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Note: This post was originally written in May 2018!!
Hey family! Here’s another treasure trove in the San Fernando Valley: Follow Your Heart. A natural foods store / restaurant that’s been a staple in Canoga Park since 1970. Yes, they’ve been in business for 55 years and they’re the oldest vegetarian restaurant in Southern California!
I discovered this place through Youtuber Teala Dunn. The best way to find hidden gems in LA is by watching Youtubers! Most of them are based in LA and live in the valley, so they know all the good places!
As soon as I walked through the door, I was impressed by the size of the store. It’s huge! Like really big. The restaurant is located inside. Once you make your way to the restaurant, you’ll come across fully stocked aisles of Follow Your Heart’s product line, premade vegan food, and every wellness and holistic product you can think of.
What’s the backstory?
Follow Your Heart is a beautiful remnant of the 70s counterculture. It was founded in 1970 by Michael Besançon, Bob Goldberg, Paul Lewin, and Spencer Windbiel. The original name of the store was Johnny Weissmuller’s American Natural Foods. The business started as a sandwich counter. In 1977, they began selling Vegenaise, an egg-free mayonnaise which became the best-selling vegan mayo replacement in the US.
The inside looks straight from an 80’s grocery store with touches of rustic décor. The employees are super laid-back and the restaurant menu offers all kinds of vegetarian food. Yep, all kinds: from veggie tacos to vegan cakes. A plethora of options! On top of that, the meal prices are a steal. I had to look twice because I was astounded at how almost everything was in the $10 price range. This is a breath of fresh air from the fancy vegetarian restaurants that flood the foodie landscape in Los Angeles where you have to shell out at least $30 to have a proper and filling meal.
I ordered the “Follow Your Heart Burger”, which was superb, and don’t even get me started on the organic French fries. I do not want to exaggerate but they were downright delicious —– homemade, perfectly seasoned and crispy! 🍟 🍟
If it’s your first time, the waitress recommended trying either the baked potatoes or the nut burger. I feasted my eyes every time the server walked by with an armload of veggie comfort dishes. The portions are BIG and hearty!
The seating area was a little confusing! At the entrance, you’ll see the outdoor seating area. If it’s your first time, you will think, “Where is the host stand?” It’s inside! The indoor seating area is at the very back of the store, conveniently located from the kitchen. I told you in the beginning that this place was big! I waited outside to be seated for about 7 minutes before I realized that I had to check in with the host inside. The employees here are veeeeery laid-back, so if you’re in a rush, I would suggest postponing your visit.
On my second time, I knew the drill and chose to be seated inside. The atmosphere was very cozy and the service was much faster than the first time! I had the “Melted cheese”, which was basically raw rennetless cheddar cheese (vegetarian cheese), avocado, tomato, sprouts and Follow Your Heart’s original Vegenaise. Don’t let the simplicity of the ingredients fool you. It was delicious! The avocados were super fresh, the cheese was very subtle and it didn’t overpower the rest of the ingredients. However, Follow Your Heart’s signature homemade mayonnaise “vegannasie” is what enhanced the sandwich and merged the flavors so seamlessly.
Note: Besides the menu, they have dinner specials almost every day.
You pay inside at the register. Heads-up! It’s very likely that you’ll bite the bullet and get something from the store.
Follow Your Heart is health food mecca at its finest: the relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere, the middle-aged customers (not your average West Hollywood/ Santa Monica vegans on juice cleanses) and the background alternative music from the 80’s/90’s feels like travelling through a time machine.
Is it worth getting on the 101 to go there? 100% Yes! I had to do some shopping in Westfield Topanga before heading over to Follow Your Heart for dinner on a Friday night. Surprisingly, it’s only 4 minutes away. It was so bizarre to see the food court and The Cheesecake Factory overflowing with lines of people waiting to be seated versus the tranquility at Follow Your Heart, where I had a very nice relaxed dinner. Love this place!!
Whether or not you’re a vegetarian, I can assure you that your palate will love the food at this health oasis.
The address is 21825 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, CA 91303
What’s your favorite vegan restaurant?
Below are pictures I took on Sherman Way. I love how the development in this area is pretty much non-existent. Wide streets, flashy neon signs and gigantic outdated strip malls can be seen if you drive east on Sherman Way.
What do you think?