4. Restaurants

Grassroots Natural Market & Kitchen

1119 Fair Oaks Ave, South Pasadena, CA, 91030
  • (626) 799-0156
  • Store is closed

Grassroots Natural Market & Kitchen Menu

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  • Anna C.

    Grassroots is fantastic! Small, cozy, and well-stocked, with friendly employees and a real community feel. Definitely one of my favorite health food markets on the east side of town. I had the best salad of my life at the in-store cafe the other day. You can mix and match anything you'd like from the salad bar for a flat rate, and it's like an additional 2-3 bucks if you want to add protein. I ended up with a delicious kale and walnut mix with cranberries, quinoa, roasted beets, grilled chicken, and a very generous portion of avocado. Everything was extremely fresh and well seasoned. At $15 it certainly wasn't a cheap meal. I thought I could be all smart and economical and split it into two meals, but I ended up destroying the box in a single go. By the way, they've gone high tech. If you download their app ("Grassroots Kitchen"), you can order food items in advance for pick-up. Highly recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Noe M.

    Healthy every time! The clincher for me is that everything offered in the hot food area tastes authentic and feels so healthy. Wow, that's difficult to find. Check it out!

    (5)

  • Jasmine C.

    Iv visited grass roots here and there, all for different reasons. Iv purchased multiple vitamins which I happen to love and have a hard time finding. They have a great selection of vegan items(: I recently bought an amazing EcoLips Chapstick that has been the BEST I have ever used. the employees are very kind and helpful as well. I cannot remember who helped me out, but this young man behind the juice bar was extremely helpful in finding the right blend of veggies for my extreme hangover lol along with the very kind guy who helped me out with my actual food order, he let me sample everything before I made a decision (which was super nice/helpful) I am Extremely happy with the service and the kind of products I get here. I would highly recommend this place to everyone I know.

    (5)

  • 妮 D.

    This is such a great store. I can come here everyday for lunch and not be sick of it. Everything on their menu is yummy. I'm making this my kitchen away from home. And their grocery and products are so healthy an excellent! People are super friendly too. And the owners are great people too! Super cute

    (5)

  • Roland L.

    After years of hardcore yelping, I've come to terms that I can no longer continue down a path of consuming large amounts of animal proteins/byproducts that have a tendency of being highly fattening and/or savory. It's always better to change your diet on you own volition rather than being mandated by your PCP. Ugh, getting older sucks! Thank God for Grassroots Natural Market & Kitchen! They can help make your transition from carnivore to quasi-vegan (or full-blown vegan) a painless process, offering a gazillion (well, maybe not that many) All-Natural, Certified Organic, Non-GMO, Gluten/Soy-Free options suited to transform you into a better...YOU! Looking for Colloidal Silver? Suffer from out of control candida overgrowth? Need to stock up on natural hand soap? Prefer raw, unpasteurized milk? Whatever the case, Grassroots NMK has you covered! Their super helpful, uber friendly and knowledgeable staff will send you off home with exactly what you need. And if you're a bargain shopper, every 1st Saturday of the month is their "Super Saturday Sale" bringing 20% savings on most items in store (a few restrictions apply). Seniors benefit from 15% off Supplements every Wednesday. What's more, Grassroots has a kickin' kitchen and organic juice bar! They're burrito making machines! You can customize your burrito to your heart's content and practically add as much of whatever ingredient you'd like (within reason, of course) for a flat price of $9.95! Start with a Gluten-Free or Whole Wheat Tortilla, then pick whether you want to go the vegan route (tempeh, seitan, tofu or jackfruit) or hormone & antibiotic free beef, chicken or pork followed by all the choice of fixings. An added perk to dining at Grassroots on Saturdays is their highly addictive Veggie or Vegan Quiches. Available in limited quantities and sells out lightening fast so make sure you get here within the first hour of operation...just make sure you save a slice for me! If you'd rather do meal replacement, any one of Grassroots' tasty smoothies will satiate the fiercest hunger. Might I recommend their super healthy Green Smoothie? Kitchen hours are Monday through Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 9am-4pm. And keep in mind, this is not fast food! So don't get frustrated if you have to wait in line or wait for your lunch to be built. There's always ready to go packaged eats that were freshly made that morning in their deli case. But wait, it doesn't end there... Grassroots is about education and community, offering workshops and seminars just about every month. Check out their monthly event calendar at grassrootsnmk.com/events for more details. After a few visit, I think you'll become hooked on Grassroots Natural Market & Kitchen. I know I am.

    (5)

  • Janice L.

    This place is the bomb. Please let me live here, forever. Sad their kitchen opens late (10am) and closes early (4pm, c 'mon guys). Their deli counter comes with endless options and kinds of vegan/ vegetarian, health food. YUMMY HEALTHY FOOD. Add huge in it and it becomes YUMMY HEALTHY FOOD COMING IN HUGE PORTIONS, and lots of happiness; and very well priced too. Had their breakfast bowl and the food was falling down because there was so much of it. Oh, and they also have a bakery section and a juice bar. A place where you can eat and shop and live healthily ever after (before they close early on Sundays (sad)). It's almost like heaven on earth but with working hours.

    (5)

  • Stephanie P.

    Wish I had a market like this close to home! Whole Foods offers cooked entrées but you just can't beat the "homemade" feel at Grassroots. I visited after a hike with my best friend and thought she might like it because she is gluten free and always appreciated having options when we eat out. The lovely staff that helped us were so friendly-- they answered all our questions, offered us samples, and accommodated our substitution requests without batting their eyes. I ordered the breakfast bowl (spanish brown rice, black beans, scrambled eggs, cheese, jalapeños, salsa, and guacamole) with no olives or sour cream. The bowl looks small but boy does it fill you up! They also make the eggs fresh to order which I loved! My bff ordered the pork burrito in a GF tortilla, which they serve open face because the tortilla is too small for their generous portions! She ate until she was full and there was still enough to wrap the burrito closed and save it for later! We loved the quality of food and service here! Anyone who has special food needs or just likes a fresh, natural home cooked meal will love this place!

    (5)

  • Cissy R.

    Great place for lunch. Fresh, clean food that looks as good as it tastes. The staff are super friendly. Food is made to order so sometimes it's a wait. But well worth it. Eat up! Your tastebuds and body will thank you.

    (5)

  • Tanit K.

    Taco Salad with a few of my personal tweaks is so delicious! The line is always a toss up but there tables are a plus. Fiesta Bowl, green smoothie and a Cuban breakfast wrap also have great taste. The prices are a bit up there but if it's organic, don't panic.

    (3)

  • Anthony C.

    The food here is excellent and healthy. If I lived closer I'd eat here 4 times a week. An entire healthy meal with tons of protein for under 10.00 ! Great find ! If you are a vegan they have options also.

    (5)

  • Phoebe B.

    After patronizing this place for many years, today is the last time I will ever eat here. The owner and her daughter are such aggressive, b****es - it's shocking they're in a business to keep people healthy when their own behaviors are so toxic. Recently I overheard the owner interviewing someone for a job. Her interview was loaded with illegal questions: "How old are you? Are you planning to have a family? Were you born in this country?" She should be reported to EEOC and cited! And with the high turnover of employees, it's obvious something is not right there. Additionally, prices keep going up. $11 for a burrito? Really? I like going to eateries where I'm treated with respect, gratitude and warmth. This is one of the nastiest places in the area. Take your business where it is deserved.

    (1)

  • David D.

    This is an easy one to rate a 5-star without hesitation. These are the types of restaurants that I look for when I travel and there are way too few of them. They have personal preparation and serve the quality of food that you will never see at a Whole Foods or other industrial sized corporate natural foods stores. I had the chicken burrito today and it was the best! I felt good and strong the rest of the day. It puts to shame Chipotle as well as any Mexican food truck. They customized my burrito with over 10 different ingredients I selected from many. The woman serving me was Sooooo pleasant and accommodating it renewed my faith in humanity, I thought that I was back in Arizona. (If you lived in West Los Angeles cities you know what I mean.) It's not the cheapest place to eat, (10 for Large Burrito) but quality food is not cheap--I thought it was a very good value for what I got and will return here again when in the area. If you live nearby, you have a real gem in the neighborhood. Prices of groceries in the store are the same as you would pay with the big boys so why not support your local healthy eating establishment instead of the one traded on Wall Street. Can't wait to return. PS Saturdays only are Gluten Free pancake day!

    (5)

  • Priscilla Z.

    I love this place! It is like a heaven for people who have all different kind of diet restriction. Gluten free, Raw, Vegan...etc.They don't sell the s..t food that does nothing good to you, but a small selection of food with specialty. And they have raw milk, a lot of prepared food which I like very much. Price is reasonable too. This is like heaven for me!

    (5)

  • Monica T.

    Been here twice and really enjoy the food here. I can eat a full meal and feel great about that I ate. Everything is made fresh, taste great and healthy. Service can be slow, but that's understandable because there are making your meal on the spot for you. Only giving they 4 stars because they promote being earth friendly ... yet they don't recycle their plastic cups ... only bottles...so weird. if your going to go out of your way to say your earth friendly ... then go all the way with it. Overall great place. Will be back for the food and yummy muffins.

    (4)

  • Mimi D.

    If it weren't so darn trafficky to get to south pas I'd totally be here every single freakin day! Though, also trafficky in the store if you come within a few hours of lunch time cause the line is oh sooo slow. Come when you're not in a rush. Approx $10 a meal. Fresh organic foods as a wrap/bowl/burrito/plate/salad... Pretty much however u want it and so many flavorful ingredients. My fav are the bowls... Delicious n ohhh so filling. They seem to have rice in almost all of the bowls and it's pretty inconsistent w how much they put in but usually a quarter cup to half cup but just ask for less cause it's too hard when it's overly topped off. The Spanish brown rice is delic. Only thing I don't like is that they put hot foods in plastic containers... Why not put it in the paper soup containers that they already use?? Reasonably priced organic juice bar w a good assortment or veggies to choose from ($10ish for 24oz). Fun to wander around n check out their grocery stuff too.. Lots of veggie n vegan stuff but primarily heavily processed stuff. They do carry organic raw milk products from a farm in Fresno though so that's great for the ppl that are into the raw dairy stuff.

    (4)

  • Jonathan G.

    The people are so nice. They have amazing shakes, juices, and salads and sandwiches. Phenomenal selection of health foods to do your shopping. Get there before the salad/shake bar closes at 4pm.

    (5)

  • Nicki H.

    Great place for vitamins, supplements, and healthy treats like dairy free "cheesecake" and gluten free brownies. They offer a vitamin punch card, unlike Whole Foods, so you save money. It's also easy to find someone to help you find what you need. There's a juice bar-pricy- and a healthy menu of breakfast and lunch items made to order. The Cuban burrito is delicious.

    (4)

  • Miho N.

    You guys rock! Literally saves my life every time I'm hungry and in a hurry. Hopefully one day soon I'll make it in time to order food from the kitchen (closes at 4 ) but the selection of ready made food (esp the soups) are fantastic! They put their leftovers from the kitchen so coming late isn't so bad. On top of the delicious healthy choices of food, everyone is so happy there. Must be a good place to work:) thanks for warming up my soup every time I come in for a quick bite! I'll be back soon!

    (5)

  • Lluvia H.

    I love this place! I can't say enough good things about it. From nice and helpful staff and owner who's always trying new products to improve selection to awesome prepared foods and kitchen! Will post pix of some of my favorite things to buy there...

    (5)

  • Cuong Q.

    Believe it or not, living in Monterey Park it is hard to find a healthy place to eat. All you find is asian food with lots of sodium and oil. Even the vegetarian Chinese places are full of oil. I can probably name Green Zone as another health conscious place on mind. But sometime you just have to find something different than wonton noodle or Hainan chicken. Luckily there is the neighboring city called South Pasadena who offers this type of restaurant. Grassroots is more of a market than a restaurant. I cannot review the market part because I don't shop there. The restaurant part is impressive. They do have some pre-packaged wraps and dishes that you can buy right away if you want something quick. However, if you want hot items you need to order at the counter. Most of the components to your bowl is already cooked, and depending on what bowl you want they will add in the components. Think Chipotle. However, some items they will make in the back kitchen. Next to the hot food items is the juice bar. I heard it's delicious but haven't tried it yet. Pricing is not cheap here. Bowls go for average $10 and more if you decide to add in extra. Some people will think it is expensive because all you're getting is tofu, bean sprouts, and veggies. However, it is expensive to be healthy and "organic" this day and age in general. The first look at the bowl is very small. For what I'm paying I expect super size. However, don't be alarmed folk because it will fill you up. If you are still hungry after the bowl then you are overeating and should stop. Just kidding, order another one I guess. My favorite thing to get here is the Cuban bowl and I always add in the jack fruit. Trust me or not, jack fruit is bomb. However, the time around I got the veggie burger wrap that a lot of people here raved about. My brother got the Cuban bowl but with being a carnivore that he is he got chicken instead of jack fruit. My mom got smoked tofu bowl. I didn't try the bowls this time so I will not review that. However, my wrap was great. I love avocado so it was great that the wrap included that. The veggie patty was also tasty and didn't taste like cardboard. It was a satisfying meal and made me felt good about my health. Later that night I then went to get a bucket of chicken, jk. Service was great here. The lady behind the counter took her time making my wrap. It was a long wait because a lot of people that ordered bowls were almost finished with theirs. But, didn't mind waiting for my wrap to be made perfectly. She even cleaned up a bigger table so my family wouldn't be sharing a smaller table. I will definitely come back when I feel like I have been eating too much bad food. I won't be here everyday because a vegan diet is not my style. Kudos to those are vegan though.

    (4)

  • Emily G.

    Tasty and fresh!

    (5)

  • Gretchen P.

    from the cafe: Enjoyed the tempeh bowl for lunch today - at an outdoor table (indoor dining also available). This tiny store is stocked with everything I needed and more! I will be back!

    (4)

  • Ladee L.

    Damn Gina: food is tasty but expensive! Also takes awhile, they prepare each dish very masterfully. Which I appreciate. I tried the organic curry tofu with steamed veggies and cilantro rice. All satisfying. I also enjoyed the ginger lemonade. They have lots of great organic/vegan/health products. Nice store.

    (4)

  • Johnny Y.

    I'm really disappointed of the way this owner is handling my experience at his establishment. I tried to give him feedback the day of, it did not seem important to him, I wrote a review so maybe the place would work on service and customers knew what to expect, but he wants to go back and forth instead of taking responsibility. Meri P., at first it was about your establishment, but is seems that now you want make it personal by being condescending and sarcastic to me, because someone else may not be satisfied with your establishment and may agree with certain things I've said. I'm not a reviewer that gets off on giving bad reviews, I review from experience. I'm not playing games with your business. You could have put your pride aside and put your owners hat on and worked with me, but instead you are assuming that I'm teaming up with other reviewers on this by calling other reviewers "My friend". Well I'm glad we are done with this because it is no longer about the food or service (Which is the business you are in). As an owner there are responsibilities to customers, you have decided that this is not important and you have made it about you, not your business, so this "one star" is not to the business or the products it is solely for you Meri P. As I said in the past, you could have turned my 2 stars into 4/5 stars, but you decided to go the other route. I understand you have great reviews, but you may want to concentrate on the issues that need work instead of the good reviews. If you are in the restaurant business you must be able to to take feedback and work it out. I don't think there is anything else we can do or say to each other, because we have drifted away from the topic (Food and service) my review will stand and you will probably stand ground as well. I think we have both wasted enough time on this. I'm sorry we could not make this a better experience. Also know that people who read your comments may also think that you may be commenting from your heart and pride and not from a business pov. But I also understand that it is your business and you have the right to run as you want.

    (1)

  • Martha R.

    I love grassroots! I've been wanting to write this review for a while now because I believe in promoting good businesses and not just giving bad reviews to those that suck. I've been going to this place for many years now and even though it is a bit pricier than getting things online, there is so much value to being able to go in and ask questions and not having to wait for an order to arrive. Laura and also Mr. Meir the business owner have been so helpful so many times. Mr. Meir even gave me some samples for me to try out. They have an awesome sale every first Saturday of the month and they even sell wine there as well. I try to go often to their kitchen for some green juices and wheatgrass shots. I wish their kitchen was open longer, but I was told I could order before they close at 4pm and I could pick up at a later time. They also have events every so often with different speakers and health information and they really reach out to the community. I love this place.

    (5)

  • Priscilla S.

    I wish this place was open 24 hours. Everything about this store is a reason to love it. There really is something here for everyone - if you dont believe so then maybe you dont realize what you need. I come here primarily for my maca. It is sold as a powder and is used to boost energy without making you feel jittery like caffeine. It helps me feel less tired. Take my word for it...maca is very effective in helping maintain sexual health for both men and women. I also love thier selection of honey...there is a eucalyptus honey that is so amazing i would just eat it by the spoonful. Real honey is truly something sacred. The nourishment and pleasure on the tongue it provides will make you never look at honey the same way again. I also want to thank the staff at this store. You have helped my mother overcome a very stressful time. She was experiencing extreme tension headaches and had tried everything. I have never seen my mother deal with such anxiety and pain before. Her headaches were pushing her to her breaking point. Then she stopped by and the staff really made her feel secure. They listenes to her and exhibited an understanding she needed to feel. The staff recommended arnica tablets. Her pain stopped immediately. We are both very thankful for the alternatives this store provides. I highly recommend this store to every person out there dealing with some pain they cannot bear. The staff here is so kind and never ever condescending or uppity. Their passion for good health and happiness is evident and i will continue to come here as long as i can.

    (5)

  • Connie K.

    -Please note: This review is only for the Kitchen. I haven't visited the Market before.- Pretty yummy food--I had the falafel wrap which has yummy crushed up falafel with hummus spread and tons of veggies. It did the trick in quenching my hunger, but was

    (3)

  • Dorothy L.

    I want my home's pantry and kitchen to replicate that of Grassroots'. I want all of their products - from packaged food items, to essential oils and homeopathic remedies, to fresh-baked goodies. The lunch counter is particularly awesome. The ingredients are always tasty and fresh, and there are options to satisfy whatever dietary preferences you may have. I've had a legit tempeh salad (I didn't even know what that was before coming here) and super yummy carnitas salad/bowl/burrito here. Their little fresh-baked muffins are delicious too! The apple cranberry walnut is my favorite!! My only issue with the market (and I don't think it's even Grassroots specifically, I think it's the speciality health food store market in general) is that the prices are at the top of what is regularly affordable. I can't eat $17 salads with fruit every day, even though I'd love to. If only our food industry valued locally-grown, whole foods instead of the processed farmed-for-max- efficiency that makes lower prices in supermarkets, then awesome whole food health food stores like Grassroots would be more likely to be more affordable and therefore available to more of the population. Okay, off my soapbox now. Price doesn't stop me (or my husband who comes in EVERY Saturday morning after CrossFit for his carnitas burrito) from indulging in the awesome offerings of Grassroots. Definitely get in to check out their products and their lunch counter. It's amazing!

    (4)

  • Jonathan K.

    This is a rating for the kitchen which is off to the side and space partially integrating into the market. I have yet to browse the aisles of the market and plan on doing so in the near future. The food was pretty good. Definitely healthy. I ordered their Greek wrap. It tasted how I would have expected it. It wasn't super impressive and was not bad. The portion size was not bad. Expect to be paying around $10 which is typical for the area. They have a variety of items on their menu and also have changing specials for the day. Their ingredients are placed in a refrigerated counter which you typically see at other stores and was without a cover. Their seating area is limited. During busy hours and major lunch rushes, expect to have your order to go. Overall, I do recommend trying this place. It is a great option for healthy eating. I look forward to trying their different menu items and hope to find something I drop dead love. I will be going back.

    (3)

  • Pippi L.

    This is my favorite natural market. I really love that the owner knows a lot about the products he sells and with me has seemed more concerned with the health issue I'm discussing with him than just selling a product. He even sent me away once w/o the product I came for because he thought the condition would go away on its own in a day or two and didn't need treatment! I REALLY respect that. That's the kind of thing that makes me a loyal customer. So I ended up leaving with a tasty Barley Mushroom soup instead of a pill. I get my pills here, as well as natural bath products because my skin is overly sensitive to artificial ingredients. Also, if you think of your skin as an external organ, it makes you care about what ingredients you put on it. They also have organic female products, which I totally believe is worth the extra cost. And to top it all off, there is a cozy family vibe here that makes shopping fun and a health food kitchen where you can buy a hot healthy meal when you don't want to cook or eat fast food.

    (5)

  • Loren L.

    News Flash... I am coming out of the closet, yes I am coming out on Yelp! I am now completely into Vegan/Vegetarian! Now, I do cheat once in a while and indulge in the oink and moo, but for the most part I have embraced this lifestyle of clean eating! I found Grassroots Natural Market and Kitchen through my trusty Yelp app a few months ago and have now made this place a weekly ritual. Grassroots' pricing on grocery items and supplements is very competitive. The thing I love most is their kitchen and juice bar. Roland L has been hooked on their jackfruit burrito, while yours truly has been on a Veggie Burger Wrap craze. The Veggie Burger Wrap is completely vegan if you choose vegan cheese. Close your eyes and chomp down on the burrito/wrap and you would swear that you were eating a cheesburger! It's amazingly fresh and delicious packed with as much veggies as you would like to add. Their kitchen is like a Chipotle but at another level of fresh! Grassroots is not really a Vegan/Vegetarian Market/Kitchen they do offer up chicken, pork and beef, however their meat choices are natural clean meat so if you want to indulge as a carnivore, know that you are doing so with antibiotic/hormone free meat. Rebecca is awesome! She always hooks us up with packed burritos!

    (5)

  • Chantal B.

    This is the place to go to get those special products to optimize your health! I get apple cider vinegar, chia seeds, raw honey & grains. Wide selection and comparable (if not cheaper) prices! I always pick up a new item to try and today I got toasted coconut shavings - kicking sweet temptations far away! I love this market! Now let's talk cafe area - it's amazing!! Is there a wait? Sometimes. Is there a long wait? Sometimes. Is your meal great? Always! Customer service might be unorthodox for some customers. The way I see it - there are plenty of happy, smiling staff willing to help anyone and help educate their customers about ingredients, dietary restrictions and awesomely enough ask their customers about their lives and get to know their customers. In my opinion, this is what makes an establishment memorable and builds the bond of trust and patronage. So the take away, amazing market and cafe with friendly and knowledgeable staff. AND take a European approach when visiting - patient, leisure and enjoyable. Cheers to good health and great food!

    (5)

  • Margaret L.

    I've seen this market around town for years but never tried it until recently. I was actually surprised by how good healthy food could taste! I really liked the fiesta bowl with chicken, it is really fresh and tasty. The market has a great selection of vegan/vegetarian/etc. products.

    (4)

  • Irene H.

    Love love love this place! Serves all of your organic, gluten-free ingredient and hard-to-find vitamin needs along with a huge menu of wraps, salads and healthy breakfast dishes served all day! I always get the falafel wrap, which is special to me because they add a healthy amount of avocado to it. There are times I wish there was more falafel in the wrap but the flavor still comes through. Great hummus, too. The sandwich is pretty expensive, 9 bucks, but it's big enough to share with a friend. The store carries a ton of stuff I thought I'd only be able to find online, such as organic coconut milk, psyllium powder, ALA vitamins, etc. I have yet to explore more closely but I did see a great selection of organic dark chocolates near the juice bar that I will return to ruthlessly ravage. The salespeople and juice baristas (jugistas?) are super helpful and knowledgeable; the guy today gave me some good advice on the supplement I was purchasing (basically to go easy on it lest I want to feel like Godzilla invaded my digestive system). Looking forward to my next visit and contemplating the Cuban burrito as my next organic conquest!

    (5)

  • Ami S.

    Love all the options and everything seems so fresh! I can't believe today way my first visit here. I had a hard time deciding what to get and ended up with what tasted like a very healthy wrap. Def want to come back!

    (4)

  • Amy C.

    I can't say enough good things about Grassroots Natural Market. I spent a Saturday there, getting lunch from the kitchen, sampling things from vendors, and listening to music while sitting outside the market under an umbrella with a couple others from my school. The kitchen staff put a lot of love into making your meal, and you can tell by the amount of attention they put on it. I tried the jackfruit/meat substitute and it was excellent! The owner, Meir, took the time to help us think through which supplements we need. He was incredibly present, attentive, and listened to us when we were discussing our interests at school. He made us feel very welcome and comfortable. I think he has been very intentional to create the vibe this market has- it seems to radiate positivity. We got 20% off dry goods/shelf-stable items, as it was the first Saturday of the month. Definitely a good day to stock up on your needs!

    (5)

  • Robert W.

    Meir and Marlai and their three children all work in the family business. They offer a host of vitamins, supplements and home remedies for everything from headaches to planters warts. Meir is a wealth of knowledge in the natural supplement realm. However, I really don't go for the vitamins, I go for the food. Their "kitchen" is a cafeteria style line. At lunch hour it can be a frustratingly long wait for a type A person, but, one bight of the Israeli wrap and all that frustration flows out of your body and you ascend to a nirvanic plateau and stay there for the rest of the day. Their line is so long and it takes a while because everything is made when you order it. The food is fresh and crisp. (Call ahead, order your meal, swing by 20 minutes later, pick it up at the register and bypass all the naturo pathic hipster grunges in line.) Another favorite of mine is their Cuban Bowl, brown rice, black beans, plantains, avi, cukes and condiments. If the Cubans had this bowl back home, there never would have been a revolution. Everything I have tried here is tasty, none of that loathsome cardboard taste some health places have. They have a robust fresh juice bar and a decent menu of healthy smoothies. Again, if you're looking for a smoothie made with ice cream, corn syrup that is about 3000 calories go elsewhere. If you want a delightful pick me up that does not give you a sugar jolt and actually has flavors other than sweet, go to Grass Roots. There menu is nicely rounded out with an assortment of salads, hot meals, soups, burritos and tacos, fresh coffees and teas.

    (5)

  • manoela w.

    I've been going to this place ever since I moved to South Pasadena around 3 years ago. It's a great mom and pop organic shop, with the added bonus of having an awesome restaurant. The food is delicious and a good bang for your buck, especially if you make your own burrito or salad. It's huge and easily lasts for two meals, for a measly $10. And most of it is organic! Try their tempeh, it's the best I've had. They have a lot of choices of cheese, type of tortilla, rice, etc. The options are almost limitless. The staff is really nice and the owner is a super cool Israeli guy who always takes the time to ask me how I'm doing and what I've been up to. Every time I go there they have new stuff. All in all a really fun store to go to!

    (5)

  • Marthie D.

    Great customer service! Charles remembered me from last week! I always love some good customer service. I have been to this grocery mart on a few occasions, two of which consisted of Saturday Breakfast. Note, breakfast only happens here on Saturdays! So get on it! What I love about Grassroots are all of the healthy options. If you want vegetarian, vegan, gluten free... they got it. Now to the food. I have eaten their omelette breakfast that consists of a side of fruit and potatoes. I ended up getting an egg white omellette with mushrooms and spinach (mmm) and the fruit and potatoes were yummy. I also recommend getting the soy chorizo breakfast bowl! It has soy chorizo, your choice of rice- brown rice or mexican rice-, and you can add anything you want including beans (brown or black). I opt for avocado, black beans, and green onions. I also paid extra to to top it with egg whites. Now, don't let the size of the bowl fool you because it's small but super filling. Other things to note besides their hot food, are their pastries. Mmm, I had their blueberry lemon scones before and they are deelish. I have also had their apple muffins that are made fresh there. Now about the grocery store. They sell cases of one of my favorite coconut waters, Nirvana. I was lucky enough one day when a Nirvana sales rep was there. I finally tasted their coconut water with aloe and it was good. If you're into health things such as vitamins and protein powders and list goes on.. I'm sure you'll find it here. Especially if you have very specific health issues.

    (5)

  • Eric R.

    Not going to lie, I was a fan of this place until they tried to charge me $1 extra dollar to their already outrageous $10 dollar smoothie for a little scoop of peanut butter...mind blowing to me to charge $11 for a smoothie that consists of 20cent banana, a few blueberries and some soy milk...where do they come with these outrageous prices!!!

    (1)

  • Joyce C.

    Have been eating and shopping here since 2005. Lovely neighborhood feel to it. Family owned and operated. The food never fails to satisfy my cravings, and I feel safe knowing that the quality of the ingredients are always the best. The employees are nothing short of amazing too. Always working hard, but still smiling. The daily lunch special range from Curry to stuffed bell peppers to lasagna - I highly recommend the Bombay Chicken curry when they have it. My opinion is that you get what you pay for, I never mind spending a little extra for better food. Recently started using Vitaforce that Laura recommended - I've never felt better(also been adding some into my dogs food too) Great food, awesome staff-

    (5)

  • Frankie D.

    I live and work in south Pasadena. I have friends that eat here all the time! They all love it they say the food is always great and fresh ! I went for the first time November 13 and had the green chili chicken with rice. It was honestly perfect ! The customer service by my server was not the best she was very unwelcoming but all the other girls behind the counter were very nice !

    (4)

  • Marissa A.

    I was doing my daily yelp search since I was craving me some kombucha and came across Grassroots. It was close to lunch time and I was getting hungry so decided to eat here as well. I was a little hesitant since I am not vegan and never tried vegan food. I ordered the special of the day which was cabbage rolls. It was delicious! The hubby had a fiesta bowl which consisted of brown rice, beans,lettuce,cucumbers,cilantro,onions,avocado, cheese,olives,jalapeños,sour cream and salsa and added it with vegan chicken. He was a little hesitant as well since it was being served in a really small bowl... Boy were we fooled! He was actually full and even said he didn't realize he was eating vegan =) after out lunch we were browsing the interesting stuff they carry at their market. Will be coming back again.. Who knows I may want to try this whole vegan lifestyle for awhile =) Side note if looking for directions through yelp it kept guiding us towards 626 crossfit area. Grassroots is located in the Von's plaza

    (4)

  • Corey S.

    Great tasting health food and juice bar. I usually go for the cafe, buffet, cafeteria style food and juice bar, but trust me when I say it's very fresh and healthy. Their primarily a health food/supplement store and have plenty of selection for your health food needs. Grassroots is a great place to go if you've never been and this review wont really do them much justice so check it out and decide for yourself. Only reason for 4 stars is that I wish the juice bar would be open longer than 4pm. Mom and Pop shop so I understand.

    (4)

  • Scott T.

    I see a lot of reviews about bad service here, which makes me sad. All I know is I was having a sort of crappy day and I stopped by here on my way home, was immediately greeted by a woman smiling and saying "welcome!", bought some falafels, gluten-free peanut butter coconut cookies, brown rice snaps and free range eggs while listening to Eric Clapton and now I'm in a much better mood.

    (4)

  • Daniel D.

    I enjoyed the food ! I can't wait to shop at the market !

    (4)

  • Roberta B.

    I'm really into health and being active. When I stopped at Grassroots I was able to find so many products that were conducive to my lifestyle. I got some food from their cute cafe and ate outside on the patio. The raw burrito was a excellent.

    (5)

  • Ryan J.

    This place is awesome if you are looking for quality food and great service. Contrary to some reviews below regarding service, I was treated quite well! Upon entering the store, I was greeted by an employee. I was looking for some food (I had been battling the stomach flu and wanted something that I could easily digest) and he kindly showed me around the store. Their fresh food options were abundant and competitively priced. I got myself some chicken and string beans, which tasted amazing! I would recommend giving Grassroots a try. I will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • J.J. R.

    Are you a vegetarian with a busy schedule and little time to cook? Or how about a vegan who detests GMO grossness in your goodies? If your answer is "yes" to either of those, then you've either shopped at Grassroots or are destined to do so in the not too distant future whenever your hybrid wanders to the outskirts of the Pasadena area. Let me breakdown the math on the stars for you: the fourth star goes to the outstanding, friendly and helpful employees of this family run establishment. A serious decision would have to be mulled over should anything ever happen to any of them, most of them hip, hat-toting women, because without them, the argument could be made that it's just a downsized Whole Foods wannabe charging an extra buck per beverage with similar crappy parking. The third star goes for the ability to eat indoors, or on the patio, and the variety of rotating, daily specials of which not one yet has been anything but terrifically tasty. Second stars are simply for offering options that can be found at few other places and that the QUALITY of those products is of the highest caliber. One star? It seems even a "permanently closed" sign on a store earns that solitary symbol. But anyone reading this is clearly smart enough to be asking the question, "why not 5 stars?" Such a savvy savory sense you have my young Yelper. To answer this honestly just may jeopardize my frequent flier miles but the risk is the intended reward for the discriminating types of the pickiest standards. Although the husband and father owner is rather amiable in an intelligently aloof way, his spousal counterpart and their spawn emit enough vibe to keep that final star shaded gray and cold. However, you'd be doing yourself a great, and unhealthy, disservice if you shied away from this awesomely organic playground for the palate to opt for the adjacent Chinese restaurant or chain pizza place. Experience the quaint corner store of kale and kombucha and you might find yourself struggling to stay in the check-in standings.

    (4)

  • Art V. B.

    The food to go options are very convenient and flavorful. I'm not a dessert person, but the coconut chia pudding is very light and flavorful. Vegan and vegetarian options are plenty.

    (5)

  • suzy q.

    BEST FOOD EVER. im so mad i moved out of south pasadena, sometimes i sit and look out of the window dreaming of greek wraps and stewed chicken. yum. this is a review for the kitchen - the people who work here are really friendly and the food is delicious. expect to wait a little on the weekends and in general as they love to chat their customers up and ultimately they take their time to make your food. I DONT MIND THOUGH. you're in south pasadena, city of trees, everyone works 5 % more slowly. its a laid back place. adjust accordingly. my favorite items are the greek wrap, falafel wrap, some other middle eastern type wrap i dont know the name of, chicken burrito/taco/bowl, and plantains !!!! their smoothies are also delicious.... hm i wish they would open up a location in los feliz / silver lake area.... hint hint.

    (5)

  • Sarah V.

    I have been a fairly regular customer of this place for a couple of years now. I have really tried to overlook the horrible customer service, time and time again, but I just can't do it anymore. Let me explain... They serve freshly prepared food between 11am-4pm and I completely understand that it takes longer than the normal "fast food" so I never minded waiting a long time in line. However, many times (in fact, almost every time I've been there), I've stood waiting at the front of the line watching while the employees prepare food for what I can only assume are phone orders without one of them acknowledging my presence at all. And I'm not talking just a minute or so...it's been up to 10 minutes that I've stood there watching them make food without a single "hello" or "I'll be with you in a minute". And I would be happy waiting the ten minutes if they would just say something to me instead of completely ignoring a customer. The straw that broke the camel's back though was just a few days ago. My husband and I went in around 3pm and we waited patiently in a long line. After helping the woman in front of us, the employee behind the counter completely ignored me and my husband and asked the guy behind us what he wanted. She called him by name so she obviously knew him. I was just kind of stunned that she so blatantly ignored us so we waited for a minute for someone else to help us thinking I had just missed something but they went on helping the guy behind us and never addressed us at all!! It was at this point that we just decided to leave. I debated telling the manager but the customer service has been so terrible every time I've been in there that I doubted it would do any good. All that to say, the food actually is really good. It's organic and fresh and they have lots of gluten free options. However, I just can't give a good review given the numerous amount of times that I've experienced what I would consider atrocious customer service. It's really unacceptable for a small business like this that relies on a loyal fan base. Sorry Grassroots...I tried, I really tried!!

    (1)

  • Courtney A.

    I grew up in SouthPas and as a result have had a lot of familiarity with Grassroots. It has been great to see it evolve, adapt, and grow over the years (especially the recent few years). The kitchen has consistently put out phenomenal food. I'm not a vegetarian, but I will opt for some of the vegan/veggie options just for the fact that they have always been so yummy. They've got a cultural fusion thing going on with a lot of their restaurant options which I particularly enjoy. I can acknowledge the poor reviews that are given for the restaurant service, and I offer a comment in response: the place is family run, so don't expect expedited fast-food service during your tight lunch break. It's quite straightforward. That kind of ideal is only achieved at the cost of quality. There are reasons for choosing Grassroots over a fast food joint, but it won't be because they can get you your gourmet meal in under 5 minutes. It will be because of quality, health forward thinking, and a commitment to local and family-run small business. And I say "gourmet" for a reason. The food is that good, but above all, good for you. (If you've got a tight schedule, why not buy the restaurant's pre-made food ahead of time. It's the same stuff, only it's packaged for later enjoyment--aka--your lunch tomorrow). Over the past year, Grassroots has expanded their products and services--I've been away at school so I only just discovered these recently and couldn't be more excited: WINE--finally! Compost--they've started composting, demonstrating a dedication to sustainability and a general bad-assedness. I plan on hitting them up for compost before I start planting my spring crops. Herb Garden--here is where I put in a request for sage! (cooking and burning varieties please) And I'm planting a seed of my own: with all this new innovation, how awesome would it be if they started beekeeping? Just saying, they're already on a roll with these new features.

    (5)

  • Sarah S.

    I have been coming to Grassroots for years. Within the last year and a half, they have made some awesome changes! Whenever I go in I feel like I'm in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. They have a wide variety of really unique products that you can't find at other stores. Keep it up guys! Can't wait to see your new offerings next time I visit! Thank you for being such a big part of the community, peace.

    (5)

  • Alice Y.

    Oh, this place is fun-filled goodness. The food is delicious. The portions are huge but won't put you into a afternoon food coma. It's just so satisfying! And it's the type of place that customers keep coming back to. The lines just keep getting longer. It also has a good selection of unique items to purchase from natural lotions to wine. I don't think I can get enough of this place.

    (5)

  • Caleb F.

    Quality neighborhood market with friendly and knowledgeable staff. Grassroots is the kind of place you can quickly stop in to for a healthy snack or order up a large meal for the family. Love that it continues to be a staple in small town South Pas.

    (5)

  • Bonnie G.

    On maps for yelp, it did not specify exactly where this place was, get it together Yelp! I walked around in a circle looking for this place! I came in here to get lunch for my boyfriend and I and ordered a green smoothie, a mid-east bowl (name sounds a little awkward), and a Greek salad. All three were very very yummy, but the green smoothie was a tad bit sour for my boyfriend's palate. But seriously the mid east bowl is so freakin delicious, im definitely getting it again next time I'm there. However, the four star rating instead of five is due to the service I received. First, an employee behind the counter asked me if I had been helped, I said no and he rudely asked me if I needed help. Well duh bro. So I told him the first part of my order and he just starts doing random stuff like cleaning the counter and putting things away for a good two minutes. Then he finally gets back to me and sighs loudly while repeating my order (at least he remembered), then I gave him the second half of my order and he rung me up. And all while this was going on, a senior employee was scolding a junior one for mislabeling prices (omg seriously? As if healthy food wasn't expensive enough) then started to scold her about leaving some food out too long. She was very rude and disciplined her co-worker like that in front of customers. How unprofessional. Then while I was walking around the store, this dude restocking a shelf kept eyeballing me and giving me dirty looks. Shit, just cause im from el monte doesn't mean I steal stuff!

    (4)

  • Frank S.

    Support your local health food store - you do not need to read all labels like at Whole Paycheck...

    (5)

  • Valerie W.

    I wish I lived closer!! I was immediately greeted by one of the staff members when I walked in. The grassroots kitchen has so many delicious vegan options. The Cuban burrito is my favorite thing to eat here for lunch. The organic coconut chia pudding was my favorite until I found out they were beegan. Grassroots please make them vegan!! Can't wait to see new chia pudding flavors : )

    (5)

  • Mannette F.

    Worst costumer service ever! Tried going here a FEW times and every time the workers were rude and not helpful at all...

    (1)

  • Fifi D.

    I love this place. I love that it's a family-owned business. I prefer to patronize those kinds of businesses as much as I can. The food is very fresh, service is friendly and if you have a product in mind that they don't have at the store, they will order it for you. My only gripe is the price. My omelet came out to $15!! Each add-ons, like spinach, tomatoes etc is additional .75each, and for my fakin bacon is additional $2.00. I'd still go back, although not as much as I can't afford to eat this way all the time. I wish I can because their food is awesome.

    (4)

  • Mary B.

    My favorite place for a healthy lunch!!! I'm a recurring customer for their teriyaki chicken bowl with brown rice!

    (5)

  • Keila N.

    Grassroots is a store that shares real estate with Vons at the corner of Fair Oaks and Monterey. It was closed for a minute due to construction. I wasn't sure whether it would reopen. But alas, I've discovered that it's open again! I stopped by today to pick up an Evolution watermelon juice and a bottle of Omega 3 (90capsules). The Omega 3 was on sale for $8.99. The cashier was such an eye candy- an added bonus to my shopping experience! I really enjoy shopping at Grassroots. I can find virtually any supplement here as well as organic health and beauty products. It also has a cafeteria with an eating area inside. The staff is helpful and very hospitable.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth V.

    So delicious, had the green smoothie no dairy ! It's was the best !!! I will most definitely be back !!!

    (5)

  • Erica M.

    Both the veggie wrap and the soyrizo burrito were delicious! However, I preferred the soyrizo burrito. It was so flavorful, it didn't even need cholula. The veggie wrap needed some more flavor, but it was still delicious. Staff was friendly. Note however that the kitchen closes at 4pm. 10 bucks for a burrito is a bit pricey, but the servings are pretty large.

    (4)

  • Kenneth S.

    I was searching high and low for Gayelord Hauser's vegetable broth powder. That stuff is hard to find! I called up Grassroots, and the person who answered said that it wasn't on the shelf, but they could order it for me. He kindly took my order and told me that it would be in on Friday. Fast forward: I waited a few extra days and came in the following Monday to pick up my special order. I also thought I'd pick up some seitan -- which I hoped they would have. No seitan to be found, but that's OK, no big deal, they just don't happen to carry it. So, I go to the cashier to pick up my special order. The friendly cashier started to offer to help me, and just as I opened my mouth to speak to her, a woman (the owner?) interrupted us to say: "I don't like the way the cereal boxes are stacked! They're in the way of the aisle." Oo-kay. The casier sort of nodded and briefly acknowledged the woman's comment, and then went back to helping me. She looked for my order, but it wasn't there. She found the order slip, and someone had written on it that the broth powder was out of stock. Apparently, for Grassroots, that was going to be the end of the story: write "out of stock" on my order slip, don't bother to let me know, period. The cashier offered to try ordering it again, but I was too annoyed at this point (having driven out of my way just to go to their store). "Never mind, I'm done," I told her. In retrospect I wish I'd been kinder to her, since she was nothing but nice and none of this was her fault. I'll certainly look elsewhere for my natural / vegetarian foods in the future.

    (2)

  • Dalia L.

    I have been coming to Grassroots for years. The staff is always friendly and knowledgable. The food is phenomenal and and they always have a wide variety of vitamins and grocery items (including raw dairy products). Peace, love and good 'eatin.

    (5)

  • Chelsea D.

    Great customer service. They KNOW what they're talking about when it comes to nutrition. Juice bar is tits. Kitchen is tits. I'd been going to Jamba Juice until a friend of mine called me a jackass and sent me to Grassroots. Keep it real guys. Great place.

    (5)

  • K S.

    Huge fan of this place! It's quirky and packed with good alternative foods. Makes me feel like I'm in Marin. Tasty made-to-order wraps and juices and great pre-made food, treats, kombucha and more! One note on price: $$ I can't wait for the day these foods are more mainstream and thus less pricey. But keep up the good work Grassroots!

    (5)

  • Anastasia N.

    I have only been here twice, as I live on the westside and this is where I like to stop to pick up food for a picnic on the way to Descanso Gardens. I had such a good experience here that is hard to believe that the service was ever as bad as people complained. Each time I have gone, I was greeted with big smiles and asked if I needed help. I like how you can create your own "bowl" and how fresh and healthy the options are. The only reason fir the 3 stars is how spendy this place is. Today we spent $8.00 on a box of crackers and $7.50 on some goat cheese. Juices and options at the food bar are reasonably priced.

    (3)

  • Ruth H.

    I've been here a few times, its out of the way, so I only go there when I go to a certain part of Pasadena. The food is good. It's a typical health food store. Many of the regular name brands plus a few not so regular. It's expensive, like all health food stores. In a lot of ways nothing unusual here. I'm concerned about a lack of real information though. There is so much gee wiz science out there about nutritional information, it really irritates me when people in health food stores can't get their information straight. Sure, it's like you need to be a fulltime doctoral student to sort through the non-sense meant to con you into buying a certain supplement or buying into a certain way of eating. So if you don't have good information please be quiet. I spoke with a woman there who was so impressed with her own grasp of nutritional knowledge and desire to impress others, I wonder how much time she spends examining the things she says. She's obviously a vegetarian, and if it's true that she has managed to almost totally heal herself from an extremely debilitating autominune disorder, it truly is very extraordinary. However, during our conversation she managed to say quite a number of things that are just wrong. Talking to your average customer you may think you can say whatever you want and then you get too comfortable saying anything to anyone. I tend to be rather a quiet person, and I am often amazed at the things people tell me, just because they assume I won't know the difference. To impress me on the benefits of vegetarianism she informed me that the largest birds are vegetarians. No they're not. Emus and Ostriches are the largest birds and they aren't vegetarians. I don't know of any birds that are vegetarians. They eat worms, insects, and some even eat small mammals and fish. She also stated that even chimpanzees are vegetarians. They're not vegetarians either. Jane Goodall discovered that decades ago. She tried to state that grains aren't vegetables, but she took that back when I was obviously irritated with that statement. They are concentrated starches, unlike lettuce and broccoli, but they certainly are vegetables. She also stated that the blood brain barrier is completely intact and can't be breached. It is now known that that is not true and there are viruses and chemicals that can penetrate the barrier. I asked several times to try to understand what her idea of a healthy diet was, wanting to get an idea of how she healed herself and she just kept picking up items around the store and stated, "You can eat this...You can eat this...Do a lot of juicing." Then she said she knew someone who ate 19 bananas in a day. Sure anyone could eat 19 bananas in a day and be very healthy if they ate a good diet the rest of the time. You can list any number of items that maybe even vegetarians, meat eaters, fruitarians AND raw foodies all eat. You can come up with a laundry list of food to eat. What matters is when, where, why, how much. She said sugar was bad, then later she picked up a dessert that had sugar in it and said, "You can eat this." I just was not impressed

    (2)

  • Diana A.

    If you are craving for a cuban, vegetarian breakfast this is your place. For around $11 you get generous portions, very flavorful food (including plantains!) and nice flavored water (apple and lemon) for free. Parking is fine either in their shopping-mall lot or in the surrounding side streets. My only complaint is that the service was messy when we were there this Saturday. My partner got the cuban wrap and they forgot to put the plantains in (big no no). So it's a good co-op kinda feel place if you like healthy, affordable food.

    (4)

  • Henri L.

    I am writing to commend Grassroots on updating the food philosophy and improving service. The changes are subtle, but there's kale and quinoa and raw food and juice galore, so us contemporary health food nuts can eat our vegetables and steer clear of wheat, etc. Once in the last few years did I encounter minor counter chaos when I tried to return something, but overall, the whole operation seems to run a little more smoothly. Like to see more in the way of sautéed greens and lentils, but there are plenty of vegetable options generally. The wraps are really big--two meals really. I like the tempeh/smoke tofu bowl with brown rice and the Middle East Bowl with quinoa tabbouli. I also like to get the side salads, like the raw kale, or steamed veggies or lentils and wild rice. There also have a great variety of healthy snacks for take-away. All in all, I'd say its one of the better lunch rotation options in South Pasadena.

    (4)

  • Jenny C.

    Great find on Fair Oaks.. love the deli!! Everything is healthy here... they have a good range of salads, burritos, wraps and bowls. Even the burritos have lots of greens in it :) I love that more than half of the menu is vegan/veggie friendly.. meat add-ons are available too on all items! Although I don't think they serve beef (vegan beef only) .. mostly chicken and turkey. Also serving brunch menus on Sat! Only few tables available if you're eating inside though.. more ideal to get it to-go! Had the "mid-east" wrap last time, it was delicious and the portion is huge! I love the hummus and tabouli combo in a wrap! As I read through the menu, there are a lot of options if you want to go raw!! Will be coming back for food and the organic juice bar! Oh, and their mini muffins look sooo good!

    (4)

  • Stephanie H.

    Food is amazing. The Cuban bowl is my favorite! I feel so healthy after I eat my lunch.

    (5)

  • Dave H.

    I recently rediscovered this health food store/cafe. I use to go to this over 15 years ago and it still delivers on one of the best selections of healthy and organic items. The cafe is great (closed Sundays) with delicious burritos with fresh ingredients, vegan items, etc. Even a Carmita's burrito with brown rice, beans, cilantro, etc. Laura who works their on Sundays is super helpful and knowledgeable. A lot of great sweet items from local bakers, etc. Great source of healthy living events, products, etc. in their little flyer/library area. Also a good selection of ready made salads, desserts and heat and eat items in their refrig case.

    (4)

  • Kris M.

    I just got into juicing and Grassroots has great quality juices for competitive prices. Juice up!

    (5)

  • Maynor S.

    This review is just for the kitchen: 4 stars?? This place should be in the negative column. The most horrid customer service EVER. Anyway, walked in there, got "in line" there's about 3 people behind the counter, no one greets me, no one says anything, just conversing amongst themselves. Finally, I get a "NEXT!?" Who do you think has been standing here with no one in front of them?? I ask for a breakfast burrito and the lady starts barking out choices at me like the soup Nazi from Seinfeld! WTF? Nice customer service!! She's almost shouting at me!! I finally get through my order and I get my burrito to go. This woman wraps it in foil and just puts it in front of me on the counter. No bag. No utensils. No napkins. The foil is all leaky, but I make due. As for the burrito, it was just okay, they stuffed it with rice for filler too! You can bet that with employees like this, I won't be coming back to this "entitled" establishment ever again! Yeah, they won't care, but I will throw them under the bus anytime someone mentions this place. And don't get me started on the customers that came after me... For a $10+ breakfast burrito, I will make mine at home from now on, CON AMOR(with love). Horrible experience! Stay away! Have a nice day :) PS - I wholeheartedly agree with Gina B. below me!

    (1)

  • Julie D.

    I finally was able to check this place out because I had a tempeh craving... yes, people get cravings for that. What I left with was enough to last 2 days: tempeh burrito and two muffins. The burrito seemed to lack the deliciousness of other tempeh wraps I've had. The tempeh is skimpy and doesn't have a good texture. But one burrito WILL feed you for two meals, partly due to the huge wheat tortilla. The muffins are HUGE, and this is saying a lot considering I've eaten lots of muffins, including the monstrosities at Whole Foods. They taste fine and the crust on them is actually crisp (yum!). Though really, I'm actually going to say they are too big -- not enough surface area/crust for all the insides you have to eat with it. Anyway, a burrito will set you back nearly $10, and for that reason (along with general lack of funds), I don't think I'll be coming here very often, at least for those things. They seemed to have a lot of other, cheaper, vegan and natural foods that are slightly cheaper.

    (4)

  • Alanna D.

    Amazing products, something for everyone! Great community and health focused market and eatery!

    (5)

  • k c.

    Since my last review I've been back a few times and they actually listened!! (or just changed for the better). Prices seem to be down, hours better, they now have a juice bar open on the weekends (cheaper than whole foods), I honestly think it's awesome when owners take to Yelp and listen to their customer feedback and do something to improve the business! I'm back. I love you guys, thanks for being awesome. :)

    (5)

  • Gina B.

    Decent food, worst service, ever! I was the only person in line and I got zero acknowledgement... I came in after their typical lunch rush and was happy to be the only person in line - I was more than thrilled because during lunch rush they take their leisure time servicing everyone. As I stood there, ready to order and waiting for the women behind the counter to acknowledge me, it was apparent that she had zero intention of helping me. She looked as though she was making her own lunch behind the counter and was giving me the - don't bother me I'm on my lunch break vibe. I veered over and saw the entire staff joking with each other and lounging about by the juicer machine, so I tried to reach eye contact with one of them. Sadly, eye contact was made, but they didn't care and continued on. Finally the woman behind the counter making her lunch peeked over the glass window and said - "someone will be right with you". A good 3-4 minutes had gone by - a long time to be helped when the ONLY person in line. Completely offended and on my lunch break with time wasting away, I said to the women making her lunch, "is there anyone here who WILL be able to help me?", she looked at me and snapped, "yep, they see you. They'll help you shortly". Again, I was the only customer in there and it took a good 5 minutes before I'd been helped. I almost flat out left until someone so casually glided over acting dumbfounded that I hadn't been helped (they'd been staring at me the entire time!). I got my food and bolted. Pissed, AGAIN. Unfortunately, I experience this almost every time I go there. In fact, I'd heard this on many occasions from my co-workers as well. THey leave pissed too. I have certainly limited my visits substantially because I am sick of leaving offended. The staff needs better management, though unfortunately, the owner is just as lax and rude. They are trained to take their time. I know this because they used to have a sign that read - it will take a while. If you want to run a business, step foot in this place. You will learn what not to do and how to loose customers. I used to go almost everyday, but now I go about 3 times a year. They have lost almost all of my business.

    (1)

  • Carlos A.

    Love this place! Always have great service and feel welcomed! Grassroots provides a great selection of health products. I purchase raw cow and goats milk here; the milk is always fresh and creamy. My toddler daughter is always greeted and offered an all natural, organic lollipop, which is great because she looks forward to coming into Grassroots.

    (5)

  • J F.

    Amazing food with a bunch of healthy options. Eat here if you want to live till you're 600.

    (5)

  • Scott K.

    Been going here since they opened their doors. They have a cafeteria style area for take-away food - and the produce and dishes served are very fresh and surprisingly tasty...you know...for "health food"!! The sandwiches to go are good, too... I love the turkey. Kind of a hippy-dippy laid-back sort of place. Feel comfortable in tie-dye and your Birkenstocks. The service is always good and the people seem to actually love what they do. I like to eat outside - the people watching is pretty good.

    (4)

  • Johnny D.

    The garden salad is refreshing and very clean. Crisp cucumbers, tasty sprouts, sunflower seeds, avocado, shredded beats and carrots, with freshly tossed mixed greens. I love the house made vinaigrette. I get mine with grilled chicken. The tossed taco salad is also a favorite. Mine is tossed with fresh pico, black and pinto beans, vegan sour cream, stewed chicken, avocado, cucumber, and jalapeños! They usually include brown rice and tortilla chips, but it depends on how I'm feeling! The only drawback about Grassroots would be how long it takes, but they do acknowledge the wait and remind people that this isn't fast food. The salads are addicting, but isn't it better to be addicted to salads than burgers?

    (4)

  • Michael O.

    My gf and I checked out Grassroots while doing a detox/diet thing (her idea but I'm a supportive guy). We shared the Fiesta Bowl with spanish brown rice, tempeh, soy cheese, and a bunch of other healthy toppings. I gotta be honest, it was good! I need the recipe to their spanish brown rice. We checked out the market shelves and the one thing we go back for is the extra large brown eggs. Once you taste those non-steroid, cage-free, blah blah blah you will notice a difference to regular eggs. One of those yields about the volume of two regular eggs. Seems backwards but its true. Will be making a trip back to try their breakfast and more from the deli.

    (4)

  • Nick G.

    Just to start this off, i will say that all the people who give this place 3 stars or less are really impatient or might not have any knowledge of how these peoples jobs are. The employees there work extremely hard and it shows. So if they take a little longer than expected, WAIT!!! Its not going to kill you to have some decent human manners and not act like everything should be catered to you. And if you dont like what I'm saying, go somewhere else. Theres a Round Table next door or a Jamba Juice! Good food takes time to be prepared and one good life lesson is: You never wanna piss off the people who are making your food. You know what i mean if you've been to McDonalds. Secondly, yes the wait is long at times and the prices may be high. But, you get what you pay for! And like i said, good food takes time. Theres no other place like this close by. Go to Whole Foods or Sprouts, but they wont have my Cuban Burrito there! For all the "regular customers" who keep complaining about the wait and this and that........STOP! You're driving me insane with your BS. If you were such a loyal customer then you would be saying nice things. Didnt your momma ever teach you that if you dont have anything nice to say then don't say it at all? As for the review of Grassroots itself, I'll tell you this: 1. The food is amazing. Delicious. Fresh. 2. The staff will help you with anything you need, might not get what youre looking for but they'll help you. 3. Meir runs a very complex vitamins department and will be one of the first to ask if you need anything. 4. Marla, the boss, may come off straight forward at times but she is running a very good business so I'd be like her too! 5. To the kitchen staff, counter people, and restocking team, you guys keep doing what youre doing. You take care of us all and run a healthy clean restaurant. I hope i get a free Cuban Breakfast Plate for this awesome review lol

    (5)

  • Tim M.

    This place is great... definitely worth checking out! The food is really delicious, and nutritious. I only eat here every couple of months, as it's a bit expensive - but I'm ALWAYS happy when I do! I really commend their strong efforts to provide non-GMO items, and thoroughly enjoyed the tamales that they make on special occasions. My only complaint is that they use plastic packaging when I order hot food to eat at the market without asking, and they only offer disposable plastic utensils. I have to really be vigilant to make sure I receive my order on the pulp plate which is biodegradable. Grassroots could really improve by replacing the unnecessary plastic waste that they generate. All in all, I always know I can expect absolute quality when I come here, and that fact alone will keep me coming back - when my wallet permits!

    (4)

  • H T.

    Surprisingly very good. Had a tempeh burrito. Really flavorful. Big burrito. Pricey. The rest of the store is really cool. You can find a lot of natural health items here. good selection of pressed juices. or they can juice something for you fresh. will cost a pretty penny though. Cheers, -Herbal Tea

    (4)

  • Hov F.

    A bit spendy but I love these guys. Worth it if yur health matters to you. They're always willing to stock new requested items if u ask. They generally know what they're talking about and put a LOT of love into their stuff. Ask for Meyer [prn: mayor] if u need expertise. Great guy friendly family.

    (5)

  • Abhayada S.

    This place rules! I feel like I just had an appointment with a homeopath. The man who helped me was courteous, took all the time I needed and explained what each supplement/herb/tree sap would do for me. They also have community lectures/classes, Green household items and amazing food! I have been looking for a place like this that cares about their shoppers. Whole Foods could give a crap and many other health/nutrition stores have no soul and if they do care...most don't know half of what this guy did I am sure. He was like a breathing encyclopedia. I always stocked up when I went to Humboldt on stuff but yearned for a place that had the same vibe located near me. This place definitely does! I am a new fan and will be a frequent shopper!

    (5)

  • Rolo M.

    I'm going to go broke because I'm just in love with their JUICE BAR. They also have an amzaing Israeli Wrap. Fresh, healthy food store and deli that offers nice portions and a friendly environment. I love the way it smells in there too. Perfect spot for Vegans, Vegetarians and carnivores!

    (5)

  • Monica G.

    So Grassroots is kind of like chipotle where you get in line and place your order and they make most of it in front of you. However, the menu is much more extensive and healthier. I had the fiesta bowl with real chicken and washed it down with honey lemonade. This combo set me back $13. The bowl was huge and its ingredients included brown rice, chicken, avocado, jalapenos, cilantro, avocado, beans and pico de gallo. This is not el pollo loco so every bite was fresh and delicious. The bowl was pretty huge but it should be for the amount that I paid for it. The honey lemonade was highly enjoyable and I am thinking of making it at home. I would like to come here more often but I can't imagine spending $13 on lunch on a regular basis.

    (4)

  • Sarah K.

    This is ok health food. The prices are a little steep and the portions are a little too big. It's hard to leave without spending $30 for 2 for lunch. I'd rather they sell the food in half portions at half the price. The whole point of eating health food is to eat it fresh but if they offer too much you put half of it away to find it old and soggy later. There's no hustle to the staff so the wait can be long. The grocery store prices are higher than most health markets I've been to. Overall, food is good but the prices aren't worth what they are offering.

    (3)

  • Maura M.

    Update: I received a nice note from the owner last month so I wanted to bump up my rating again (from 2 to 3 stars). I still go to Grassroots regularly (at least twice a month, usually more) and, although I get the exact same thing every time, the food is still inconsistent. But it's the best option for what it is in the neighborhood. There's always a huge line at the food counter, so clearly other people really enjoy the food (maybe I should try something else some time). Anyway, I'd rather give my money to these guys than Whole Foods, and they really are trying to create a nice little community... I just wish it were a little bit better. Still totally worth going. Go. You'll probably be satisfied.

    (3)

  • Jonathan L.

    I love Grassroots Natural Market! I shop here for all my healthy needs like raw milk, kale chips, fresh coconut water, and grass-fed poultry. Raw milk is a bit pricey, but I'd say it's definitely worth the money. This market also has a health conscious kitchen without the sacrifice of taste. I always come here when I want a quick, healthy, and delicious meal. I'd also add that the customer service is exceptional! I'll be stopping by today!

    (5)

  • A. B.

    Great spot for a nice healthy snack or meal. Not sure about the other negative reviews about customer service but every time I come in the employees are very nice and friendly. Recommend the fiesta bowl.

    (5)

  • Vahe N.

    Although I currently live in Northern California, whenever I visit back home I always come back to this place. Their wraps are fantastic, and I'm in love with their gluten free corn bread and tamales (whenever they're available). Before, I used to take some crap vitamins and protein supplement, but with the help of Mair (the owner of the store and responsible for Vitamins and Supplements) I replaced those with some natural protein and wholefood vitamins, and now I feel better than ever. The environment in here is great since it's treated like a family store, so when you go in there you get the attention a customer deserves. From healthy food available there and then to great natural items you can take home, if you're main priority is your health, then Grassroots is the spot to go.

    (5)

  • Franklin M.

    They have a lot of great options here, somethings can be a bit pricey but you get what you pay for.

    (4)

  • Dolly D.

    Hooray! I went there for the 1st time and really enjoyed the food and the products. The employees were so knowledgable! They took the time to educate me with the different supplements as well as healthy eating/living. Will definitely be shopping there more often.

    (4)

  • Ginny N.

    This review is for the food from the Kitchen; I always order to go, either there or ahead by phone. I favor vegan food and could never possibly maintain the variety of fresh food in my own kitchen that they've prepped each day. Their raw burrito is my favorite. It's an enormous wrap packed with greens, guacamole, tomatoes, onions, green olives, sprouts, jalapenos, sunflower seeds, cucumbers, cilantro, carrots and shredded beets (they are often out of beets), finished with your choice of tahini sauce or their house-made vinaigrette. For a small, family-owned operation, I don't know how they manage to offer such a wide variety of bowls, wraps, salads, hot entrees and more (not to mention breakfast) with fresh, organic ingredients. These dishes range in price from $8.95-$12.95...a good value for high-quality food. From other reviews, I think some people misunderstand the service; it is not a fast-food assembly line, and not everyone behind the counter is waiting on customers all of the time. In order to keep so many balls in the air, when something needs refilling, or the coffee needs to be brewed, someone has to stop to do that. It's nothing personal. I appreciate the individual care and patience they give to preparing my meals.

    (5)

  • Suzanne R.

    Ouch! It's expensive. Came here for a 32 oz juice which is $9.95 at Whole Foods. Here at Grassroots it is $11.95....oh and by the way, some of the ingredients were not organic. I can't believe that someone is more expensive than Whole Foods. The juice was good, they were very slow to make it--so expect a long wait.

    (2)

  • Lorena A.

    If you're looking for anything from wholesome pantry and produce goods to holistic medicines to Babycakes desserts, this is definitely your place! I visit 2-4 times a week and I literally crave the Green Drink from their Organic Juice Bar and their Eye Opener (breakfast combo served on Saturdays). Also, there are many lectures and seminars on various health topics FREE OF CHARGE! The staff is amazing, and they treat me extremely well! I always leave the store and the cafe knowing that I made a good decision for my health that day!

    (5)

  • Carla J.

    I love this place!! I had the blueberry smoothie with the Cuban bowl and it was the best lunch ever! It was soo good I want to go back.

    (5)

  • Ayesha M.

    I love this place !!! Love the owners , Meir and Marla , too . Good people ! This is my local store . Even tho everything here is pricey , the foods are mostly organic and handmade , and we can find a wide selection of vegetarian and vegan items as well . Nothing costs more than Whole Foods . So , support your Ma and Pa shops !!! I do !

    (4)

  • Roseanne H.

    Great selection of vitamins and produce. They use organic veggies/fruits for juicing and the prices are hard to beat! The food is delicious and healthy so I don't feel to guilty about eating everything :) Friendly and helpful staff.

    (5)

  • Karen C.

    I came in here just to look around and see if they had anything on sale that I might find useful. When I was first checking out I only had a jar of coconut oil and lip balm, but after talking to Meir when I was checking out I ended up purchasing more items. =p Meir noticed that I was purchasing coconut oil for my dry problematic skin caused by atopic dermatitis and recommended a different brand for me. Turns this coconut oil was of higher quality, but similar in price because it was on sale. Even though it was the end of the day, Marla who is the other half of Grassroots, took about twenty minutes explaining to me different supplements that I should be taking that would help with my condition. She had also suffered from problematic skin and was very sympathetic in educating me on the benefits of probiotics and healthy oils. A very nice couple, sincere and caring they put their customers first. Some of their supplements may seem pricey but I don't have to pay for shipping as opposed to purchasing these items online. Bonuses Grassroots has a stamp card for supplements and on Wednesdays they have 15% off for Seniors over the age of 60. The coconut oil absorbs much better than shea butter I've tried and leaves me smelling delicious! =D Super happy with my lip balm purchase because the flavor is Cardamom, where else can you find ayurvedic lip balm?! Only time will tell with the supplements, but if you want more regularity and craptastic crap I recommend the probiotics for your colon.

    (5)

  • SCOTT D.

    Aside from the tight isles, this place is PACKED with so much goodness. I've only been twice, but both times I've spent a lot on all sorts of things I never would have thought I needed. The place has everything a vegan hipster would want; tofu, almond milk, fizzy healthy goopy drinks, lots of coconut waters, snackie delicious nutty fruity crunchy good-time things and all the stuff a little market would have for cooking, baking and being generally very healthy. Thanks for the extra deliciousness and health Grassroots!

    (5)

  • Sara L.

    This place is frigging AWESOME. Whole stuff, organic stuff, nice people, and not corporate. You've got my business!

    (4)

  • Patrick F.

    Awesome lunch 'bar'. Had a nice wrap/burrito cuban style with Beyond Meat and all kinds of other tasty stuff in there. Quick service, and was able to do a little shopping afterwards. Recommend

    (4)

  • Dexter S.

    I eat here often. So often in fact I easily neglected to write a review. Here it is finally. Grassroots is where I live. Not just the store but the frame of mind. If you're going to do vegan, do it small and adamantly. The owners of this health food restaurant and market know their s&$#! They don't play around when it comes to processed foods, sugar, gluten, GMO and corporate agendas. They are known to yank a decent product when it is manufactured by a hypocritical conglomerate. My money is good here. I trust them. I consult them. And on a side note, I once tried to have them carry my business associate's natural juice products and they put us through major scrutiny. It was painful then but now I appreciate their meticulousness. The cooks can get a little nutty behind the food counter at times but this ain't fast food. Love this place. I find everything I need here in the world of holistic health. Please support!

    (5)

  • Scott B.

    I've updated my review out of respect for the owner. He is an amazing guy. This place is good, but close to great.

    (4)

  • wan w.

    My experience there is ruined by the rude cashier woman with white hair, who told me to shut up my kid. While my 3 year old was waiting with me for the long line, the cashier ignore me couple of times cause she is so busy picking up two phone calls...and let me tell you that....there is also other people waiting patiently behind me too.....while I was still waiting.....waiting in front of her to pay. and so does my son..... My son finally cannot take it anymore, he scream cause I need to take the milk away from him to hand it to the woman and pay. She told me she need the box, which is completely ok. The whole waiting thing is ok, but you need to know my son who is 3 may not be able to be as patience as a grown up. So, he screams....because he is 3 and no matter how hard I try to tell him to stop he cannot? Why you blame me? I want scream myself but I am just so polite enough and kind to the woman...I was believe to treat people by the way how I like to be treated!!!!! While I am paying and waiting and waiting for her. She said I should shut up my kid and I kindly told her, I wanted to but he was mad because I took the milk in his hand....hoping her to understand....BUT NO!!!!!!!!!!!....she go on and ARGUE and INSIST that it was MY fault not containing my kid. She said "you should....." WOW! what a day! Didn't know I intend wanting to get a salad and end up with an necessary lecture and very rude services! Too bad, I like your food grassroot and I don't mind to pay 10 bucks for a bowl of salad if it's good. But I don't' think I will go back anymore. Plus, let me tell you that the other woman in front of us also yell loudly "HOLY CRAP" when my son scream! So, what's in the south pasadena air? Do we all smoke angry toxic air....make people so vulgar and violent?!!! And I thought this is not a five star hotel, or library, I thought this is friendly market? Am I in the wrong place here?

    (1)

  • Dezi A.

    Try the fiesta taco salad bowl! Pricey for healthy food but hey what the heck the foods very tasty. Know what your going to order once you get in line if not be prepared to be pressured to order quick!

    (4)

  • Nancy M.

    What can I say about this place, nothing bad really. I been here twice to eat their vegan chili bowl and their veggie bowl and loved. I am not a vegan but do enjoy the occasion meatless selections for lunch they do have a rather large section for vegans. My boss, a recent vegan, introduce me to this place and was surprise to discover they have a kitchen including a fresh juicing bar, kitchen with freshly made food and market for all your shopping needs. It's conveniently located next to a big chain market, in a shopping center, with a rather big enough parking. The prices are on the high side big I figure since its mostly gluten free, organic, vegan free, it typically is but not too bad for some one who wants some thing different or wants to try winging off meat, vegan and gluten.

    (4)

  • A. K.

    Their fresh food is great for meals on the run! Relatively healthy with quality ingredients!

    (5)

  • Nina C.

    I used to live in South Pasadena and was somewhat of a regular at Grassroots (pre-fire). This was my first return visit in 3+ years. There is a new refrigerated grab-and-go case filled with sandwiches, salads, and daily specials, in addition to the cafeteria-style ordering station. Lots of healthy and filling choices...wraps, burritos, bowls, quesadillas, hot plates, salads, etc. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, as well as natural and humanely raised meats. I picked an old favorite...the tempeh wrap/burrito (whole wheat tortilla with brown rice, avocado, cucumbers, tomatoes, sprouts, carrots, sesame seeds, and a nice ponzu/rice vinegar sauce). They still make the burritos HUGE, and the food is so fresh tasting. I have fond memories of their breakfasts, especially their amazingly fluffy whole grain banana walnut buttermilk pancakes. Not exactly a "health" food, but so delicious. They've added some new wraps and salads to the menu that sound delicious as well, including an Israeli wrap and falafel salad I have my sights set on for my next visits. Their freshly baked muffins are always so tempting (flavors include sweet potato, apple walnut, pumpkin, and more...including gluten free varieties), but I resisted the urge this time. Four stars instead of five because the market section never wins me over, but the kitchen is highly worth a visit.

    (4)

  • Mayte D.

    Been coming here for 3 years or so...I love and always get the vegan Cuban plate with plantains - yum! The people behind the counter seem frazzled (and some times a little rude) and are inconsistent with the way they prepare the plates - they never really look the same (or have the same ratio of items), but the food sure is t-a-s-t-y! The coffee is also tasty and bold (just how I like it)! The market has some good vegan products and often has good sale items. I wish they would expand the kitchen hours, but I'm sure whomever runs it has a life and wants to enjoy it, so I get it.

    (4)

  • Jennifer Y.

    I'm reading all the reviews written so far on this place and I agree with most of them. The first handful of times I came here, I thought the owners were rude and their stock was incomparable to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. Then once the owners started to recognize me, they started to treat me like family. Family is not always nice and fuzzy, but at least they take the time to ask you how you're doing and see what you need. I told the male owner (can't spell his name correctly...Maier?) that I was having stomach issues and he told me what I should try and even gave me samples of stuff he thought would work. They really understand each and every product they carry and are very knowledgeable about the different diets out there (gluten free, diary free, raw, etc.). They're really your mom and pop store and I can see they're passionate about their products and their store, even if their attitudes can be bit brusque. Grassroots reminds me of the small book stores that used to exist where employees actually LOVE to read books, not like big chain bookstores that have employees who just need a paycheck.

    (5)

  • Josh P.

    Amazing vegan food!!

    (5)

  • James H.

    There is truly only one word that can describe grassroots, spectacular! An amazing store full of a variety of healthy food, drinks, snacks, pretty much anything one can look for to help create a deliciously healthy meal or lead a fit life. Can't help but love the delicious salad/juice bar staffed by some of the most friendly and helpful people I've come across in similar establishments. If you're looking to cut the bad processes food out of your life or just want a super tasty salad for lunch, this store is definitely the place to check out!

    (5)

  • Ingrid O.

    My second visit was tastier!!! Yummy Yummy, had a great chia drink, inspired me to go home and make my own - since I paid 4.99 for a DELCIOUS drink - that I know I can make at home. This market has incredible organic stuff for those that like to cook. Will keep going back with my Vegan BF. I am slowly turning greeeeennnn

    (4)

  • Wendy G.

    Great place to get our protein shakes...Bluebonnet. Great customer service. The clients I send over always state how well they were taken care of. They are always looking to educate you on the latest brands and how they work.

    (5)

  • RDizzl E.

    Come here for really fresh, pseudo organic, vegan, free range, carbon neutral based food from the Grassroots Kitchen. Ok...it might not be all of those but the food was impressive. Great salads and the wraps looked tasty too, I'll try those next time. If you belong to Greenpeace, went to Woodstock (or Burning Man), brew biodiesel, drive a Prius, or own a juicer then this place is for you! The food is a little pricey with most salads and wraps in the $8-10 range but you get what you pay for in terms of freshness and quality. For those dining in, there is a cozy but adequate dining area.

    (4)

  • Didi D.

    I stopped in here for the first time couple of weeks ago, as I was visiting a friend in the area & did a little shopping. They have homemade muffins and a baker on the premises. Can't beat that !! I also got a chair massage from Hannah, which was wonderful !!! And, it was at least 20% cheaper than Whole Foods. Apparently, the owners of the Grassroots don't steal a chunk of the massage therapist's money , the way they do at "Whole Foods " or as it's better known - "Whole Paycheck." -- So, the price of chair massage can be kept low !! (And, I got 5 minutes free in addition to my ten minutes. So sweet!! I got my Kombucha and some other goodies as well. I'll have to come back to try their lunch if I'm in the area during the week. I've signed up for their Facebook Page to keep up with their menu of daily specials. I hear the curry chicken or curry tofu is awesome & can't wait to try it.

    (5)

  • Ivan M.

    Grass roots has been the go to place for holistic medicine and vegan on the go lunches for me since before they burned down a few years ago. The owner Meijer, knows his stuff about any and all the meds in the store. My kids get their vitamins there, I get supplements and cold meds and even the in laws are taking some homeopathic meds from here since we recommended the place. The wraps in the kitchen and the selection of natural juices at the entrance is the best. Great beef alternatives in the freezers at the back. I hear the cage free organic turkeys at thanksgiving are awesome.... just haven't got it together enough to pre-order one. Go by, get healed, get fed and be thankful this place is here. I missed it when it was not. So glad they came back better than ever.

    (5)

  • Erin C.

    One of my favorite places! All of your dietary restrictions - gluten free, vegan, dairy free, you name it - are accommodated. But even if you aren't allergy ridden, all meat and other animal products are high quality and sustainably raised. Great assortment and DELICIOUS quality of kitchen food, as well as pre-packaged salads, sandwiches, and baked goods. I'm happy to see that they've expanded their offerings considerably since they first reopened! Staff is also all friendly, the owner is really nice and recognizes us. The grocery products are high quality, but not the cheapest (which is to be expected in a small family-owned place, though).

    (5)

  • Gordon B.

    Here is the deal with Grassroots - the food is usually pretty fresh and good but the most recent price hike is totally unreasonable. I went in last week for a salad with chicken added and it cost me $11.13. For a to go salad, that is an unbelievably high price. Whole foods is cheaper and that is a bad sign. Not to mention, everyone that works there ignores you until they are ready to serve you. I have stood at the counter for 10 minutes without anyone saying a word to me. The bottom line is that the management is the obvious problem because the prices keep going up and they have no idea of how to control the staff. A few minor changes would make this place a total goldmine.

    (3)

  • Anonymous S.

    Lots of good food, with an emphasis on local and organic. They have meat and poultry along with vegan and vegetarian, so everyone can get what they want. The smoothies are particularly good. They have breakfast until pretty late, 2:00 in the afternoon, I think. Indoor and outdoor tables, and it's a small grocery store also.

    (4)

  • Sara B.

    My girlfriend and I love this place, their Tempe Teriyaki Bowl is awesome. I also am a big fan of the Turkey Wrap. I'm sure everything is good but I always seem to get the same thing every time I go because I one, don't have it very often and two, I know it is going to be amazeballs! There muffins look amazing every time I see them in that case, tempting me to buy one. "Come on, bye me, I wont bite. But you will..." Argh! Why have I not had a muffin yet!! Anyway, everything is always fresh and the people are friendly. They do have a lot of vegetarian and vegan options if you chose. I'm a meat eater (not pork) and their tempe is awesome! I must say though,the past two times I have been there I've had to wait a while when I got up to the register. Everyone was busy running around doing other things. I understand when its lunch time and those cattle doors open up, you better be ready for a stampede. But, maybe someone should just be on register or that general vicinity so when someone walks up with their yummy in a bowl or wrap, they can check out quickly because I know I want to hurry up and shove that deliciousness into my mouth and down into my belly! Just sayin... But thanks Grassroots for continuing to be a staple in the South Pas area for so long. Can't wait to go back!

    (4)

  • Leah D.

    The kitchen has pretty good food but really inconvenient hours. The menu is a little pricey, but the portions are good and everything seems really fresh.

    (3)

  • Jeanne H.

    Ugh, once again training is going on at Grassroots Restaurant section, 18 mins to place an order with 3 peeps in front of me. Then the lady who was training took my order. She made sour faces the whole time. She wrapped my burrito in foil so when I got back to the office it was soggy and falling apart. Train the trainer and trainee, train the trainer to smile and have some sense of customer service. Been through this before, the training I mean, wont be going back for at least 2 weeks. I used to go there for lunch everyday.Then didnt go for a long time,now once or twice a week, but for a while I will be staying away again , just for my serenity, Jeanne

    (1)

  • Sheree H.

    I love the cuban bowl and the honey lemonade.

    (5)

  • Cresta R.

    After last nights dinner ~ I was once again due for a healthy vegan lunch. My run through Griffith park was not enough to make me feel less guilty about committing gluttony last night. BTW, why of why is it so hard to find a non Asian cuisine based vegan joint. (I have nothing against it, it's just I really needed something light). Then I found Grassroots in Pasadena. Rejoice! No I'm not turning into a hippie...but walking in through this place definitely made me feel like one with the yogis, hippies..and California cool people. It's a quick order place, with minimal tables in and outside and a little market inside where they sell organic items. I had the Mid East Wrap which was amaaaaaazingingly great. I was only able to consume less than half of it since it was huge...I sometimes order a mid eastern wrap in non vegan places...and this by far is the best one I've ever had...sooooo tasty. I love it...I'd make kisses and cuddle with it if I could...except it'll just get my place dirty. So unsanitary. Service was quick, no attitudes and they will inform you if anything is non 100% vegan approved. Not that I cared...I'm not exactly vegan but I heart them.. I can see Grassroots in my future very very soon.

    (4)

  • Val S.

    I came here looking to "juice" and met Ricky. He's an awesome source of information about juicing! I told him I was interested in juicing and he shared some tips and tricks. I told him I didn't know what to buy and asked him for a "starter juicing box" and he put one together for me! It was so easy! And all organic!

    (4)

  • Sara G.

    Big portions of fresh yummy goodness!

    (4)

  • Jessika L.

    In the South Pasadena/Pasadena oasis of carnivores, this is my xanadu...thank you for having the most kick-ass faux 'beef' and badass vegan specials like sweet potato taquitos, casseroles, etc. I love building my own salads with all the amazing ingredients you can imagine: edamame, roasted beets, vegan cheese, vegan sour cream, salsa, avocados, tabouleh, falafel, cucumber, etc. They always have hot vegan items for your burritos/bowls too like tempeh, fake beef, tofu. They usually have plantains too! Their portions are King-Kong size, so you get your money's worth for sure. In a hurry? they have pre-made sandwiches, bowl, burritos, wraps, and salads in the deli case...awesome stuff! I forgive them for having meat since I usually can't see it displayed, and they do offer so many damn items for vegans/vegetarians. Also, their peanut butter shake is delish! Rockin' lemonades too! I find their staff to be quite nice--especially the cute hipster brunette gal who happily accommodates all my special orders of "can you add this and this and this...and no ice cream in my pb shake, etc" ;) my only complaint/desire: PLEASE open the hot bar earlier so i can get food to go before i leave to work....pleassssseeeee! kthnxbye

    (4)

  • Marla B.

    Since I moved out of south pas, I have grass roots withdrawals daily. Yes, it can be a little bit of a wait if you're getting food at the bar, but it is so worth it. I usually get a turkey wrap with hummus, eggplant and a lot of other delicious veggies. The specials are always amazing. My favorite is green curry or mexican lasagna. Wish there were more places like this around!!

    (5)

  • Kari C.

    Suburban hippies rejoice! Grassroots is back. :) I ate here the other day just because I was too lazy to cook the food in my fridge. I ordered the smoked tofu burrito, which was absolutely delicious. It came with black beans, salsa, tomatoes, lettuce, soy sour cream, guacamole, cheese, smoked tofu, brown Spanish rice, all rolled into a large wheat tortilla. You could also get other types of beans, onions, regular sour cream, etc. It was about $2 more expensive than burritos at other places, but I feel it is well worth it for the quality and freshness of the ingredients. Healthy? Who knows. Tasty? Yes! I ate half of the burrito and packed the other half for later. Portion sizes are very generous. Staff was friendly as usual. Wait times were not bad at all. I wish the restaurant hours were better. Right now, they close at 4PM and they are not open on Sundays. Perhaps in the future they will extend their hours.

    (5)

  • Brenna G.

    Rude owner. Will not be visiting this place again. Food is okay but nothing I can't make myself for 1/10th of the price. Staff is friendly and polite. Owner is very rude. Acts like you are a waste of her time.

    (1)

  • Mari P.

    I love their Cuban breakfast burritos! The burrito is a great breakfast/brunch meal. The combination of egg or tofu, brown rice, black beans, cucumber, salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream (they have vegan), and sweet plantains is to die for. At $9 it's a big delicious meal that will leave you feeling healthy and satisfied.

    (4)

  • Camille T.

    Well I used to love this place until the chick with the braid drove it downhill. Not exaggerating, she was rude to me the last four consecutive times I've been there. Once she was being so obviously rude and short with me even my husband who is totally oblivious to that stuff noticed. she actually used to be a friendly helpful person, im not quite sure what happened. menopause? Anyway I won't be going in there anymore, especially after the last time she refused to help me because I was 5 minutes too early, yet the doors were open. 5 minutes. I'd rather eat McDonalds than deal with that nasty woman again.

    (1)

  • Sarah R.

    SO YUMMY! green smoothie is good & berry is too! Muffins are huge...you can share them! but the cranberry/apple/walnut one was sooooo good! their burritos look so BOMB! I cant wait go back & try them! go here is your on a health kick! very good & reasonably priced!

    (4)

  • Ashley K.

    I love and crave their chili. Peaceful place for a lunch date.

    (5)

  • Sean B.

    The food here is delicious and the portions are generous. I usually frequent here every Friday as a "reward" for me. My favorite is the Mid-East wrap with quinoa tabbouleh. The only downside to this establishment is the person who I assume is the owner, talks down to her employees right in front of customers. I don't think this is an acceptable way to treat employees and it makes an awkward experience for the customers.

    (4)

  • Angel D.

    pricey, small selection of products, and every time i needed help, they never seemed to be available to help...

    (2)

  • J. Francisco A.

    My new lunch spot! Over the years I've always come to this little store for supplements, vitamins things of that nature. I've seen that they have food but I would never even go over to look. Today I wanted something different, so this place pops in my head and I'm off. I'm thinking a burrito or wrap. The guy in front of me gets the Cuban burrito and I'm sold. I tell the guy I'll have the same thing. Everything you would think it comes with including plantains, cucumber, cheese and avocado and you can add a protein. In the back of my head I'm thinking this is how they get you. But I want to add chicken I don't even ask how much more as the regular Cuban burrito is $7.95. I get the counter and the chicken (you have different protein choices you can add) was just $1.00 more total cost $8.95. Wow, you can't add anything anywhere for just a dollar. I'm definitely coming back and trying all the different food they have. If you are in the area on a diet, vegan, vegetarian, or just want to eat something healthier you should check out this place.

    (4)

  • Shareen G.

    Yummy... Wish there was one closer to my house. Very Healthy and Yummy!

    (5)

  • Corinne B.

    I've only been here once, but I will definitely be back. They have a better price on organic tahini than Whole Foods and it's mom and pop so you can't beat that. While I was there my husband and I picked up a pre-made vegan tempeh sandwich and it was sooo good! I'm excited to go back and try some more of their food. The restaurant looks like it has lots of dishes I'd enjoy. Not super cheap, but definitely high quality. Can't wait!

    (4)

  • Teresa G.

    I found this place a while back when I yelped kombucha while in the area. I noticed they had a kitchen mentioned it to my boyfriend and within that week we checked it out. I must say, glad we did! It is cheap, delicious, and healthy! I order the cuban burrito, with tempeh and garlic tahini. I have gone in several times since, and I haven't tried anything else because I am so sold on this burrito. The burrito is really filling, so I usually have them cut it in half and save it for dinner. I have ordered a tropical smothie from there that was delicious. Lots of parking, closed on sundays :(

    (4)

  • Charles O.

    I went here with co-workers for lunch and when I arrived I was like "wtf"! I thought I would be forced to eat tofu and vegan food. To my surprise they actually have chicken too. Funny thing is that I ended up ordering a tofu burrito anyway. OMG. SO good. Its rare that I eat this healthy and still feel fulfilled. The burrito had a whole wheat tortilla, my choice of beans, my choice of rice, and 3 different options for Tofu. The Tofu I picked was the one that looked like ground beef. It tasted like a healthy version of Taco Bell meat, like the lady said. Overall, I was impressed and will be back to try a different combination.

    (4)

  • Jonathan M.

    So here is the deal. On the surface this seems like your typical patchouli scented hippie mart. But you have to dig a little deeper, specifically the hot lunch bar that features some of the best food in town. For a price (more on that). They have a ton of options, great salads, wraps and my favorite, the cuban bowl with plaintains. Hmmm. I might have to have one today. The food is prepared fresh and they are very approachable with respect to allergens as well. This does not mean that it's healthy. The cuban bowl and most of the salads are HUGE and if you sit down to eat them in one sitting you will get fat, you'll probably be fat and happy but you are not going to be losing weight by eating a salad that weighs in over a pound...no matter how fresh and healthy the ingredients are. The only other downside to Grassroots is the cost. It's hard to walk out of the place spending less than 15.00 which adds up quickly. That said, the service comes with a smile and the food is great...

    (4)

  • Cassandra K.

    I love Grassroots Kitchen. I come here about once a week for lunch and even though the ample menu is full of tasty and customizable meat, vegan and vegetarian options I can't seem to breakaway from my old standby, the Israeli wrap. Everything is prepared fresh, using organic ingredients when possible and there is always a hot meal daily special that hails from a particular ethnic cuisine. They also have fresh smoothies, juices, tea, coffee drinks and lemonades as well as a selection of gluten-free baked goods. In short, there is something for everyone, whether a healthnut or not. The grocery section is small but well curated and a pleasant alternative to the overwhelming environment of Whole Foods. South Pasadena is lucky to have Grassroots in its midst!

    (5)

  • Dave A.

    Lotions, and potions, and organic notions abound in this hippie dippie weatherman's paradise. And nothing is as good for the munchies as is their food bar. Just be sure that you panhandled a few bucks before eating here because you can't dine and dash on a place that crank squeezes the wheat grass juice anymore than you can call the communal comb at the hostile all yours. It just isn't right, we gotta stick together man. So just suck it up. The Bourgeoisie shop here too and Grassroots is a *choke on the word* "business", not a co-op, so dig deep in those pockets or make an extra sale today. Wipe a windshield, or just get your ballot signature quota. And speaking of communal, it makes me think of Cuba, and that reminds me of why I go here. --The Cuban Burrito.-- Holy Kennedy!! It's as big as a Cuban Missile and almost as heavy as Gloria Estefan's Yacht! So what have they smuggled in to the pizza sized whole wheat tortilla? Brown rice (or spanish rice), avocado, peeled cucumber, beans, salsa, sour cream, and PLANTAINS. There is absolutely nothing like it besides chaining yourself to a tree! How I have not tried the Smoked Tofu Bowl yet is beyond me! Oh wait, I know I smoked some kind of bowl recently....Hmmmmm. But besides the amazing variety of healthy eats weighing towards vegetarians with a few real meat items thrown in, they have every type of vitamin and alternative product you can imagine. They also have bagged organic grains, and legumes of every variety. Sprouted breads and soy cheeses pop up like mushrooms. The bad vibe side - they somehow can make time slow down. I know it's not me cuz it happens every time I get in line for food. But it's cool because it gives me a chance to practice my breathing exercises. Bad air out, good air in. Bad air out, good air in. See you at the drum circle!

    (4)

  • Wendy R.

    The first thing I want to know is: why aren't there more places like this?! They have so many delicious wraps, bowls and salads to choose from and the combinations are endless! My favs are the Raw Burrito with tempeh, the Cuban Bowl with spanish brown rice, Teriyaki Tofu Burrito and Mid-East Wrap. What makes this place even more wonderful is the stellar attention and service that the food preparers give you each and every time. Their portions are very generous and they're happy to make substitutions for you. My only complaint is that they're not open after 4pm Mon-Sat and the kitchen isn't open on Sun. Now whenever I go, I order two items so that I can have dinner for the next night!

    (5)

  • Diana Jeanne N.

    Wow! I walked in here and saw loads and loads of vitamins, supplements, and a mini healthy restaurant. This place is so hidden! It's been here for 33 years and I barely found about this place now! Womp womp. Word of mouth really is helpful! So I came here and purchased my usual apple cider vinegar and these chips that they had on sale. I tried the chips and they were amazing, but they were expired by 2 days. Oh well. It tasted good so I wasn't going to make a big deal and call them about selling me their expired products. I, then, went over to their juice bar and got the tropical smoothie! It was perfect! All organic fruits except the pineapple coconut juice, but I think it was still healthy. The 16oz was about 6 bucks (healthier than whole foods). This is a type of place you'd like to visit on your lunch break to grab a quick bite. The foods they had looked very delicious, just pricey. Everything listed on their menu was mouth watering! You can't actually finish all of your grocery shopping here, but it is a good "stop by"

    (5)

  • Phil M.

    So me and the wife are new to the whole vegan lifestyle and we decided to give this place a try for lunch. First impression, the folks working here are really friendly. After years of trying to get healthy eats at Whole Foods and the such, my impression was that healthy people are kind of jerky. Not the case at this market. I had the Vegan Beef Burrito and it was nice that the ladies asked me if I wanted all my toppings to be vegan. Seeing as I am new to the game, I'm glad they guided me to what was actually vegan of the choices. Once she was done putting this thing together, it was as big as anything you'd get at Chipotle or Q'doba. And it was just as tasty. The wife had a Teryiaki Tofu Burrito which seams like a whole lotta words. She was really happy with her choice. They have indoor and outdoor seating for the kitchen. After lunch, we decided to browse the market. Its a small market, mostly selling vitamin supplements, cosmetics, dry goods, and a freezer section. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of products they offer, and a little caught off guard by the prices. How good can granola be when a bag of it costs $12. I'm new to whole healthy eating and shopping, but Damn!. Anyway, I'll be definitely back for the lunch choices, not the granola.

    (4)

  • Sarah G.

    Mayor is the owner, and he is always very personable every time I visit. The store has a breakfast/ lunch counter with wholesome food choices. And the market has lots of homeopathic and natural items u won't find at any other grocery stores. Yay for grassroots bringing healthy products and good service to the neighborhood

    (5)

  • Heather T.

    When my friends suggest, "Let's go to grassroots for lunch" my mouth instantly begins to water like a Pavlovian dog. The people who work there are friendly and know about all the food on the menu and in the market. I've been here for breakfast and lunch and have never been disappointed. The breakfast burrito is tasty but nothing to write home about. HOWEVER, the Cuban Burrito and the Israeli Wrap are to-die-for. You must get the Mexican Brown rice in the Cuban Burrito (as opposed to just plain Brown rice). It is seasoned to perfection. The hummus in the Israeli wrap is good along with the Tahini dressing (get it on the side if you're ordering to-go or else your wrap might be a little soggy).

    (4)

  • marin g.

    I've been going to Grassroots for two years now and I'm just getting to the review...better late then never? Anyway, I love everything I ever tried there! They have a nice selection each day of specials that cover then vegetarian or the health conscience meat eater. I can take anyone there and they can find something they enjoy. My favorites? The mint lemonade with honey, stuffed peppers (when they have them), cuban burrito and the turkey wrap. The fruit and veggies are always fresh at the cafe and they have a great selection of meals to go after the cafe closes at 4...I still think it sucks that it's closed that early but whatever! You have to be patient at times because ti is made to order and the people in line can be shall we say a little picky so I would suggest it if your in a rush. On another note they helped me with vitamins when I was pregnant and some nice natural nausea remedies (ginger chews and ginger tea). The night I went into labor I bought papaya extract to help things along and I was in labor by 3am :) Good stuff!

    (4)

  • Joie P.

    Dammit! I can't get to it. It's gated up. OK!! Who was the dumbass that lit the mini-mall on fire? Was it you Golden China? Was it you cleaners? Anyway...I love perusing the aisles there. I get absolutely everything they offer that has cocoa butter or neem. They make a kickass whole wheat quesadilla and their smoothies are far superior to Jamba's. Try any sammich they make with sprouts added. I don't get my fascination with eating sprouts is but I need to get in there again.

    (5)

  • Lola V.

    Really good food and the people have always been friendly with us. The down side they open too late and stop serving food way too early!!! I would love an early morning coffee and snack also they are a little high on prices mind you I shop at whole foods a lot which people think is over priced on some items. A big plus is if they do not carry something you want they will order it for you and call you when it is in BIG PLUS!! All in all a good little shop. I hope one day they will serve shots of wheat grass.

    (4)

  • Maria L.

    I like it! It's very small, but I like it! I think I have found my new place to come on my lunch break....especially when I want something healthy. Athough I am not a vegan, I sometimes go without meat or dairy for religious reasons and this is a great place to find vegan and vegetarian items. It is located in a shopping center along with a Vons, Baja Fresh, and Jamba Juice.

    (4)

  • Holly S.

    Native to South Pasadena, I remember getting picked up from SPMS and if I was lucky, there was a small brown paper bag with a delicious apple walnut muffin. I still LOVE those muffins. Grassroots is the only market in the area that provides quality natural foods without stepping foot in Whole Foods. I lived in Santa Cruz, CA for 5 years and miss the local, small business natural food stores. I love the raw wrap and the green smoothies. Pricey, but worth it. The food is pretty damn delicious, although I have wondered about the employees on and off use of gloves while preparing food. Hope you guys are keeping it clean! WIth love and gratitude to the owners! You guys are the best. Would love to see GT's ORIGINAL Kombucha...

    (4)

  • Andy C.

    Fresh, healthy, vegan dishes served here! Located in a strip mall with Vons, Jamba Juice, Baja Fresh, and some other places, GR is right in the corner, almost hidden by Round Table Pizza. They sell pre-packaged meals to go, plus an assortment of vitamins, pastries, drinks, crackers, makeup, etc. They also have a fantastic hot food bar for freshly made meals for dine-in or take-out. The Kitchen is opened Monday - Friday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Saturday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Saturday Breakfast is served from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. They are closed on Sundays. The store is open Monday through Sunday with different hours than the Kitchen. We ordered the vegan beef burrito ($7.95), vegetarian/vegan ($5.25) chili, and a tempeh bowl ($7.95). The burrito was huge and great, but needed a little more seasoning to make it excellent. You can put whatever you want in it, so we filled ours with Spanish Brown Rice, Black Beans, Lettuce, Vegan Cheese, Avocado, Cilantro, Tomatoes, Onions, Jalapenos, and Salsa. We chose the Organic Whole Wheat Tortilla. The chili was excellent--great texture and flavors. The tempeh bowl contained Brown Rice, Tempeh, Cucumbers, Carrots, Avocado, Tomatoes, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Sprouts, Seasoned Rice, Vinegar and Ponzu Sauce. A tiny bit bland, but still very good. I'm so happy to finally have been able to try the fresh food served here! And I can't wait to go back and try the many other vegan options!

    (4)

  • Stephen G.

    Came here for the first time on Friday evening, too late for the the lunch counter but had a pre-made chicken salad sandwich on dark rye - VERY good. The store is very clean and the owners are there... at the store... and seem to know and love what they are doing. The pre-made food all looked good and fresh. The owner's choice of products on the shelves reflects intelligent understanding of nutrition and health. There is a nice feeling, a good vibe, throughout the store. I shall definitely return.

    (4)

  • Celeste P.

    MASSIVE scrambled tofu burrito with all sorts of fixins, which btw, come standard, not extra. (Points!) Did order it with a delicious extra -- fakin' bacon. O...M...G! Who would've thought healthy and vegan could taste so good? Oh! And be affordable -- less than $10! -- and be totally filling?! I'm salivating just thinking about my return visit... :)

    (5)

  • Rox P.

    Love this place. Friendly service, quick, good food. The Cuban bowl is to die for. Great breakfast/brunch spot.

    (5)

  • Jody V.

    Well their are ups and downs to this shop, first the food is very fresh, organic, and so on. However it is expensive for what it is, a burrito. The store in general has a good selection of products, natural foods, holistic wears and such. They even carry 'Have a Corn Chip' if you haven't had these you should track them down. (side note: They are made in Laguna I believe and cooked in soy sauce. The farther away from Laguna you go the more difficult it is to find them, but they are worth a shot if you see a bag somewhere.)

    (3)

  • Pam B.

    How many ways can I say how much I love Grassroots? If it wasn't for their Fiesta Bowl - I'd be one sad vegan! This is a great neighborhood place at the back of a strip mall, hidden behind the Round Table Pizza (ugh - how many ways can you say bad for you?). This cafeteria-style kitchen has an amazing menu and delicious fresh made food everyday. The adjacent market is full of all sorts of interesting supplements, beauty and lifestyle products and super healthy groceries. I have tried a few different thing from the kitchen here - baked tofu with chipotle (delish), tempeh burrito (hearty & huge), a whole bunch of salads (pasta, fresh bean, cucumber, tabouleh, the list goes on), and over and over, the Fiesta Bowl (brown rice, black beans, avocado, soy with sweet potatoes) which has become a staple in my diet as I'm always on the go these days. Can't complain about anything - it's all good. Want to eat healthier and feel better now? Go to Grassroots today - spend some time in the health section and get your feel-good supplements, buy some apple-cider vinegar and start drinking it regularly and then join the line to order your amazing healthy fresh food to go or stay and end up eating half on one of the outside tables because it looks too good to wait until you get home. (Oh and don't forget one of the delicious vegan cookies you grabbed by the checkstand!)

    (5)

  • Jessica N.

    I like Grassroots- I come here to pick up the majority of my vegan specialty foods that I can't normally get at major supermarkets (I'd love to shop at Trader Joes exclusively every week but hey, I'm poor). I can afford to splurge on a couple things here, like Yves deli bologna and soya kaas cheese slices. They also carry these seriously amazing Lemon Shortbread Cookies by Sun Flour Baking Co that I LOVE. Their food is very healthy, fresh and the portion sizes are large- I've only ever had the burritos here (I get the ground soy burrito which is super deliciousness). 4 stars because they don't wear gloves when preparing your food which I find vaguely ick and the bread on the pre-made sandwiches tends to be a little dry/old-tasting.

    (4)

  • J W.

    A small shop that sells natural, gluten free products. They have reasonable prices. There's also a little restaurant in the shop.

    (4)

  • Thia G.

    Yum!! Fresh!! Tasty!! And enough for 2 people to share!! I end all my sentences with 2 "!!" Anyway, I've had a few things here and they've all been REALLY good! I'm normally not a fan of these types of places (organic, all natural, vegan options, etc.) but it was so close to my house I had to try it when they FINALLY reopened their restaurant. Quesadilla and wraps are my favorite. About $8-9 for most entrees (but they are shareable!) How healthy is it? Debatable I think - once you load up on sour cream and cheese and guacamole it's really no different than any other place. The "natural" thing is a psych thing to fool you into thinking you're eating healthier. Then again, it's definitely a better option than McD's or other fast food. Anyway, I like this place a lot, and I'll keep going back because if anything, they have me fooled into thinking that all their food is healthy. If anything, it's TASTY! And fresh and light! Won't weigh you down.

    (4)

  • Erin R.

    I've been going to Grassroots on and off for years, but it recently hit me that this is one of my favorite places to get lunch in L.A. I think that after their reopening, their service became friendlier which is why I now frequent it more. They have so many options for omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. The people behind the counter make everything fresh for you just two feet in front of you. They are very conscious about asking you what you want or don't want in your dish since they are preparing it as you watch. Their options are diverse and their portions are HUGE. A couple of highlights for me are the Cuban Burrito/plate/bowl, and the Taco Salad. You get to choose your protein and they have several freshly made options like ground tofu, stewed chicken, grilled chicken, tempeh, and probably others as well. The thing that makes it extra good are the plantains. Their burritos are the size of a newborn baby. Okay, maybe not quite that large, but they are loaded. I always wonder how they are going roll it up, but they always manage to somehow. The Taco Salad is loaded with everything including corn chips if you want. You get lots of options such as regular or soy sour cream and cheese. If you get your lunch to go, you will walk out of there with a very heavy bag that feels like two or three meals were packed to go. They always have different specials in both omnivore or vegetarian options. The other day I decided to try something different from my usuals, and I got the Grassroots Plate. You get to choose your protein. They let me put their special lentil loaf in as my protein. It was great and enough for two meals. If you want to do some grocery shopping, it's not the place for produce, but I noticed that they have a huge gluten-free section. They also carry raw dairy products. So if you're looking for a place to get a casual, fresh, healthy and ample-sized lunch (or breakfast), try it out. The prices aren't cheap, but they are very fair for the portion size and the freshness. You can even split something with a friend, each pay $5 or $6 and leave full.

    (5)

  • Cheyenne V.

    I absoluely love coming here for lunch or dinner. Just know that when you come here, it is NOT FAST FOOD, even though you stand in a cafeteria line. Their servers will prepare your food in front of you just the way you like it. :) If you are vegan, vegetarian, or gluten intolerant, then this place has many options. Note that thier kitchen cannot guarantee a gluten-free environment, but their ingredients will be. I use to keep this place a secret from my co-workers to prevent over crowding at lunch time, but now I introduce it to everyone as South Pasadena's best kept secret. Try the stuffed peppers if they are serving it (specials), it's delicious! Also when you come for dinner, know that if you want to have food cooked to your order and not just a pre-cooked meal to go, you need to get their before 4pm because their kitchen closes early (the market stays open). The average cost of a meal is $10. Enjoy and happy healthy eating!

    (5)

  • Pearl F.

    I would give this place 5 stars if it wasn't for the crusty service. The food is really delicious and can be as healthy as you choose to order it. The other reviews are correct . I think the female owner's name is Marla and she can be outright MEAN. Seriously lady, if the food didn't taste good, no one would come back. She is constantly snapping at her employees and God forbid, if you try to place a to-go order on the phone, she'll get totally annoyed. One time I was on hold for 10 minutes. Um yeah, the reason why you call ahead is to avoid waiting. They make everything to order, so the lines can be really long. I can't help but think they could have a more efficient system.

    (3)

  • Oooh LA - LA L.

    Wow rude customer service. First some woman with dark hair, a manager perhaps barked at me a correction on the name if the supplement I needed. Then I ordered some food and was treated like a burden and when I asked a question about the type of chicken available. I always gave s great experience at granny's. I'll be going there from now on.

    (2)

  • ALEXANDER R.

    Grassroots is an asset to South Pasadena! I did an audio podcast show with the owners on "Living in LA" which you can have a listen: alexlivinginla.com It was such a pleasure meeting the owners and recording a show with them. A nice insight. My favorite item is the Blueberry Bread Pudding Muffin...I almost wake up craving it. It's one of the best muffins I've had. The breakfast is outstanding and I encourage everybody to buy one of their muffins....Sweet Potato or Pumpkin to name a few more. Grassroots has my support and love:)

    (5)

  • Rene A.

    5 stars Grassroots. I love the natural food kitchen here. It's delicious. The gamut of fresh veggies, delicous tofu and other non-meat proteins...Yummy. I can stuff myself here (depending on what you select) and not feel guilty. I looove the Raw Burrito... yes its a Salad wrapped in a tortilla but i's fantastic. Yummy hummus, tahini, greens, salsa, etc... too many to list.. warpped together in a whole wheat tortilla...yummy! Ohh and the Cuban burrito... black beans, rice, fried plantains, cheese and the protein of ytour choice...yummmm. I'm a sucker for sweet deep yummy fried plantains. sigh.

    (5)

  • J P.

    Their deli is pretty outstanding for salads, sides, lemonade, coffee, muffins and more. I don't shop for groceries there as they seem to specialize in gluten-free products, but the vitamin/skin care department is pretty extensive. Customer service is great!

    (5)

  • Punam K.

    Vegan Beef Bowl. YUM. This is a market and kitchen (as it states in the title). There are regular entrees and specials listed on the chalkboard. The food was fresh and tasted really good. They do have 'regular' meat available if you go with folks don't like soy or tofu. I'm going to have to do another 'long lunch' again to enjoy some more goodness.

    (5)

  • Kelly R.

    Spoke with a client who also lives in South Pas and he informed me the owners are the same one's who have always been there... a husband and wife. So I'm updating my posting with repect to that. The husband is wonderful but its the wife who he agreed was 'icy cold towards people.. she is plain 100% certifiably a weirdo." On one hand it made me feel better that I'm not the only one who goes in there to support her business that she treats like dirt... on the other hand its still very sad that she behaves that way. We had a group lunch for our office on Friday and they pondered Grassroots but we chose the near by heirloom because the food is just as good except you get treated with kindness. I still maintain that the employees at GR ROCK! But after repeatedly watching this woman treat other customers at check out so awful & finally me... enough was enough.

    (1)

  • Gragegrl N.

    The food is NOT EXPENSIVE. The portions are huge and it is fresh, fresh, fresh! Everything is home made, except the tortillas and chips. Their vinaigrette is wonderful. Whatever they do to the brocolli, it is out of this world. I have been going here for several years...until the fire put them out of commission. I hope they're back soon it's been 9 months! The food is incredible and fresh, lots of vegetarian options and meat too. I love the chicken tacos, the veggie chili, the taco salad. Oh gosh how I miss you Grassroots! The daily special is a little more expensive than the other fare but the portion size is huge. I often will call ahead before I leave work (they stop serving food at 5pm, I think) and have them put aside an entree dish and my spouse and I share that for dinner and it is plenty.

    (5)

  • Joy C.

    I got the Cuban burrito with chicken. Loved the flavors and options.

    (4)

  • Owen B.

    The place has pretty nice workers there. Very helpful. One of the best service i've gotten. haven't tried the food just yet but will be the next thing to do when i'm in the area. Reason why i'm not giving them a 5 star is that the prices are pretty high. Food looks yummy though.

    (4)

  • Liz F.

    I had been to Grassroots some years back before it burned down to shop, but had never eaten there. OMG the food was amazing and super healthy! The servers and the owner all super friendly and helpful. South Pas is so much like Austin! I love more every time I hang out there!

    (5)

  • Marcy H.

    I've been loving this place for years, and waited impatiently for its re-opening after that mini-mall fire. The new and improved Grassroots has pretty much the same menu, though there are now more vegan ingredient options, which makes my heart sing. The food is as fresh and tasty as ever, though I wish management would re-assess the portion control (and prices) because the entrees tend to be twice as much food as one person could eat, yet the bowls are just short of satisfying. It would also be nice if they could reduce their use of disposable cutlery and serving dishes for the eat-in customers, or at least use compostables.

    (4)

  • Ai K.

    Wheat grass, Granola, Flax Seed, Quinoa... If you are getting grossed out reading these words don't worry Grassroots also has ice cream, Falafel, Chicken, Turkey, & Cheese! Its a great healthy market and restaurant. They have great organic food at the restaurant and the store has a lot of great supplements, vitamins, vegetarian & vegan snacks, as well as wheat free/gluten free foods. I am excited to ride my new bike there for the Saturday breakfast from 9am-1pm.

    (4)

  • Jen C.

    Love the food, could go every day for lunch!! Good food, healthy! Recommend calling in your order to save time.

    (4)

  • Lilian L.

    Love this local place. A real gem. The food is Yummy and easy. A wonderful place to grab a bite for lunch. Lots of gluten free fare in market and dining. Get your GMO free corn tortillas here! They have some things you will not find at Whole Foods so it is a great place to discover new products. Owner Meijer is always fun to have a chat with!

    (5)

  • Callae G.

    At work driving around Pasadena trying to find something other then fast food, when I noticed this place. "Natural market and kitchen". I'm sold. After a weekend of drinking, eating like a gluttonous pig and smoking too much, let's go back on our "health kick" ( which we all know only lasts til the weekend). Anyways, upon entering it appeared to be a smaller trader joes type place with natural and organic products. I felt like blowing all of my paycheck on natural skin care products or some wheatgrass douche, but then I noticed the restaurant area. They have all of your options out (veggies, proteins etc). Sooo many options that I asked the super friendly girl what to get. I decided to go for the Tempeh burrito which came with a whole wheat tortilla, brown rice, tempeh, cucumbers, carots, avacado, tomatoes, sesame seeds, sunflower sprouts, rice vinegar and ponzu sauce. I replaced the cucumbers with green onion and also ordered a fresh juiced veggie drink. Both were delicious!! The burrito was of massive porportions. Super helpful and friedly staff. I'm not even vegetarian and I loved this place and wish that there were more places like this. I'm so damn sick of what passes as healthy food (subway) it's not even funny, I swear I might rip my tongue out if I have to consume another footlong pile of dog shit. Minus 1 star for being a tad pricey, but quality costs and you get what you pay for.

    (4)

  • Aaron L.

    I do believe that their food is expensive. Don't even think about shopping for anything here in the pseudo-mini-mart unless you have piles of cash to throw at the latest health foods. (and if you do have said cash, then please contact me immediately. I'll help you put it to good use!) No this little market has the greatest little item that I get whenever I feel the need to gorge without feeling like I need to bike 10 miles to get it off. The Fiesta Bowl. A healthy version of a naked burrito with a variety of fresh and lite ingredients that leaves you mucho satisfied and energized off the copious amounts of protein. And the best part is that they're not expensive. I think it's $4.95 or maybe $5.95 for a large packed bowl of deliciousness. Considering that Baja Trash a couple doors down pretty much charges the same prices and it's a no-brainer. Now I can't attest to much else here, but I can say with confidence, that I will continue to go here whenever I feel the need to eat my way to a healthier physique instead of exercising. Oh, and the staff seems fine. A little slow, but I never felt slighted by them.

    (4)

  • W W.

    I can't believe I've never gone inside for all these years! I guess I always thought it was some sort of vegan hippie place. =P My tastes have changed, but I finally decided to make a trip here when I found out they stocked Organic Pastures Raw Milk! And, boy, do they stock them! There's a very good selection of raw milk products. I was pretty excited about this. Plus, I found out they carried all sorts of natural products, vitamins, cleaning products, and even my favorite brand of coconut juice (Amy & Brian)!!! They have guest speakers and lectures as well, and I wish I was there to attend them! :D At least I know where to get my raw milk when I need my fix!

    (5)

  • Pickles W.

    i love this store - i don't come here often but it's been here for years & i go in when i'm passing by & always pick up something needed. 12/23 it was the x-mas tamales & some toiletries. they're small but check them out they have some things you can't find elsewhere. i was looking for a specific bath item but ending up with another i had never seen before at a bargain price. restaurant wise yummy! got tomato/basil/garbanzo soup - delish! & a pork & sweet corn tamale. they realized they made an error when i wasn't the first to tell them the sweet corn was a cheese & chili instead. [next year they won't put the chili in - fingers crossed.] a bit pricey at $20+ for the food above but i know it's healthy. 4 out of 5 of the restaurant staff couldn't have been friendlier or more pleasant, & the guy [not the wife] was in the store portion during my visit.

    (4)

  • L O.

    The food is great but a bit pricey. You do get huge portions if you get a burrito. Everything tastes really fresh and light. I love the cuban burrito, quinoa tabouleh, and lemonade. The staff is friendly and very helpful. They have a cold case filled with yummy sandwiches, salads, wraps, etc. if you're in a hurry. Last time I was there I picked up organic hair dye to help granny cover up her grays.

    (3)

  • Wen Y.

    They're back! After being struck down by a random lightning storm, they are back in business and their kitchen is finally in order. And somehow they have the same people working there, including the chef. I have no idea what they were doing this entire time?! It's a very quick bite to eat and you know what goes in your food. It's consistent and relatively healthy. My friend at work loves their tossed taco salad and I love their fiesta bowl. We tend to not sway from those because it's like comfort food. My husband got incredibly sick there once from possible food poisoning but I still go at least 2-3 times a month and crave my brown rice, black beans and ground turkey.

    (4)

  • Gina H.

    Fresh, healthy, tasty, fast! What more could you ask for in a meal under $10? I have tried majority of the items that they offer with my favorites being the raw burrito with tempeh and the mid- east bowl! Mmmm! Their breakfast is great too! I can't think of too many places where you can get a fresh and healthy meal for around $8. (large portions)The fresh squeezed juices and smoothies are tasty but a bit pricey. The only negative is their business hours. Closed at 4PM and not open on Sundays. I would probably eat here more often if they extended their hours.

    (4)

  • Gregg M.

    Good food served in huge portions, but a bit pricey too. I won't emphasize the expense so much since I usually get two meals out of whatever I order. So for me, it is worth it every once in a while to plunk down $8 for two soft tacos since one will be my dinner that night. They specialize in vegetarian, vegan, and chicken dishes. Anything on the menu can practically be custom made, including the type of protein you want. Just considering tofu, there are three styles to select from when ordering it as a filler for burritos, tacos, etc.

    (4)

  • Nicole L.

    I have only been here twice, but will be continuing to go back. I only did not give them five stars because the food is a bit overpriced in my humble opinion. The first time I went in - I just looked around to see how much stuff was and to try out some food. I ended up getting the vegetarian chili plate, which was fresh, hot and savory. The upsell of any place can kind of be annoying. If I wanted a beverage, I would have picked one up. The next visit I had some kind of tofu bowl thing, which was very tasty, but again over priced. I don't think that it should cost $9 for a bowl, but I guess I could have gone somewhere else with less fresh ingredients and paid more. Next time I go in, I'm going to try some of their prepacked food to see how it is. I would suggest buying some of the grocery items elsewhere because I am sure there are better deals out there. An Amy's pizza was something like $8, you can find them for $4-$5 at a regular grocery store.

    (4)

  • Harry W.

    Love the raw burrito, but not too keen about the raw lady owner. She's needs to not micro manage her staff in front of the customers. Every time I visit, "Did you charge this?" "Did you charge that?" Relax already. Smile a little. Her husband is awesome.

    (5)

  • A S.

    Great place for healthy food a bit pricey but very healthy portions plus you get what you pay for. They have some of the best green chilie tamales in southern california. Only served twice a year Xmas & Cinco de Mayo.

    (4)

  • Regina M.

    Super lunch counter with yummy vegetarian selections. Their scrambled tofu is great. I usually get the terriyaki bowl and substitute the scrambled tofu for the terriyaki tofu. Their smoked tofu is good too. For thanksgiving and Christmas, they offer a great take home meal. (veggie loaf, candied yams, vegetarian stuffing, mashed potatos, cranberry sauce and mushroom gravy). It's a bit on the pricey side but that's what happens when you get natural, organic items. If you're into the meat thing, they offer free range, non-hormone treated meat. The market itself is good but also pricey. Slightly higher than Whole Foods but much more personal. I've seen the same staff working here for many years. They carry a wide range of vitamins, personal care products and food.

    (5)

  • Annie G.

    Grassroots is tucked away in an inconspicuous strip mall in South Pas, tucked around the corner, in the corner of the parking lot, flanked by a beauty supply and a chinese restaurant. That being said, it's a Socal tribute to all things hippy dippy, and takes me back to my earliest memories of growing up in Berkeley during the 70's. Super-healthy, great selection, even a few chicken organic chicken dishes for those of us still participating in the food chain. The kitchen turns out consistently excellent fare, always prepared and served with a smile by staff who really seem to enjoy what they do. Since moving into the neighborhood I've become a die-hard regular at this place. Great vitamins, supplements, baked goods, skin care products and all of the Granola Life bells and whistles that my hippy snob self grew up with and still loves. I don't find the kitchen to be particularly expensive at all, considering the quality of the products (yay, Middle Eastern Bowl, all organic and super tasty!). On the other hand, the supplements and skin care products can be a few dollars more than you might pay at another place, but still, South Pasadena isn't cheap, and they've got to make rent. It's not the Co-op of yore, but it's close enough to always help me take a happy trip down memory lane. The staff is super-knowledgable and loaded with product and nutritional information, as well as enthusiasm. Love this place. ps- Non-vegan who still thinks that the food here rocks, and that the gluten-free Sweet Rice Cake sold on the counter (more of a muffin type deal) is one of the best things that I have eaten - Ever. Tastes like Christmas, get one... Note on 6/7: I hate saying anything about this but my most sincere hope is that the Grassroots folks read this and maybe take heart: Past reviews are accurate, the owner's wife has been on site a lot lately and is not pleasant to do business with. Even when she's civil, there's a problem with her energy, it's uncomfortable to do business with her and also painful to see the incredibly competent and wonderful employees treading so cautiously around her. They're a huge part of why I buy lunch there 2 or 3 times a week, and seeing her reprimand them (albeit quietly this time) in front of customers is a huge disappointment. It makes me wonder what she's like when customers aren't around. I'm going to stop buying there on the days she's behind the counter and go to the Chinese place next door. Days when it's the owner and the sunny employees I'll still spend there, but its not worth walking in there for the amazing food if it means you're under the dark cloud that she keeps over herself. Sorry Grassroots, I still love you but I've got to set some boundaries...

    (4)

  • Joe Z.

    Came here for the raw milk. Turned out it taste nothing special and it's kind of expensive. Its a good little store if you prefer the natural/vegan stuff, not for me.

    (3)

  • Jocelyn M.

    Meh. This place is just whatever. It's a super small grocery store that has most of your natural and healthy groceries from vitamins to supplements to coconut flour, etc. I noticed that most people actually come in here for the food, but I have yet to try the food. However, for the grocery part I think I would rather just stick to shopping at Sprouts, Trader Joe's or even Whole Foods. The selection is way too small here and it's actually not cheap either. I can have more choices at Whole Foods for the same prices.

    (3)

  • Martha A.

    Delicious! !! A bit pricey but I had the best falafel salad. The smiley chef, a plus! I come by regularly, and everything is so good all the time. Keep up the good work!!

    (5)

  • Melody T.

    This place was so yummy and just what i needed after a grueling bikram yoga session a couple of blocks down. There are so many choices that it was a bit confusing at first, but i decided to go with an israeli wrap. This place had all my favorite things and was a bit like a vegetarian chipotle. Im a very picky eater, but i love anything with avocados, hummus, or eggs. The ladies behind the counter were all extremely nice and welcoming. I also tried the blueberry smoothie which was AMAZING. Ive never been to a place that gave the option of almond milk in a smoothie, which is a delicious and healthy touch to any drink. My wrap was really fresh and crisp and i cant wait to come back and try all the other options. My total came back to $18, because chicken in the wrap is $3 extra.

    (5)

  • Michal K.

    Love this place. Lots of specialty items for every ism, a juice bar, world-famous tamales, and natural care products to keep my olfactory senses busy for days. South Pas is stoked. I'm stoked. Are you stoked? Just follow your senses to Fair Oaks ave and get your favorite hippie fair. I'll be in the soap aisle with my nose in the latest artisanal essential oil concoction, with coconut bliss pints melting in my shopping cart.

    (5)

  • Carol L.

    Yes, yes there's lots of healthy stuff here but let's talk about those PANCAKES! You can only get your hands on these during a four-hour window once a week. Yes, you read that right. Grassroots offers a limited breakfast menu during the work week that doesn't include those elusive pancakes. The real action happens on Saturdays from 9 am - 1 pm when you can order from the full breakfast menu! Seriously, what I appreciate about their overall menu is that there are truly healthy items (fakin this and that, vegan, etc.) and also real cheese, eggs and even chicken. I've only had breakfast here, but don't overlook their other yummy, healthy offerings. Ok, now back to what's for breakfast! I've tried the following: * EGG TORTILLA SCRAMBLE - Three scrambled eggs were sauteed with non-GMO corn tortillas, onions and cheese, and served with brown rice and beans or potatoes, a scoop of avocado, sour cream and salsa. Somehow they managed to make a very healthy, non-greasy version of this. * BREAKFAST BOWL - A deceptively compact bowl came layered and stacked with brown rice, beans, two scrambled eggs, onions, cilantro, olives, jalapenos, cheese, salsa, a scoop of avocado and sour cream. Much to my surprise I couldn't finish it so I took the rest home. * EYE OPENER - Two pancakes (your choice), two eggs, a choice of two toppings (I had tomatoes and avocado), a fresh fruit salad, and coffee or herbal tea. This is a great combo deal and not just because pancakes are part of the package (though that's huge). * PANCAKES - You can order these in 1s, but why would you?! These are wide, flat pancakes and come in whole grain or gluten free. I've tried the blueberry ones and the banana walnut ones and both are fantastic! From the ORGANIC JUICE BAR, you can create your own freshly squeezed combo. I tried to re-create the shooting star drink I had in Ohio that I couldn't get enough of. Made with carrots, oranges, lemon and ginger, this version was not as good (wish I knew the proportions) as that one but it'll do. There's plenty of free parking in the strip mall lot and enough indoor and outdoor seating. You order/pay at the counter and they'll bring your stuff out to you. While you wait you can take a stroll around the store and stock up on yet more healthy stuff.

    (5)

  • Danny N.

    Tale of two businesses: The Grassroots Kitchen is fantastic and gets "5 stars." Most prepared items are enticing but I tend to favor salads with carnitas as the protein with the addition of some plantains. Their kale salads and smoothies are outstanding too. The wait is long at lunch time but that doesn't bother me since the food is worth it and the counter people are awesome. The Grassroots Market is not so great and gets "1 star" (because zero was not an option). I want to like this market because they are local but I have no choice but to drive to Whole Foods because they are essentially just not very good at customer service. Their supply is minimal and their costs are high but it is their people skills and lack of follow through that hurt them. I have ordered items before only to get a call 6 weeks later asking me if I still want the item (because they forgot to order it). The most annoying thing is that the market employees will completely ignore you as you wait to pay for your super expensive few items because they are too busy having a conversation with someone and cannot be bothered. Sadly, it is usually the male owner who neglects the most. It is not unusual for me to leave items on the counter and walk out. Therefore, I give Grassroots two businesses a combined score of 6 stars. 6 divided by 2 businesses = 3 stars

    (3)

  • Char W.

    Came for lunch with my sister around 12:30. Every table was taken, but the tables were mostly singles (maybe 10 tables including patio with 2 people/1 person at each) and so it definitely wasn't "busy" line was short, my sister and I ordered a quesadilla plate to share, a small gazpacho, a mini day old muffin, and a bag of plantain chips and paid almost $19 The gazpacho is fresh-tasting but has an oily film and i found a hair in it...? ew. i'm sitting outside now typing a review as my sister goes inside to see what's taking the quesadilla plate so long. We have waited for 15 min - way too long as we saw people walking out with their food. Combined with pricy food...no. Okay, so we got our quesadilla. It's big - has 8 wedges. It's pretty mediocre though and is just really bland. So yeah. Two stars for pretty gazpacho that tasted fresh before the discovery of the hair. also, for their juice bar (it isnt even a bar), it is $5.95 for a 16 ounce. AGH.

    (2)

  • Edwin M.

    Writing this in their small indoor dining area on my second trip in 2 weeks. First time I had the Cuban Bowl and added ground turkey and now am eating a Falafel wrap. Both times I also ordered the gazpacho. As you can tell by my rating every thing is WONDERFUL. Tucked back in the corner of a strip mall I may never have found it if I hadn't met a woman who works here. Kind of cafeteria style where you take a tray and tell the person behind the counter what you want and then watch them make it. (Think Subway sandwich) All the people here are very friendly, informed and willing to help. There is no way I can eat an entire order of either thing I've ordered. So while it cost $9.00 not bad prorated over 2 meals. I rarely give 5 stars, but this place deserves it

    (5)

  • Ayumi S.

    This is a cute little health food store! It's very small, nothing compared to Sprouts or Whole Foods, but it's so cute! I wouldn't say their prices are cheaper/expensive, they're pretty much the same. The employees are great. So nice and friendly, and generous! They have a kitchen/juice bar area, and my bf took me here to try their wraps and such. Unfortunately they were closed on the Sunday that we went, but in their refrigerator, they have most of the items inside to purchase! He had the mid-Eastern wrap that he got a couple of days beforehand, and could NOT stop raving about it. He wanted to take me to try + to have another one of them wraps. I ended up getting the turkey wrap, and I should've looked closely at the label, because that specific one came without cheese. :/ The portions are very big and FILLING. I was so full, but I didn't feel disgusting. I love it. They're about 9-10 bucks per meal, and mine came with a little side salad..it was great! Definitely a place I want to return back to....when the kitchen is open. :p

    (4)

  • Tony M.

    When I become a vegetarian...NOT! Seriously, if I were to become vegetarian, I would be eating here every day. Well, this place plus Veggie Grill. As the name suggests, it is a market and a kitchen. They have breakfast items, salads, burritos, omelets, wraps, bowls, tacos, fresh juices, and coffee (I probably forgot a few items). My favorite is the Cuban breakfast bowl. It has no meat in it, but it's so delicious and flavorful! It's a bowl of brown rice, black beans, salsa, avocado, cucumbers, sour cream, and the yummiest plantains. Yes, plantains! Freaking awesome! I'm getting one this weekend!

    (4)

  • Luis M.

    Hands down one of my new favorite places to eat and shop, I'm writing this review as I eat this incredible vegan burrito. We NEED more places like this that CARE about their customers HEALTH. Their products are all amazing I come here when I take my son to his doctors, an to be honest its the high light of my week every time I come here. My wife gets the vegan burrito bowl which also looks amazing all their food is fresh and DELICIOUS and GREAT FOR YOUR BODY. Next time I come I'm going to buy their masa for tamales with organic corn, this place rocks and I'd recommend it to any one who wants great food and healthy food!

    (5)

  • Jeffrey J.

    I WORK OUT A LOT AND I NEED LOTS OF PROTEIN. Buuuuuut, this vegan food tho. So delish! This little market has a small café inside that serves both vegan and regular food as well or you can get a combination of the 2 so it's semi vegan. They let you sample anything and everything because let's face it, I don't eat vegan much but damn this was scrumptious! I loved the tempeh and hummus they have and opted to grab the taco salad where you get to pick a couple of sides and they mix everything up in front of you into a HUGE portion. They said it feeds about 3-4, and MOST DEFINITELY IT DID! Cost about $10 and got me extremeeeeeely full. Might have to tone it down a bit next time. I'd come back again for sure though. Super fresh food and super fresh ingredients! I have to try their chip selection... lots of interesting things to grab like kale chips, popcorn, protein chips, egg white chips, and pizza flavor??

    (5)

  • Mj J.

    Just got a breakfast burrito here...So she goes to the back to cook the eggs, then proceeds to put everything into a bowl. I say I wanted a breakfast burrito add grilled chicken. I get home and no grilled chicken. How do you mess up an order when someone is right there telling you to your face? Get it together, but it tastes good still even without the chicken.

    (3)

  • Kim N.

    I really like getting my juice here when I'm in the area. They are quick on service and also offer preorders on the phone. Love that because I could just come in for my already-made drink, pay and go! When juicing orange, they'll ask if you want rine. This is the first place that asked me that so I said sure, why not? Turns out it's the orange with its skin peel on! It wasn't too bad actually. It adds a hint of bitterness to the drink, but I think I will do without the rine next time! Definitely a recommended place for juice & healthy lunches (you can preorder those too)!

    (5)

  • Kevin M.

    This place is awesome!! I'm always overwhelmed by the large menu at Grassroots but portions are huge and everything is fresh! It can be a bit pricey but I feel it's worth it for the quality of ingredients you get here. I've had the turkey wrap and it was pretty humongous ( yelp.com/biz_photos/gras… ). It comes with a wheat tortilla, lettuce, turkey, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, cheddar cheese, onions, sprouts and a vinaigrette dressing that you can get on the side. I could only finish 2/3 of it and had to save the rest as a snack later in the day. Not sure if Grassroots can break my lunch rotation lineup due to price but it definitely gets a thumbs up from me when it comes to taste and quality. They also have an organic juice bar here that's comparable to Whole Foods ( yelp.com/biz_photos/gras… ). Tip: If you've never been here before, I would download the menu from their site and know what you want to get beforehand so you don't hold up the line during lunch ( grassrootsnaturalmarketa… ).

    (5)

  • Sean C.

    Had the vegan burger wrap here. This was very tasty and fresh. Also tried a slice of the vegetarian quiche. This was amazing. Pricey at 6.95, however he hooked me up with a nice slice(: Have yet to try their juice bar, but will do so soon!

    (4)

  • Roehl A.

    Simple, delicious, and a good value! We came here for lunch on a Friday and got the breakfast burrito and the tossed taco salad. Food was fresh and surprisingly delicious! The kitchen is inside the grocery. It's clean and spacious even if it doesn't look as large from the outside. Notably, the servers were very friendly, helpful, and patient particularly with newbies like us. Definitely worth a visit!

    (4)

  • Linda J.

    WOW! This place blew my mind, so many healthy lunch options and they even have vegan options as well! Who needs Whole Foods when Grassroots is right around the corner with better food and better prices.

    (5)

  • Joanna W.

    It's a great grocery store for people with a healthy concept in mind. They sell a variety of product that's very hipster-ish. I found a great tasting coconut milk yogurt here, best yogurt I've ever had. It just different, and very rich, and not too sweet. Great!

    (4)

  • Nina N.

    Charles is my fave! Loved the samples from the hot food section: sweet potato/yam and bbq nongmo tofu. Delicious. Ordered the Asian Tempeh burrito on a salad, so good! Amazing vegan Tempeh chili. Soul torturing tempting desserts everywhere, do not come in hungry or you will end up buying some of their seductive goodies.

    (5)

  • Julianne F.

    Ive been coming here for my fresh juice but im done. EVERYTIME it seems like everytime I come in, im either ignored or not acknowledged. Try to follow me on this... the person infront if me at the register will be done paying and will move out of the way but the cashier will continue talking to the person and completely ignore me. I would understand if the cashier would try to wrap up her conversation to comtinue to the next customer but she stays in her conversations like no one is waiting and totally ignores the next customer (me) it seems to be the same lady too, i just remember she always has a long braid. I mean shes nice but you shouldnt ignore customers. She wont even look at me and im standing directly infront of her. Anyways, aside from poor customer service, this place has OUTRAGEOUS prices! Everything here is dounbe or trippled in price! Its rediculous! Im really offically turned off by this place and probably wont be back for now on.

    (1)

  • Claudine S.

    Really love their kitchen. The food is always so de-lish and so healthy! Huge selection. A bit costly, but eating healthy usually isn't cheap. But, for me at least, their servings are perfect for two meals. Really do love their food. The "store" part of it is small but has a great selection. I love buying the sample sizes of stuff to try and then order them from Amazon - way cheaper. Everyone is extremely helpful and nice - they will have my business for sure@

    (4)

  • Loryn J.

    I'm updating my review because I had a great experience with the management here today. After my poor review the first time, the owner contacted me and said I could come back in for a free meal. I never took them up on the offer even though I had gone in there a few times. I just felt bad doing that, and I didn't want to bug them about it when they were busy during the lunch hour. Today, I called in an order, and it was ready as soon as I got there (YAY!). When I ordered it on the phone, the employee asked what type of protein I wanted in the cuban burrito. I said, "Oh it's okay, I'll have it as is!". She replied, "Well, it's included in the burrito, so you can choose one!". Hmm, okay. I chose the jackfruit. When I got there to pay for my order, which also included some coconut yogurt + a pre-made meal, I noticed that the jackfruit costed me $2.00 extra. What? I thought it was included. I told the girl and she proceeded to get the manager. She came back and said, "We can remake it for you without the jackfruit". NO way. I talked to the manager myself after that, explained my frustrations and also told him about the free meal I was offered but never took advantage of. He handled the situation extremely well. He ended up giving me everything free of charge, although I did keep offering to pay for the yogurt + pre-made meal, he kept refusing. I appreciated his apology and his willingness to correct the issue. He told me how they are going to get a new online ordering system to help with communication errors. Hopefully that works out for them! PS: I opened the bag to eat my burrito when I got back to work. It was a bowl instead. I wasn't even mad, but I had to laugh! I know they can do better!! ;)

    (4)

  • Tammy P.

    Delicious food with a lot of vegetarian options. The staff is always very friendly and helpful. My favorites: Green drink and raw burrito.

    (5)

  • Sophia X.

    Extremely healthy and also really good. The portion is beyond filling. They're not stingy about how much they put in the burrito. My boyfriend and I both got stewed chicken burrito and it was delicious! Cilantro, avocado, jalapeño, onions, etc. I love all of those!! Came after a good workout. Definitely worth it! I tried all the smoothies and they're amazing as well. I personally would suggest the tropical smoothie!

    (4)

  • Miry W.

    Favorite lunch place. Amazing salads wraps burritos. Green smoothie is heavenly. Five stars!

    (5)

  • Jennifer T.

    So glad that this spot is part of our weekly routine. We get great food and great products along with friendship. A jewel in our community. Love these folks.

    (5)

  • Rebecca S.

    fantastic food, lots and lots of options, and very friendly staff!

    (5)

  • Marsha K.

    I don't know too much about health foods, but this place is in my hometown and makes it easy to pick delicious and healthy options. If you have any kind of allergies (gluten free etc.) They know just where to direct you for more help. Definitely love the coffee/juice/tea bar. Definitely worth checking out next time you're in town- the know their stuff!

    (5)

  • Nicholas P.

    Grassroots is a really special place. There's nothing like it in LA. The staff is great, and the food is phenomenal. I highly recommend stopping in for lunch, or the juice bar. Honestly, it's just way too good!!!!

    (5)

  • Tim B.

    It is a really healthy market especially for those who are vegetarian and even vegan. The staff was really nice, in particular one of them let is pick fresh mint leaves from the garden behind the store building. Will definitely go back there again!!!

    (5)

  • Eugene K.

    Amazing tasting food and great variety of health products! Employees are super friendly and the service is great! Overall great place to eat and shop for healthy tasty food!!!

    (5)

  • Rue B.

    Delicious and fresh! Meals are about $10 but you totally get what you pay for. They don't skimp on ingredients. I've never been able to finish a meal from a single sitting. You don't feel bad about stuffing your face since it is healthy and mostly organic. Breakfast bowl and tossed taco salad are my favorite. Staff is super friendly and helpful :) I do wish the had a larger sitting area.

    (5)

  • Wayne T.

    Grew up in south pas. This place is awesome. Great food and products definitely worth checking out. They have knowledgeable staff and great samples. This store really is different from anything else out there.

    (5)

  • delilah r.

    This is my absolute favorite breakfast AND lunch spot! I've never been a coffee person so finding a good smoothie/juice was awesome. They have an amazing juice bar! You can pick your own ingredients or choose from a number of their many delicious combos. Also, my girlfriend and I are obsessed with their taco salad with chicken! It's a really good portion for a really great price. I was skeptical about the food at first since I'm not a vegetarian, but really... stop by for lunch they have a lot of options vegetarian or not and they are so yummm!

    (5)

  • Kyu K.

    I love their healthy selection. Grocery aspect of the business is interesting and fun. Food: I have tried their raw burrito and mideast wrap and both are very good. The portions are crazy huge that half is for one meal and the other half is for dinner. $10/meal, but this gets you two meals. Juice bar is great, pricing is competitive. Staff=friendly. I love this place! Hope they keep thriving and growing!

    (5)

  • Ondine R.

    This little market is such a special place. It's the real deal. The owners, in addition to being lovely people, are extremely knowledgeable about nutrition and health. I was raised by a vegetarian chef and the health food served at the liitle restaurant here is some of the best I've ever tasted. Grassroots has a great vibe too!

    (5)

  • Samira H.

    Grassroots has a little something for everyone, whether you're gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, or simply enjoy eating healthy, wholesome food. The first time I came here, I arrived only minutes before the kitchen closed so my first two choices - the tempeh and the vegan chili - were out of stock. I ended up ordering the smoked tofu bowl (asian style with alfalfa sprouts, tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots, topped with avocado and served over brown rice with ponzu sauce) and came back again the next day and ordered the same thing-- it was THAT good. When I finally did get a chance to try that elusive vegan chili, I was blown away. Served over cornbread, this stuff is KILLER! As for drinks, I really loveee their blended chai tea latte w/ almond milk. So good.

    (5)

  • Andrew J.

    Vegan BLT and Kombooch are amazing for lunch. Nice selection of honey. Family owners are nice and the owners establishment is wonderful.

    (5)

  • JackieP S.

    So I've been holding this in way too long. Last week I was looking for some health bars that I saw on the makers website that Grassroots carried. While shopping there, i heard a guy tell a worker that he wanted him to write a fake yelp review to help bump up their 4.5 star rating!!! To me that is completely shady for a business to do this and completely inappropriate for someone (the guy talking sounded like an immature kid, but he must of been a manager). The guy he was talking to looked a bit conflicted, like he might get in trouble for not writing one. OH!!! I forgot, the guy offered him a MUFFIN for writing the review!!!! How terrible managers or owners have to bribe their employees to lie about the store!! NEVER coming back here again. Not sure who's running this place. I've read other reviews, mainly good, but who knows if they are real reviews or friends, family and employees who are writing them. Some of the responses to the negative reviews have been almost childish. I guess that guy is the owner or manager, but they need to get rid of him or this store is doomed. He looks like the guy on their website. Also, while I was there, their choice of music was WAY off. It's a nice looking, expensive grocery store, but they're playing WAY TOO much hipster music. I heard the F bomb a couple of times, while there were children in the store...how sad for this store. I had high expectations considering their website painted them out to be this family oriented business.

    (1)

  • Latte K.

    This is one of my favorite (if not THE favorite) health food stores in LA, simply because of the staff. I can't say enough about Laura who works on Sundays. She is one of the most learned people I've met on the subjects of food and health, and is studying for her PhD in Kinesiology. I've had many conversations about her and feel her advice has positively impacted every aspect of my health through changes in diet and supplements. I now eat a healthier diet that gives me more energy, and she was able to suggest alternative foods that have helped me move away from gluten and sugar. I also love that you can purchase some hard to find items, such as raw milk and nuts, as well as plant-based protein. Would highly recommend going into this location with any health or diet concerns.

    (5)

  • John A.

    Best food for a great price. Amazing staff and a great family run store makes for one great experience.

    (5)

  • Jacob M.

    Health is their business. I've been a member of the Grassroots community for some years now, and I can honestly say that there is no alternative for the immense spectrum of services they provide. Whether it is something delicious and non-detrimental to my digestive system, something homeopathic to ease the pain of a bruised rib (recommended by the owner Mair; a veritable modern-medicine man), or even a delicious gluten free,organic, beer to help relax after a long day, Grassroots has it, in spades. And it isn't like one of those giant chains with an army of employees that seems to change daily. Grassroots provides an intimate customer service that seems equivalent to a small town market where everyone knows everyone. They are not just looking for your money and are always there for you when you need them most. WHATEVER THE NEED MAY BE. Thank you, Grassroots!

    (5)

  • Sean H.

    This place is really nice. They are 2/3rds kitchen and 1/3rd grocery store. I ordered a falafel wrap with everything on it in a whole wheat tortilla. It was huge and i actually couldn't even finish it. I was a little put off by the breaded falafel, not your traditional ball, but it was delicious regardless. It was washed down with GTs Trilogy Kombucha which was the perfect combination. Would recommend.

    (4)

  • Jessica G.

    I'm sitting here eating this falafel "wrap" (quotes because it's open face) It's so good. The thing about the Grassroots kitchen is that they really care. They put the perfect amount of everything. It's like they are back there practicing mindful meditation as they make the good. I can't comment on anything other than the falafel wrap, because I always get it, but guessing everything is this good. And this thoughtfully prepared. The olives (the perfectly portioned olives) on this wrap are so delicious. Man this is good. And gluten-free!

    (5)

  • Zoë W.

    I love this place. I'm not from the area, but when I visited this was the best natural foods market around by far. Excellent food, and super friendly staff. It's got a home-y, family feel. Go here!

    (5)

  • Guy P.

    Amazing food & selection Very warm and welcoming Highly recommended The tamales and turkey I ordered from them this year was amazing!!

    (5)

  • Travis M.

    This little place is pretty damn cute, if you want to know the truth. Like most stores of this kind, they have a huge selection of overpriced herbs and vitamins and health aids. But they are very knowledgeable about them and can offer some great direction. They have an amazing deli with some good vegetarian, vegan and non-veggie grub, as well as many varieties of alternative groceries you won't find in big supermarkets. The people are pretty nice there, too. I like what they're doing and they do it well.

    (5)

  • Hello A.

    Super fresh, tasty and a wide array of options (when for meat eaters)! We ordered the Mediterranean bowl, egg white bowl, chili and pancake/omelette meal. Everything was delicious! A bit on the pricey side for a market/cafe but you're paying for top quality ingredients.

    (4)

  • Dorothy L.

    Love coming here for vegan, gluten free and organic foods and supplements. The ready made foods are excellent for those busy days and the food to order are even more delicious! Green juices, alkaline water, healthy snacks and baking essentials can all be found at grassroots! So good!

    (5)

  • Melani J.

    This place is a Haven of Health...I love the quality of products, the quality of cooked food, and there fresh juices! We need more stores like this! Try the chili w/the cornbread.

    (5)

  • Hrant G.

    Grassroots Natural Market & Kitchen is by far my favorite place to shop for groceries and prepared foods! The convenience they provide as a one stop shop for all my health and wellness needs is truly amazing! It's definitely my favorite spot for lunch-I just can't get enough of their vegan dishes and smoothies (they are so delicious and healthy). Overall, they offer fresh organic products, supplements, and RAW milk, which is extremely difficult to find! Best of all, it's a family run business with employees who are so knowledgeable about healthy products and supplements. They also have monthly informative seminars, which helps me make the right decisions when it comes to grocery shopping. The staff genuinely cares about their customers' health and wellness. Keep up the great work Grassroots NMK!

    (5)

  • Joyee L.

    Twenty minutes to get my juice. Maybe I should have just gone to Jamba.

    (3)

  • Tinkmagic P.

    This place is horrible. The food is over priced and has no taste. I would never eat there again. I mean they have some good products but I wouldn't go out of my way to go buy it. I would rather go to trader Joe's or fresh and easy. The pancakes here tasted like crap. I almost threw up while I was eating them. NEVER GOING THERE AGAIN! GRASSROOTS SUCKS!

    (1)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :9:00 am - 7:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : No
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : No
    Caters : Yes

Grassroots Natural Market & Kitchen

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