Viva La Vegan Grocery

I deduct one star because one of their supervisors/​managers is a Nazi-​vegan. I had no idea such a thing even existed but now I do! She yelled at me because I brought in my diet Coke, which I had obviously paid for at another store. Evidentially, diet Coke is made with non-​vegan friendly ingredients. If I had known that I wouldn’t have brought it in!
If it was against the law to bring in diet Coke inside a vegan grocery store I wish they had posted a sign near the front entrance for customers like me!
This woman knew from my very 1^st visit back in April 2015 that I wasn’t vegan at all but pure omnivore. I enjoy visiting new stores and I was happy to support something like this so close to home. Plus, I had brought in 2 new customers for her store even though neither is vegan either.
It occurred to me that I should deliberately wear my leather combat boots to this store to see what she would do to me. Better yet, how about my 100% angora vest? I just now thought of something even better: bring in my homemade iced tea in my recycled Starbucks glass cup and stainless steel straw that has been sweetened with honey, not agave syrup! She would have no idea which sweetener I used, would she? The only problem is I have no idea what her work schedule is so I could just end up bringing in honey sweetened iced tea for absolutely NOTHING!
The 2^nd star I deduct because their organic food section and bulk food section is much smaller compared to their packaged and processed food sections. Their organic produce looked anemic to me, worse than what I get at the local Stater Brothers. SB is closer to me and their organic produce is cheaper than this vegan store!
I liked the prices of their organic bulk food items but was unhappy they were inside plastic dispenser containers.
I could also deduct half a star in that they are not very Zero Waste friendly but my problem is that I’m currently not very Zero Waste friendly either. Most of their food doesn’t come in glass containers or other truly recyclable/​reusable containers.
Even if some of their health and beauty products are vegan friendly and come from PETA approved companies doesn’t mean I want to put man-​made cancer causing agents (chemicals) on my sensitive skin! If I can’t pronounce an ingredient do I really want to put it on my body?
I agree many of their prices are too high but I usually got something off their clearance sections. If you consider that Whole Foods is too far away and factor in the cost of time, gas, and energy then it works out to be pretty much the same thing.
I did try some vegan fish tacos from their café and was surprised at how closely the vegan fish resembled farmed tilapia fish in texture and taste. Although I’m an omnivore I was really bothered by this. I kept wondering, did they give me real fish or what? I could see how many or most vegans would be bothered by this type of «good» imitation. I thought the café prices were very reasonable compared to the rest of the store.
You see, vegans tend to fall into 2 camps: those who avoid good animal protein imitations and those who don’t.
I’ve never lived the vegan lifestyle but I was one of those ‘wannabe’ vegetarians for a short while. I say ‘wannabe’ because I continued to eat dairy based cheese and ice cream during that time period.
I’ve noticed that certain definitions have been corrupted (or have gone downhill). For example, in the old days 7^th Day Adventists adhered to a strict vegetarian/​vegan diet and they had the lowest disease rates compared to all other Christian religions/​churches. Since then they have slightly relaxed their standards. I can easily imagine a few of their disease rates have slightly gone up because it is possible to be an overweight and/​or obese 7^th Day Adventist as can be seen by visiting the Loma Linda Market.
The Amish live a hard working ‘off grid’ lifestyle and they grow and raise their own food. They are pure omnivores but I’ve hardly ever seen a morbidly obese Amish woman. The women in the 7^th Day Adventist religion are allowed to use modern conveniences (technology) so their lifestyle is not as physically demanding as that of the Amish people.
I really did like most of the employees that work here but that Nazi-​vegan knows that she has to avoid me. It is only because the rest of the employees here are courteous and friendly that I choose not to bring in my honey sweetened home made iced tea here.
If this store stays in Rancho Cucamonga then I expect to continue shopping here on a rare random basis. I’ve never done the bulk of my shopping here. The only reason I would increase my expenditures at this store is because I believe they have more gluten free items than my local Stater Brothers or WinCo currently does. I suspect I may have gluten intolerance and would love to try a 3 month gluten fast sometime before the end of 2016.

I honestly don’t know how this place is still in business. Their hours are just ridiculous (closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday) and the hours posted on the store door are not the same as the hours listed on the recording when you try to call. Also, they are always out of stuff. I like the idea of a vegan grocery store, but calling this place a grocery store is such a stretch.
When I went there today, I tried calling several times to find out if they had what I was looking for. But, they didn’t answer their phone, so I had to go in. I would totally understand not answering the phone if they were super busy, but when I went in there was no one there except for a guy just sitting around. He was clearly more interested in whatever he was doing than in helping me, the only customer in store. If he had gotten off up and answered the phone, I wouldn’t have had to inconvenience him by making him interact with people.
Basically this place is not worth the gas money to even get there. If you end up trying to make the trip, don’t be surprised if you pass it because it’s extremely hidden. And don’t bother turning around to find it– just take it as a sign and go anywhere else.

Just went here to pick up Vegan turkey and ham loafs (yummy). This place has had a huge impact on my life and many of my friends too. We love supporting a vegan small business. The cashier said they are not going out of business but plan to be moving to a new location. The new store hours are 10a-​6p. So this hopefully this is a transition stage for the store. Nice sales are going on now, books and clothes are 50% off. The bulk chia and mung beans were at a reduced price too.

I love coming into this store and browsing around and the huge variety of things they have. Always very friendly and helpful. I love seeing all the new stuff they get in from week to week. Highly recommended vegan store

Ummmm… I liked this place and shopped here when it was only a couple of items on the other side of the bargain center. I was happy to see them expand and become a great little neighborhood Vegan health food store.
My concerns began when I started to see that the staff had grown into the size of a low volume Costco, I couldn’t foresee their long-​term success with this kind of management. I still gave them the benefit of the doubt, my wife and I were bound and determined to support the local economy until it became totally unreasonable. Price increases up the ying-​yang, we just couldn’t hang anymore, Sprouts, Mothers and others are just more economically feasible. Things I needed here were just never in stock and the price of those lovely Dillos went up by like $ 2.00!
I hope that they can move to their new location and that the owner can find it in himself to work the counter and stock the shelves himself without hiring an army to do it for him, running your own business isn’t all glitz, glamour and gold!

What in the heck happened? I was hopeful that a vegan grocery store would take hold in the I.E.. But good grief, it didn’t have to go out like this. I’m utterly sad and disappointed. I was an eager member and hoped it would survive but now it’s morphed to a furniture/​grocer remnants store.
So much hope!

As of Sep 12, 2015: Store hours have changed. 10 – 6 Tuesday through Sunday, closed Monday.
I recommend calling before making the trip for a specific item. Like other reviewers, I love the concept and want to support VLV, but they’re always out of the things I want. They’re great for specialty items, but not reliably stocked.

I came in for the first time and didn’t feel welcomed. Bad service. I didn’t feel any friendliness and no one bothered to talk to me. The food on the shelves were hot, I’m assuming they don’t have AC at this place. And they seemed to be very low on supplies. I ended up buying some organic peanut butter, just to find out afterwards that it expires the next day. I know it was my mistake. I should’ve checked the labels, knowing how disorganized this place is. The things on the shelves are also dusty and dirty. I came home and found something that looked like bird poop on the container of hummus that I bought. I had high hopes for this local vegan shop. I spent so much on just 5 items. I can get twice as much at a Trader Joes or Sprouts. You’re way better off shopping somewhere else for your vegetarian foods. Otherwise, you can shop here for ugly hipster clothing and thrift store furniture.

This review is for the market only (the café part was closed when I went).
I had high hopes for this place, but was sadly disappointed. They have limited groceries. And, what they do have is very overpriced. I ended up getting a few items and was shocked at the total cost (and, this is coming from someone used to the prices at places like Whole Foods). I don’t mind paying for high quality products, but I honestly don’t feel like I ma getting high enough quality at Viva La Vegan to justify the cost.
I won’t be back.

Very disappointing
Dirty, no A/​C, messy. Not a pleasant shopping environment. Overpriced, too. I’m a long time vegetarian, now mostly vegan. I’ll go to Sprouts & Ontario Farmer’s Market. Won’t go back.

This place is never a fail. Wide range of variety on whatever your craving. Sweet tooth satisfaction guaranteed, from vegan ice cream, to donuts, and carrot cake. Grab a meal, and have a seat inside. The staff is super helpful and friendly. Just all around awesome shop.

If only this place was entirely re staffed, I would love to give it 5 stars. I hate to give a vegan grocery store a crap review, but the vibe can be pretty weird in here, and when you’re trying to convert people to a vegan lifestyle this can shy people away. I do love being able to roam the isles knowing everything the light touches is vegan but holy guacamole customer service is pretty crap. I shop elsewhere for my fruit and veg, and only come here for the café food and difficult items to find in a conventional grocery market.
1 — star for being cruelty free
1– star for the café food

It’s really hard for me to not give a vegan grocery store five stars, but I have given Viva la Vegan SO many chances and just can’t.
Pros:
Tons of awesome vegan items
Good gluten-​free selection
Spread out, easily navigated store
Cons:
Overpriced (if I can get it cheaper at Whole Foods, you know it’s too expensive)
Expired items (ALWAYS check expiration dates here. I have found things expired by months still on the shelves).
Dwindling selection (every time I go, there seems to be less and less. I don’t know if this has anything to do with them opening their second location, but I have been really disappointed the past few times I have gone).
Non-​vegan items (I found something non-​vegan on the shelves once… it had milk in it. They pulled it right away though).
I think that this store could be AMAZING if there was some more oversight and care taken by the employees in terms of watching out for expired items. To some extent, I can understand being a bit overpriced since it’s a specialty store, but honestly, to have items priced at DOLLARS over competitors like Whole Foods, Mother’s Market, and Sprouts is a bit much. I really hope there is improvement soon, because as I said, this could really be great.

I see all the great reviews but what my friend saw was a huge health code violation. After the over priced meal it was time for a little something sweet. In the display case were doughnuts. Looking at these you could see ants on them. They weren’t sprinkles, they were ants. The employees had no sense of humor when asked for the ants to be on the side. Watching what they did next was worse. They actually brushed the ants off and put the doughnuts back in the case.
You might want to think twice about eating here if thats the care they put into product.

I am not vegan but prefer more organic products so visited Viva La Vegan after being introduced by a family member.
As soon as I walked in, the lady running the store greeted me nicely and was helpful during my shopping. There seemed to be other staff members but they were busy packing and moving things around nevertheless, they did greet and make me feel welcomed.
Viva La Vegan had a lot of products which I was not expecting! They also had another section for clothes or other types of earthy materials.
I was hoping to find some organic strawberries but they had run out of stock which was a shame. They had most of the items I was looking for such as organic powdered sugar, soy free margarine, organic chocolate chips etc for my strawberry sponge cake!
To be honest, I’ve never really tried vegan or MORE organic products and was impressed by the quality and taste of the products at this store.

Excellent selection of the usual and obscure vegan products. They have a large selection of supplements, bulk grains, and beauty products too. I have yet to try all of the vegan desserts (brownies/​chocolate chip cookies) they carry but I can accomplish anything set my mind to.
Minus one star for service as it is sometimes a long wait for a cashier at the grocery section, and a relatively long wait for food at the dine-​in section. The food is amazing so it’s worth the wait though.

The Santa Monica location is a tiny closet compared to this location. Such a huge space filled with every vegan goodie imaginable! But why oh why does this have to be so far away???
Lucky for me, a weekend road trip to Vegas is the perfect excuse to drive through Rancho Cucamonga! …twice of course :) Once on the way to Vegas and once more on our way back home.
So what does Viva La Vegan have? Well, think of a food item. Any food item. This place has a vegan version of that. Many of the things I see here, I could probably find at various stores across LA. But I would have to drive to various stores across LA. What makes Viva La Vegan so convenient is that everything is located in one place. I’d also find a lot of unique things that I never even knew existed.
I stocked up on multiple flavors of Phoney Baloney’s Coconut Bacon which is basically the most amazing thing in the world. I bought a few instant soups for quick and easy lunches to bring to work. Broccoli Cheddar instant soup? I’m game. (It wasn’t very good btw but at least it quelled my curiosity.) I have yet to taste the vegan instant ramen cups but I have high hopes. I sampled a few snacks by the register including a white cheddar popcorn that the BF almost didn’t want to give to me because it was a «cheese» flavor. I had to remind him that we were in a vegan grocery store ;)
In the refrigerated section they had this super yummy Vegan Rugelach which was doughy and chocolaty and addicting. This snack made it to Vegas with us and it was a perfect late night dessert after hours of dancing all night at the club. It was good for breakfast too. Don’t judge me! ;P
The BF was more curious about the selection of unique sodas. There was a tasty Bananas Fosters flavor, a more subtle strawberry one, and a China Cola made with Chinese herbs and tasted just like Coke.
Another great thing about this location which the Santa Monica location lacks is a small café which serves one of the best Horchata that I’ve ever had in my life:
They also serve a very delicious and filling Jackfruit Carnitas Taco. Good sized portion for $ 3 a taco:
The prices didn’t seem to shake me. Mostly everything seemed to be what I’d expect it to cost. The sad truth is, vegan food tends to be pricier. But the nice surprise is that I’ve found a good amount of items that seemed more reasonably priced and I didn’t break the bank as much as I would shopping at Whole Paycheck. As for customer service, the staff here was cool to us. We received a hello as soon as we walked in which is always appreciated. The guy working in the café was super nice and helpful. The cashier gal giggled when the BF tried to «protect me» from the white cheddar popcorn.
It’s pretty overwhelming to be in a large space filled with so many vegan options. I almost feel like I need to go in with a better game plan for my next visit. Maybe I’ll bring a large cooler and fill it up with tons of frozen and refrigerated goodies. It’s so inconveniently far from me but I suppose my gas efficient car can handle the commute :)

First, I would like to speak on my experience visiting viva la vegan for the first time. Parking is limited along the street, yet there might be more parking around the building. The employees were very friendly, and answered any question I had. I came just to explore, and try the food at the café. I’m a foodie, so I enjoy trying multiple items. I ordered the «jackfruit» carnitas bowl with all the fixn’s and the «grilled» marinated chicken taco. I have to say I am extremely impressed how the can transform jackfruit and mimic about 100% texture of carnitas. Both selections had an ample amount of taste and texture. I was pleased with the quality and taste of the food.
They offer a dining section with chairs and tables, so do not go in there looking for privacy when enjoying the food. In addition, people that are curious about vegan dishes, please be open-​minded that when a meat is replicated it will not be 100% the same as the meat you are used to eating. Understanding that rule will allow you to enjoy the food even better.

A large vegan grocery store, café, and retail/​community space, Viva La Vegan serves Rancho Cucamonga and its surrounding areas well. Although the selection isn’t as large as a typical grocery store or supermarket, it’s not unexpected since all of the food and non-​food items sold here are vegan. Prices are mostly competitive and for those items that are priced higher, take into consideration the time and effort to locate and vet vegan companies.
In addition to the grocery, with its fresh produce, frozen goods, and vegan-​friendly household goods, there is a small café that serves hot meals cooked on little hot plates. Eating here is like a visit to a vegan Chipotle; I never thought I would like faux carnitas, but they are delicious. It’s amazing how they can transform jackfruit (yes, jackfruit!) into something that looks, smells, and tastes like carnitas. All that’s missing is the grease and the inevitable heart attack. I always order the faux carnitas bowl with everything: rice, beans, veggies, salsa, and cheese (yes, they even have faux cheese). This dish alone made a carnivore like me re-​think the possibilities of vegan cuisine.
The café is also part of the larger space that has some retail lines for sale, such as faux leather shoes and boots, vegan-​friendly clothing and jewelry. There are frequent events held here, from vegan cooking demonstrations and meet-​ups to arts and crafts fairs and free yoga classes.
All of the staff that I’ve encountered have been welcoming and helpful: even if you’re not vegan, you won’t feel like an idiot when an employee answers your obvious newbie question. Viva La Vegan makes it easy for vegans and non-​vegans to participate in Meatless Mondays and other animal-​friendly eating days.
Highly recommended.

A little store, a big heart.
Well, maybe not little in all aspects. A large open space is divided into two areas, one for healthful vegan groceries, baked goods, food supplements, and environmentally safe dry goods, the other side for a small sit down café with all the trappings of a vegan bistro.
It is really quite simple. Clean. Organized. Welcoming. A delightful market, but with limited quantities of stock. For what they have, it’s quite nice. But going to a health food market is never inexpensive, and this place is no exception.
There was a large refrigerator and freezer section with new brands and interesting sounding foods. I was pleased to find what I needed, and saw much more that was inspiring. I was impressed but surprised to find several tables and a refrigerator containing marked down items, with a sign indicating these items had either passed their expiration date or were no longer to be carried. I doubt if I would be purchasing items past their «Use By» dates even at 50% off.
I do wish it was closer to my neck of the woods. I would love to spend more time browsing through this place. One caveat, it appears to not have air conditioning. For that reason I am not sure if I would spend much, if any, time in here in the hot summer.
Granted, I have not given up meat quite yet, and Mr B, may still feel a bit reluctant after just eating his favorite medium rare prime rib sandwich. We are definitely a Work In Progress. Perhaps we could be more successful if we shopped here.