pho was good! I normally don't like eating pho out because my mom can make it better at home, but this vegan pho holds its own! The house-marinated soy chicken is slightly sweet. They also offer sriracha. 2. N SEOUL BOWL: My friend got the seoul bowl - he thought it was ok. I only tried the kimchi and it tasted very very sour. 3. HOUSE CARROT CAKE: I heard a lot of great reviews about the house carrot cake! It was good - nice and dense. I wish I had a glass of milk to go with it. I don't have any other vegan cakes to compare it to, but I will say that non-vegan carrot cake still takes the... cake. SERVICE (5/5): Service was good! AMBIENCE (3.5/5): Good for casual lunch/brunch. The inside is small. PARKING (4.5/5): There's a small private lot. We came for lunch on a weekend and there were a couple free spots still. TAKEAWAYS: Overall, I think Variable cafe has a lot to offer in terms of quality vegan food. Definitely give it a try if you're in the area! read more
2 years ago
Vegan and gluten free options, say no more. We got the Caesar's Hubris, my sons pho, and the guac. If we had bigger stomachs we would order a round 2. We absolutely loved the food and would come back! read more
Business owner information
Plern W.
Dear Lauren,…
1 year ago
Business owner information
Plern W.
Hi Lily,…
7 months ago
Business owner information
Plern W.
Hi Audrey!…
This gem has been open for about two years. I arrived about 11:17 and they were just opening up. (Thank goodness since I had walked from Marina Del Rey to have a bite here.) Having been on a LOW FODMAP diet, it made eating out challenging. This place has a delicious gluten free pasta with vegan chicken and a side salad. The dressing/sauce was just right. Not only was the food great so was the service. This place deserves a bookmark for me to return when I'm back in town. read more
2 years ago
I LOVE LOOOVE Variable Cafe!!! I come here very often, bring friends who aren't even vegan and everybody is just in love with the food! Wish I took more photos, but as soon as the food arrives I just forget about everything! Obsessed with the Sunset Strip Burger which is the best vegan burger you can ever find! Love their tomato soup and it has lentils in it! Drunk cauliflower and west coast shrimp are my favorite dishes to start with or have on the side. Service is amazing, both Joel and the owner Plern always welcome you with a big smile, very kind and friendly. I cannot thank enough for this vegan gem! read more
Business owner information
Plern W.
Hi Fidana,…
1 year ago
Business owner information
Plern W.
Hi Deanne,…
Parking: very limited lot but a lot of street parking Food: vegan yummzzzzz- the pho broth was so clean and great for cold days!! Not enough mushrooms though!! The drunken cauliflower is a must! It pairs well with the sauce! Poboy was amazing too! Carrot cake is super moist and delicious! Service: seems like a small staff but our server was super sweet and check up on us to make sure everything was okay Ambiance: super cute with the fresh flowers- good to dine in or take out orders read more
2 years ago
Delightful ambiance, attentive service, and inventive food. Thanks to Yelp, I found Variable Cafe when I needed to find a spot in Culver City open late afternoon with coffee and food. We had the place to ourselves at that hour and could see that most people were doing take out. The place was clean and comfortable, and I loved the flower arrangements on each table. Parking was easy and the location is accessible across from Costco Culver City. What a great find! The Northern Lights Pasta was delicious. Thank you, Variable Cafe! I will be back to try more of your healthy dishes. read more
4 years ago
Food is so goood here, best vegan restaurant I ever had in LA. We ordered burger, pasta, brown rice, all pretty good! Everyone loves the pasta the most bc it's creamy and nicely flavored, the vegan fried meat on top is also tasty even though it's easy to taste the difference in texture. I love my tofu dish, it's deep fried but with rich sauce and salad. Coconut juice is refreshing, I love the little umbrella on top, so cute! Service is good too, ppl are really kind here, give recommendations and so helpful. read more
4 years ago
Loving the food here. I Took a friend who is a meat and potatoes, what is a salad guy and he loved everything! We had the "shrimp" app and it was divine. The flavors of every dish were on point and the texture of them all were outstanding. The golden turmeric latte is strong fyi... Carrot cake was dense and moist and the frosting was perfect and "cream cheesey" read more
2 years ago
Good quality vegan food. We ate 4-5 entries and all of them were super good. Food is amazing in taste with high quality ingredients. read more
Business owner information
Plern W.
Hi Kunjal,…
More info about Variable Cafe
13350 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
Directions
(424) 228-5768
Call Now
Order Takeout or Delivery
Start Order
Visit Website
https://www.variablecafe.com
Full menu
Hours
Payment methods
Food & Alcohol
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
From the Business
More Info
Health Score
Variable Cafe Reviews in Other Languages
Ask the Community - Variable Cafe
Is there outdoor seating? Do they have high-chairs available?
No outdoor seating.
Do I need to make a reservation for this Thursday, 7/8/21 for an 11:00am, 2people?
No you should be good! The food is a absolutely incredible. Get the fried cauliflower 🤤
Do you have outdoor patio heaters?
No outdoor seating and no outdoor patio heaters.
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
21 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
1 year ago
3 years ago
5 years ago
6 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
5 years ago
2 years ago
4 years ago
6 years ago
5 years ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
11 months ago
5 years ago
3 years ago
