Craving vegetarian food?

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top vegetarian spots around Irvine, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture when cravings strike.

1. Veggie Grill

Topping the list is Veggie Grill. Located at 732 Spectrum Center in Irvine Health and Science Complex, this is the highest-rated vegetarian restaurant in Irvine, boasting four stars out of 940 reviews on Yelp.

The chain offers menu items like the Summer Celebration Salad: tofu, purple potato salad, summer quinoa blend, fire-roasted corn and tomato salad over a mix of baby lettuces and yogurt ranch dressing. Or, try the Rustic Farm Bowl: farro, grilled mushrooms, roasted yams, braised cannellini beans, broccoli pesto and roasted tomatoes covered in red pepper sauce.

2. The Wheel Of Life

Next up is El Camino Real's The Wheel Of Life, situated at 14370 Culver Drive, Suite 2G. With four stars out of 630 reviews on Yelp, the vegetarian Thai spot has proven to be a local favorite. Specialties include vegetarian "fish" deep fried with tomatoes, pineapple, peppers and onions. Or, check out the Mongolian "beef," with bamboo shoots, bell peppers and onions.

3. Butterleaf

Butterleaf, a vegetarian spot in the Business District, is another go-to, with four stars out of 185 Yelp reviews. Menu items include burgers like the Hearty Classic, made with a black bean quinoa patty, butter leaf lettuce, tomato and smashed avocado. Craving a bowl? Look for the Pile High Club, a mound of hearty grains and a pile of seasonal grilled and sautéed veggies, garnished with smashed avocado, carrot vinaigrette, tomato, beets and pepitas.  

Sides include avocado bomb, sweet potato fries, poutine, veggie chowder and umami chips. Head over to 2222 Michelson Drive to see for yourself.