Roots

Another specialty dining place on campus! I'm not sure why our school makes a huge deal about being the best Vegan restaurant when the competition probably isn't very big on other campuses. Nonetheless, it's still nice to know our school is recognizing different eating habits! I've ordered: -Sunflower Fields: probably my go to dish here! $6 for a huge plate of salad that has artichoke in it! I'm always super full after this dish. -sweet potato fries: YUM! Sometimes it's a hit or miss because it might be burnt or too salty, but their dipping sauce for it (the white one especially!) is so yummy! -Kendra lama: a noodle dish! It was semi filling, but just looks presentable. It has a big piece of coconut in it that is somewhat edible? Flavor was okay- it was the five spices that most Asian dishes have. -chop chop river: this was a disappointment and not filling at all. Literally half a stock of romaine lettuce sprinkled with some fried tofu pieces and onions. Tasty, but not filling. -spicy Sierra: this was yummy! Imitation chicken drenched in BBQ sauce. It's like taco Tuesday but available everyday! -roots vegan chili: you can either get a coup or a bowl. It's pretty good! You can add green onions and tofu cream to it. -fruit tart: VEGAN DESSERT? yay! It's not bad at all! Tastes almost like a regular tart! Pros: -good service! They are nice and helpful. Smiles! -good variety! I'm surprised there is such a big bulletin of different options. -decent prices! For a specialty place, the price is great for the quality and quantity. -nice environment! Good place to study if you have no where to go! Cons: -inconsistent portions: sometimes I've gotten a Sunflower Fields salad without the artichoke, when that is the main ingredient. Also, some people are skimpy on the ingredients. Tips/observations:-sometimes they have number plates and serve you, sometimes they call your name and you pick it up at the front. Overall, highly recommend this place!

I was on a hunt to find some chili cheese fries and read somewhere that Roots had some good ones so I decided to give them a chance. I walked in and ordered easily enough but didn't realize it would be an hour before I received my food. 30 minutes in I started walking around with my little buzzer in hand and started calling people on my phone. Finally as I went back to check, the buzzer went off and my food was ready! I forgot to grab a fork but was already out eating in the quad, hungry after working. I love the fact that they use sweet potato fries and for vegan fries, I don't think it was bad but what disappointed me were the beans. No flavor, just bean. And it got messy since i didn't have a fork but that's on me so I highly recommend you ask for one!

It's great that UCSD offers a fully vegan dining hall, but it falls flat in some ways. Great way to mix it up if you have dining dollars! Also a good place to study.The Root of All Evil (chicken sandwich) is pretty good. I really like addition of the pickled onions. The Root Burger is cut into strips, which makes it hard to eat. I enjoy the flavors of the burger, but it's a bit greasy and the patty is tough. The raspberry limeade chia drink was very tasty! The green sauce that comes with the fish tacos is yummy, but the taco itself is just okay. You can get the same tacos from 64 Degrees for cheaper and more toppings.I had the Jerk and it was almost inedible. My friend had the zucchini noodles and wouldn't recommend that either.

For the last few weeks, me and a friend have been working our way through the menu and everything we've tried has been delicious. My personal favorites have been the Hetch Hetchy (a potato gnocchi in a tomato based soup) and The Root of All Evil (a vegan chicken burger with an amazing pesto sauce). Their servings always look like they're on the smaller side but I always end up full and happy when I'm done eating. It's affordable and delicious and healthy!

Love the fact we have a restaurant dedicated to vegan food on campus. So kudos for that. But I do not care for the food here. Not sure if I've just had bad luck. Or I haven't tried the right things. But compared to all the amazing vegan options San Diego has (away from campus), Roots really disappointed me. The burger was way too heavy and mushroomy. And this is coming from someone who loves mushrooms. I feel like the dishes could use a lot more seasoning and better quality meat substitutes. Imo, this is the type of food that makes non-vegans think vegan food is boring. On top of that, I feel like it's a little overpriced. No sides come with the sandwiches/burgers. I might try this place again to see if I like the other items better. But so far, I'd much rather cook at home or go off campus for some good vegan food.

Tried something new and went down to Roots. It's definitely a unique eatery to have on a college campus - vegan food/drinks - that are both hit and miss.I've sampled food from Roots at various campus events; from what I've tasted so far I enjoyed the chicken pesto sandwich, though the "chicken" patty might still have a weird texture for those expecting it to both taste and feel like eating chicken meat. I also liked the fish less fish taco. I'm not sure what type of burger I tried, but the patty felt too dry for my tastes.Today I actually sat down at the restaurant. It has really cool decor, if feels as sustainable as the food they serve. We tried the soup of the day which was portobello mushroom. I suggest sampling the soup before ordering; in terms of mushroom taste if wasn't the most flavorful, but it also had some interesting spices that didn't make it feel like a mushroom soup. It's hard to describe, but I would not order again. I also tried the hetch hetchy - potato gnocchi, spinach, and edamame in a red sauce. It was a decent pasta. Gnocchi was tiny and you don't get too many but you could really taste the flavor of the potato come through with every bite into one. Good portion size overall for $6, I was full. Overall, cool place. Food is solid depending on what you're looking for and I really appreciate what they're doing. I'm open to trying more dishes and will try the drinks next time, since I've heard good things about them. If I had the dining dollars to spare (I'm a staff now) I'd definitely be spending them here, trying every item on the menu. For real money, I'll likely go elsewhere and wait to get my fill of their food at campus events.

I love everything about this place! It's not just good for a vegan place, it's just good! The staff here was always amazing, super innovative, and had high standards for what left their open kitchen. When I was at UCSD, I always got the Valley View salad, the rotating soup, chop chop river (requested the lettuce chopped as well), and the Pacheco pass. Their desserts were amazing also, so if you have money (or dining dollars) to spend, go for it!

This is the new vegan/ vegetarian eatery on campus at UCSD. On opening day, there must have been at least 30 people lined up, out the door, waiting to try this place. The food does not disappoint. I am a carnivore for life, but I can appreciate this place because of the simple, robust flavors. The meals are light, colorful and fresh. For $6-8 entrees, I'd say this place is worth visiting. Meals are made to order and the dining area is contemporary, comfortable and casual. Hydration station is also a perk - way to save mother earth and reduce plastic water bottle waste!

I was on a schedule, and asked what could be prepared quickly. The woman at the register made a recommendation and it happened faster than I have ever seen during lunch rush. Thank you!

Located in Muir College at UCSD, a real gem! Flavorful vegan food you can feel good about eating. My favorite is the Valley View salad and today, i tried their soup of the day, curried vegetable. Very good.