7 must-try spots for vegan fried chicken in L.A.

Los Angeles Times

08-05-2025

Doomie's satisfies late-night comfort food cravings with vegan fried chicken that's sold by the bucket, along with macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes. May 8, 2025 3 AM PT
There's a reason we categorize dishes like fried chicken, pizza and mac 'n' cheese as comfort food. Whether they hold nostalgic value or are simply go-to favorites, their familiarity offers a gentle lift and sense of ease when we need it most.
But it can be challenging trying to replace beloved staples like fried chicken with plant-based alternatives. Replicating that perfect crispy crunch and juicy, tender interior isn't easy. And while vegan proteins have come a long way, finding one that truly delivers the full experience — without animal products — can feel like chasing a unicorn.
L.A.'s plant-based chefs are proving it's possible. Forget bland substitutes; today's vegan chicken is made from soy, wheat gluten (seitan), mushrooms and/or cauliflower and transformed through creative textures and spice-packed batters. From crispy oyster mushroom cutlets to juicy soy wings and fried cauliflower with a kick, these inventive takes aren't just imitating chicken — they're reimagining it.
For chef Doomie, who prefers to be known by his first name only, the secret is keeping it simple. The founder of Doomie's Home Cookin' said, 'We try to keep the ingredients as traditional as possible and often would prefer to just omit an ingredient rather than substitute it with something that doesn't usually belong.' For his fried chicken batter, he swaps out dairy and plant milks in favor of water. For crunch? 'The secret is always flour, batter, flour.'
'The magic of fried chicken lies in the interplay between the meat, the skin and the thin layer of fat that separates them,' he explained. At Doomie's, they've created a plant-based version of all three components, even using two types of vegan chicken to mimic the contrast of white and dark meat.
Then there's chef Mignon (also known by her first name only) of Champignon Eats. A mainstay at Smorgasburg L.A., she uses lion's mane, oyster and enoki mushrooms. She recommends seasoning and frying them just like real chicken. 'Mushrooms take on any flavor you cook them in,' said Mignon, who defaults to a special blend of spices and a chickpea flour mix for Champignon's batter. 'You'd be surprised at how versatile they are.'
In a city where plant-based cuisine is a lifestyle, chefs across L.A. are pushing boundaries and redefining comfort food on their own terms. Whether you're craving spicy Thai wings, Southern-style comfort or something totally unexpected, these seven spots prove that vegan fried chicken isn't just an alternative — it can be the main event.
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Silver Lake Thai Vegetarian $
Bulan Thai Vegetarian Kitchen, opened in 2006, is helmed by owner Narintr Ruengsamutr. Known for its crispy, soy-based veggie hot wings, along with standout dishes like snap pea salad, yellow curry and Inferno Chicken, this cozy gem sits just across the street from Silver Lake's Erewhon. With indoor seating, a modest patio and options for takeout and delivery, it's the perfect spot for a satisfying meal in a laid-back setting.
The veggie hot wings are deep-fried and tossed in a house-made spicy sauce, with customizable heat levels ranging from mild to fiery 'Thai spicy.' Served with carrot sticks and your choice of vegan or dairy ranch, they deliver all the crispiness and flavor you'd want in a plate of wings. Don't miss the mango sticky rice for dessert.
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Downtown L.A. Vegan $
Inspired by her mom's Southern fried chicken, chef Mignon turned her pandemic kitchen experiments into Champignon Eats, a plant-based pop-up launched in 2021 that puts mushrooms center stage. Try the Champ Spicy sandwich, loaded with tender, crunchy enoki mushrooms and topped with house-made spicy aioli. You'll also find flavorful popcorn 'chicken' made with lion's mane and oyster mushroom wings, seasoned with a custom spice blend and coated in a chickpea flour batter for that perfect crispy bite.
Catch Champignon Eats every Sunday at Smorgasburg L.A. at the Row DTLA. Route 777 S. Alameda St., Los Angeles, California 90021
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Hollywood Vegan American $
The fried chicken at Doomie's is a must. Originally opening in 2008, the Hollywood location followed in 2010. The vegan meat is made from soy and wheat, crafted into two styles: a dark meat-style leg with a realistic 'bone' and a boneless white meat-style breast. Both are hand-breaded in original or spicy batter, and fried to order. A rich layer of house-made vegan schmaltz between the skin and meat delivers a juicy, savory bite.Go for a combo or the family bucket, and don't miss the classic sides like mashed potatoes, mac 'n' cheese, fries and, of course, a plant-based milkshake. Dine in or take it to go — with 24-hour service on weekends, your comfort food cravings never have to wait.
Fun fact: The ultra-realistic fried chicken has even appeared on TV shows like 'Scandal' and 'Young Sheldon' to give vegan actors the real fried chicken look without the meat.
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Los Feliz Vegan $
Green Leaves Vegan has been serving up Thai-inspired comfort and American classics in Los Feliz since 2006. The pancake and fried chicken combo is a popular choice, featuring golden pancakes made with soy and coconut milk, studded with bananas and blueberries, served alongside crispy vegan fried chicken and your choice of maple or coconut syrup. Other go-to's include the spicy chicken sandwich and deep-fried soy drumsticks with sweet and sour sauce Heads up: street parking only.
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Culver City Vegan $
Sisters Jenny Engel and Heather Golden Ray opened Hey, Sunshine Kitchen in August 2023 after running their beloved vegan cooking school, Spork Foods, for 15 years. The bestselling crispy chicken sandwich delivers juicy, plant-based chicken with a perfectly crisp coating, tucked into a fluffy, buttery brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles, herb-y house-made buttermilk ranch and crispy chickpea-battered shoestring onions for extra crunch. The 'meat' is a non-GMO soy and wheat blend, fried in rice bran oil. The hot chicken sandwich ups the ante with house-made cayenne oil. Everything here is completely non-GMO — from the buns to the sauces and bowls.
And the mission of Hey, Sunshine Kitchen goes well beyond the plate. Kids are handed a small paper packet of wildflower seeds to start or add to their home gardens, and every Monday, the restaurant gives away a native pollinator plant with each meal to help rebuild bee and butterfly populations across Los Angeles. As Ray puts it, 'One in every three bites of food exists because of a pollinator.' The sisters also host monthly cooking classes, offer catering and regularly partner with prominent vegans like Billie Eilish to provide plant-based meals to underserved communities, including those impacted by food apartheid.
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Northridge Vegan $
Find this plant-based food truck — founded in 2017 by Eva Cannon and Willie Perrymon — parked in Culver City, Northridge, Long Beach, downtown L.A. and other locations, dishing out Southern-style comfort food. Favorites include the crispy chick'n sandwich that's hand-breaded, fried in refined peanut oil and topped with slaw, pickles and vegan ranch, and chick'n strips, served with Cajun fries and dipping sauce. For mushroom lovers, there's a fried oyster mushroom sandwich and crunchy, bite-sized 'nuggets' served with white bread and pickles. Check the weekly schedule on Instagram to see where the truck will be next. Route 17141 Nordhoff St., Northridge, California 91325
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Sherman Oaks Creole Southern $$
By Martine Thompson
Step off Ventura Boulevard and straight into New Orleans at Mardi Gras Tuesdays, a Valley hot spot serving live jazz, $10 bottomless mimosas, and now — thanks to customer demand — some of the city's most creative plant-based wings. Opened in March 2020 by brothers-in-law Keith Adams and Eric Laneuville, this family-run gem added vegan options including soy-based drumsticks with sugarcane 'bones' and crispy oyster mushroom 'chicken' made in-house and coated in their proprietary breading.
Flavors range from Creole rub to tangy BBQ to the signature Jazzy Wingetts tossed in a vegan butter sauce. Everything is fried separately from meat and packed with that memorable New Orleans flavor.
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