Vegan Food Guide New York City

I’m very excited to share today’s post because this is the first blog entry on my new and improved website! Creating an updated website has been my goal for a while that became a long process for various reasons, but I am so excited to be back online and writing again.

Mario and I recently returned from a 5 day trip to New York and I wanted to share a few of my favorite vegan restaurants in the Big Apple. This was my fourth time in New York, our second time as a couple, and the first time on a fully plant based diet. Out of all the times I have visited, this was by far my favorite trip and enjoying the food each day was a huge part of it.  I have curated a list of my favorite restaurants with details on what made each location special.

1. JAJAJA Mexicana | Lower East Side 

   162 E Broadway, New York, NY, 10002

   JAJAJA Mexicana was our first official meal in New York City. We ordered the Chipotle Sweet Potato Tacos, Hijiki-Hearts of Palm Ceviche, Pupusas, and Dinosaur Kale Bowl. The tacos come in sets of 2 for $8.00 USD. Mario and I agreed that the tacos were our favorite out of everything we ordered. The ceviche had a seafood inspired flair because it is made with Hijiki seaweed, but not in an overwhelming way. The ceviche came with plantain chips and I loved this authentic touch. The pupusas were topped with lettuce, coconut bacon, and a creamy sauce which was a very tasty combo. However, my only complaint is that the pupusas themselves were a bit on the hard side. I was not sure if it was an “off day”, but they were our least favorite item because that made them difficult to cut and chew. We would definitely come here again and order a variety of other taco options!

2. Beyond Sushi | Union Square

229 E 14th Street, New York NY 10003

Beyond Sushi was walking distance from our Airbnb. We ordered 4 rolls: Spicy Mang, Sweet Tree, Mighty Mushroom, and La Fiesta. My favorite was Spicy Mang and Mario’s was Sweet Tree. We also had a Watermelon Mint Lemonade and a Black Bean Sweet Potato Brownie. Overall, the rolls were filling and yummy. I loved the complimentary sauces on top of each flavor combination. The Watermelon Mint drink was refreshing and the Black Bean Sweet Potato Brownie was yummy. My only warning about the brownie is that they are pre-made and I wish I knew that before we ordered it because ours was marked 10 days prior. It tasted very good, but could have been a little fresher. Regardless of the minor brownie mishap, we would definitely eat here again. They have some delicious looking soups that we want to try during our next visit.

3. Le Botaniste | SoHo

127 Grand street, New York, NY 10013

The day we came to Le Botaniste was very special. It was the day after Halloween and we barely slept, but dedicated the day to shooting a few looks and going shopping. Before we got down to business, I had to eat and Mario surprised me with Le Botaniste. He knows I love wine and this restaurant had so many great drink options. We both ordered the Spicy Chile sin Carne and I added steamed Broccoli and Zucchini for a few extra dollars . The bean chili was on a bed of quinoa and brown rice, then topped with a delicious vegan sour cream and cilantro. I forget what the yellow topping was, but I believe it was either pickled or fermented. All the ingredients complimented each other well and was so comforting on this cold day. They also have a variety of vegan wines by the glass or bottles for sale. If we lived in the area we would frequent this place often.

4. Blossom | Chelsea

187 Ninth Ave, New York, NY 10011

We stumbled upon Blossom during our first trip together as a couple. We were dabbling in vegetarianism back then and after a long, frigid day of shooting content we found the closest veggie friendly restaurant nearby. We didn’t want to leave New York this time around without visiting this delicious restaurant once again. It’s a bit more upscale than the other restaurants we enjoyed, but well worth it. Each time we have had great service, love the intimate setting, and the food is absolutely delicious! We ordered Crispy Artichokes that came with lemon-caper aioli as a starter which resembled the taste of calamari. The texture was perfect and the sauce complimented the appetizer well. We couldn’t decide on a main plate and we were both craving mashed potatoes so we ordered several sides which were equally filling. In addition to the potatoes, we ordered garlic tofu, sautéed broccoli, and red lentil soup. We decided that we are going to eat at this restaurant each time we travel to New York because it’s always such a pleasure. I highly recommend eating here as a treat or for a romantic date.

5. Organic Grill | East Village

123 First Ave  New York, NY 10003 

Organic Grill was a pleasant surprise. We had it on our radar, but were actually on our way to another restaurant in the neighborhood. When we arrived at the initial spot, they were closed because their kitchen was under construction for maintenance, so we had to find somewhere else to eat before our flight. I’m so happy things turned out the way they did because this meal was a great way to end our trip! We started with Melissa’s Mac and Cheese Bombs and shared the Tofu Rancheros and the Indecisive Special. The fried mac balls were such a treat. This was a starter I used to enjoy before going plant based and I haven’t been anywhere else that serves it vegan style. The Tofu Rancheros were delicious and flavorful. The Indecisive Special was essentially a breakfast sampler with a mix of sweet and savory flavors to satisfy every tastebud. The restaurant also had a few fun and rare features. Organic Grill has a 10 Minute Burger Challenge and also offers a Loyalty Program which includes discounts to customers who dine here often.

We found many of these restaurants on Instagram and although we had several of them saved in advance, sometimes we forgot and stumbled upon them when searching for something to eat in different parts of the city. These were our 5 favorite meals in New York and we would definitely dine at each location again. One of my favorite things about eating vegan food in New York is that many of the restaurants are allergy friendly which is important to Mario and I because he is gluten intolerant and I have a nut and seed allergy. Each restaurant was knowledgeable and accommodating with plenty of options for our palette and varying needs. If you end up eating at any of these restaurants, I would love to know your favorite plate!