In the Kitchen at Café Gratitude
Written by Júlia Almeida
If you live in Los Angeles, whether you’re adopting a plant-based diet or not, you’ve probably heard of Café Gratitude. With two decades under its belt, it’s one of the most iconic and authentic Californian spots I know. The dishes aren’t just colorful—they’re about letting each ingredient do its thing, with vegetables mixing with grains and nice sauces, perfectly balanced.
Café Gratitude was the first vegan restaurant I ever visited in LA, and I’m still in love with the chill atmosphere at the Venice location. The space feels so welcoming, like home, and the dining area is spacious, with both indoor and outdoor seating. Their housemade almond milk is one of the best I’ve tasted, and I can’t get enough of their “I Am Light” latte!
If smoothies are your thing, the “I Am Stellar” is a must-try! And when I say must-try, you should, because it’s definitely one of the best smoothies around Los Angeles, a blue spirulina blend that goes with coconut milk, almond butter, coconut meat, dates, vanilla, goji berries, ashwagandha, cordyceps, reishi, and cinnamon—so delicious. The menu at Café Gratitude is unique and famous for that, with each dish named after a positive self-affirmation. It’s like the “I Am” statements help you connect with your food in a different way, making you feel like you’re nourishing both your body and your spirit. And for anyone who struggles to decide what to order, it’s genius: as you scroll through, you’re choosing an affirmation that speaks to you that day. Intuitively.
Every time I’ve been to Café Gratitude, it’s been a great experience, and over time, I’ve become even more curious about the concept of the restaurant. Once you’ve placed your order, they share the restaurant’s question of the day with you, which really puts you in the moment while waiting for your meal. It makes total sense, and it’s fun at the same time! I even read on Reddit about people having an epiphany just by thinking about Café Gratitude’s question of the day! Amazing!! But after all, the concept is simple: eating should be something we do with presence and gratitude, free from any negative thoughts. Not eating automatically, but as a simple gesture of connection with your real needs.
Some of the best choices on the menu are the truffled mushroom Bianca pizza (make sure to add coconut bacon), there’s also the Café Gratitude macrobiotic bowl, “I Am Whole” and ask about the Crispy fried oyster mushrooms, they are so good to the point that they became a joke between me and a friend that always orders them over and over again! I don’t see it changing in the future, haha. And, of course, the adaptogenic plant protein bowl “I Am Well,” with lion’s mane brisket, broccolini, asparagus, edamame, tomato confit, avocado, coconut goddess dressing, toasted herbed hemp seeds, and coconut jasmine rice. And now, for the restaurant’s 20th anniversary, they’ve added a collaboration between best-selling medical medium author Anthony William and Café Gratitude’s executive chef, Seizan Dreux Ellis, featuring plates designed for healing — offering cell-supporting antioxidant potency and immune-supporting micronutrients. The menu is focused on cleansing and is gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, oil-free, and low-sodium. And I also would recommend the happy hour menu with the “I am transformed” tacos, especially the Coconut Calamari Baja and the “I am plentiful” cold pressed juice.
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I’m lucky enough to have the chance to ask Chef Seizan Dreux Ellis about his creative process and the philosophy that makes this place so special.
What made you go vegan? Was there a moment or experience that changed your perspective?
There wasn't a single moment but many that came together in a very short space of time. I grew up on a farm in Alberta, Canada, that raised both beef and dairy cows, and from a very early age, I was disturbed by the concept of farming animals for food and the suffering that that entailed. When I was 19 years old, I began to study Zen Buddhism, and I was finally able to look deeply at the interconnectedness of all life and decided to align my diet with my values.
I really connect with the way you incorporate such a variety of greens into your cooking. Being Brazilian, I have a deep appreciation for colorful plates full of grains and greens! When did you first fall in love with cooking, and what got you started in the kitchen?
Growing up on a farm, I was always very tuned into the seasonality of fresh, organic produce and was always drawn to the kitchen of my German and Russian aunts, who were phenomenal cooks. Later, I went to University and graduated with a degree in Fine Art, but was always working in restaurants to support myself, so I really accumulated a long history with restaurants and restaurant culture without really realizing it! In 2000, I received a grant to develop an art project in Venice, Italy, and while I was there, I found that I was more interested in spending time at the Rialto Market and learning about Italian cuisine than I did developing the art project! This quickly evolved into a passion for me, and I ended up leaving the art world all together and spent the next 10 years in Venice, working my way up through the ranks in both 5-star hotels and learning from home cooks. In late 2009, I heard about this place called Cafe Gratitude in San Francisco that was creating raw vegan food as a life-changing 'School of Transformation'. It sounded very cool, and the food was getting rave reviews, so I decided to return to California to work for this amazing company, and I'm still here 15 years later!
How do you keep your dish ideas fresh and exciting at Café Gratitude? Where do you find inspiration?
On a big picture level, travel is perhaps my greatest source of inspiration. Getting out and about in the world and diving into new cultural traditions and regional cuisines is invaluable. On a local level, I tap into what is happening seasonally. As a plant-based chef, each new season brings a wealth of new colors and flavors to play with, and I love to take advantage of that. In terms of collaborations, I gravitate towards other individuals and organizations that are up to something interesting in the wellness arena. That usually grabs my interest!
How do you integrate the “I Am” affirmations into your creative process when developing your plates, and in what ways do you feel they influence the flavors, presentation, and overall vibe of your dishes?
Working with the "I Am" affirmations is a really intuitive process which has evolved over the years. It is a more complicated process than it appears on the surface. The affirmation should focus on a positive 'way of being' as opposed to a 'description', and I feel that the 'way of being' should somehow 'fit' with the dish itself, so it can get tricky.
As an example, I remember when we were trying to find an affirmation name for our coconut yogurt, berries and housemade granola and there was some support to name it "I am Crunchy", which is fun and 'describes' the dish but 'Crunchy' isn't really a 'way of being' so we ultimately went with 'Powerful' which calls in the idea of a healthy breakfast dish which will make you strong and therefore 'Powerful'. Interestingly enough, it is more the colors, flavors and presentation of the dishes which influence the selection of the affirmation name rather than the other way around.
Looking ahead, as a pioneer in the vegan food world, where do you see vegan cooking in LA going, and what trends are you most excited about?
Given the current restaurant climate in LA, I see a lot of really interesting brands doing food trucks and pop-ups because they are mobile and can reach large numbers of people without having to invest in the overhead of a brick-and-mortar. There is a lot of mash-up fusion going on, which I think is fun and interesting (Indian Pizzas, Mexican sushi, etc), in addition to plant-based chefs who are shining a light on traditional cuisines that we are not as familiar with in SoCal.
One of my favorite things about Café Gratitude is the organic, ultra-creamy, homemade almond milk. Have you guys ever considered selling it in markets?
I love that you love our homemade almond milk! I love it too, and I also think our homemade coconut milk is off the charts. We have considered selling it in markets, but doing that entails another whole level of certifications and licenses, which isn't the direction we are interested in taking right now. Besides, I also think there is a value to having products that are only available in-house. Makes it feel a little more special!
And lastly, could you share a “question of the day” for me and the readers?
Would love to! For years, the Question of the Day at Cafe Gratitude was always our classic "What Are You Grateful For?" but at one point we wanted to open it up so now we have 365 QOD's so that there is a new way, each day to turn your attention to where you are grateful. The question of the day today is: "What are you celebrating in your life?"
Meet the author:
Julia Almeida is a Brazilian vegan writer and international model based in California. With over a decade of veganism, she has traveled widely, often during times when finding plant-based options was far more challenging than it is today. These experiences pushed her to discover creative ways to cook and uncover vegan-friendly spots within diverse cultural landscapes.
Through her work, Julia merges storytelling and advocacy, inspiring compassionate living. Passionate about animals, she is dedicated to raising awareness about fostering, adoption, and supporting non-profit animal rescues, encouraging others to recognize all animals as intelligent, loving beings deserving of respect and kindness.
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