Looking for Mendocino Farms vegetarian options? Good news: this is one of the few fast-casual chains in the country that actually prints “V” and “VG” next to its menu items, so you don’t have to play detective at the counter. Our guide to eating out as a vegetarian gets the question a lot, what about the vegetarians at a place known for steak sandwiches and bacon, and the answer here is more than you’d expect. Sandwiches, salads, sides, a genuinely vegan banh mi. The chain’s own paperwork tells you exactly which is which.
A Quick Look at Mendocino Farms
Mario Del Pero and his wife Ellen Chen-Del Pero opened the first Mendocino Farms in 2005, a 900-square-foot spot in downtown Los Angeles below the Museum of Contemporary Art, in a space Starbucks had just vacated. Del Pero had already run one restaurant concept, a teriyaki chain called Skew’s, and sold it to fund this one. Private-equity firm L Catterton backed the early growth years starting in 2012. Then in 2017, TPG Growth bought a majority stake and brought in former Yard House CEO Harald Herrmann to run the company. Del Pero and Chen-Del Pero kept a minority stake and are still shareholders today.
Two decades in, the chain hit its 100th location with a Santa Barbara opening in early July 2026, spread across California, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Texas and Washington. California still holds most of the footprint, and Arizona is the newest addition, with a Scottsdale opening in February 2026. Systemwide U.S. sales hit $260.3 million in FY2024, according to Restaurant Business Online’s Top 500 rankings, and Nation’s Restaurant News reported sales growing more than 20% into FY2025, which puts Mendocino Farms firmly among the fastest-growing sandwich chains in the country, not just one of the biggest. Executives have talked publicly about reaching 150 locations within five years, and the pace so far backs that up.
TPG explored a sale of the chain in 2023 that reportedly valued it above $400 million, according to Reuters, though that process was shelved in 2024 without a deal closing. For now, Mendocino Farms stays privately held and keeps opening new stores rather than chasing a sale.
Mendocino Farms Vegetarian Options: What to Order
A typical sandwich counter makes you guess. Mendocino Farms doesn’t. Its own nutrition and allergen sheet marks every item as V (vegan), VG (vegetarian, usually because of egg or dairy) or nothing at all, and that system is the source behind every call in the table below.
| Menu Item | Vegetarian | Vegan |
|---|---|---|
| Vegan Banh Mi (sandwich) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Vegetarian Pesto Caprese (sandwich) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (mozzarella, pesto) |
| The Happy Hippie (sandwich) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (dairy) |
| Avocado & Quinoa Superfood Ensalada | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (feta cheese) |
| Field Greens Salad | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| The Modern Caesar | ❌ No (fish in dressing) | ❌ No |
| Golden State Cobb | ❌ No (fish, per official allergen sheet) | ❌ No |
| Thai Mango Salad | ❌ No (fish and shellfish) | ❌ No |
| Baja Green Goddess Salad | ❌ No (fish and shellfish) | ❌ No |
| Chen’s Crispy Rice Salad with tofu | ⚠️ Check (not V/VG-flagged, ask before ordering) | ⚠️ Check |
| Curried Couscous (side) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Southern Potato Salad (side) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Basil Pesto Shells (side) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (dairy) |
| Creamy Tomato Soup | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (dairy) |
| Beyond Chorizo / Impossible Chorizo / Marinated Tofu (protein add-ons) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
The fish call on the Golden State Cobb and Modern Caesar surprises most people, since neither name sounds like a seafood dish. But Mendocino Farms’ own allergen sheet flags fish on both, on top of the egg and dairy you’d expect from a Cobb or a Caesar. If you’re vegetarian and reflexively order a Caesar because “no meat,” check yourself here first.
Vegetarian and Vegan Sandwiches
Anchor of the vegan menu: the Vegan Banh Mi, and it’s a real one. Marinated tofu, pickled vegetables, cilantro, jalapeño, a soy-based vegan aioli, all on a wheat baguette, no substitutions needed. Vegetarian Pesto Caprese swaps in fresh mozzarella and basil pesto for the chicken version, and The Happy Hippie is a longtime vegetarian favorite built around hummus, sprouts, avocado and pepper jack on multigrain bread. All three show up correctly tagged on the official menu, not something you have to reverse-engineer from an ingredient list. Keeping it meat-free means skipping the steak sandwiches, the Peruvian Steak Sandwich included. Nothing about them is disguised.
Salads and Bowls
Salads are where this menu gets trickier, not easier. Avocado & Quinoa Superfood Ensalada is vegetarian but not vegan, since it carries feta cheese. Field Greens stands alone as the only salad marked fully vegan as served. Everything else, the Modern Caesar, the Golden State Cobb, the Thai Mango, the Baja Green Goddess, either contains chicken by default or picks up fish and shellfish from the dressing or the composed dish itself. Chen’s Crispy Rice Salad comes in a chicken version and a tofu version, but the official allergen sheet only lists the chicken version by name, so the tofu build isn’t formally flagged either way. Ask before you order it if you’re strict about vegan.
Sides and Soups
Sides are the easiest part of the menu to navigate. Curried Couscous and Southern Potato Salad are both fully vegan. Basil Pesto Shells and Kale & Apple Salad are vegetarian, not vegan, because of parmesan and dairy dressing. Creamy Tomato Soup is vegetarian too, made without chicken stock, while the Greek Lemon, Chicken & Farro Soup obviously isn’t an option. Want a vegan protein boost on any salad or wrap? Beyond Chorizo, Impossible Chorizo and marinated tofu are all confirmed vegan add-ons.
Bread and Sauce Choices Matter
A vegan filling doesn’t guarantee a vegan sandwich. Ciabatta, sourdough, the sesame roll and the Mejorado vegan tortilla are all vegan breads, but the brioche-style options (cornmeal brioche, potato roll, the kids’ Pullman brioche) all contain egg and milk. Sauces work the same way. Vegan Aioli, Balsamic Glaze, Pomodoro, Tangy BBQ Sauce, Chipotle Vinaigrette, Farmhouse Vinaigrette, Mama Lil’s Pickled Sweet Peppers and Vegan Ranch are all plant-based, while Salsa Verde Aioli and Baja Green Goddess Dressing are vegetarian only because of egg or dairy. Swap the bun or the sauce and a vegetarian order turns vegan in most cases.
What’s Vegan at Mendocino Farms?
Mendocino Farms has one of the more legitimate vegan menus among sandwich chains this size. Vegan Banh Mi, Field Greens Salad, Curried Couscous, Southern Potato Salad, and the housemade lemonades and Get Your Greens juice are all confirmed vegan on the official allergen sheet. Beyond Chorizo, Impossible Chorizo and marinated tofu let you build a vegan version of most bowls and wraps. This isn’t a token gesture, either. The chain has run limited-time collaborations with Fable (a mushroom-based “Philly Shroomsteak”) and Impossible Foods. Just double-check any seasonal item before you order, since those rotate roughly every quarter and the summer 2026 lineup leaned back toward meat and cheese. HappyCow reviewers across multiple cities single out the Vegan Banh Mi by name, and VegNews has covered the chain’s plant-based push directly, so this isn’t just our read on the allergen sheet.
None of that vegan menu shows up on the kids’ side, worth knowing if you’re ordering for a family. Grilled Cheddar Cheese Sandwich and Peanut Butter & Jelly are both vegetarian, not vegan, since the kids’ bread and cheese carry dairy and egg. Apples are the one fully vegan item on that menu. Order your kid a half portion of the Vegan Banh Mi or a side of Curried Couscous instead if vegan matters.
Special Dietary Requirements and Allergies
Mendocino Farms vegetarian options are easier to spot than the pitfalls, so know the pitfalls first. Fish showing up in dishes that don’t sound like seafood is the single biggest trap on this menu. Classic Caesar Dressing and Thai Almond Dressing both carry an official fish allergen flag, and that fish carries through to the Modern Caesar salad, the Golden State Cobb and the Thai Mango Salad. Baja Green Goddess Salad also lists fish and shellfish, even though the dressing itself, ordered on its own, is vegetarian. Skip obvious meat but forget to ask about the dressing, and you can end up eating fish without knowing it here.
Most brioche-style breads also contain egg and milk, so a vegan sandwich needs a vegan bread swap. Basil Pesto Shells, Kale & Apple Salad and the pesto-based sandwiches all carry dairy from cheese. Got a peanut or tree nut allergy? Thai Mango Salad and Thai Almond Dressing carry both, and Baja Green Goddess Salad flags tree nuts too. Staff can walk through the allergen sheet at the register or online, since it’s published with a full checkmark grid rather than vague warnings.
Tips for Vegetarians at Mendocino Farms
- Trust the V and VG labels when you’re hunting for Mendocino Farms vegetarian options. This chain actually maintains them, unlike most fast-casual competitors.
- Don’t assume a Caesar or a Cobb is meat-free just because it skips the obvious protein. Both carry fish here.
- Want fully vegan? Swap to ciabatta, sourdough, the sesame roll or the vegan tortilla, and skip the brioche-style breads.
- Ask about Chen’s Crispy Rice Salad with tofu specifically. It’s not flagged either way on the official sheet.
- Add Beyond Chorizo, Impossible Chorizo or marinated tofu to any salad or wrap for a filling, fully vegan protein boost.
- Check the seasonal menu before you go. Rotating items lean back toward chicken and bacon more often than the standing menu does.
Conclusion
Mendocino Farms is one of the rare fast-casual chains where you don’t have to interrogate the counter staff to eat vegetarian or vegan. Its V and VG labels do most of the work, the Vegan Banh Mi is a real standout, and the only trap is assuming a Caesar or a Cobb is automatically meat-free when both quietly carry fish here. For more on eating out without the guesswork, see our full guide to vegetarian and vegan dining at restaurants, or browse our full list of restaurant guides. If you like fast-casual chains with a real vegetarian menu, check out what we found at Corner Bakery Cafe, Taziki’s and True Food Kitchen.
