Crystals Soul Cafe
Permanently Closed
Vegan soul food with a lush, plant-filled atmosphere
Vegan soul food with a lush, plant-filled atmosphere
"Crystals Soul Food Café in the South Bay feels like a Barbie dreamhouse, one where plants hang from every available space, and hot-pink lighting and colorful art are everywhere. The creativity applies to the food as well. So, you’ll find plant-based dishes like the psychedelic soul plate with fresh lion's mane mushrooms and thyme herbs, vegan chili with parmesan corn cake, sushi fries topped with mango and eel sauce, and vegan lasagna." - kat hong
"Creole and Cajun food can be tricky to navigate for plant-based diners since so many dishes are based around meat or seafood, but Los Angeles has vegan options covered at Crystals Soul Cafe. Set inside a lush dining room, Crystals Soul Food showcases vegan jerk shrimp po’ boys, along with a smoked and marinated vegan chicken with mango barbecue sauce, corn cake, collard greens, cornbread, and some of the best black-eyed peas in town." - Mona Holmes
"Compton’s vegan staple Crystals Soul Cafe is a neighborhood restaurant that makes some of the city’s best cornbread along with soul platters that include options like greens and black-eyed peas and the choice of vegan shrimp or barbecue chicken. Staff also sell a bonus item: actual live plants. While dining in, one is surrounded by them." - Mona Holmes
"Compton’s vegan staple is Crystals Soul Cafe, a neighborhood restaurant that makes some of the city’s best cornbread along with soul food plates centered around proteins like vegan “shrimp” or smothered “chicken.” Inventive takes on vegetables include the Cajun fried oyster mushrooms and lion’s mane “ribs” — both of which can be enjoyed with sides like vegan chili, “lobster” macaroni and cheese, collard greens, black-eyed peas, and sprouted red beans and rice. The shop also sell a bonus item: actual plants." - Mona Holmes
"The inside of Crystals Soul Cafe—a small, family-run vegan dinner spot in West Compton—looks a lot like a Barbie dreamhouse, one where plants hang from every available space, and hot-pink lighting and colorful art are everywhere. That creativity applies to the plant-based food, too. There's the psychedelic soul plate made with marinated and fried oyster mushrooms on a pretzel bun, sushi fries topped with vegan shrimp mango and dynamite sauce, and sprouted smoked red beans and truffle rice. The sheer amount of options here is a little dizzying, but if you don't where to start, get one of the fully loaded po' boys and the housemade pecan caramel cake." - nikko duren, garrett snyder, brant cox
