Vegan in Buena Park, California: Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurants

Going vegan in Buena Park is easy, just as long as you know where to look. Buena Park, located in Orange County, is known as Southern California's Fun City. It's also an essential city to visit if you love food and trying new restaurants when you travel.

For those following a vegan diet, vegetarian diet, or those who seek a restaurant with plant-based options for their friends, this Buena Park vegan guide is for you. As someone who has followed a vegan diet for over 15 years, I can personally vouch for each and every one of these establishments.

So, are you ready to see the best vegan options in Buena Park, California? I've included vegan-friendly restaurants, breakfast joints, cafes, dessert spots and places to dine with a cocktail or a beer in your hand. Let's go!

Vegan Buena Park: Rock & Brews

Rock & Brews is an American restaurant chain that began in California. In 2012, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of the rock band, KISS, along with restaurateurs Michael Zislis and Dave Furano conceptualized a restaurant that combined rock music, craft beer, and casual dining in a rock and roll-themed environment.

The Buena Park location of Rock & Brews is right on Beach Blvd., the main strip of restaurants and entertainment in the city. Walking up to the restaurant, you can't help but notice the silver records by famous rock artists embedded in the sidewalk.

Upon entering, you're immersed in a floor to ceiling rock and roll experience. There's rock memorabilia, vintage posters, concert lighting, music videos playing on TV screens, and their Great Wall of Rock featuring music icons from across the decades.

Now, let's talk about the food and drink. Craft beer fans, you are going to love Rock & Brews. There are over 60 different craft beers on tap, including local brews and three varieties brewed just for Rock & Brews.

There's a wide variety of menu items, inspired by classic American and comfort cuisine, including a few vegan and vegetarian dishes. Mention to your server that you're vegan and they'll take care of you. The Beyond Tacos are completely vegan (I think some cheese comes on the black bean side dish, but you can easily ask for it without cheese).

There's also a Beyond burger (the nutritional info shows that the bun is vegan-friendly), Beyond boneless tenders, guacamole and chips, garlic broccolini, and some of the salads. All in all, Rock & Brews is a really vegan-friendly restaurant in Buena Park where I'm sure everyone in your group will find something they will enjoy. Plus, we loved the music and rock decor splashed everywhere we looked.

Slurpin' Ramen Bar

Slurpin' Ramen Bar is another popular California chain of restaurants with a location in Buena Park. As the name suggests, this is where you'll find delicious ramen and Japanese-influenced menu items. Slurpin' Ramen Bar started in 2015 in the heart of Koreatown in Los Angeles, and they now have seven locations in California and beyond.

I love that their veggie ramen is one of the main dishes on the menu. If you're looking for vegan food in Buena Park and you love noodles, Slurpin' Ramen Bar is a must. This ramen bowl starts with vegan noodles and a seaweed/mushroom based broth. Then, it's topped with vegetables like broccoli, white and red Cabbage, tomatoes, bean sprouts, mushrooms, corn, spinach, and seaweed.

You can add more toppings if you'd like. I suggest adding tofu for a bit of protein and to create a more substantial meal. The amount of spice is totally customizable, too. Choose from non-spicy, mild, spicy or super spicy. Mild was good for me, but some of you may like to add more heat.

For appetizers, we ordered the pan-fried veggie gyoza, which were super tasty. For vegetarian and vegan starters, you can also try the edamame, shishito pepper or house salad (inquire about the salad dressing before ordering). They also have a variety of Japanese beers, cold sake, hot sake, and hot green tea.

Vegan Breakfast at the Broken Yolk

The Broken Yolk Cafe is a California-based breakfast and brunch chain that has expanded to several US states. It's a popular choice for breakfast in Buena Park and beyond, due to its generous portions, friendly service, and variety of menu items.

The whole family could dine at the Broken Yolk and find something that they'll love. The dining area is bright and spacious and the menu caters to a wide range of tastes. And yes, that includes the vegan folks out there!

Take a look at the section called "Healthy Side Up". This is the more nutritious section and also happens to be where you'll find all the vegan dishes. I ordered the Spicy Vegan Bowl (JUST Egg scramble with veggies over home fries and topped with Beyond Sausage, avocado and sriracha) and it was so satisfying and delicious.

Justin chose a fresh acai bowl and added a side of JUST Egg scramble. In fact, it's possible to substitute JUST Egg or the Beyond Sausage in place of their animal-product counterparts throughout the menu. It's amazing to have so many plant-based options as ordering vegan breakfast food isn't always easy.

In-Sit Coffee

In-Sit Coffee is a cute and cozy coffee shop at The Source OC, a Korean-influenced shopping mall in Buena Park that's an entire destination in itself. It's a hub for entertainment, dining and shopping. In-Sit Coffee is a cafe that you need to check out, whether it's for breakfast, lunch, or a little caffeine boost at some point throughout the day.

Justin and I dined at In-Sit Coffee for breakfast. The beverage menu has coffee, tea, espresso-based beverages, as well as a grab and go selection of juices and kombucha. If you love coffee, you must try one of their unique flavored lattes.

Try a rose, banana or strawberry iced latte for a sweet treat and something that's unique to Buena Park. I absolutely loved my iced strawberry latte made with oat milk. It was the perfect balance of coffee and sweet strawberry flavor that wasn't overly sweet.

I wouldn't say that the menu is super vegan-friendly. There's really just one thing that you can order, the avocado toast. But, this was one of the best avocado toasts we've ever had. The avocado spread was full of flavor, and topped with arugula, tomato and onion. This might sound like your average avocado toast, but this one was really exceptional compared to many others that we've tried throughout the years.

Vegan at Knott's Berry Farm

Spending the day at Knott's Berry Farm? It's one of the main reasons to visit Buena Park. This amusement park is the oldest in the United States and it offers thrilling rides and family-friendly experiences. We were excited to discover that Knott's Berry Farm has several vegan-friendly food stands and restaurants.

It's really easy to navigate which establishments have vegan options. Pop over to the Knott's Berry Farm website and visit their dining page. Scroll down to "dietary restrictions" and select "vegan". This will show you every restaurant and stall that has vegan food and drink.

Unfortunately, the website doesn't have any menus listed and it won't show you exactly what you can order that's vegan, but it's a good start. However, you can find some Knott's Berry Farm menus online that will list the vegan options.

We dined at Casa California Restaurante in Fiesta Village and enjoyed burritos and burrito bowls with their vegan option, soyrizo. In addition, the pizza places and restaurants serving pizza have a vegan pizza (with vegan cheese). Grizzly Creek Lodge supposedly has vegan chicken tenders and vegan mac and cheese, but unfortunately it was under construction when we visited.

The Ghost Town Bakery has a couple of vegan treats, just ask which ones are vegan and the staff will help you. The soft pretzels at Knott's Berry Farm are vegan. Johnny Rockets has an Impossible patty, but unfortunately the burger bun isn't vegan and you'll need to substitute with a lettuce wrap. While Knott's Berry Farm isn't the best place to go vegan in Buena Park, you'll certainly find some delicious things to eat and drink there.

Don Melt

Don Melt offers delectable treats from their little booth at The Source OC. This dessert shop features plant-based ice cream, and they only sell vegan ice cream. It's wonderful because everyone can enjoy this light, soft serve treat. We ordered a cone in strawberry swirl, though it's also possible to request vanilla only or strawberry only.

You can also order their ice cream in a cup with toppings, like Oreo, nuts or fruits. Don Melt also has an affogato or matcha affogato, which is espresso or matcha tea poured over ice cream. They also have coffee, tea and espresso beverages, too. Enjoy your treat from their outdoor seating area. If it's a colder day, they even have heat lamps on their patio.

Unfortunately, their croffles are not vegan, which is their other other main offering. However, there are other tropical slushes and fruity drinks that are vegan. You can also add popping pearls or lychee jelly. If you're looking for dessert or a yummy drink, Don Melt is an exceptional choice for vegan treats in Buena Park.

Where to Stay in Buena Park

Justin and I spent two nights at the DoubleTree by Hilton Buena Park. The location is perfect when traveling to Buena Park as you can easily walk everywhere from the hotel. All of the veg-friendly restaurants listed in this guide are within a walking distance of the DoubleTree.