Ranchos Natural Foods

The best place to find health foods, vegan items, random fake-​meats, and their hot deli had amazing things all at good prices. It was a real relic of the early days of health food stores, before Whole foods and Henry’s were even around. I’m sad to see it has been closed and gutted since the fall of 2008. Though the new replacement is going to be a similar ‘world market’. Here’s hoping they have as good or better hot deli and vegan options.

I was here tonight and the market is closed and gutted. Very sad.

The worst part: They are closing at the end of this month, if not already! Why? Because the stupid landlords raised the rent on them. That’s what happens to small and honest businesses. I used to go here everday for their delicious salad bar and smoothies before I’d go to the gym, religiously! I’m very sad that the market is going out. The restaurant will still be there, though.

This place really has a lot of options for vegetarians, or anyone who likes to eat healthy. The prices are reasonable as well. My only negative comment is that it is almost impossible to seat a group and you will usually have to wait awhile to seat more than a party of four or five.

It was a beautiful Spring day, and I was in my second trimester of pregnancy when I disovered this wonderful place. Being the driven person that I am, I got in touch with a student from SDSU who was a film major, and I was cast into her final project. The film was called Brandspeak and we filmed this short novelty in just a few hours at Rancho’s Market. Before this I had never heard of Rancho’s, nor knew anything of the sort existed.
Since then I have been a huge supporter of this market and I am really sorry to hear that their business is coming to an end. It is in a beautiful urban neighborhood and their supporting restaurant thrives with some of the most wonderful and healthy Mexican dishes. Not only does this market have hot vegan food to go, they have a wonderful salad bar, juice/​smoothie bar, and fresh raw vegan food to boot. Every now and then I also enjoyed attending the raw food potlucks held once a month on Saturday.
It is very sad that our economy is such that necessary small business’ are closing their doors for good, just to give way to greedy corporations who want nothing more than to step on the little guy to move their way up in the ladder of success.
I am a believer in community and the idea that every person can have a piece of their pie in the sky. Wake up America! We need to support these small business’ and stay away from the evil corporate monsters who call themselves saving us money on «mass production». This key phrase speaks multitudes on the direction our society is going in. It may be a few extra dollars spent, but think about it, you will be saving money and your sanity in the end.
Four years since my son was conceived I have seen so many changes in this world. Although my sweet child didn’t survive due to a birth defect, I hoped Rancho’s Market would survive among the craziness. Brandspeak has become a souvenir of remembrance from my pregnancy, and now I will forever be reminded of the life and death of not only my son, but a great business venture gone unsupported.
R.I.P. Gregory Zion & Rancho’s Market.

I hope that’s not true – that the market is closing! This place has wonderful food and such a cute atmosphere. I’m vegan, but I went with all meat eaters and everyone loved it. Highly recommended!

Sadly, as most of you know, the time for Ranchos Natural Foods market has come to an end. Per one employee, it will be closing for good in about a month and a half. That’s pretty obvious from the looks of the market — the shelves are emptying at a rapid rate, with entire sections completely empty. They are still preparing lots of foods at the hot, cold, and salad bars, so at least for the time being a good vegan meal can still be had on the cheap. Stop in one last time and pay your respects to a friendly neighborhood specialty market. Soon to be replaced by a hot new restaurant or beer lounge or yogurt store or designer clothes shop or whatever the neighborhood really needs, I’m sure.
I’ll certainly miss eating my lunch among the plants outside on 30^th, with comments from passerby on how much I’m enjoying my food. Ah, North Park.

I am so sad! =(

I can’t believe this place was empty during lunchtime on a Thursday afternoon, must be one of North Park’s best kept secrets. I’m writing this review to make sure that changes.
Vegan/​health food market WITH a fantastic little vegan/​vegetarian Mexican deli in the back. For those of you who love the zesty flavors of authentic Mexican food, but can’t do the animal products, this place is for you. They offer all the classics: tacos y burritos, empenadas, tamales, even chilaquiles. And this shit is the good stuff. They even offer a salsa bar with guac, home made salsas, and nopales salad!
I had two bomb potato and kale tacos with vegan cheese, super yummy black beans, and fresh steamed veggies for $ 6.
Here is my favorite part: they have a super lush, inviting garden patio right out front where one can munch cheap vegan yummies to one’s heart’s content.
Do not miss out on this sweet neighborhood gem!

Oh Ranchos. How I adore you.
It’s one of those places that just makes you feel good. I really can’t describe it otherwise. The salad bar full of wonderful raw and vegan goodness… yes. The wrapped sandwiches and deli items, are a favorite lunch stop of mine. The only thing I’ve ever had and not liked was a fake bacon BLT. The fake bacon was awful. However, that’s the ONLY time I’ve ever had a bad food item there. Everything else has been tasty and fresh.
I really recommend the vegan ‘chicken’ salad. One of those and a pre-​wrapped sandwich, and you’ve got yourself a huge lunch!

I love Rancho’s. Rancho’s Natural Foods is such a jewel to the area. They are the reason that when I fall off the «raw wagon», I can pick myself back up. I can partake in their wonderful all-​raw salad bar and get back on raw. They maintain a great selection of wonderful raw delights (homemade too) and also vegan items, as well. Many people in the raw food scene in San Diego seems to congregate around this place. They are great at bringing high-​profile people in raw food to speak about it’s benefits. I am so glad to be near a place like this since moving here only months ago. Also, helpful staff is nice.

Pretty Interesting Place. We ate there for dinner last night. VEGAN FOOD! Wow! I loved the Vegan Lasagna, Potato Tacos, Guacamole, Spinash Empenada, and Tofu Chorizo. My friend and I are not vegan, but my friend wanted to try it out so we did. I’m glad he made me step outside the box. I took him for the first time to Ranchos months ago, and i’m glad he discovered the salad bar /​take out area of the grocery store the last time he went. I recommend this place highly for the food. Especially the restaurant next door, it’s a mix of vegan/​vegetarian/​and omnivore food :) Want to eat healthy and at fair prices go here or to the restaurant either way you won’t be disappointed.

Sure it’s all vegan but there is something here for everyone. The salad bar is the best in town, not just prepackaged lettuce and baby spinach but kale and chard and real healthy stuff. the soup is always worth trying and the hot case deli food is borderline decadent. Oh yeah and it’s affordable!

My husband is vegan. I’m not. But, we both love Ranchos. We go there almost every day. Really. If not for a meal, for groceries. My favorites at the deli are the tofu nuggets, which they seemed to have been out of in the past few weeks every time we went — a «nugget famine» my husband called it — and recently brought back have been REALLY tasty in the last few days, and the potato tacos. The «fish» tacos are also really good. One will more than fill me up. Oh, and the people that work there are pretty nice, too!

we actually had our lunch catered from Rancho and it was great for Earth Day. i don’t always eat vegan, but have also tasted a few things elsewhere that triggered an «oh…» response. I must say though that everything vegetarian & vegan was fresh and great tasting here. The wheat quesadillas were hearty, potato rolled tacos very un-​taco hell, the mole enchilladas were tasty (for a few, an acquired taste thing) and the flan that we had as dessert kicked ass. maybe i’m ignoramus but i’m glad to see healthy food make its way to the various cuisines. We didn’t order the spinach empanada, so i guess i’m gonna have to be back.

all vegan market + punk rock ‘tude + «fresh» hot case + smooooothies + parking in back + inside seating + did I mention the hot case?
I was there when it was Jimbo’s
I shopped there when it was Sunshine
But for Yvonne and the Rancho’s crew to take it over and to make it of all dog-​damn things a 100% VEGAN market takes the cake… this is what the hell is up my vegan folks! if you haven’t been shopping here or just stopping by for the crazy economical combo plate lunch you should be ashamed.
it’s a complete toss-​up whether to go to the restaurant next door or just dine-​in at the market. do yourself a favor and pick both!

This store sucks.
I’m sure if I was some kind of hippy/​vegan it would really lift my skirt. but no.
I won’t deny that the guacamole is fresh but come on. You can head down the street to Pancho Villa and get that stuff at half the price.
Point being… you can use that extra money on beer.

I’ve only been here once since I admit I’m more of a Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and farmer’s market kinda shopper, which was all about convenience when I lived in Hillcrest. This neighborhood market is awesome and if I lived in North Park, I would shop here… but I don’t live in SD anymore and I’m not a vegan or even a vegetarian (anymore). This recovering vegetarian’s gotta have her meat! But if you do swing the other way, Ranchos is a great place to buy your tempeh, tofu, and «chick-en»…and watch flesh-​eaters like me get a kick out of the PETA tattoo etched into your forearm or your bold, black «VEGAN» tatt covering your carbed-​out calf.

Ranchos Vegan Market is truly AMAZING! This place even beats its neighbouring restaurant under the same great ownership of the ever-​popular and humourous Marcos… Try the delicious vegan «fish» tacos made from healthy and hearty tempeh and homemade «fish» taco sauce with a slice of lime… Also, the daily soups are mouth-​watering and you can never go wrong with the vegan Mexican «pozole» soup, but don’t forget to add fresh cilantro and onions from the organic salad bar, which by the way is the best salad bar in San Diego: FRESH, organic, and HEALTHY, not to mention DE-​LISH!
They have the best selection of Honest Tea and Yerba Mate teas, as well as a wide array of vegan/​raw cookbooks and nutrition guides. They also host special events through out each month (see store for details).
The only criticism I have is that they need to stay open later, for us night owls, maybe until 10pm or something? That’d be great!
I go to Ranchos nearly every day, and I am never disappointed by the friendly and attractive staff and the wonderful selection of fresh produce, crisp juices, and awesome raw delicacies.
If you haven’t been here by now, then you don’t know what you’re missing! GO THERE NOW! NOW!
I LOVE RANCHOS!

I LOVE Ranchos Market. Even before I moved a block away, I used to ride my bike almost everyday all the way from Hillcrest (yeah, it’s close, but there are major hills, people, you try it). Now, it is such bliss to be able to run over and pick something up and get back before the commercial break is over (some of us still don’t have DVR, don’t hate!)
I’m a VEGAN, and this entire market is VEGAN! People ask me where I find food, and I say «well, there’s an entirely vegan grocery around the effing corner!» It is so wonderful to not have to check ANY ingredients because I know I can eat everything. It’s akin to shopping at Salvation Army in that I don’t have to check any price tags because I know I can afford everything! My roommate is allergic to eggs, and he loves Ranchos, too.
The hot bar is my favorite spot. The empenadas are the BOMB. Lately, I’ve been getting the Tocho Morocho burrito which is when they fill the tortilla with any of the delicious concoctions brewing in the showcase. There’s usually a cauliflower curry, bbq seitan, tempeh surprise, soyrizo, and random tofu dishes. Plus there’s a bar of different salsas and guacamole. It costs $ 4.70 a pound, I believe, but I always get so much shit that it sets me back a good six bucks… so worth it!
I love the workers there. They dress punk with tight jeans and black shirts and hoodies. The one with braces (or is it a retainer) is especially cute, and they all range from friendly to pleasantly aloof.
Lately they have been selling cakes from Stephanie’s in OB. I love Stephanie’s, but I never make it out there so it’s great that they deliver to Ranchos. Very delicious cakes and cheap (especially compared to the $ 7 vegan cake at Heaven Sent)!
Beware if you eat at the tables there, I often get approached by odd characters. Not bums or scary types, just odd people who like to start conversations with strangers. I only like to do that if there’s a chance of a hook-​up so I am usually put off by this kind of thing even though everyone at Ranchos is perfectly harmless.
What else? Oh, great prices on organic produce. And they sell ripe bananas! What a concept! A banana I can actually eat that day. What’s up with the green shit at Ralphs and Vons… so not right. Green bananas make me double over in stomach pain. Also, the donuts and cookies they sell are really good. Check out the frozen section, too!
I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it!