Thanh Tinh Chay Restaurant

Take it from a Vietnamese person, this food here is exceptional. You can tell the ingredients are high-quality. My family and I have been coming here since they first opened. IMO, the rather steep prices are worth it since this is some of the best Vietnamese food you can get in San Diego, vegan or not. The prices increased drastically post-COVID, but I get that they have to pay the bills. They have some very specialty dishes that I've not been able to find anywhere else in SD. Check out the fridge for some take-home prepared foods that you can enjoy at home (bao, mock meats, lotus salad, etc). The menu is crazy big and intimidating, so I personally think that they could get rid of at least half of it. Anyway, the servers can help you navigate the menu if you need some guidance. To list a few, our favorites are bánh khọt, bánh bèo, bánh ít trần, cơm thanh toàn, bún chả Hà Nội, bún Huế, and mì vịt hoành thánh. They usually have a chè (Vietnamese dessert) along with their other also-delicious desserts. I might be a bit biased, but I think the chè is usually the standout dessert.

Stumbled upon Thanh Tinh Chay via yelp. Didn't realize it was vegan food until we arrived there. Trang greeted us and immediately told us (so that we were aware) that the food is vegan. I was surprised as I glossed over it on yelp, but we decided to try it out with the rave reviews. Their menu is EXTENSIVE. I would recommend the owner to consider making the menu smaller to hopefully reduce overhead costs and make it easier for the customer to order :D The three of us ordered: -helen salad $21.30 -banh mi hosuse speical $17.70 -vegan pho beef $21.60 -thanh toan noodle bowl $21.60 The flavor profile was definitely quite interesting having a vegan twist on all my usual flavors. Nonetheless, you can tell the ingredients were fresh and quite tasty! The food, though, is definitely a lot pricier than other places, but for a small business and fresh ingredients, it makes sense. Trang was so friendly and kept checking in. She also gave us A LOT of desserts to try out...creme brulee, cookies, and sticky rice. I absolutely loved the creme brulee and sticky rice! Their homemade hot sauce is so good! I don't really like too spicy, but the amount of kick they had was perfect. Out of the 4, I enjoyed the thanh toan nodle bowl the most. Thai was also very thoughtful in checking in on us and refilling water. Their water is so tasty too! Almost like a lemonade! They have a lot in the back, but seems to be pretty full usually, so parking can be tough during peak hours. Awesome way to try out vegan food! And for the vegan food lovers...this is your spot!

Everything about this place was so amazing. They genuinely care about you and take great pride in their food being healthy and great quality ingredients. Nothing was greasy to where I felt gross afterwards. I truly had such a 5 star experience here and been craving it ever since. You must go here. It doesn’t matter if you’re vegan or not. Great food is great food.

Wow! I am blown away. This is such an authentic place. Their deserts were out of this world. The soups were amazing. And they cook their water in fresh fruits for four hours in the morning with no added sugars and keep refilling your cup until you couldn’t drink anymore. They don’t use bad oils and they air fry a lot of things to make it healthier. The service was exceptional. We made friends with the people working. What an amazing experience!

Found this place for vegetarian options on Google and thought we would it give it a try, well I gotta say it’s one of the best vegetarian places that I have tried so far in San Diego. We ordered 3 appetizers and 2 entrees and all of them were delicious. For appetizers we ordered the shrimp roll, crepe and fried saucy fish, they were tasty. For entree we ordered the Helen fried rice with pork belly - it was surprise l didn’t expect the mock meat to be so good and followed with wild boar spicy bread it was spot on and the mock meat was very different from the pork belly. The service was extraordinary and they offered us free desserts as complimentary, the coconut pudding was out of the world and chocolate pudding and vegan crème brule were equally good. Overall had a great experience!

Everything about this restaurant is amazing. The authentic dishes, pho, even dessert was SO GOOD. My non-vegetarian bf was impressed with how tasty everything was!

What the hell. I came in looking for a regular pho restaurant and was met with a wonderful surprise. I'm definitely not vegan or vegetarian, but I know sometimes those restaurants can cook good food. The waitress was so kind to me and even thanked me for being willing to try it out. I ordered the tofu buns and it was so good I was sad when it was gone. Another surprise is their water. It's flavored with real fruit juice like apple and lychee and tastes divine. The waitress deserves a raise and the care and quality to their ingredients is something you'd expect from a high end, expensive restaurant. I'm a big fan.

The food was astounding & the staff was so kind! Our server offered us free goodies and explained the processes of developing their flavors from plants, beans, and nuts! Truly a hidden treasure

This restaurant was amazing. It met my expectations and more. Flavors were there. The customer service was excellent and food was even better

My family and I went to visit this restaurant because it had good reviews. I was hesitant at first because I am a San Diego native and had never heard of it. I was blown away! I got the fried tofu pho and my husband got the oven roasted duck soup (mock duck). It was so good my picky eater sons wanted more mock duck! The service was excellent, super friendly, delicious desserts and appetizing entrees. To our surprise, the owner also gave us several treats to try out as first timers! It's been a while since I have been in a restaurant where the experience is so delicious overall. I am definitely returning with more family! Can't wait to try the other dishes!

The vegan chicken pho was amazing. The ingredients tasted fresh and the cashier was very helpful about explaining the menu and homemade vegan meats. Will be back!

Although I am not a vegan, I love the food! Our server was very attentive and helpful. The menu is extensive so it took a while for me to decide what to try. I've been back twice to enjoy other meals.

One of the best vegan restaurants in town! The food and atmosphere are excellent and everything is vegan so try the beef or fish if you want. It's all tasty and healthy. I wish they would serve beer and wine, but it would break with their health first attitudes. Everything here is excellent and I know serving alcohol is an expensive license.

Pictures can show a thousand words, but no pictures can't express the enjoyment, the aroma, the flavors, and the mouth watering delicacies of Vietnamese food from this all Vegan restaurant. Ordered the Salmon Rolls, the Lotus Salad, and the Crispy Dumplings. Everything was outstanding. The wife was overwhelmed with the large amount of selections. So I ordered for the both of us. We've enjoyed every bite. In a world of touristy spots, sometimes the best food is found just around the corner in a hidden gem of San Diego. I highly recommend this location. You won't be disappointed.

Best Asian vegan restaurant in San Diego! My wife loves the bahn mi. Our staples also include the lotus salad and Helen buns but everything on the menu is delicious. Staff is super friendly, especially Trang who makes everyone feel welcomed and why we visit this place frequently. It's hard to believe that the meat is vegan. The food is delicious and healthy with clean ingredients. We always feel energized after we eat here. The parking can be tight but the food is worth the visit.

5 stars! AMAZING food & service. Shocks me every time their food is all mock meat, gluten-free because it's mouth-watering good. It's their flavors...second to none! Desserts are also amazing.

Overview: Amazing service and food for vegans and non-vegans alike, a MUST TRY! ---- Where do I even begin? Everything about this place is amazing from their large variety of food items, to their impeccable service, to the best fruit-infused water I've ever tasted. This was my first vegan restaurant, and I am absolutely blown away! Their very extensive menu offers 240 dishes (plus desserts), including traditional Viet options and creative offerings like sushi, pizza, tacos, and burgers. Appetizers and entrées average around $21-$23, and considering everything is made in-house: all of their vegan meats, gluten-free bánh mì, and even their water, the quality and care are worth the cost! ---- 149. Roasted Chicken (Cơm Gà Rô Ti) $22.50: - The "chicken" skin is super crunchy and the chew of the "meat" is accurate to the real deal - Flavors are traditional, the savory dipping sauce and the crispy garlic garnish adds the perfect touch Crème Brûlée $7.80: - Rich and creamy with a thin, crunchy, caramelized top - Indistinguishable from a non-vegan version - One of the BEST I've tasted! Special Water: - I seriously can't stress enough how yummy their water is! - From their website, their special water is "prepared with apple juice to create sweetness and then cooked with lemon, mint, strawberry, lychee, and other ingredients to help detoxify the liver and are good for the skin." ---- Parking: - Street parking available and a couple of small parking lots around the area Ambiance: - The decor is vibrant and unique, with shades of green throughout the interior, exterior, and tablecloths - Noise levels: low, easy to hear your conversations ---- Overall: Whether you're vegan or not, give this place a try! From the incredible service and refreshing water to the delicious dishes, I was pleasantly surprised by my first experience with vegan dining.

A good friend recommended this place for lunch so we went together with my toddler. A few things: 1. Parking. Small parking lot in the back. Other parking options include residential or street parking. There is parking in front of the restaurant but you need to pay. 2. Customer service. So helpful and kind! Our server was the sweetest person and she walked us through the menu and explained all the options as well as how the food was prepared. 3. The food. So delicious! It was definitely prepared with love with attention to detail. Our server also provided us with some samples to take home to enjoy since we were so stuffed. It was the perfect treat to enjoy at home.

Let me start by saying I am not vegan or a vegetarian by any means! I am an avid omnivore so I was so surprised by how much I fell in love with the food. I usually don't try vegan food but it was well rated so I thought I would give it a try since it's ranked #2 vegan in all of US per Yelp! Can you believe this vegan restaurant makes their own mock meats AND gluten free bread for the sandwiches in house?! I got the house special combo banh mi which came with mock crispy pork, pork belly, vegan mayo, house sauce, cilantro, Viet pickles, cucumber and jalapeno on a gluten free bread. While the sandwich was a bit pricey, it's well worth it because of their fresh and quality ingredients, big portion size, and the housemade mock meats and gluten free bread!! That first bite shook me to my core. Firstly that bread was perfect with the right crunch outside but chewy inside! Generous veggies which balanced the fried "pork" and "pork belly" well. As for both mock meats, both were sooooo good! Only during the first bite did I think about the mock meat but immediately forgot because of the awesome texture and flavor. The pork belly had a mix of chewy mochi with dense soy I think. The fried pork was super crispy and crumbly like real pork skin. Truly amazed by the quality, craftsmanship, flavor, etc!! The woman working there was kind enough to give me a complimentary vegan coconut pudding dessert as well. A MUST TRY WHETHER YOU ARE VEGAN OR NOT!!!

I was excited to try Thanh Tinh Chay. It has a five star rating on Yelp. In 2022 Yelp rated them number four out of the top 100 vegan restaurants in North America. Anticipation. There are 240 vegan dishes on the menu. Talk about choice! Simple ambience here that was sufficient. The water was infused with fruit and was very refreshing, I opted for the Bun Thanh Toan Vermicelli aka Thanh Toan Noodle Bowl. It was amazing. Tasty. Fresh. I loved the homemade hot sauces clearly labeled in the bottles. A lot of care is taken with the food here and everything is made from scratch including the tofu. Thanh Tinh Chay met my expectations. As some other reviewers have stated it is costly aka expensive here. This is true yet I found the entree just a few dollars more than anywhere else although I only got one entree without an appetizer or soup. DIning out can be expensive yet is a nice treat and especially worth supporting an all vegan restaurant like here. They kindly gave me a complementary vegan flan for dessert after I finished the noodle bowl. I look forward to returning here again next time I am in San Diego.

Meat-eater who loves this vegan spot! This farm to table eatery gets their products from their own farm, and they have a menu the size of a small book with a large food selection. Everything was good especially the lotus salad which is served with crunchy crispy rice crackers. The restaurant is a bit pricey but considering that they make everything from scratch I can see why they have their price point. This is a good place to eat in groups or on your own. Here's what to get: - Lotus Salad (5/5) - Crispy "Chicken" Bun (5/5) - Spring Roll (Bi Cuon shredded tofu) must get (5/5) - Helen Noodles (5/5) - Sauté Soft Noodles (5/5) - Vietnamese Crepe (2/5) it was too sweet for my liking - Veggie Fried Egg Roll (4/5) - Udon Sate Soup (4/5) - Crispy Mushroom (5/5) - Stir-fry Corn (4.5/5) If you're not vegan or vegetarian you'll still like this spot. Plenty of foods are vegan...french fries, Oreos (yes this is in fact a vegan treat)...so give this place a try. This is a spot that everyone will like. I'd definitely go back even just for the Lotus Salad!

Stumbled upon Thanh Tinh Chay via yelp. Didn't realize it was vegan food until we arrived there. Trang greeted us and immediately told us (so that we were aware) that the food is vegan. I was surprised as I glossed over it on yelp, but we decided to try it out with the rave reviews. Their menu is EXTENSIVE. I would recommend the owner to consider making the menu smaller to hopefully reduce overhead costs and make it easier for the customer to order :D The three of us ordered: -helen salad $21.30 -banh mi hosuse speical $17.70 -vegan pho beef $21.60 -thanh toan noodle bowl $21.60 The flavor profile was definitely quite interesting having a vegan twist on all my usual flavors. Nonetheless, you can tell the ingredients were fresh and quite tasty! The food, though, is definitely a lot pricier than other places, but for a small business and fresh ingredients, it makes sense. Trang was so friendly and kept checking in. She also gave us A LOT of desserts to try out...creme brulee, cookies, and sticky rice. I absolutely loved the creme brulee and sticky rice! Their homemade hot sauce is so good! I don't really like too spicy, but the amount of kick they had was perfect. Out of the 4, I enjoyed the thanh toan nodle bowl the most. Thai was also very thoughtful in checking in on us and refilling water. Their water is so tasty too! Almost like a lemonade! They have a lot in the back, but seems to be pretty full usually, so parking can be tough during peak hours. Awesome way to try out vegan food! And for the vegan food lovers...this is your spot!

A place with so many choices, staffs are friendly and helpful, a great place to go vegan, will be back

Thanh Tinh Chay is a fantastic choice for vegans. Even the water they served was incredible, infused with fresh lychees and lemon. What sets this restaurant apart is their commitment to quality--they grow their own vegetables and produce their own meatless meat at a farm and factory in the Los Angeles County. The menu offers a diverse selection, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and even some American dishes. The service was top-notch, with our server taking the time to explain their farming and food production processes. I only wish there was a restaurant like this where I live--I would definitely be a regular! The restaurant is small with a very casual atmosphere.

Came in for dinner one night and did not know that it was vegetarian or vegan. We ended up giving it a try and had this imitation shrimp with rice that was really good and we tried to feel their spring rolls which were all really good and all the ingredients were fresh. Their pho is really good especially the broth. The customer service was great and they even gave us a crème brûlée to try because it was her first time there. The place is cute too and the prices are a little bit higher due to the price of the fresh ingredients and vegan ingredients. Would recommend for those who are vegan and love Thai food

I am a meat lover and I love Thanh Tinh Chay! It is a great small vegan/vegetarian Vietnamese restaurant. The prices are high but they make almost everything in house and the quality shows. We have eaten here numerous times and each dish is surprising and impressive. I will keep this review simple by saying this is not just good Vietnamese vegetarian food but this is good Vietnamese food. It is so impressive how the flavors can be so on point while being vegetarian. The service is excellent and the restaurant is small but cozy. It is a regular restaurant rotation for us and a place we like to take guests to, to impress them.

We found this place by accident and we are glad we did. Like advertised everything is vegan, you'll be shock when you taste and see everything as some items don't look like your traditional vegan options. We were seated right away and right before the dinner rush. This place is on the smaller side so there is potential to wait a little to be seated. It was a Friday night and the owner happens to be there on Friday nights. Everything is home made and you can definitely see how proud she is of every item. Customers service was beyond amazing. Our waitress made a few suggestions since it was our first time here. We were pleasantly surprised by the flavors everything had. Everything we ate surpass the item before, it was all mouthwatering. We did a few free items from the owner even though we insisted on paying. This is definitely a place you want to try.

Everything about this experience was wonderful. From the water that is made with a combination of fresh juices that kept you hydrated and your palate cleanse throughout the meal to every vegan dish that we tried I was so surprised at all the nuances of flavor you must try the flan and the chocolate pudding That takes them six hours to make because they wanna make sure that it's creamy enough. I was blown away. I'm not a vegetarian. I was a little setback at first by the prices but now I'm so grateful the spring rolls and the peanut sauce were also incredible.

My friends and I stopped by Thanh Tinh Chay for dinner from another friend's recommendation. Little did we know that the restaurant was a vegan establishment. When we sat down, we were absolutely overwhelmed. The menu is SUPER long, the classic dishes - like grilled pork vermicelli bowl, are not highlighted like at most other Vietnamese restaurants, and there are many dishes which are especially unusual, like French fries mixed with fried rice. On top of this, the menu prices were EXPENSIVE, like about $20 for a simple bahn mi or an order of spring rolls. I was ready to hate my experience, and even considered standing up and leaving all together but am happy I ended up sticking around. After seeing our party being visibly confused and overwhelmed looking at the menu, a waitress came over to help clarify what we were looking at. She provided a thorough background on the restaurant, pointing out that all the items on the menu were made in house and completely vegan. She further recommended that anything with "Helen's" on the menu were crowd favorites. We eventually settled on sharing an order of duck spring rolls as well as a pork belly rice plate. The "duck" and "pork belly" proteins absolutely blew my mind and exceeded every expectation I had about vegan food. I honestly don't know how they're able to get the texture and taste to be so close to the real thing. The cherry on top was the flan dessert. The vegan dessert utilizes agar to achieve its texture and it's perfect in every way. Give this place a chance and you'll be thoroughly impressed. I can't wait to be back.

Thanh Tinh Chay offers a Michelin Star equivalent experience for a mom & pop vegan restaurant that delivers itch-scratchingly authentic local Vietnamese food with excellent, attentive and thoughtful service. We ordered the Helen Spicy Bread, pork buns, beef soup and dry pho. We found that typically-cheap menu items were quite expensive, but the deliciousness, almost ludicrously extensive menu, super kind service, and itch scratching came together to make it worth it. They even make the mock-meat fresh in LA with soy and other natural ingredients and ship it down to San Diego everyday. Every item we ordered was uniquely delicious. Many ethnic restaurants tend to Americans' expectations of food profiles, but Thanh Tinh Chay did an excellent job at delivering a portfolio of food spanning flavor, presentation, and mode that packed a neighborhood punch that I've only ever experienced in cuisines' respective countries of origin. One of my other favorite vegan restaurants, Buddha Bodhai (Chinatown, Manhattan) is mock-meat based. While they do an excellent job with their meat and in other categories that Thanh Tinh Chay also does similarly excellent in, Than Tinh Chay executes over such an impressively wide range of food classes that it's hard to compete in integration. In an eccentrically positive way, the space's decor was curated like a $100k McKinsey consult would have suggested for a restaurant selling themselves as an authentic neighborhood spot in Vietnam. And to top it all off, they left us with a delicious flan-type gelatinous dessert topped with crystalized caramel and packed us some sugar cookies to go.

We were told about this place by a serious carnivore. And if she says "you've gotta try this" we gotta try it. First off, it took me about 20 minutes to figure out what to order. Unlike most places where vegetarians and vegans have 3-5 options, this has pages of options. Probably 12 full pages and everything sounded delicious. But the entire time I was menu browsing, Trang continued to come over and was so helpful. Plus the "water" they provide is not plain old water. It's a combination of a juiced red apple, mint, lemon, cucumber, strawberry, fresh lychee, and juju berry. Absolutely refreshing! Eventually I had to make a decision and stumbled upon a noodle dish with French fries. And to me, that is like peanut and jelly ... a perfect combo that you rarely get a chance to partake. Crispy duck bun with a warm peanut sauce. Before I talk about the crispy duck, let's take a moment to appreciate that they make their own peanut sauce. They use mung bean and rice to thicken it and maintain its vegan-ness. The crispy duck inside the bun was one of the best items I've ever eaten. The texture was perfect with a delicious salt and savory bite. Please order this. It's the dish that can convert a meat eater. #181 - Helen Special Noodle with French Fries (eggless noodle or glass noodle or Vietnamese macaroni), carrot, walnut, tofu, cabbage with your choice of protein: * Shrimp (Tôm) $24.90 - Crispy Beef (Bò Giòn) $24.90 * Pork Belly (Heo Quay) $24.90 - Salmon $26.80 * Shaking Beef $26.80 - Sea Bass $26.80 I had the Shaking Beef and was not disappointed in my choice. Again, they really have the texture down and the flavors are great. Parking - street parking can be tough, but don't give up. Bottom line - Service is so friendly. Trang spent the time to explain the menu and how things are made.

The service was as incredible as the food. Their delicious mock meats are tofu or mung bean based making them healthier than most vegan places. The pork belly was unbelievable and their alkaline infused water made me actually drink it. (I barely sip water at meals usually). The server knew that my friend and I were splitting everything and she made sure to split it evenly. Everything was delicious. The vegan deserts were tasty as well. The pineapple pastry was fresh and not overly sweet. The chocolate pudding was creamy. The vegan coconut flan was thick and creamy.

The best veggies restaurant ever!!! and the staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful. Well done!!

We love Helen, Trang & everyone at this amazing vegan restaurant. The food is high quality and pretty much everything on the menu is delicious. Prices may be higher than normal but it is due to high quality homemade vegan, gluten-free, healthy ingredients! Great service & food!

Stopped by on a whim and received five star treatment! The menu is extensive and thankfully, our server cheerfully answered questions and made recommendations. My veggie soup was filled with of flavor and paired nicely with the veggie spring rolls. I had enough for a second serving pictured here with some extra yummies I added. Will absolutely be back and loved the crème brûlée too! It was a sweet ending to a lovely meal.

We recently ordered from this place, and it was pretty good. The pizza could have been better. Overall did the job but want more quality.

Title: Helen is a Queen, and Thanh Tinh Chay is Her Vegan Kingdom Listen, if you think vegan food is just sad salads and tofu that tastes like a damp sponge, Thanh Tinh Chay is here to prove you so, so wrong. This place isn't just a restaurant--it's a whole experience, and I'm officially obsessed. The moment we walked in, we were greeted like old friends. But the real magic happened when we had the absolute honor of meeting Helen, the mastermind behind it all. She's basically the fairy godmother of Vietnamese vegan food. Everything here is made fresh, in-house, with organic ingredients--and trust me, you can taste the difference. Now, let's talk about the feast we devoured: Helen Wrap - Like a Vietnamese hug in lettuce form. Light, refreshing, and so flavorful, I could eat this every day. Combo Steam Cake - Soft, slightly chewy, and packed with umami goodness. My taste buds did a happy dance. Crispy Dumplings - We loved these so much we ordered them twice. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and dangerously addictive. Lotus Salad - Who knew lotus could be this good? Fresh, crunchy, and full of bold, tangy flavors. Spring Rolls - Classic, simple, and perfect. Dipped in their magical sauce, they disappeared in seconds. Helen's Special Fried Rice - I don't know what Helen did to this rice, but it's on another level. Fluffy, flavorful, and just ridiculously good. Stir-Fry Rice Stick Noodles - Saucy, slightly smoky, and pure noodle perfection. Veggie Fried Roll - Basically a crispy, golden pocket of joy. The dipping sauce takes it over the top. Helen Taco - A Vietnamese-Mexican fusion masterpiece. Who knew vegan tacos could be this next-level? Helen Noodle Soup - HOLY BROTH. Deep, rich, and comforting in a way that made my soul feel warm. Lemongrass Chicken - This "chicken" is so good, I had to double-check it was actually vegan. Unreal. Vegan Cheesecake - Creamy, decadent, and the perfect mic-drop to end the meal. Service & Atmosphere The service? Flawless. The staff? Kind, welcoming, and clearly love what they do. The vibes? 100% immaculate. But the real MVP is Helen, who made us feel like VIP guests in her own home. Her passion for food is contagious, and she's created something truly special here. Final Verdict: I walked in expecting a good meal. I left a changed person. If you're in San Diego and don't eat here, you're making a huge mistake. Whether you're vegan or just vegan-curious, Thanh Tinh Chay will blow your mind. Run, don't walk--your taste buds will thank you. thank you Zapher for bringing me here I LOVE IT yummmmmy

Well satisfied and Nice aroma My cousin told me I'm gonna enjoy it and I do enjoy there food and Aroma

Absolutely amazing food and incredible service!! I drive almost two hours just to come here when I have a day off. Simply the best.

What a RARE GEM this place is out in the middle of San Diego somewhere- (was down here for a funeral) but found this place to grab a bite before heading back up to OC- The food was so amazing, fresh, tasty, well presented and the BEST was our server Trang!! So SWEET- Sweeter than the delish crème brûlée

I was pretty skeptical about the high ratings for Vietnamese vegan food but this place is amazing, our group of 8 ordered around 10 dishes, they're pretty expensive running around $15-$25/entree. However, given how everything is made fresh from scratch you're getting a great deal! Service is attentive and friendly, our waters were filled consistently and we were checked on to make sure everything was to our liking, they even complimented dessert! Thanh Tinh Chay is on our list for future trips out to San Diego! +1 Vibe +1 Taste +1 Presentation +1 Service +1 Value

I'm in no way a vegan but was game when invited to try this most talked about Vietnamese vegan place on El Cajon Blvd. Thanh Tinh Chay is not as spacious or decorated as I had imagined. It's very unpretentious with a few tables tightly packed together. But you are not here for the ambiance, it's the amazing vegan dishes that will blow your mind. They have more than 200 items on their menu to choose from. All the classic Vietnamese dishes (noodle soups, spring rolls, crepes, stirred fries, beef, chicken, desserts, etc.) are 100% vegan and tasted quite real and good. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We told them that we were 1st timers and they gave us some really tasty complimentary vegan desserts (cheesecakes and flan) to try. Overall, we were very impressed with the details and how they can make everything vegan and keep the quality of these dishes. Just be aware that the portions are not as generous and prices are a little high for the amount offered.

This has to be the best vegan Vietnamese food I have ever had (and I am Vietnamese, grew up eating these traditional dishes with meat). This restaurant lives up to the amazing ratings it has received so far. Trang was also so sweet and explained the extent of dedication and attention to detail the owner has to create all the recipes for her patrons. A lot of the vegan meat, bread, tofu, rice cakes, etc were made in-house with quality ingredients so that everything (or most things?) is organic and gluten-free. Starting with the free water - they cook it for hours infused with apples, jujubes, lychee, lemon, and other things that I can't even recount. It tasted so sweet but had no added sugar! Amazing. My friend and I ordered: -Spring Rolls (Bì cuốn) -Veggie Fried Roll (eggrolls) (Chả Giò) -Combo Steam Cake (Bánh Thập Cẩm) -Spicy "Beef" Noodle Soup (Bún Huể) All were absolutely 10/10 Chef's kisses! The bì cuốn was so crunchy, sweet, and delightful. All the steam cakes in the combo sampler were also mouthwatering and unique. The eggrolls were perfect and the spicy noodle soup was exactly what I never knew I needed in my life. For dessert, we had the corn chè and crème brûlée. BOTH SO DELICIOUS! Thank you so much Trang for the unforgettable experience. My friend and I wanted to go back tomorrow, but we found out it's closed on Wednesdays... TT_TT and I have to fly back home on Thursday morning. Now I can't wait to make another trip back to San Diego just to eat here! P.S. For next time! Trang did recommend dishes for when we come back: -Hainanese "Chicken" Rice (Cơm Gà Hải Nam) -Curry Style with French Bread (Bánh Mì Cà Ri) -Grilled "Beef" in Lolot Leaf (Bánh Hỏi Bò Lá Lốt) The menu is so extensive that I will have to come back dozens of times just to try everything once! I can't wait.

The food is fantastic. Not just "good for vegetarian"....its just good period. Flavorful, textures on point, and so many options! The place is clean and the staff are very friendly. A little more expensive than the average Vietnamese food place, but totally worth it!!

This place is a gem! For lunch we had 4 yummy dishes: crepes, crispy noodles with Vietnamese Sausage, Duck wonton soup, and salmon spring rolls. All were so delicious. Then to cap this outstanding meal off we satisfied our sweet tooths with creme brulee, flan, and lemon cheese cake (all vegan). Soooo good! And throughout the meal, service was outstanding.

This is my favorite Vietnamese restaurant! I found this place right before the pandemic and love all their dishes. I continue to support Helen over the years with birthday catering and the food is always so good. Helen really knows how to make her customers feel special and gave me $300 worth of free vegan desserts (not pictured) and a tray of noodles as a birthday gift. If you're looking for a Vietnamese restaurant for date night, group dining, or just to fulfill a craving I highly recommend Thanh Tinh Chay! The service is always great and everyone is so friendly. Literally everything on their menu is delicious and healthy. I ordered the house special sandwich, Banh Xeo (2 per order), lotus salad, filet mignon spring roll, and the veggie egg roll for 12 guests. Helen was so kind to include the shrimp walnut noodles, crème brûlée, cheesecake, chocolate pudding, flan, and strawberry thumbprint cookies. For my next party, I'll be sure to order a cheesecake or crème brûlée cake to celebrate something special.

Thank Tinh Chay is Vietnamese food from scratch, with attentive service, gratis lemon water steeped overnight, and lots of seating. noodles and vegan eats are all made in house! the meat seems real, like beef with thick noodles and veggies and a Vietnamese sandwich. the creme brulee dessert was provided gratis and was so good! tad overpriced but a stellar place.

Today was my first time at Thanh Tinh Chay, The food was exceptionally well made. The hospitality was fantastic. If you are starting your new year off to no meat... I highly recommend this place. The restaurant is a small quaint and very clean. As of 12.27.24, I will be a regular at this place. I give this place a 5 out of 5.

I had been searching for a vegan Vietnamese restaurant and happened to find this place in my search. The staff and owner are very kind and explain how the food ("meat" is soy-based) and water (the water isn't plain old water, it does through a process that results in a very delicious, refreshing, naturally sweetened beverage) are made. Yes, the food is pricey, so this might be on our occasionally return to depending on our craving vegan restaurant. The food is very good. It really does seem like a lot was put into developing products that taste very close to the meat they are substituting. The menu is a bit overwhelming because there is so much to choose from. We ordered mini pancakes, fried rice, and Thanh Toan House Special. (Sorry for the unflattering photos.) The "crispy pork" and "shredded pork skin" stood out to me because they really looked like the real thing and tasted like it too. Great flavor and texture. I don't like eating real pork because I don't feel great after eating it, so this is a great alternative that doesn't make me feel bad. We also had flan, creme brulee, and cheesecake for dessert. I don't usually like desserts but these are also very good. Taste exactly how they should. It's a nice, clean restaurant. I'm not sure why they close the curtains because you're left with the indoor lighting. It doesn't take away from the food or anything, just didn't know why they didn't want natural light? I didn't catch the young lady's name but she knows A LOT about the food and we just, generally, had nice conversation. The owner, Helen, is also very nice and approachable. Can't believe she drives down from LA. Hope business does well and more people try the food here.

Everything was extraordinary, thank you for your wonderful hospitality. Mushroom soup, veggie pho, chicken fried spring rolls. Thank you so much, loved the atmosphere and the music was great!

Came across FB post that this business is California's best spot for soup, according to Yelp! One of many Yelp goals/plans I have for 2024, happened spontaneously on a Saturday evening visit. Plans failed me at the most happiest place on earth, which was my fault so my other half asked me what is Plan B, so I suggested lets drive to San Diego to cross Thanh Tinh Chay off my list, the other half happily agreed to take me, so we make our way there, 2 hours drive per Google map. Enjoyed the scenery during the drive from Anaheim to SD. We came across accident, traffic, and road work but grateful we arived there and back safely. My other mentioned, I know you will love this place because it is GREEN! Yes, he is correct, I love how nice and green the restaurant looks , I spotted the restaurant in an instant. Few parking spots available in the back of restaurant. When we entered there was just another table dining in, this place sure filled up fast from the time we arrived to when we left. Very popular ! Tre ( ?) waitress/staff was super friendly, she gave us an FYI before we got our menu, that everything is vegetarian and I was already prepared for it and even let my other half know it is all vegan and he was actually excited to try, I was surprised! Tre shared a little about the owner, Helen who is a Nurse in her 30s, lives in LA, she doesn't come in the restaurant as much and theyhave a commercial kitchen in Simi Valley. This is where they make all the vegan ingredients for the restaurant. We started off with the special water which was so healthy and refreshing, glad we could get another refill of this special water. The booklet has so many items on the menu 100+, it was so hard to decide and it is on the pricey side but vegan foods are not easy to make, takes lot of skills and work to prep. I ended up with the soup that was in the article, roasted duck won ton soup, comes with eggless noodles, shredded mock duck, wonton mushroom, bok choy and carrots. Rice dish, Com Thanh Toan comes with the eggless loaf. I always wanted to try Vietnamese Vegetarian restaurant. The verdict, the soup taste very good, the noodles are egg-less, wow! couldn't tell. We/I couldn't tell that our food was vegan, it taste exactly like the real dish. hehe. Just one thing I don't recall seeing or tasting the shredded mock duck, unless it was in the won ton? I wish they gave more than 2 piece of won ton. (I loved it!)$21.60 per entree. The desserts were good too, we were stuffed for desserts and had them to go. The custard and the flan, wow! how is it possible to make this with out egg.?! Tre mentioned it takes 4-5 hours to make these desserts. Also the fresh banh mi bread are gluten free. All in all, I am happy for the oppurtunity to make a last minute visit here. Nice feeling that we did our body good, after eating our meal. I will def. come back again! Thank Yelp for the recommendation!! So awesome, I love to eat and will try my best to travel and make it to places on my list, the fun adventures of Yelp! Recommend. 5 stars!! Closed TUESDAYS!!

Just had an incredibly delicious curry soup. This place is excellent. All gluten free and all vegan. I was in heaven. I will definitely be back. The service was beyond perfect. Very friendly and helpful. I will be happy to tell my friends and patients about this place.

I saw all the 5-star reviews and was a little skeptical at first so I decided to check it out and see if it lives up to the hype. It really does! Though it's more expensive than I expected, the food is healthy, fresh and delicious. Upon arrival, we were immediately seated despite the small dining room - we had a party of 8 on a Saturday. Their menu is quite overwhelming but everything looked so good it was tough to decide. I ended up choosing the Helen dry noodles with "shrimp". It's cool how they make all their "meat" in house - though it doesn't taste the same as its substitute and the texture isn't the same, it's still yummy and quite enjoyable. On top of it all, their service is exceptional! They gave us free flan desserts and kept checking up on us to ensure we were enjoying our meal. I recommend checking this place out - I'll definitely visit again if i'm in the area :)

Full disclosure: I'm far from vegan. Came to the restaurant on accident but 100% glad we did. This restaurant is small but everything they served us was packed with flavor! The food was amazing and everything is gluten free and healthy. Im definitely coming back and often. They are all so nice also from Jan the server to the owner.

I finally made it, and let me tell you, it was well worth the distance and traffic time!! We found street parking upon arrival, but my girl said they have a small parking lot in the back somewhere. Once seated, I was encouraged to drink their complimentary water. I really didn't think it would be anything special, until I took a sip. Ahhhhhhh. It was very refreshing. It's a special cocktail mixed with fruits, mint, and other ingredients that help to detox the body. I really wanted to take some home with me. Now for the food. They have over 200 items on their menu. They seriously have a great selection of vietnamese/Asian dishes. We started with the fried onion rings and crispy cucumbers. The onion rings were an instant favorite. They were lightly coated in batter, allowing the onion to be the star of the dish. Yet, it didn't taste oniony at all. Also very crispy. I didn't try the cucumbers, but I heard they were good. For our main dishes we ordered the fish noodle soup, beef stew, beef stew with pate, roasted duck soup, and the thanh tuan noodle bowl. To maintain the crunch factor, we asked to put all the crunchy ingredients on the side. I can't say which dish was my favorite because they were delicious and packed with flavor and texture. However, the "fish" itself wasn't an absolute favorite of me. For a restaurant that's only been open for 2 years and ranked #4 in the nation among vegan restaurants, you know they have it absolutely right. And let me say this loudly for the people in the back: 1.) everything is homemade, 2.) everything is 100% vegan 3.) everything is gluten free! I can't wait to come back.

We had dinner with friends of ours on a Saturday evening. We walked in and it was busy but they were able to seat us. We were a party of four. We were served a thirst quenching water that has been cooked with apple juice, lemon, mint, strawberries, & lychee. I usually don't drink much with my meal but could not stop drinking it. Don't worry, they will keep filling your cup. The menu is huge but our waitress managed to help us narrow down our order based on what we may be interested in. I wanted noodles and ordered the crispy eggless noodle with chicken and my husband ordered the dumpling duck soup. (I don't recall what our friends ordered.) We all enjoyed our meal (okay, I loved mine). For dessert, we had flan, taro, and cheesecake in little to go containers. I'm usually not a fan of flan but I loved theirs. All were delicious. We definitely will be back

My brother recommended I come and try this place and I was blown away. I had partied a little too much for thanksgiving the other night and wanted something refreshing so I got their bahn mi. I was blown away. The lovely staff was extremely helpful and informative about their menu. I am not at all vegan but that sandwich gave me what i needed to get through the day. Highly recommend as well.