5 Totally Awesome Vegan Restaurants to Visit When in NYC

Ever wonder why people who’ve never been to NYC refer to it longingly as the big apple? It’s because everyone wants what they’ve never experienced. Everyone wants take a bite out the forbidden fruit that is Manhattan. The allure of it is too much to resist…well, at least that’s how I felt en route to the city for the first time last December. What better way to experience the sweet nectar of a place like NYC than by its fare.

But where to start?! In this concrete labyrinthine jungle, the endless options of where to eat can often be more paralyzing than enabling. Luckily, accompanying me was my fellow vegan food enthusiast, John, who lived (and ate) in NYC for years, and so knew where the best vegan restaurants in NYC would be. He acted as my guide, like the poet Virgil leading Dante through the 9 circles of Hell (or Hell’s Kitchen), through the maze of brownstones and high-rise buildings to what would later become some of my favorite vegan restaurants in NYC. And I wonder, maybe someday yours too? Keep reading to find out.

5 Totally Awesome Vegan Restaurants in NYC

1. Caravan of Dreams

$20 – $30 per person

Rating: 4.67/5

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Established in 1991, Caravan of Dreams is one of those multi-decade monoliths of vegan restaurants in NYC, serving vegan food when most people thought the word ‘vegan’ was some kind of expletive you’d say after stubbing your toe. In my opinion, caravan is a must visit when in the city – vegan or not; the ingredients are fresh, the atmosphere inviting, the options plentiful, the staff friendly, and the food tasty and satisfying.

This was the first place that I went during my visit in December, and it was a special moment.

Although the New England climate cold and crispy, my friend John and I decided to eat outside in the colorful, well-lit mini tent because the a homey wooden bar-like interior inside was packed full of patrons. So there we sat, in the covered rectangular outdoor seating area, all the tables laden with bright gold reflective heat tablecloths, white fairy lights overhead, and heat lamps nearby. Hey, maybe not for everyone, but I thought that it was fun, and the feel of it oddly enchanting.

We ordered the nachos, soup of the day (carrot & quinoa), caravan burrito, and wild rice croquettes, as well as the complementary salad appetizer. It was all very tasty, but not too over the top or overly fancy or frilly. Just plain good. Then, I ordered some chai lattes (to quell the night chill) along with a raw chocolate dessert. A perfect way to end it! The dessert was rich without being overwhelming, and the chia was a comforting accompaniment.

First Dinner at Caravan of Dreams

Think the caravan burrito looks good? Check out my Spinach & White Bean Enchiladas!

My friend John and I enjoyed our first meal there so much, that we came back…two more times….and whatever the weather, sat in the outdoor mini-tent again – alone – because we’re weirdos, I guess. The wait staff was very accommodating of our outdoorsy disposition, and did whatever they could to make us feel comfortable out there: firing up the heat lamps, turning on the lights, and playing some indie/holiday music over the speakers.

Brunch the Next Mornin’

Overall, one of the great vegan restaurants in NYC with an historic reputation that everyone should eat at when here!

Directions

2. Le Botaniste

$10 – $20 per person

Rating: 4.5/5

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We walked into this place on a rainy Tuesday afternoon for lunch, browsing causally for more vegan restaurants in NYC. I didn’t have many expectations, aside from maybe that they’d have a vegan option or two.

Once inside, I noticed that the interior is very bright and energizing, with plenty of organic plant life dangling from the walls of white subway tile, and huge windows letting in a lot of natural light. And their menu plastered on the window by the entrance – to my glee – had tons of vegan options (as well as non-vegan food, too).

It’s kind of a make-it-yourself vibe there, where you can customize a bowl of fresh ingredient food, or just go with something pre-arranged. The restaurant staff was dressed up like culinary scientists in white lab coats, and worked with a gusto that’d makes even the longest lines go quickly. That said, there was hardly a line when we arrived, and so it took little less than 5 minutes to order and then have the tray of food in our hands. 

We both got the Tibetan mama bowl with a cup o’ coffee, and they made it right in front of us, dolloping everything artfully in hardy ceramic bowls. We took our trays to the covered and clean outdoor seating section, and then ate by the busy road. I was wow’ed by the bowl! It was a stunningly glorious combination of flavors, which included a thick coconut curry sauce, perfectly cooked brown rice, fresh veggies and kimchi of all things – an interesting slightly spicy and fermented bite to counter and cut through the otherwise dense creaminess of the curry.

Yes, the Tibetan mama bowl was great, but so is my Peanut Butter Curry!

When returning our trays, we noticed the line nearly went out the door! So better to get here for an earlier lunch rather than a later. Even so, the line should go relatively fast, due to the vigor and verve with which the food scientists behind the glassed buffet dish out the goods.

If I lived in here, this would definitely be one of my go to vegan restaurants in NYC, and I would come back regularly for a quick, healthy bite to eat that leaves you feeling satisfied but not grossly full, and isn’t extraordinarily expensive. Plus, there are 3 of these vegan restaurants in NYC, so they’ll likely be one near you whereever you go.

Directions

3. Blossom

$30 – $40 per person

Rating: 4.5/5

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Of all the vegan restaurants in NYC that I went to, Blossom was by far the most fancy. It almost looked like a place you’d see Patrick Bateman sitting with his smarmy business pals, smug with contentment that he had a reservation there. The atmosphere had an air of edgy sophistication – starkly contrasting black and white decor and a clean-cut bar with selectively placed bright lights.

I had a great meal experience here – very friendly and formally-clad staff and interesting menu options. We ordered the nachos, along with both the seitan picatta and the seitan in red wine sauce. The nachos were particularly good – gooey, melty vegan cheese (yes, that’s exists now!) with a lot of interesting flavors and textures and colors. Both the seitan dishes were beautifully presented and very tasty.

Want to try to make seitan yourself? Then check out these From Scratch Vegan Hot Dogs!

After eating here, my thought about this place are that it was a great dining experience with what seems to be many options for people who have dietary restrictions as well. Personally, I found it to be a bit pricey, but I suppose it lives up to the price, especially for special occasions.

Directions

4. Souen

$20 – $30 per person

Rating: 4.17/5

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Souen is such one of those cool, historic vegan restaurants in NYC with really down to earth food that makes you feel good after eating it. It’s been around since 1971, so you know they must be doing something right.

As we sat in the outside seating section, a woman with orange hair traipsed by guiding a friend group of obvious new-to-new-york’ers. She pointed to Souen and said in passing, “Oh, this place? It’s good, but needlessly exclusive.” 

Perhaps what she was referring to was the macro platter, which I ordered, maybe to spite the orange haired critic’s ego a bit (the woman in passing, not me). It’s not something I’ve ever tried before. Basically, it’s about creating a well-balanced plate of food that is simply cooked (steamed, usually) and slowly eaten: thus, more thoroughly and easily digested. The flavors of each component on the platter (broccoli, squash, brown rice, kale, carrot and black beans) is meant to shine, without additives or other influences. The only addition is the miso-tahini dressing, which was a very unusual combination that enhance without detracting from the natural flavors of everything else. Read more about it here!

So exclusive, perhaps. Needlessly, no.

We also ordered the edamame guacamole, tempeh fritters, the coconut mousse along with the blueberry mousse. All of the food is cooked well, balanced, and non-pretentious. I particularly like the tahini-miso dressing that came with the macro platter, along with the refreshing blueberry mousse. It can be a bit busy and cramped inside, since the space is small, but there’s a small covered seating area outside that’s available to eat at too.

That mousse looks good, so make your own with chia seeds in this Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding!

Really, I’d return to Souen whenever I need a meal that’s satisfying and wholesome. Truly a must-go in the midst of all the vegan restaurants in NYC. Give it a try!

5. Spicy Moon

$20 – $30 per person

Rating: 4.33/5

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We walked by Spicy Moon in the middle of a busy Saturday evening, again looking for more interesting vegan restaurants in NYC, and what immediately caught my attention was that it was packed! It was a small, red-lit interior pumping hip music full of hip, young college kids (the NYU campus not far away).

We decided instead of braving the inside kerfuffle, we’d order to pick up and then eat outside in a nearby park (a brave decision in retrospect considering the park rats in NYC are as big as sourdough bread loaves). We both ordered the kung pow style with tofu – crispy and lightly fried tofu with a semi-sweet red sauce and brown rice. Very generous portions, too. We also ordered the spring rolls and vegetable dumplings, and they were both equally scrumptious.

Since we had a great experience at the Spicy Moon in the East Village, we decided to try the other location for lunch the very next day. Yes, there are two spicy moon vegan restaurants in NYC, and not even that far away from each other either.

Inside the second is a cozy, dimly lit interior (you might need a flashlight) with very attentive, friendly staff. It’s cramped, but not in an uncomfortable way. There, we ordered the ramen, the salt and pepper style tofu, along with the avocado spring roll and vegan sour cream and potato dumplings. The ramen was good, but a tad too salty for my taste. And the tofu was also almost a tempura batter, airy and crispy, but I prefer the king pow style more. The potato and sour cream dumplings were very tasty, and very much similar to a pierogi.

I have some ramen recipes too! Look at this Forbidden Miso Ramen or this Invigorating Ginger & Bok Choy Ramen!

Overall, the meal was satisfying and filling, and I’ve come to the conclusion that Spicy Moon is one of those vegan restaurants in NYC where you can get tasty vegan food that doesn’t skimp on portions or flavor. Eat here if you want generous portions, satisfying Chinese-American vegan food, and a super lively atmosphere.

(P.S. The photos are blurry due to the low light!)

Directions

There are two Spicy Moon vegan restaurants in NYC!

Well, there you have it: the 5 vegan restaurants in NYC that really left an impression on me while I was there, and that truly satisfied my yearning to experience the city’s legendary food scene. Even so, I’m sure there are so many more culinary destinations to explore, and much more NYC fare to try, and this compilation is but a good start to a long journey if you’re looking to try as many vegan restaurants in NYC as possible.

I hope that this list of my favorite vegan restaurants in NYC was helpful to you, and that it inspires you to go out and find some of them next time you want to take your own bite out of the big apple.

May you have good food in good company,

That Vegan Nephew