Twelve days after I’d been complaining to Alyssa that “Long Beach definitely doesn’t have a vegan deli lol,” a vegan deli opened in Long Beach. The Plant Butchers opened October 1, and their goal is to be a complete replacement for a traditional deli. You should be able to stop by and pick up the same items (but vegan) for dinner that you’d expect anywhere else. They have cheeses, sandwiches, sides, baked goods, snacks, drinks, and meats. For my first visit, I opted for the Reuben sandwich and a side of egg salad, and I got a bonus chocolate chip cookie sample for free!
The cheese and sandwich selection are on display in the far case. Today’s cheese rounds included goat, cheddar, Swiss, cotija, and brie, and today’s sandwiches were BLT, caprese, tuna melt, Reuben, and two breakfast sandwiches.
The store is located on the first floor of an apartment building that opened in May of 2022. I haven’t really been to downtown Long Beach since the pandemic and the work-from-home revolution, and there is a ton of new development.
The wall between The Plant Butchers and Sugar Taco, which is also vegan. (One of the Sugar Taco co-founders is a co-founder of The Plant Butchers.)
By