by Robin Keats
Plant-based and tasting like it’s been heaven-sent, the offerings of Planta appeal to any palate. You don’t need to be vegan-friendly to open your mind and delight your taste buds by having a meal at one of the most satisfying restaurants in Los Angeles. With two locations in the city (Marina del Rey and Brentwood) — and elsewhere across the continent — Planta has discovered that if you offer plant-based menus that reach the heights of culinary perfection, even the most die-hard meat-and-potatoes patrons will come. And they will be very happy that they did.
Just such a group of patrons was docking a yacht at Marina del Rey, after a northerly sail from Newport Beach, when I recently arrived with my family for Sunday brunch at Planta’s Marina location, where the outdoor dining patio is on the water’s edge. The restaurant’s windows also afford wonderful views of the sunset and masts bobbing up and down in the Marina’s waters. But, as beautiful as it is, with an ambiance equal to the views, it is the food that thrills the most.
“Since opening our doors in Marina del Rey in May 2023, this vibrant waterfront location has become a cornerstone of LA’s West Side dining scene,” says Bill Meripol, Executive Restaurant Leader. “With an airy dining room and waterfront patio, accommodating 200 guests, we’ve created a gathering place where local residents, marina boaters, and LA visitors come together. Latin-inspired cuisine, creative cocktails, and coastal views create an atmosphere that captures the essence of truly enjoying the plant-based life.”
The vision for Planta originated with Founder and CEO Steven Salm and Co-founder and Executive Chef David Lee in 2016 “to expand,” as they’ve said, “the accessibility and acceptability of plant-based dining; dining as it should be — an unguilty pleasure.” They emphasize that they are very much invested in the meaning of local.
“To us, a local approach means respecting, supporting, and advancing the places where we sprout,” they explain. “From hiring and sourcing locally to giving back through volunteer programs and driving local initiatives forward, we aim to always feel like a natural fit.”
Salm and Lee emphasize, “Every Planta experience is a step toward a greener future. Our dedication to environmental sustainability is interwoven throughout every part of our business. From sourcing to restaurant design and packaging to partnerships, we seek to put more back into the world than we take.”
Planta, they add, “is for the planet.”
Menus and hours vary from restaurant to restaurant, though not greatly; just enough for Los Angelenos (and visitors from Coastal Orange County and beyond) to try both locations on LA’s Westside for unique dining.
