The real slogan for Homegirl Cafe is actually “Jobs not Jail!” but I like my “Sandwiches not Jail!” version even better. Homegirl Cafe is located downtown just across the street from and underneath the picturesque Chinatown Metro stop. It’s the sort of special gem of a restaurant that can only exist in Los Angeles. The cafe and it’s accompanying bakery are part of the Homeboy Industries, an organization that’s helping former L.A. gang members and at-risk youth learn job skills and get real work experience. The entire staff of Homegirl is made up of young ladies who have walked away from gangbanging and are in here learning to cook and run a succesful restaurant instead.
From their website: “In only a few years, Homeboy Industries has had an important impact on the Los Angeles gang problem, with young people from over half of the region’s 1,100 known gangs seeking a way out through Homeboy. Thousands of young people have walked through the doors of Homeboy Industries looking for a second chance, and finding community. Gang affiliations are left outside as these young people work together, side by side, learning the mutual respect that comes from shared tasks and challenges.”
As if that wasn’t already cool enough, they are accomplishing some of these goals by having opened this great cafe and bakery… so not only do you get to eat an excellent meal, but you’re also truly helping people with each bite you take.
So yeah, let’s get to the food. The menu has a distinct Latin flare (the restaurant is run under the guidance & training of Ciudad and Border Grill restaurants) with a large variety of specialty breakfast items, sandwiches, salads and tacos. Homegirl Cafe is not a vegetarian restaurant but there are plenty of exciting options for both vegetarians and vegans alike.
They even have a sandwich that straight-up has ‘vegan’ in it’s name, and that’s what I got. ‘Tati’s Vegan Sandwich’ comes with jalapeno pesto, cucumbers, zucchini, apple, jicama, lettuce, onions & tomatoes. For those on the lookout for bell peppers (you know who you are!) you can clearly see they’re in there as well but were not listed on the menu… I love ‘em, but if you don’t be sure to ask if they can be left off… as I did with the onions. You can also add tofu, which I did, or even chicken if you like to eat gross things.
Yummmm… this was one great sandwich. All the flavors were so fresh and distinct. The tart apple, crunchy sweet jicama & peppers, earthy cucumbers & zucchini, and then the subtle and delicious pesto bringing it all together in a green ribbon of goodness. I say subtle because it’s not the sort of spiciness that makes your mouth burn immediately, making you grasp for a drink. The heat comes on slowly, kinda creeps up on you with a hot little surprise. Loved it. Oh, and the bread is fresh from their bakery… which is right there en-suite.
I didn’t try anything from their bakery as I don’t think anything was vegan, but it all sure looked tasty as I gazed at it longingly from the other side of the display case. I should also tell you about the chips & salsa shown up at the top, which were also notably fantastic. The chips were fresh and hot and only a little bit oily (in a good way), I could tell they’d come directly out of the fryer, lightly salted and brought straight to my table. The salsa is their very own Morita sauce, which is thick and silky and spicy and most likely, my new addiction.
I’m very much looking forward to going back. This breakfast dish sounds off the hook: Nopales Breakfast: Choice of scrambled eggs or tofu with nopales (cactus), tomatoes, onions and cilantro, topped with morita sauce. Served with black beans and warm tortillas. Or how about their homemade Tofu Chorizo? Even the appetizers sound amazing: Roasted Pineapple Guacamole with Chips, Roasted Garbanzo Beans with lime and chile, Maria’s Salad: Jicama, cucumber, pineapple & orange with Serrano and lime dressing. Excuse me for salivating on you as I write this.
Homegirl Cafe is awesome in pretty much whatever way you homeslice it. Regardless of what you do or don’t eat, you’ll find many satisfying and healthy options to choose from there. Your tummy will be happy and you’ll feel great knowing that just by eating a meal there, you’ve directly helped the very same people who made and served you your food. Eat well… and tip well too!
Update: I forgot to tell you about the yummy green beverage pictured up top, Angela’s Green Potion Lemonade with spinach & mint. It’s perfect. They also serve other natural fruit drinks, blended daily.
HomeGirl Cafe
Homeboy Industries
DANG, that all sounds wicked good! I wouldn’t have though.. oh, nevermind. I am cracking the fuck up at “if you like to eat gross things”, it’s pretty gnarly to offer a flesh option for a vegan sandwich.
What a way cool organization!! As someone who works with kids, I really admire a smart idea like this, because it’s always best to offer an alternative to gangbanging that’s actually interesting and worthwhile, as opposed to just hanging out at a rec center or something. Plus the food looks yummy! Thank you so much for passing on the tip….
I want that! Great find!
Melisser: They offer the chicken or tofu as add ons for any of the sandwiches, not specifically just the vegan one. That would be weird.
Kirby and Lex: You’re welcome!
wow, that place sounds awesome! thanks for finding it! also, thanks for discovering the unadvertized bell peppers. that would have ruined my sandwich, and now i know to specify…thanks to you!
i seriously can’t wait to go here. what a concept.
Looks like great food, and seems like an organization i would want to support. Thanks!
How cool! I love it when you can get great food/product and help the community. Sign me up the the nopales breakfast, everybody needs to eat more prickly pear ;c)
Oh good! I’m so glad the food was delicious. I’ve always intended to eat here.
The green drink looks so good!
xxx bAr.
WOW, this place sounds amazing and I am now dying to try their food! Let’s go!
I would have never known… Way to get the word out. Supporting once misguided youth is what we need more of!
thank you so much for this ,i work the next block over at my recording studio and i had no idea they had anything vegan here! i see it every morning before i turn the corner!, wow. i guess things couldn’t get any better.. first doomies opens 2 blocks away and now there is a place closer that has breakfast!
Great looking sandwich and what an awesome program! It reminds me of the chef Jeff Henderson, his foodtv show and book – how he turned his life around by getting into cooking. I think his wife is vegetarian and 2 of his kids are vegan, but he’s not.
Wow. I never knew this place existed. I can’t wait to try it.
Wow. I want to go there just to try the jalapeno pesto. By the spoonful!
went today , the tofu revelto was AMAZING so fresh , lots of awesome veggies and great home made tortillas
Thanks so much for this great post! You finally got me to do what I’d been meaning to do for ages – check out Homeboy Industries.
I went this morning for breakfast and it was fantastic. I got the chilequilles (sp?) with black beans and they were excellent. My husband got one of their omeletes and it was great. The bread with it? Even better and it is made fresh there.
So hooray – good deeds and good food. Kudos to Homegirl cafe!
Thanks, Foodeater…where have you been all my life? ;)
That looks delicious!
Wow, freakin delicious! I wish they had one in Nor Cal too :(
chow vegan: I loved watching the Chef Jeff program. Eating at Homegirl Cafe totally reminded me of that show!
Alex and Ohiogirl I’m so glad you guys went and tried Homegirl Cafe and enjoyed it!
Alex, you’re so luck to be so close! Sadly Doomie’s just closed :(
yeah doomies is closed, i spoke to him via text the other night and he said they need to find a new spot as asked if i know of any.. so everyone. keep an eye out! doomies needs to find a new location ! he spoke of possibly having a blowout to get rid of some stuff they still have in the friedge and freezer i guess, but im not sure what the deal is.. anyways.. i still have homegirl cafe a block away and apparently purgatory pizza which is about 2 miles away now has vegan pizza! , so i guess i’ll survive for a while.
Alex: Hmmm… I don’t know how I feel about eating stuff that’s been sitting in the fridge or freezer for a time, but I do hope he gets a new and even better location set up soon. We’re a missing him bigtime already! Oh, and don’t forget you’re not that far from Shojin on Alameda between 3rd and 4th streets either. Despite the demise of Doomies downtown is still blessed with some pretty rad vegan/vegetarian options!