The Whole Festival is an annual three day, zero-waste festival that takes place on the University of California, Davis quad, and this year it will be May 11-13. This student-led festival features live music, craft vendors and plenty of vegetarian and vegan food. Here is an A-Z list of the 2018 Whole Earth Festival food vendors we will see.
Bare Juices
Bare Juices is at the Davis Farmers’ Market every Saturday, so you might recognize them. Get your kale fix with some green juice or satisfy your sweet tooth, guilt-free, with their Paradise Punch smoothie–a strawberry pineapple blend. I can already tell this vendor is definitely going to be a savior during the mid-80 degree weather.
Blue Sun Cafe
By the look of their menu, Blue Sun Cafe serves veggie burgers and veggie tabouli platters. I am excited to see what will be on their menu this year.
Buddha Chocolate
My knees are getting weak just looking at the list of sweets from Buddha chocolate. They make homemade, vegan, paleo, organic chocolates. Whoa, that was a mouthful. Desserts on their menu include salted s’more cups, mint fudge cups, almond butter cups, almond salted chocolate bars and rose and sea salt bars
Chickpeas
Falafel is definitely a weakness of mine. Yes, I could eat rice, beans and tortillas for the rest of my life if I had to. I also would not mind having to eat falafel for the rest of my life, especially the falafel from Chickpeas. And believe me when I say this because their storefront location is a view away from my home and the food is delicious.
Conscious Creamery
Conscious Creamery specializes in dairy-free vegan gelato and gelato bars. This is perfect for a warm weekend in May, and I must say this is definitely up my alley as a vegan who doesn’t get her gelato (or ice cream, whatever you want to call it) fix far too often . Some of the flavors this creamery makes include coconut pineapple, Meyer lemon, peanut butter fudge ripple and roasted strawberry, all of which prove that Conscious Creamery is no basic creamery.
Fat Face
This is not your average popsicle joint, and if you have seen them at the Davis Farmers’ Market then you might have noticed this by the look of their menu. Some of their pop creations include mango sticky rice, strawberry coconut, apricot lavender, lime and avocado and hibiscus mint. The price at the Whole Earth Festival is $4 a pop, and if this seems a bit hefty to you, let me just say that they use fresh wholesome ingredients and it is a local business. Oh yeah, and their popsicles have never disappointed my tastebuds.
Gourmet Faire
Gourmet Faire has veggie corn dogs. Yes, you read that right–delicious corn dogs without the beef. Beer-battered garlic fries will also be on their menu at the Whole Earth Festival. I must admit, last year I bought three corn dogs at around $6 each, and I do not regret that decision.
Herbal Junction
Herbal Junction serves herbal elixirs, which are carefully crafted drinks made to address certain functions of the body like enhancing your immune system or improving bone strength. In addition to herbal elixirs like Romance Enhancer, the Herbal Junction menu also boasts herbal power shakes like Vanilla Beauty and smoothies like Coconut Vanilla Berry. This one definitely fits the earthy, hippie vibe of the Whole Earth Festival.
Jax Kettle Korn
Kettle Corn is a festival must and, as a matter of fact, kettle corn is also my favorite type of popcorn. You can definitely count that I’ll be waiting in their long line at the Whole Earth Festival.
The Juicery
This juicery serves fresh cold pressed juice using organic fruit and vegetables. This location also makes their own kombucha. Wow, I’m impressed! For those of you not into greasy garlic fries and prioritize a healthy lifestyle, then this is definitely a place for you.
Open Rice
Open Rice Kitchen has a storefront location in Davis and their menu includes Chinese and Asian fusion dishes like chicken egg rolls, spring rolls, potstickers and eggplant tofu.
Raja’s Tandoor
If you live in Davis, you’ve likely visited Raja’s Tandoor storefront location. And if you’ve been to this restaurant you are fully aware of how graceful and sweet the owner is. At the Whole Earth Festival we will likely see a tent similar to their booth at the Davis Farmers’ Market serving their newer naanwich with cauliflower and potatoes or garbanzo beans. They have also recently added a naan pizza to their menu, which to me sounds like the best of both worlds.
Root of Happiness
Their storefront location is just outside of the university and serves mouth tingling kava drinks and tonics. The menu that we can expect to see at the festival is a bit of a secret. But, we will likely find some refreshing herbal teas and unique popsicle flavors like chai.
Vagabond Viera’s Vegan Pizza and Sandwiches
This vendor has a pizza storefront called Rock and Roll Pizza in Simi Valley, but at the festival they are going as Vagabond Vieira’s Vegan Pizza and Sandwiches. Their vegan pizza menu includes: vegan Manhattan cheese pizza, vegan Soho tomato basil pizza, vegan Mama Leah’s spinach, mushroom, Marsala wine garlic and olive oil pizza and Vegan soy-rizo Baja pizza with soy-rizo, peppers, onions and cilantro. Vegan sandwiches on the menu include the Massapequa Meatball, the Hoboken Sausage and the Peppers Sandwich; all soy, of course. My mouth is watering already.
Yeti Restaurant
This restaurant is located in downtown Davis and I can definitely say it’s a hidden gem. Yeti Restaurant serves Himalayan and Nepali food, and I can truly say their garlic naan melts in your mouth and their tikka masala is divine.
A few vendors were a bit mysterious, and they are only adding to my anticipation to see what they will serve. These vendors include Carmen’s Taqueria, Lemon Essence and the Eggroll People.
I am already pensively deciding which food booths to visit at the Whole Earth Festival. Judging on how divine the vegan corndog vendor was last year, this year’s vendors will certainly not disappoint. Get your wallets ready and bring an empty stomach to prepare for the delicious food at this year’s Whole Earth Festival.