Reyes begins her tasting with two of Maciel’s most popular sandwiches: the Californian and the smoky.
The Californian is one of the deli’s top sellers and Maciel’s own favourite. Reyes describes it as simple and fresh, but stresses that its appeal comes from the way the ingredients work together. The sandwich includes plant-based turkey, mayo, alfalfa sprouts, tomato, and avocado.
“This is so good,” Reyes says after trying it.
She notes that Maciel’s uses avocado in several menu items, which gives the sandwiches a creamy texture without making them feel heavy. The sprouts add freshness, while the turkey-style protein gives the sandwich a deli-style centre. On paper, Reyes says, it may look like a basic sandwich with sprouts, but the combination is what makes it stand out.
Next comes the smoky, another top contender. Reyes opens the sandwich to show the plant protein inside and reacts to the grilled onions, avocado, cheese, and toasted bread. The smoky has a richer profile than the Californian, with caramelized onions playing a major role.
“Oh, wow. These grilled onions make this sandwich,” Reyes says.
She also praises the bread, which is grilled until crisp. That detail matters because a good deli sandwich depends on structure as much as filling. The bread needs to hold everything together, offer contrast, and add flavour of its own. Reyes says she understands why the smoky has become one of the shop’s most popular options.
Breakfast burritos, chorizo, and a nod to Maciel’s roots
Maciel’s is not only known for deli sandwiches. Reyes also tries one of its breakfast burritos, which she orders extra grilled.
The burrito stands out because of its chorizo-style flavour. Reyes explains that one of the first proteins Maciel developed was chorizo, influenced by her Mexican background. Even though the deli menu does not lean heavily into Mexican flavours overall, the chorizo gives this breakfast option a personal connection to Maciel’s culinary roots.
Reyes says she usually likes crispy potatoes inside her burritos, and this one does not include them. Still, she wanted to try it because of the chorizo flavour. She describes the flavour as delicious and highlights how the grilled exterior improves the texture.
The burrito also shows how Maciel’s applies the same approach beyond sandwiches. The shop is not simply swapping meat for a single vegan protein. It is building a full deli and breakfast menu around plant-based ingredients that can carry different styles, textures, and cuisines.
Deli nostalgia: Pastrami, French dip, and chicken parmesan
One of the most striking items Reyes tries is the pastrami French dip. She dips the sandwich into the gravy and reacts immediately.
“Oh my gosh, that gravy tastes like Thanksgiving,” Reyes says. “This is delicious.”
The pastrami flavour also impresses her. Reyes explains that when Maciel and her husband Joe were developing the proteins, they asked non-vegan friends to taste them. Some came from Kansas City, a place closely associated with meat-heavy food culture. Reyes jokes that if those friends approved, the protein must be good.
The pastrami French dip captures one of the main themes of the video: plant-based food can keep the comfort, ritual, and nostalgia of meat-based meals without relying on animals. It gives people the dip, gravy, bread, and rich seasoning they expect from a deli sandwich, but in a vegan format.
Reyes then tries the chicken parmesan sandwich, which includes breaded plant-based chicken, marinara, cheese, and pesto. She says she has had it before and already knows it is good, but she tries it again to show another protein on the menu.
This section leads into one of Reyes’ clearest explanations of why vegan meat exists. She pushes back on the common criticism that vegans should not eat food that resembles meat.
“Just because you’re vegan doesn’t mean you didn’t like the taste of meat,” Reyes says.
She adds that she ate meat for many years because she liked the taste. For many people, the decision to go vegan is not about rejecting familiar flavours. It is about rejecting the harm tied to animal agriculture. Plant-based meats can act as a bridge, a comfort food, or simply a way to enjoy familiar textures with different ingredients.
Reyes says animal meat itself is often a blank canvas that depends on seasoning. Plant-based proteins can work the same way. With the right spices, marinades, and cooking methods, ingredients such as seitan and tofu can carry the same flavours people grew up enjoying.
The Tuscan is Reyes’ favourite
Reyes saves the Tuscan for last and makes it clear that this is the sandwich she recommends most often.
“When I tell people to come to Maciel’s, I always tell them, ‘Get the Tuscan,’” Reyes says.
She describes it as her favourite and notes that Joe, Maciel’s husband, also loves it. While she does not break down every ingredient in the same detail as the other sandwiches, her reaction makes the point. The Tuscan is the kind of menu item that builds loyalty. It is the one she tells people to order first and the one she clearly plans to finish.
Maciel’s also sells vegan cheeses, including Rebel Cheese, along with its own deli meats. Reyes says West Coast customers may soon be able to order the shop’s products directly, which would allow people outside Los Angeles to try the meats at home.
For a deli built around vegan sandwiches in LA, that expansion suggests something bigger than local hype. The demand is not only coming from vegans looking for safe menu options. It is also coming from people who want a better sandwich.
A plant-forward meal can be climate action
Toward the end of the video, Reyes connects the meal back to climate action. She praises restaurants like Maciel’s for helping make plant-based eating feel approachable, especially for people who do not identify as vegan.
She says many people know the meat industry contributes to carbon emissions, but do not always know where to start. A restaurant like Maciel’s gives them an easy entry point. They can order one plant-based meal a week, or one a day, and still eat something flavourful and familiar.
“It’s all about just delicious, flavourful food,” Reyes says.
That idea is also at the heart of Maciel’s story. Maciel and Reyes both make clear that they liked the taste of meat before going vegan. Their shift was not driven by a lack of interest in deli sandwiches, chorizo, turkey, pastrami, or chicken parmesan. It came from a desire to stop contributing to animal suffering and environmental harm while still eating food they enjoyed.
Maciel’s answers that challenge with sandwiches that are meant to be healthy, delicious, and ethical. Its ranking shows that plant-based food no longer needs to be treated as a compromise. When made well, it can compete with the most celebrated sandwich shops in the country.
For Reyes, Maciel’s is proof that vegan sandwiches in LA can do more than imitate meat. They can beat it on flavour, creativity, and purpose.
https://plantbasednews.org/lifestyle/food/award-winning-vegan-sandwiches-in-la/
