FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE) – “Lettuce Squash the Beef” is the slogan and mission of Planet Vegan in northwest Fresno.

Their restaurant at Palm and Nees opened just two years ago, but their food truck has been on Central Valley streets since 2019.

“Some might see the vegan word, and might be a little hesitant or whatnot. But one thing I for sure know, if you are a real foodie and a real food connoisseur when it comes to food, you’ll love our food,” said Mike McElroy, co-owner of Planet Vegan.

McElroy co-owns the restaurant with his sister Inez Hill and Patrick Dixon. He wanted a healthy lifestyle for him and his family, but they didn’t want to give up delicious food.

McElroy quickly discovered the benefits of a vegan diet.

“Lost a little weight, got in shape. Just everything, you know, overall health benefits to us. So, it was just a lifestyle that I picked up throughout time. I just stuck with it,” he said.

McElroy and Dixon collaborated to cook up vegan versions of their favorite foods to share with the community. Each burger from Planet Vegan is made from Impossible Burger.

Their “Three Cheese Bacon” comes with two savory vegan patties, plus a smoky plant-based bacon and, of course, cheese. But the three layers of fromage are all dairy-free.

Planet Vegan has chicken options on their menu for those sticking to a plant-based diet.

Their “Spicy Chik’n Sando” is a plant-based chicken patty dipped in buffalo sauce, topped off with pickles, lettuce and tomato with a touch of garlic aioli. Their “Galaxy Fries” catch the attention of foodies everywhere. McElroy says that item is one of their best sellers.

“Yeah, it’s an eye-catcher for sure. You know people eat with their eyes first,” he said.

Your eyes will immediately focus on the waffle fries topped off with crumbled vegan ground beef, caramelized onions, cilantro, green onions and a signature jalapeño aioli. There are cheesy options for appetizers that won’t ruin your diet.

What may look like mozzarella sticks are really not. NODOH Nozzarella sticks, made from cashew cheese.

McElroy and Dixon highly recommend you pair them with one of many house dipping sauces from Planet Vegan.

Sodas on tap at Planet Vegan are not vegan, but they are sugar-free.     

“You can’t. You can’t taste the heavy sugar that it has in it because it has no sugar. So, it’s made with no artificial flavoring,” said Inez Hill, Planet Vegan

Root Beer and Pineapple Cream are the most popular choices from Stubborn Soda, but each flavor will satisfy a soda lover’s taste without the guilt of too much sugar.