Plant Power was the first all-vegan fast food joint in Long Beach. The restaurant took over a space on the corner of Clark and PCH in the summer of 2019. The opening was supposed to happen earlier in 2019, but kept getting pushed. By the time it finally opened, the pandemic threw yet another delay. Most vegans in Long Beach got to taste their food via take out orders for the first year and a half, before they finally were able to fully open for dining in.
Plant Power’s menu offers a variety of fast food classics such as burgers, fries, and shakes. They also offer a good selection of breakfast sandiwches that could be considered analogs of what you would get at McDonald’s or Burger King. There are also a good amount of healthy alternatives such as wraps, salads, and cold-pressed juices. Let’s be honest though, we go here for their version of “animal” fries, Iconic Fries, and their buffalo chick’n sandwich.
The atmosphere within the dining room is reminiscent of old school fast food joints. From the vintage styled posters that advertise their food offerings, to the diner-styled decor of their booths, everything at this joint is intended to emote mid-century fast food nostalgia. However, you won’t find any of those outdated animal-based ingredients here. Just clean modern vegan treats.
If you are looking for a good old-fashioned burger shack, then look no further than V-Burger in Retro Row. The punk themed fast food join offers a simple menu with burgers, hot-dogs, fries and shakes. No fancy names for their burgers here. All you have to decide is how many Impossible or Beyond patties you want between the sesame buns. This is not to say that there aren’t other options. Their menu also offers a handful of filling breakfast items such as breakfast burritos and egg sandwiches.
V-Burger has a small dining area, which happens to be dog-friendly! This reflects the owners’ commitment to animal rights. The restaurant promotes pet adotion all throughout their establishment. They’ve even hosted rescue adotion events, and have a dedicated TV screen that scrolls through a display of cats and dogs that are up for adoption.
The atmosphere at V-Burger is as punk as a restaurant can get without breaking any health-code rules. The walls are adorned with classic band posters for bands like The Damned, The Clash, and Motorhead. The soundtrack matches the decor by blasting a steady stream of old school punk, and unlike any of the other burger joints on this list, this is the one spot you can get a beer to go with your burger. It doesn’t get any more punk (and Long Beach) than that.
Nice Burger is the latest addition to Long Beach’s growing vegan fast food joints. The dining experience at Nice Burger is exactly what you would expect from a strip mall type of burger shack. They have an endless menu full of themed burgers and sandwiches. Everything from teriyaki to avocado jalapeño burgers. Spicy chick’n to egg and tater tot burgers. Paired up with chick’n nuggets, fries, sweet potato fries, tater tots and chicken tenders. Your lunch combo is only mimited by your hunger and your imagination.
Unlike the other two restaurants in this article, Nice Burger’s atmosphere is all about efficiency. The counter has an ordering kiosk for people to place their own orders via a touch screen. The decor is devoid of any gimmicks. There are pictures of all their burgers above the walls, a simple and small dinging area, and a small counter next to a fridge packed with cold bevarages.
