Eat Drink Vegan 2019: The ‘Vegan Coachella’ Returns With Culinary Creativity and Limitless Pours

Kelly Fay

Vegan lovers and beer crusaders this is your fan moment. L.A.’s Eat Drink Vegan embraces the plant-based community where vegan food and drink is celebrated among nearly 10,000 supporters looking to have a good time in the name of a good cause. The mother of all vegan festivals, Eat Drink Vegan has been dubbed the “Vegan Coachella.” With curated eateries, local and national vendors, over 250 alcoholic sips (with unlimited pours), live music and a plant-based marketplace, this arty happening yanks in creatively hungry minds from across the country. Nic Adler, the man behind the rise of Coachella’s mammoth F&B program, designed and created this event in 2009 that has morphed into an annually anticipated festival among vegans and beyond. Though the location and the number of festival-goers has amplified in the years since Adler’s original vision, the quest remains the same: provide a festival where a plant-based community can come together to eat, drink and celebrate.

Attendees can nibble on up and comer, Slutty Vegan’s Hollywood Hooker Philly or Mexican delight Vegatino’s Taco El Pastor and Jackfruit Torta for a one of a kind gastronomic experience. Keep an eye out for culinary pop-ups Spork Foods and The Raw Boy. Be courageous with your menu pickings, you can’t go wrong. Pizza seekers, Pizzanista is a must find. This pizzeria offers both non-vegan and vegan options. The Vegan Supreme Jesus is as flavorful as the name is powerful. For international fare, Kogi will wow eaters with their tofu tacos packed with powerful ingredients and Mexican authenticity to match. Hanjip is a Korean BBQ haven, where color meets taste, offering fresh and delectable ingredients throughout the seasons. Shojin is a dreamy destination for vegan sushi lovers. Kiss of the Spider Woman and the Spicy Baked Scallop Roll will quench your sushi craving. And Strictly Vegan will take you to the Caribbean with their Jamaican charm. They use authentic Jamaican jerk seasoning to add to their island appeal.

Oat milks are the new craze, so satiate your sweet tooth with Oatly Ice Cream Truck and test the new trend with a (mostly) guilt-free and oaty ice cream cone, oor try Yoga-Urt, an organic and plant-based soft-serve joint. Their Blueberry and Lavender Blossom offers reach creamy perfection atop their homemade waffle cones. The Donuttery delivers a doughier option to satisfy your sweet cravings. Try one of their Long John Jellies for complete gratification. Vaffles gift eaters with a unique twist to their waffles. Ice cream and fruit are creatively wrapped in a bubbly waffle for a visual and tasty pleasure.

Following the indulgence of decadent and imaginative plant-based grubs, seek out something refreshing. Stop by Sage Bistro Brewery, noted as one of the best local options, and test your taste buds with their Habanero Pilsner. Cool down with the Not Too Reel Beer Slushy from Los Angeles Ale Works or sample Block Party’s Unicorn Juice. Kombucha offerings will be in abundance if you crave a lighter fermented choice. Try Babe or Unity Vibration for top-notch Kombucha. Although the selection is not as hefty as the hops, wine and cocktails will make an appearance. San Wine Co., The Houston Brothers and Augustine Wine are worthy of a taste or two. If you sidestep the alcoholic beverages, you’ll likely still sip on deliciousness with cold brew coffee, tea and craft sodas by Real Soda, giving the booze options a run for their money. However, mixing and matching is encouraged (and expected) at this event as the beverage flow is seemingly endless in a sea of thirsty patrons.

Before the revelry begins, share your Saturday morning workout with the crowd. EDV offers a 5K morning run around the Rose Bowl Stadium and Brookside Golf Course complete with an easy yoga flow in preparation for the food and drink that awaits behind the festival gates. Those looking for incentive to partake in exercise will receive early admission (12 p.m.) into the festival. Join the mob and become a part of a community where vegan food and drink is celebrated with creativity, conscious-living and a good time.

Eat Drink Vegan will take place Saturday, June 22 at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. Tickets are available here.