harm.less

7-Elevens are joyous places, full of all the snacks, travel necessities, and carbonated beverages you could ever want or need.

But if you’re looking for plant-based, they’re not exactly overflowing with options.

Mission Square Market in San Diego, Calif., however, has all of the convenience and none of the animal products. It’s a family-owned deli and store that’s stocked with everything from sodas to dairy-free cheese to made-to-order sammies.

There are chips, pastas, cheeses, jerkies, meats, candy bars, sauces, drinks, frozen foods, butters, ice creams, cleaning supplies and more from brands like Violife, Follow Your Heart, Miyoko’s, Tofurky, Hippeas, Daiya, Upton’s Naturals, Go Max Go, Good Catch, Gardein, Loma and lots of others.

The store has its own lineup of specialty sandwiches including breakfast sammies (with bacon and cheese on a pretzel bun) and lunchtime options like a BLT with seitan or tempeh bacon; a turkey club with Tofurky, lettuce, tomato, mayo and bacon; an Italiano with peppered Tofurky, ham, pepp’roni and peppers; and even a fried bologna with cheese, mayo and Miyoko’s butter. All are vegan of course!

Owner Sunny Bhanage first opened the store in 2015. “We are vegetarian and we go to many stores and we don’t have any options,” he said, when asked why they decided to start the market.

The store is his dream, and it’s all about doing something good with his life. “I wanted to make something different from other people where people who are on the same page can shop,” he says, adding that it’s a store designed to serve the community.

As part of that commitment, he lets new plant-based businesses do pop-ups on site without charging them, and tries to lend support in any way he can.

The market is a hidden gem, but it’s not completely off the radar. Actor Mena Massoud popped in last summer as part of his Evolving Vegan tour of North America.

All-vegan markets are still a pretty rare find — particularly ones with this wide variety of options — so if you’re in San Diego anytime soon, pop into Mission Square Market at 6171 Mission Gorge Rd, Ste 111. And follow ’em on Instagram!

Say hi to Sunny for me!

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