You may have heard that a few weeks back, the LA City Council voted unanimously to adopt “Meatless Monday,” a nation-wide campaign to urge people to give up meat one day a week. What does this mean, exactly? Well, thankfully, as foxnews.com put it, “Neither city officials nor law enforcement will be allowed to force residents to not eat meat.” So it doesn't mean that much, except the folks in city hall think it's a swell idea.

Some see Meatless Mondays as part of the creeping vegetarian agenda to slowly take our steaks from us. But most proponents say it's a matter of health and the environment — meat has a higher environmental impact than vegetables, and many people think that Americans eat too much meat. Giving it up one day a week is seen as an improvement, and a far more attainable goal than giving meat up altogether.

So, if all this, plus the urging of your elected officials, has convinced you that you should be eschewing meat this one day a week, turn the page for some options for meatless Mondays you may not have thought of.

5. M.A.K.E. in Santa Monica:

Matthew Kenney's new raw restaurant in The Marketplace at Santa Monica Place sounds like a exercise in self deprivation but is actually quite a treat. Get the kimchee dumplings and the lasagna, and read our recent review of the restaurant for more info.

4. From California Soil at The Corner Door:

Beginning today, The Corner Door's chef Luke Reyes will be offering a new promotion on Mondays called From California Soil. Each Monday, a number of menu items will be available that are built around the best one vegetable item Reyes finds at the farmers market over the weekend. So you might find a menu built around beets, or turnips, or whatever is freshest and best.

3. Border Grill:

All Border Grill locations serve a Meatless Monday prix fix menu for lunch and dinner. (Link is PDF) At lunch, two courses are $16, and at dinner three courses are $29. For both lunch and dinner, you have a sampling of vegetarian appetizers and your choice of vegetarian entrees.

2. Susan Feniger's Street:

Each week, Susan Feniger's Street serves a special vegetarian menu in observance of Meatless Mondays. Each week features a different theme, but you can see a sample menu on the restaurant's events page.

1. Osteria Mozza:

Mario Batali was one of the first chefs to get behind Meatless Mondays, all the way back in 2010. All of his restaurants have special meatless options on Mondays, including Osteria Mozza, which serves a full vegetarian pasta tasting menu each week on Mondays.

See also:

L.A. City Council Approves Meatless Mondays

Meatless Mondays: Be a Vegetarian, Just for One Day

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