Sage Vegan Bistro is a health nut’s heaven. The Culver City location (there’s one in Echo Park, as well) is the quintessential casual LA lunch spot; they serve plant-based vegan cuisine in a trendy atmosphere that is perfect for the young and health-conscious LA crowd. The restaurant is unrefined yet chic; the outside eating area has trees sprouting out of the wood floor, and inside, light bulbs in mason jars hang low from the ceiling…
The plant-based cuisine is entirely vegan, but you never would’ve guess that from looking at the menu which features pizza, burritos, tacos, burgers and more. What is and isn’t gluten-free is not entirely clear from the menu, but upon asking the waitress I was pleased to find that everything could be made gluten-free if it wasn’t already. The only items on the menu that weren’t already GF were the burgers and sandwiches, but gluten free bread was available upon request. The options seemed limitless and a bit all over the place. I spotted healthy renditions of Japanese, Mexican, Italian, Greek, Brazilian and Vietnamese dishes (just to name a few). I immediately gravitated towards the bowl options and fell in love when I tried the Mole Bowl. The dish had sautéed kale, quinoa, beans, avocado and vegetables in a mole sauce made of cocoa and chili. Another bowl I loved that was more salad-like, was the Raw Bowl. It had kale, apples, avocado and a raw cashew alfredo sauce that was out of this world. Sage also offered burgers, wraps, salads, tacos, sandwiches, and soups that all looked to-die-for. The Culver City location even had a complete pizza menu, which offered buckwheat gluten-free crust as an option. The BBQ Pineapple Pizza had me convinced that the vegan mozzarella was real cheese! Sage offered a variety of juices, smoothies and even a full gluten-free beer menu. For dessert, we went for one of the many varieties of vegan ice cream and chose the Superfood flavor, which had dark chocolate and goji berries. The ice cream blew me away with its creaminess and richness, again, convincing me that it could not possibly be gluten-free and vegan.
Although Sage Vegan Bistro serves food that focuses on healthy, whole ingredients, the menu will impress all types of patrons. The variety of dishes offered, and the awesome flavor profiles, fool you into forgetting how healthy your meal actually is! If you are looking for an adorably trendy, but not uptight LA spot to grab a healthy and relatively casual meal, Sage is your place. I was thoroughly impressed with the food and I am already planning my next visit.