Long Beach named among top spots for vegans

PETA has city in top-10 for beachside locations with animal-friendly dishes

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You may never have thought of Long Beach as a vegan town, but the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals does.

In a survey conducted by PETA, Long Beach was ranked in the top 10, landing eighth, on its list of top vegan-friendly beach towns. Long Beach joined San Diego, West Palm Beach, Atlantic City and Charleston, South Carolina, on the list.

“When on vacation, choosing a place to go out for dinner can be a chore, but PETA’s handy list of the most vegan-friendly beach towns in the U.S. is shore to make it as easy as a beach breeze,” their release said.

PETA recognized four specific restaurants in Long Beach for their vegan-friendly options – The Cabana for their vegan tacos, Blacksmith’s Breads for their quesadilla, Brixx and Barley for a variety of dishes, including its Kung Pao cauliflower, chicken parmesan pizza and vegan linguine Bolognese, and Fermento, the only fully vegan restaurant in Long Beach.

“I am so excited we are being recognized for this sub-section of restaurants,” said Leah Rosensweig-Tozer, the co-chair of the Chamber of Commerce. “Long Beach and the barrier island have so many unique and fabulous businesses for everyone.”

Tozer said the ranking shows the variety of small businesses in Long Beach.  All these businesses are small businesses, she said, which is “why we try to promote.”

The City of Long Beach and City Manager Donna Gayden received a framed picture from PETA late last month, saying “PETA recognizes and thanks Long Beach, New York for providing residents and tourists with delicious and healthy vegan options.” The city said they were not expecting the picture.

“The variety and quality of food offerings in Long Beach is the best it has ever been,” said City Council President Karen McInnis. “It’s great to see an organization like PETA acknowledge the hard-working small business owners who have invested in our community and bring healthy, sustainable food options to our residents and visitors.”

This is the first year in which PETA has ranked beachside communities across the country for their vegan offerings.