Veg-N-Out – San Diego’s Meat Free Eatery


Veg-N-Out is a newish restaurant in between South Park and North Park in the hip area that spreads out on the east side of Balboa Park as it meanders from North to South. The whole area surrounding balboa Park is lined with great options for dining, including Hillcrest, Mission Hills, Downtown, and Golden Hill spread from North to South along the West side of Balboa Park. Even though you may be overwhelmed with options in the urban center of San Diego, don’t dismiss this eatery just because it is meatless.

Of course Veg-N-Out is great for vegetarians. But meat eaters love this healthy, fast dining options as well. The menu is loaded with all varieties of burgers, from the Western Burger, that includes freshly made onion rings INSIDE the burger, to the Hawaiian Girl, which includes hot off the grill pineapple rings!

The burgers are made with two different patties: a Veg-N-Out home made grain patty, and a meaty patty that is made of soy protein. I suggest the meaty patty for anyone who might be skeptical of the meat-free burger. The meaty patty has a great smoky flavor and a chewier texture. I personally prefer the grain patty because it is lighter and nuttier in flavor.

The burgers arrive heaping with toppings, and everything they set on a plate is incredibly fresh. These burgers seriously look like the kind of burger you would see in a photo advertisement – crisp and fresh with little dew drops on the lettuce leaves, ripe red tomatoes, and steaming hot potato wedges. Did I mention that every burger comes with home made potato wedges or a side salad?



The menu has also expanded and improved since they first opened. Be sure to try their amazing starters as well. The delights include tempura avocado (divine!), freshly fried sweet potato wedges, and many others, including a soup of the day and side of the day. They even have home made dressings – the creamy tarragon goes great on a salad OR the potato wedges! Or pretty much anything else.