Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
American
International
Organic
Delivery
Take-out

Open-air garden cafe in the South Bay. Menu features healthy salads, sandwiches, entrees, Mexican specialties, and herbal tea; desserts available (ask). Open Tue-Sat 11:00am-4:00pm, Tue-Thu 5:00pm-9:00pm, Fri-Sat 5:00pm-10:00pm, Sun 9:00am-4:00pm, 5:00pm-9:00pm.


Venue map for The Green Temple
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43 Reviews

First Review by jcpenick

VeggieMon

Points +270

Vegetarian
04 May 2009

Always hot, always fresh. Avoid cheese dishes.

I've been a GT regular for a few years and I really like the food and wait staff. I have nothing really to add to the existing positive reviews.

Important - and shocking - note: a few weeks ago I went to the GT and their special was a "vegetarian" lasagna. OK, cheese, fine. Also listed on the special's ingredients list is "parmesan cheese." Uh...huh? ALL Parmesan cheese contains rennet which is definitely NOT vegetarian in any way, shape, or form. I needled the server about this and she was totally clueless. Of course I followed on by asking about the ingredients in their other cheeses and she couldn't answer the question. Naturally I was not thrilled, so caveat emptor. If you're a very careful vegetarian like I am you'll avoid any GT dishes that contain cheese.

vagovegano

Points +4744

Vegan
14 Jun 2023

Solid food…

I enjoy coming here because I know the food is solidly good. I often get the Green Temple Bowl which is a build your own bowl option. I got the brown rice, broccoli, corn and organic tempeh covered in their creamy tofu sauce which I would highly recommend. This place is vegetarian and does have dairy in some of their dishes, so be weary. This place also has a variety of juices. I had the carrot, orange and ginger offering which was quite refreshing.

Pros: Lots of vegan options , Nice service.

Cons: Parking near the restaurant can be difficult

msridhar

Points +33

Vegetarian
05 Mar 2023

Great ingredients and ambiance, but under-seasoned

Had lunch with a large group and definitely enjoyed the meal overall. The outdoor dining patio has a great ambiance. Unfortunately we were a bit cold, as the heat lamps didn't seem to be working that day. Everything we ordered was fresh and nicely prepared. We eat dairy, and there were several dishes where you could choose between dairy and vegan cheeses, which was a nice touch. Our main critique was that the dishes were generally under-seasoned, but we fixed it with some salt and hot sauce. Service was very friendly but a bit on the slow side. Overall, recommended.

Updated from previous review on 2023-02-25

AndreiaKrause

Points +90

Vegan
28 Jan 2023

Delicious

My omnivore husband took me here for a late lunch. He had the vegetarian lasagna and I had the vegan burger. They were both very tasty. The atmosphere of the outdoor patio was delightful too.

kaleyeah87

Points +375

Vegan
21 Dec 2022

Pleasant experience

First off, I really enjoyed the ambience of this place. It was a very pleasant place to eat. Also, the service was great!

For my main dish, I got the pasta with tofu sauce and collard greens, made vegan. It was super warm and comforting and I really enjoyed it 😋 I was a bit worried because I've been having stomach pain lately but somehow the food did not irritate my stomach at all! I was very pleasantly surprised. For dessert, I got the chocolate macademia pie. Honestly, it was kind of mid, but it was presented nicely.

Overall, I really enjoyed my lunch here and you should def check out the Green Temple if you're in the area!

Pros: Relaxing ambience, Great options , Yummy food

MichLuVeg

Points +32

Vegan
30 Sep 2022

Wonderful restaurant

Great menu options and all outdoor seating

AmandaSakiye

Points +2820

Vegan
08 May 2022

Classic and Unique

Green temple is one of the first veggie restaurants in the South Bay. Their tofu sauce is legendary. The ambiance of their courtyard garden is one of my favorites. I always seem to get the 4 bowl because you can mix whatever ingredients from the list w/ tofu sauce. Everything is so delicious. 👍🏼

BruceQuillin

Points +16

Vegan
23 Apr 2022

My wife and my favorite restaurant. We eat here all the time and love it.

My wife and my favorite restaurant. We eat here all the time and love it.

Pros: Friendly, Great healthy food

BYRONCHURCH

Points +13

Vegetarian
19 Dec 2021

Food !

My go to closest to home cooking Vegi food !

Pros: Tasty , filling , homie , , Conscious , happy , healthy, By the beach !

Cons: Not home

kbsprouts

Points +99

Vegan
11 Oct 2021

Great find!

The food and service were just awesome. We had a tofu steamer but with tempeh and a broccoli and pine nut bake (not vegan). Absolutely delicious! We got a macadamia, cashew and chocolate cake slice to go.

shiftygrub

Points +148

Vegan
03 Oct 2021

Average

I don't like being critical of vegan/vegetarian restaurants, but alas, here we are. We ordered the pita wrap, quesadilla, and burger. I wasn't mad at any of the dishes, but I didn't think they were particularly tasty, either. I could tell that they used good ingredients, but the flavors were lacking. It's a shame, really, because the potential is definitely there. It tastes like what people would think health foods would taste like.

RacerDean

Points +206

Vegan
09 Jul 2021

My "go to" place in Redondo Beach

When the weather is good (often) there is no better place to have an outdoor meal in the South Bay. I have been a regular here for over a decade and have never had a bad meal. The food is fresh and organic. We see the owner at the local farmers market on a regular basis and she only buys the best local organic produce. The menu is 100% vegetarian with about 40% vegan or can be made vegan. GF options are well labeled.

Updated from previous review on 2017-01-02

Pros: Food, Service, Location

Cons: I wish that more of the menu was vegan, Limited indoor seating

Angelinaaa

Points +46

Vegan
15 Feb 2021

Sort of bland

I've given this place 2 tries and both times I felt like the food was sort of bland. In my opinion the food doesn't give non-veggie people a good representation of how amazing and flavorful vegan and vegetarian food can be. Both times I've gotten dishes with tempeh in them and I feel like they don't know how to cook tempeh well. The tempeh was cut into large chunks and had spices on it that didn't compliment the dish and quite frankly the spices were super muted and bland. While I hate being so critical of a vegetarian restaurant I just feel like they do not know how to spice their food. Spices are SO important in plant based foods!

Pros: location

Cons: Bland, Tempeh not cooked well, Unusual spices that don't compliment the dish

kenvegan

Points +12892

Vegan
19 Aug 2019

Wholesome, Delicious Food in a Lovely Atmosphere

I have been eating at this restaurant for many years. I recommend the outdoor seating area which has a lovely rustic and peaceful vibe.

I ordered the Tostaditos, or tostada's vegan-style, an enchilada and steamed green veggies with a nice tofu cream sauce.

The dishes here are minimally processed and are quite tasty.

The only recommendation I have if this place is to finally convert their entire menu to vegan.
They seem to have the same menu as they had 20 years ago.

shortkozmo

Points +46

Vegan
30 Mar 2019

Options galore and very well labeled.

Lots of delicious options, well labeled and tell you if they can make something vegan on the menu. They even have tasty vegan dessert options!

Pros: Dessert options , Large portions but have smaller portion options , Variety of cuisine

Clarissa1dc

Points +143

Vegan
02 Jan 2019

Reliably amazing!

Have never been disappointed-great in warm and cold weAther alike. Savory sauce always incredible, fresh salads and soups. Specials are always a treat. Large serving sizes.

Pros: Variety of vegan options and specials, Knowledgeable staff, Friendly

ArinnApril

Points +32

Vegan
21 Nov 2018

Is this the only vegetarian/vegan in Southbay?

We ordered four different plates for the table. It all tasted the same: Very bland. Also, everything that came out was lukewarm. We sent the enchiladas back to be warmed and they were microwaves warm and quickly returned. Won’t be returning with so many flavourful options available elsewhere. 2 stars for very bland food - we also let the server know of these issues politely and they didn’t seem to care.

Pros: Lots of vegan/vegetarian options, Open air concept in the courtyard is cool

Cons: BLAND, BLAND, BLAND

EmilyImbach

Points +60

Vegan
21 Jul 2018

LOVE!

this is my favorite veg restaurant in the south bay. they have soo many yummy foods. vegans need to try the Savory Gold and Cornadilla with vegan cheese!!!

Pros: lots of vegan options, cute , friendly staff

MickeyMack

Points +46

Vegan
21 Jun 2018

Best vegetarian food in the Southbay

Been going here for years, lots to choose from on the menu. Sunday breakfast is always delicious.

Pros: Great variety of Vegan options, Lots of vegetarian options, Dragon shots are super tasty

ShaenaWhitney

Points +18

Vegan
01 Mar 2018

Best Restaurant Ever!

Super chill vibe, delicious food, right by the beach, and my all time favorite place to eat.

Pros: lots of vegan options, total Zen zone, decent pric

ziffrus

Points +66

Vegan
11 Feb 2018

Food is ok pet policy is not

The food here is decent. Unfortunately, they are not pet friendly in their outdoor seating area. Feels a bit peculiar for a vegan spot.

Pros: it’s Vegan

Cons: mediocre food , attitude of management , pet policy

archcmanus

17 Dec 2023

Doesn't seem fair to give a poor rating because you assumed you could bring your dog to a restaurant. The food is delicious.

HJS

Points +97

Vegan
24 Oct 2017

Delicious food, Great staff

Lovely meal here. We had the eggplant lasagne (a vegan special which should really be a regular thing as it was fab) and the enchiladas. Lovely food. Healthy. Well thought out. Extremely friendly waiting staff who couldn't do enough for us. Gorgeous seating in the open air courtyard. Good for a romantic evening.
Not entirely vegan however so check the menu and ask for daiya cheese.

zoeetz123456

Points +168

Vegan
25 Aug 2017

This was very good but some things were not great.

The place is amazing it is a big zen temple. It is beautiful in so many ways. The food was a little bland but the Tempe sauce was amazing !!! The service was not great it is very small so you no and it's hard to find but a great location.

srb

Points +11

Mostly Veg
21 Jul 2017

Definitely the "Best Eats" in the Riviera Village

I've only lived in RB since 2000 and been eating at TGT since 2003. I used to love talking to the owners and even got two recipes for what I believe are the two best items on their menu, the tofu dressing and peanut butter pie! I can't get enough of both :-) Just miss the owners not being there so I don't go as often as I used to, but when I do, I usually order the walnut loaf with house salad and extra tofu dressing. If I need a boost, I'll treat myself to an elixir as well. You must eat there if you are in RB or you'll be missing out on what I believe is the best restaurant in the Riviera Village.

Updated from previous review on 2017-07-21

Pros: Great Food, Great Ambiance and Decor

Cons: Miss the owners, they know their food., New staff not as food knowledgeable., New staff not as friendly and attentive.

ChloeGross

Points +112

Vegan
19 Jun 2017

tasty and healthy

Some dishes are better than others. The peanut butter pie is one of the best vegan dessert's I've ever tried.

Hungwy

Points +274

Vegan
19 Aug 2016

great setting

Island holiday setting. Nice servers. Home style cooking. Nice experience.

ArtVB

Points +332

Vegan
31 Jul 2016

Best in Redondo Beach

Vegan food in this restaurant is outstanding. Everything I have tried here from the soup to the strawberry pie have been delicious. Ingredients are fresh and everything has been perfectly cooked and seasoned. The bread is baked in-house and juices are freshly squeezed. Service is very friendly. The environment is incredibly relaxing.

Pros: Delicious food , Customer service , Location




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