Dishes from Native Foods Café Encinitas

Kathy Rock

July 17, 2025

We’re always on the lookout for new and delicious restaurants opening in our neighborhood and we were absolutely thrilled to hear that Native Foods Café has opened in Encinitas. Founded in 1994 in Palm Springs, the restaurant offers vegan, plant-based dishes in a fast-casual environment. Considering the beachside city’s progressive and healthy lifestyle, Native Foods Café is the perfect addition to Encinitas’ ever-growing list of innovative restaurants and businesses.

We tasted a bit of everything off the comprehensive menu, ranging from huge salads and starters, to hearty meals rich in nutrients with ingredients so good that you barely notice the lack of meat. Take a look at some of our favorite dishes.

The Watermelon Fresca has a hint of mint and is sweetened with agave.
The Nuevo Native Nachos are a huge starter and are topped with black beans, guacamole, Native Cheese, soy ground beef, salsa, and chipotle crema.
The Carribean Jerk Kale Salad is topped with jerk-seasoned tempeh, avocado, mango, red peppers, and toasted coconut.
The Bangkok Curry Bowl is topped with seared tofu, steamed vegetables, brown rice and a lemongrass and ginger-infused coconut milk curry.
End the meal with the Peanut Butter Parfait, layered with Boogie Bar bits and chocolate chips.

Word on the streets is that another location will pop up in downtown San Diego, so keep your eyes open. For more information, visit www.nativefoods.com.