Love Again Local: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Love Again Local is one of the most satisfying vegan delis you’ll find anywhere in the Philadelphia area. Tucked onto a quiet corner at 18 S. Church St. in downtown West Chester, PA, this 100% plant-based spot has been proving since 2017 that you don’t have to give up cheesesteaks, Reubens, or Italian hoagies to eat an entirely vegetarian diet. Everything on the menu is vegan, down to the meats, cheeses, and cookies.

What’s vegan and vegetarian at Love Again Local

The entire menu is 100% vegan. That means every sandwich, salad, side, and dessert is made without any animal products. Co-owner Abraham Koffenberger develops and produces all of the house-made “meats” on the premises, including seitan-based cheesesteak, pastrami, salami, Cuban pork, ham, and turkey. The cheeses are plant-based too. There’s no risk of accidentally ordering something that slipped through without vegetarian-friendly preparation because the kitchen is dedicated entirely to plant-based cooking. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you can order literally anything on the menu.

Signature dishes to order

Start with My Cousin Vinny ($16), the flagship Italian hoagie loaded with housemade salami, ham, smoked provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, spicy hoagie spread, mayo, oil, and vinegar on a seeded roll. Reviewers consistently say it holds up against any meat-based Italian hoagie. My Favorite Cuban ($15) layers house-made Cuban pork, salami, and ham on a soft Cuban roll with Swiss, pickles, and Dijon, and it’s been called the best sandwich on the menu by multiple customers. The Classic Reuben ($15) features house-made pastrami piled with Swiss, sauerkraut, and thousand island on marble rye. The WC LAL Cheesesteak ($16) uses a housemade magical seitan mix with sauteed onions and ketchup on a soft Cuban roll. For dessert, the Chunkwich ($7.50) is an ice cream cookie sandwich made with two of their famous chocolate chip cookies and vanilla ice cream rolled in mini chocolate chips.

How to order

Love Again Local is open Tuesday through Sunday. Tuesday and Sunday hours run 11am to 4pm. Wednesday through Saturday, the shop stays open until 7pm. Monday is the only closed day. You can walk in and order at the counter, call ahead at (484) 266-7381, or order delivery through DoorDash. Catering platters are available for groups, starting at $100 for 20-piece assorted sandwich platters. The shop also sells deli items by the half-pound, including pastrami, salami, turkey, ham, and coconut bacon, so you can take the ingredients home and build your own sandwiches all week.

What to watch out for

Love Again Local is not a dedicated gluten-free kitchen. They do offer a gluten-free roll option on several sandwiches, including the Chickpea Tuna and the Impossible Cheeseburger, but if you have celiac disease, the shared kitchen environment means there’s some risk of cross-contact. Several sandwiches also contain tree nuts, including pistachios and peanut butter, so check ingredient details if nut allergies are a concern. Seating inside is limited, and the shop does not take reservations for regular lunch or dinner service. Hours are on the shorter side on Tuesdays and Sundays, so plan ahead if you’re going out of your way.

Is Love Again Local worth it?

Yes, and it’s not close. Love Again Local earned a PETA Vegan Roast Boast Award for its stuffed holiday roast and holds a 4.8-star Google rating alongside a perfect 5.0 on HappyCow across more than 100 reviews. Yelp shows 102 reviews updated as recently as June 2026, confirming the place is still actively drawing fans. Prices are reasonable for the quality, with most sandwiches landing between $12 and $16. Whether you’re a longtime vegetarian or just curious about what plant-based deli food can actually taste like, Love Again Local is worth a detour to West Chester. The house-made meats are the real draw here, and they’re made to impress people who don’t normally eat this way.