Bay Area's Vegan Taqueria

Nationally there is an initiative called Meatless Monday, focusing on going meatless one day a week for your health and to lower your carbon foot print. Learn more here. Since we are meatless everyday, we  created Monday Community night that supports community and changes the way businesses work together.  We showcase a different business every Monday night.  Check out our upcoming events to see who we will be showcasing each week.

We are excited to have Raul be a part of our community.  He is an amazing human filled with compassion and tradition.  He brought his loves together and created Taqueria La Veganza. He pops up all over the Bay with lines down and around the block.  Come and meet him on Monday.  We will be creating an amuse bouche so everyone will be able to try his amazing "meats."  (Our menu with be our seasonal dinner menu.)  He will tell you about himself, where you can see him next.  Then you can come up and ask any questions that you might have!

You can learn more about Raul and what brought him on this amazing food journey.

Raul's Inspiration

Community... My family has dealt with health issues stemming from diabetes. An uncle has passed and my father has had amputations on his foot and I attribute all of this to the heavily meat based diets  that they were raised with... What inspires me is keeping the cultural and nostalgic ties of a meal without cruelty, without irresponsibility to oneself or any other life.

I started Taqueria La Venganza out of hunger. Many Mexicans are already vegetarian because of the poverty they live in... So its not impossible to be a vegetarian and still eat authentic Mexican food. As a vegan I could find Mexican- american food... But not authentic regional Mexican cooking.

Living next to oaklands Chinatown, I have the ability to try ingredients most Mexican chefs would never have access to and its this fusion of cultures that makes our taqueria possible... Most of our "meats" are soybased but we try to offer soy free options as well.

Taqueria La Venganza's  Mission

I have one main goal:

Spreading veganism to communities that would otherwise not have access to or seek out the information available.

I want to do this by not alienating meat-eaters but by beating them at there own game... If my flavors are more authentic than what they are used to and they can't tell its vegan then they can have no complaint no reason not to adopt a vegan lifestyle. I'm happy to say that we get just as many omnivores customers as vegan ones.

I have a huge problem with the stigma that is attached to veganism being for affluent people who can afford a healthier lifestyle... Most third world countries have a wide vegetarian cuisine because of the cheap cost... I feel like my food should always be affordable because the expense lies in the work not the product... And I want to work hard for veganism.

Anecdotes

I think the greatest moment of Taqueria La Venganza history... Was when a young Latino vegan convinced his non vegan family to drive an hour to my sidewalk pop-up and try the food. I spoke with them and talked about my salsas and where they are regionally from. They were convinced I knew what I was doing but now the real test... As they bit into their "barbacoa" taco... The mother exclaimed (in Spanish) "it tastes the same!".

They ordered 15 tacos and 6 tamales altogether. And left happy.

Anecdotes

We are happy to say that we have a recurring popup every Wednesday at the newly opened vegan deli 

The butcher's son1941 university ave Berkeley CAWed. 5-10pm

Tips for leading a more compassionate life

We need to communicate with each other, with nature... I feel people are too far removed from the realities of the consequences their diets... Were kind of programmed to accept the injustices from an early age. We don't think about the animal rights, the environmental rights, the right to ownership over ones body and reproductive rights and even less about the immigrant laborers rights.

Taste everything. Like a newborn crawling around... Taste everything.  Basically don't lose curiosity to try new things.

Eat amazing vegan food in front of meat eaters... Answer questions, let them sample it... Let them know its completely vegan and your reasons... But never push your beliefs on anyone.

Stay Connected

Our website is going through a redesign... You can find us on Facebook and instagram IG: @thevegantaqueria