How to Eat Vegan in Tijuana, The 9 Best Spots
Vegan restaurants are becoming more and more prevalent in Tijuana as sustainable diets gain popularity with locals. From hibiscus flower tacos to cauliflower steaks, the vegan options in Tijuana are as plentiful as they are delicious. Below is a roundup of the best vegan spots to check out the next time your veggie-loving bootie crosses the border.
Alma Verde is probably the most ubiquitous veggie friendly restaurant in Tijuana. It's not a vegan restaurant, however it has many vegan dishes, a juice bar and lots of salads. The vibe of Alma Verde is organic but modern, with clean lines, stone and natural wood accents. The ethos of Alma Verde is to produce high quality healthy food that tastes great. The menu offers cold pressed juices, açaà bowls, smoothies, breakfasty grain bowls, buffalo cauliflower and vegan chilaquiles. There are meat, eggs and dairy on the menu, so if that isn't your thing, worry not! We've got some purely vegan places coming up! Alma Verde is a small chain, with locations in Tijuana, Mexicali, Cancun and Tulum. In Tijuana you're find them in Hipodramo, La Cacho, The Park and Playas de Tijuana.
Egg Plant opened in the Hipodramo colonia of Tijiana in 2022 and has been veganizing diner food ever since. They have a full breakfast menu serving your favorite Mexican and American standards, and carry on the Mexican American mix with lunch, serving pastas, pizzas, veggie burgers and sopes and enamoladas, to name a few. They have a vibe of their own which is giving a fem-plantmom-diner aesthetic, with powder pink plush booth seats, in a high gloss crisp white space, and potted plants dotted around. Come for the insta pic, stay for the vegan chilaquiles.
Veggie Smalls is located in La Cacho's Telefonica Gastropark, which is an open air food court and brewery with a serious industrial chic vibe. They offer all the things you could possibly want to go with your local artisanal microbrew: tacos, burritos, veggie dogs and burgers, and vegan carne asada and adobada french fries. Telefonica is a great place for mixed diet groups, as they have something for everyone! Simply order your food, take your number and find a seat outside or inside the brewery. They'll bring your food right out!
Inspiracion 9 is a vegan restaurant in Hipodramo with an ever changing menu representing foods from around the world. Their bread and butter, so to speak, is traditional Mexican cuisine, serving up aguachile, mole and tacos, but they're also loved for their burgers. They feature special menus from time to time, offering Chinese and Japanese specialities or even Thanksgiving dinner! The vibe is contemporary fast causal, and the decor is charming with lots of pro vegan graphic wall art.
Gardeno calls itself a vegan deli, but it's much more than that. Their menu boasts breakfast scrambles and pancakes, pizzas and pasta. Their new location in facionamento Calete has outdoor seating and a quirky vibe inside. Recently featured in VegeNews, they skew more comfort food than crunchy granola healthy, so stop in for a warm helping of your favorite diner classics.
Tacongo
Across the street from Gardeno is, Tacongo, a vegan taqueria of the same ownership. Tacongo opened their doors in the summer of 2022, serving up vegan tacos in the classic Tijuana taqueria vibe. Focusing on mushrooms and jackfruit as their protein replacements, they offer asada, adobada and birria tacos with all the sides and salsas you would expect! They're reasonably priced and fast, making them perfect for a quick meal, as a tacos should be.
Flowers and Peppers is a vegan tacos spot specializing in birria tacos made with hibiscus flowers. The menu is small, they really only do one kind of taco, but you can have with with or without vegan cheese. It's a really successful vegan birria, one of the best we've had in Tijuana. They go the extra mile to make sure the tortillas are nice and crispy and even tho the birria is made with hibiscus flowers to substitute the animal protein, it's not an overly sour experience. In the summer, they do a grilled watermelon ceviche, which seems like a good reason to stop by.
La Taqueira Vegiee is a well loved vegan taco spot in Tijuana that has recently transitioned to an Uber Eats only establishment. We're all waiting for them to return to their brick and mortar, but until then, we'll take it to go! They make an incredible "baja fish taco" using king mushrooms to replace the fish, which is surprisingly successful. The pozole verde, enamoladas and tortas are very popular among their loyal fans.
Vexican Grill is a 100% plant based Mexican restaurant. They prepare vegan versions of all your favorite tacos like adobada, asada, cochinita, chicharron de carnitas and tinga, as well as other standards like pozole and tamales. They're located at The Park, which is a higher end food court located on the first floor of the New City Medical Plaza building.
Special Mention! Casa Tijuana Project's Casuela de Coliflor! We really wanted to include Casa Tijuana Project on the list because this Casuela is so incredible, but unfortunately it's the only vegan dish on their menu other than chips and guac! But it is really a fantastic dish. So if you're in TJ with a group of non-vegans, this is a great place to hit up! It's a very cool vibe, one of those family-home-turned-restaurant type places, with lots of funky decor and vintage accents. You'll find them in the Lomas Hipodramo neighborhood.
