If I could eat here every day, I would not be bored, even as an omnivore. This place is a gem. I've been to some of the most celebrated restaurants in the world, and I find myself long for the food here. The flavors are subtle yet complex, starting with the amount of detail they put into something as simple as the water they serve you. they provide naturally flavored (with apple!) water, many tiny desserts after the meal. Despite being vegan, they are serious about sharing Vietnamese food and culture and does an amazing job replicating the aromas, textures, and profiles of classic dishes. The prices reflect the care and quality of ingredients that go into the meals, and are absolutely worthwhile. All the mock meats are made in-house. Do not miss out, whether you are vegan or not.

This is one of the best meals I’ve ever had! I’m not vegan, but this plant-based Vietnamese food was amazing. Our server was so kind & thoughtful. We drove from out of the area to try this spot & it exceeded all of our expectations. The owner & staff clearly have culinary expertise and are so passionate about what they create. Run, don’t walk!

First, the owner and staff are incredibly friendly and super passionate about their restaurant. They take pride in the dishes they make and you can taste it! Everything is homemade, healthy, and absolutely delicious!! They have over 100 items on the menu list and everything comes out looking just like the pictures if not better. I highly recommend this place even if you’re not a vegan; the food and hospitality are that amazing!

Absolutely incredible authentic Vietnamese establishment with a fully plant-based menu right in the heart of Little Saigon. Everything tasted just like how I remember the non-vegan versions to be before I became vegan. The ingredients were all so fresh and flavorful. All of their mock meats are made in-house too. Very impressive!! The service was also top-notch. We were immediately greeted by friendly staff right as we walked through the door. They were attentive and truly went above and beyond for all of their customers and even served complimentary sweet treats after our dinner. The owner is SO sweet and welcoming and took the time to ensure everyone was enjoying their meals. Even if you’re not vegan, I promise you will enjoy the food and the welcoming atmosphere!! Do not sleep on this place. :)

I'm not a vegan or a vegetarian, but I do appreciate good food all around. And, the results are in.... Yes, I was pretty satisfied with the two dishes I had here. I had the Steam Rice Cake as an appetizer. The chewy texture and toppings went well together. And I also had the "duck" wonton soup, which I don't think is listed on the website menu. But, it is listed on the menu at the actual restaurant. Super savory and delicious. And I am amazed how the vegan dishes here truly show great Vietnamese ingredients and innovation, which can only result in a happy meal. Only improvement I can suggest is the service. It was a little slow, but it is a mom and pop shop, so be a little patient. It's worth it. You may or may not get a sweet surprise!

After seeing several recommendations for Thanh Tinh Chay on the "San Diego Vegans" Facebook group page, I decided today was the day we would go check it out. We walked into a cute and cozy seating area where we were greeted right away, asked if we've ever been there, and if we were vegan. (I am, my boyfriend is not). Right away we were brought this amazing water and the waitress gave us a run down of the menu favorites and told us a lot of fun facts about how the food is made! They told us that everything is 100% vegan, gluten-free, MSG free, and made in-house. The waitress was so nice and really knowledgeable about the menu and gave great suggestions on what to order. We ordered the sampler appetizer that had sticky rice buns, steamed rice cake, and 2 other items that I can't remember the names of. The steamed rice cakes were by far our favorite but it was all delicious. We also got fried wontons that were fried perfectly crisp. Luckily for us, we stopped in on a Thursday, which is when the new owner Helen visits the store. So glad we got to meet her! She was not only incredibly friendly, but after talking to her for a few minutes you can easily see how passionate she is about not only cooking vegan, but HEALTHY vegan food! She (as well as the waitress) were so attentive to us and asked how everything was, if we needed anything, etc. Onto the entrees. We were torn on what to order as everything looked soooo good (their menu has pictures-huge plus). Helen and the waitress (I wish I got her name), suggested the dan dan noodles and the Helen noodles (maybe she's biased lol) both dishes were really flavorful and delicious. Helen hooked us up with a bunch of little vegan desserts she makes herself! We got a cheesecake and a flan first, and had them while waiting for the check. Like everything else, it was sooooo delicious!!! It's so hard to find vegan options where I am (Chula Vista) let alone a fully vegan restaurant. Even better that it's Vietnamese food because I don't really know anywhere else that I could enjoy it veganized. My only complaint is I wish there were more locations... Chula Vista preferably :)

This vegetarian Vietnamese place is a hidden gem that serves fresh, delicious food! Food: We got the Bahn Mi with soft tofu, crispy fried dumplings, and “beef” stew with a side of rice. There’s a lot of love that goes into the food - the dumplings were wrapped fresh and made to order, the homemade bread is baked every day, and even the water is fused with fruit and incredibly tasty. Everything we ate was awesome! Service: Overall fantastic and welcoming. Not sure if she was the manager or owner, but she took the time to greet us, ask where we were from, and even talk about how they make the food. Even at 3pm about half the restaurant was full!

This place is a freaking gem!!! The food is unbelievable! Absolutely amazing experience. Everyone who worked there was so sweet, helpful and informative. I'm blown away! They even had THE BEST water even I've ever had in my life! Ahh! The detail, flavors and quality is just incredible.

everything was delicious. the service also talks to her knowing our tastes and the kindness to talk with us. the dessert omg delicious 😋. first visit 🥰😍

BEST RESTAURANT EVER. I’m vegan and my girlfriend is gluten free celiac, and this place was PERFECT for the two of us and is a hidden gem for celiacs. The website doesn’t explicitly say it, but the entire restaurant is gluten free - but non gluten free folks, don’t worry! Genuinely you will NOT be able to tell. Bread on the Banh Mi was the best gluten free bread I’ve ever had and tasted just like real bread. I’ve been vegan for 6 years now and had crispy tempura shrimp that my girlfriend said tasted just like the real thing! (And it’s made from scratch in house!). We also shared the pork belly Banh Mi which was DELICIOUS meat and the bread was so fluffy and crispy on the outside. Then we had the soft duck bao bun which was great in texture just like the real thing and loaded with a peanut sauce. Lastly we had the eggless stir fry noodles with teriyaki sesame chicken which was sooo good and allowed my girlfriend to have a lo mein style dish for the first time in years! To top it off, our waitress was so sweet and funny and gave us free desserts to end the meal. The cheesecake tasted just like the real thing and was so creamy, and the Flan was so delicious and the first time I’ve had flan since going vegan, which this Mexican reviewer has missed so much! Crime Brûlée was also delicious. Needless to say, Thanh Tinh Chay was the most delicious restaurant I’ve been to, and you would never guess that it meets everyone’s dietary needs. Oh, and the spa water they give you is so fresh and addicting! We’ll be driving back to San Diego from LA just for this spot again.

One time at this place and it has become my favorite vegan restaurant in San Diego. Everything exceeded my expectations. Every dish we ordered was tasty and the service was amazing! Staff here are extremely friendly and kind. Very impressed by their mock meats and homemade egg-less “egg” noodles. We were told everything they use is organic and homemade. The menu is by far the most extensive I’ve seen for any vegan place in San Diego, we had a tough time choosing what to eat because there were so many choices!! You won’t have to worry about getting bland tasting mock meat here because they were all so flavorful, I bet meat-eaters wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. A definite MUST TRY!!

The best vegan restaurant I've been to, hands down!! The food is so tasty. It's like authentic but vegan! I want to tell all my vegan friends about this! They are also so passionate about the food! Spread the word, they really deserve for everyone to try it out!

Extremely solid Thai food, and everything on the menu is now vegan, gluten free, and delicious. As a fair warning, the portion sizes are on the smaller side. This does not take away from the great flavor this food offers. The staff there are attentive, quick, and could very well be the nicest people on the planet. They keep the curtains shut when we were there for lunch in June, maybe to keep it cooler? I think it would be nice to open them to both let more light in and clearly show that the restaurant is open. My date and I, as well as another set of customers, thought the place was closed when walking up to the door. Regardless, I’m going back at the very least to get a taste of that apple-lemon-magic water they serve and try the bahn mi. We cannot wait to visit again in a week and take a friend with us!

My boyfriend and I were recently in San Diego and found this place. I’m so glad I did. (It’s funny bc a week ago we had a conversation about how much I wanted that “wow I would drive 20+ hours for this” vegan food.) This is a restaurant I would drive 20+ hours for :) the waitress and other workers had the kindest service I’ve ever had. I hope everyone, even if they’re not vegan has an opportunity to try this food bc it really was that great.

The restaurant has a wonderful welcoming vibe. The owner Tranh was very friendly and told us of how they make the food. I ordered Lemongrass tofu as an appetizer and It was very tasty. I have never had something quite yummy like that. They immediately bring you metal glasses that keep your drinks cold and they serve you iced lime water sweetened with other fruits! Just that was worth the visit! I had a plant based beef stew with home made vegan bread (no yeast, no eggs) that could rival any baguette in Paris! I drank about two liters of that delicious drink and not once was my glass empty. Service is always great always with a smile. To welcome us there because it was our first (but not last) time there, we got a little pineapple puff pastry and a vegan flan made with coconut and tofu and also could rival any flan in Mexico! No wonder it is one of the top ten vegan restaurants in the USA! I only hesitate to make this contribution because I fear it will become too popular and I will not be able to be seated immediately upon arrival, yet, it is so good, how could I not write about it.

This is some of the best Vietnamese food I’ve ever had, vegan or otherwise. It’s hard to replicate the fish sauce flavor in Vietnamese dishes but they did a superb job with the bun hue. The broth was so fragrant and delicious. So glad they had the combo steam cakes so I didn’t have to choose between all those delicious appetizers! I only wish I had found this restaurant earlier in my trip instead of on the last day. Good thing they had a bunch of delicious to-go items in the fridge and near the register! Not pictured is the vegan crème brûlée. It was worth every penny. I devoured it as soon as I got home and had room in my stomach for more deliciousness. I wouldn’t have known it was vegan because the texture and flavor was perfection. The owner and entire staff was also super friendly and passionate about the food. Everyone was knowledgeable and extra touches made the experience so special.

The food here is incredible, worth going back to multiple times. Their little desserts are amazing, and they are so kind and generous with them. What makes this place very special aside from the delicious food the wonderful service. Spicy scale isn't too spicy, so if your spice tolerance is high I'd go closer to 10.

The won ton soup is delicious, and the take out container separates the won tons so they don’t get soggy before you get home! Both the broth and won tons are so tasty, I will crave this soup forever. The woman behind the counter explained that they make all their vegan meat substitutes themselves which I’m impressed by too. I want to try most of the menu!

Top vegan spot in all of San Diego! Authentic, delicious, quick, and friendly. They usually give me a complimentary dessert with my to-go orders which is just awesome!

This place blew my mind! Dinner here was one of the best meals I've eaten in San Diego since moving here 2 months ago, and I've eaten at a lot of restaurants. Our server, Trang, was so friendly and helpful, and she told us about the background of the restaurant and recommended dishes. We started with the bánh bèo (savory steamed rice cakes), then got the "beef" noodle salad and roasted "duck" soup with egg noodle. Everything was PHENOMENAL. The restaurant is 100% vegan, all "meats" are made in-house (mostly from tofu), and many of the dishes are sweetened with fruit (e.g. apple and lychee) instead of processed sugar. My husband and I were so happy with our meal and we will be back soon - we want to try everything on the menu!

Absolutely LOVE this restaurant ! Best vegan restaurant in San Diego! Very attentive staff, they were ready to guide us through the menu and ingredients. This place a must if you’re looking for vegan food that’s tasty and offers variety.

I visited my best friend from Utah, and she took me here. The food was SO good. I can't even decide what my favorite was. Just try one of everything because you'll regret if you don't. The dishes are so flavorful and have so much depth. Special shout out to the desserts - they're amazing. The people who run this place are so generous and sweet, and a huge part about what makes it so great. If I'm back in San Diego, I'll be back! Thank you so much for this gem of a restaurant (with a HUGE menu).

Food is bit pricey given the price, but it is totally worth it. Completely vegan and has options for everyone. Lot of things on menu. We had Banh Mi sandwich (house special one). They serve water which is infused with apple and litchee. Also, they gave us complementary Flan during thanksgiving. The owner was so informative and talked to us specially, which was so sweet of her. Definitely worth visiting again

My favorite restaurant in San Diego! It's not just the food (the food is fabulous) but also the great people who work there. My girl Train (spelling) makes me and all of my friends feel special every time we come. Thank you so much for being amazing!

Honestly when I read the reviews initially I thought it was impossible to be that good, they had to be fake. But, THIS PLACE IS AMAZING!!! This restaurant had the most unique array of Vietnamese cuisine and the meat options were never ending. Everything was so fresh and authentic. The desserts were nothing like we’ve ever eaten. If you like unique foods, vegan or meat eater, you MUST try this place.

Very good, very friendly service, as well as delicious food. There are so many vegan choices, it was hard to decide what to get, but everybody’s was very good. I don’t think we could’ve gone wrong. Their house-made vegan meats are probably the best I’ve had; we were all very impressed. Their taro dessert and flan were a wonderful way to end the meal. Will definitely be coming back!

Excellent food, service, and friendliness. I go there to pick up lunch or dinner regularly. The owner gives personal recommendations and dessert samples. Her staff are also very helpful. The food is very healthy and tasty!