California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is an American casual dining restaurant chain that sells California-style pizza, salads, and pasta. They are probably best known for their innovative and nontraditional pizzas that also made them a top-notch pizza place worldwide. As vegans, we already know that pizzas are often served with meat toppings hence are not suitable for the vegan diet but how about the other menu items at CPK?
According to the ingredients list provided on their website, there are 18 vegan menu options at California Pizza Kitchen that do not contain animal products, as well as a few additional items that can be made vegan with some omissions or adjustments.
Unfortunately, CPK's famous pizzas like the Sicilian Pizza and Pepperoni Pizza are served with meat and are not suitable for the vegan diet. Nonetheless, their pizza crusts except for the cauliflower crust are vegan-friendly so you can still order a pizza with some adjustments.
Their cheeses are not vegan friendly so you might want to skip those. For pizza sauces, your vegan options are only limited to Pizza Marinara and Spicy Marinara. For a vegan pizza at California Pizza Kitchen, we suggest ordering the California Veggie Pizza but remember to order it without the cheese.
If you are not in the mood for pizza, then you can always go for CPK's Tomato Basil Spaghetti ordered without goat cheese and chicken breast. The Fusili Pasta also makes a good vegan entree but remember to order it without meat sauce, butter, and alfredo. A vegan soup is also available at CPK. We recommend the Dakota Smashed Pea With Barley that contains barley, carrots, onions, savory herbs, and scallions. For a lighter meal, you can always opt for the Lettuce Wraps ordered without chicken.
When ordering vegan at CPK, remember to let your server know about your diet and allergens first before ordering so you can enjoy your CPK experience worry-free.
