In the sprawling shopping plaza at the corner of Overland Avenue and Venice Boulevard in Culver City, locals can find just about anything: a mattress at Sit n’ Sleep, new windshield wipers at O’Reilly Auto Parts, a smoothie from Robeks, groceries at Ralph’s and more. The newest neighbor in the retail center adds to the list of possibilities. At Hey, Sunshine Kitchen, delicious vegan food is the prize.

The colorful, fast-casual restaurant is helmed by two cheerful sisters, Heather Golden Ray and Jenny Engel, who grew up in Sherman Oaks and Manhattan Beach. They were in the kitchen often as children, Golden Ray recalls, and weekly Shabbat dinners were a big family tradition. By the time they were teens, though, they were both vegan. Their love for animals started them on that path. Their dedication was solidified when they majored in environmental studies at separate colleges in Northern California, where they learned about the negative environmental impacts of the animal agriculture industry. 

In 2007, the duo opened an organic, vegan cooking school in West Hollywood. At Spork Foods, they shared their passion with other curious cooks for 15 years. For many of those years, they wondered if their reach could be broader with a restaurant. They closed Spork Foods in 2023 and brought their mission to Culver City in the shape of Hey, Sunshine Kitchen. The café seats about 20 guests inside and 20 outside. 

“We hope to have a bigger impact here,” Golden Ray told me one day over strawberry-mint lemonade at the cafe. “Our goal is to show people that vegan food, and plant-based food, is as delicious — if not more delicious — than anything else. This is our sole purpose. It’s very clear to us that this is what we’re here to do.”

Ultimately, the sisters believe that their menu takes care of both the planet and the customer. “People shine from the inside out,” Engel said, “so we want our food to enhance people’s lives. When you eat a wide variety of nutrients, you’re able to shine your gifts…into the world.”

Eating the rainbow of fruits and vegetables is very easy to do at Hey, Sunshine Kitchen. In the cafe’s plant-based “chicken Caesar” bowl, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potato, shredded carrots, almond slivers, kale, house-made pickles and lime sit in a pretty swirl atop rice (made with garlic and turmeric) or greens. The Baja “fish” taco (a crispy plant-based filet on tortilla) is topped with a pile of cabbage, pickles, tomato, onion, cilantro and homemade jalapeno crema.. And it’s all delicious.

Bowls are top sellers, as are items on the kids’ menu, which are so tasty that adults order them all the time, too. The vegan mac n’ cheese is creamy and has hidden onions, carrots and potatoes in the sauce. The crispy nuggets are gluten free and made from scratch with chickpeas; similar to a samosa, they’re dense and flavorful and great with any of the cafe’s dipping sauces (also made from scratch). Hot sandwiches, more tacos, a few sweet treats and sides such as sweet potato fries, coleslaw and potato salad round out the menu. 

“In every dish, we have thought about health, nutrition and maximizing the impact that nutrients can have on the body,” Golden Ray said. “You’re going to see all kinds of colors, because different colors have different antioxidants and nutrients to them. When you’re eating a variety of nutrients, you’re going to be a happier and more effective person. We want people to shine their brightest to the world. That’s why we’re called Hey, Sunshine Kitchen.”

To help customers connect with the planet, Hey, Sunshine Kitchen gives away 15 native pollinators to customers on Mondays. The one-gallon plants attract bees, birds and butterflies, which is a good thing, since “one out of three bites of food that we eat is thanks to a pollinator,” Golden Ray said.

As parents, the sisters seek out opportunities to help their own children become stewards of the planet. When they’re not busy at the cafe, they regularly meet up with their families at Alma Backyard Farms in Compton, for example, which hosts a bimonthly farm stand, kids workshops and summer camps. 

“That’s what we want for our kids — to feel connected to the planet,” Golden Ray said. “We’ll go to the beach, we’ll take our shoes off and put our feet in the ocean. And we go visit animals at farm sanctuaries. We’ve been talking about kindness to animals and the earth for a long time.”

Quick and Easy Red Bean Veggie Burgers

From the cookbook “Vegan 101” by Heather Golden Ray and Jenny Engel

(Makes 4 to 6 patties)

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Cook time: 10 minutes

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon dried minced onion

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¾ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon brown rice syrup

½ cup rolled oats

½ cup unbleached flour or cornmeal 

1 to 2 tablespoons neutral-tasting oil

4 to 6 vegan buns, split

4 to 6 (4-inch square) pieces romaine lettuce

4 to 6 slices tomato

Choice of ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, barbecue sauce or other toppings

In a food processor, combine beans, onion, garlic powder, sea salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and brown rice syrup. Pulse 5 times. Add oats and flour or cornmeal, then pulse until mixture holds together.

Heat a large skillet and add oil. With damp hands, form the burger mixture into patties and place in a pan. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until browned.

Toast buns until golden. Place a burger on each bun bottom, top with lettuce, tomato, desired toppings and top bun half.