The Best Vegan Food in New York City
I am beyond excited to share my list of the best vegan food in New York City after finally making a trip happen. I hadn’t been to NYC since I’ve been vegan, so a proper food tour of the city was very long overdue.
A couple of caveats: 1), I was sick my first few days and relegated to my hotel room, so the first handful of meals I had were delivered via Postmates; and 2), I was there for work and had to eat a handful of meals with colleagues or at the office, so I wasn’t able to hit quite as many spots as I would have liked. That said, I caught up on my hit list later in the week and think I did pretty well for myself.
All that’s to say, this list isn’t exhaustive, but it covers everything I ate and loved – plus a swath of establishments that I didn’t make it to, but are at the top of my list for next time.
Without further delay, let’s get into my list of the best vegan food in New York City: from bagels, to cinnamon rolls, to fine dining and fast casual, I’ve got you covered.
The Best Vegan Food in New York City: My Vetted and Approved Restaurants in Manhattan & Brooklyn
These are the best restaurants I personally dined at, all of which I would highly recommend to anyone visiting NYC.
Anixi (Chelsea)
I had heard fantastic things about Anixi over the years, so I quite literally power walked there as soon as my last work event wrapped up. And even though I arrived with very high expectations, as it was, Anixi and the lovely people that run this restaurant somehow managed to exceed them. I was lucky enough to meet the owner, Guy, who is the mastermind behind the restaurant group City Roots that operates some of the other top vegan restaurants in NYC: Beyond Sushi, Willow, Coletta, Sentir, Le Basque, and Reverie (more on these spots below). He shared that his wife, Tali (who is the marketing & creative director of City Roots) was the inspiration behind his plant-based culinary pursuits. Cute!
Ok, now back to the food. I have zero doubt that Anixi has some of the best vegan food in New York City – and in the world. You must, must, must order two things when dining at Anixi: 1) the khachapouri; it’s just this cheesy, eggy decadence encapsulated in a pillowy crust, I’ve never eaten anything like it; and 2), the Dubai chocolate cheesecake, which is a 1000/10 dessert. I also loved the crunchy cabbage salad, and became friends with a lovely Israeli woman seated next to me at the bar who let me sample one of her manti pockets, which was delicious (I shared my khachapouri and cheesecake in return, and she conferred with the two items being her favorites, as well).
Sentir (Flatiron)
Another gem from the City Roots team, Sentir is a fantastic Mexican restaurant that just happens to be vegan. I’ve had my fair share of excellent vegan Mexican food living in Southern California, but Sentir is easily in the top 5 now. You must order their sweet plantain croquettes as an appetizer; they were phenomenal. I also had the chorizo quesadilla, plancha caesar, and salsa verde enchiladas, all of which were delicious.
Chloe’s (West Village)
If I lived in NYC (or, if Chloe’s came to LA, *hint hint*) I would undoubtedly dine here once per week. It’s just so…me. It’s fully gluten-free and vegan menu is extremely healthy and made with super clean ingredients, but the food is also just so incredibly delicious. I had their butternut squash mac ‘n cheese and the quinoa taco salad with maple chipotle seitan, and both were outstanding and left me feeling ultra satisfied and nourished. I keep saying this, but they would do SO well in LA…I’m just going to keep speaking it into existence and hopefully manifest a Chloe’s coming here.
Sunday C&C (Bushwish, Brooklyn)
Boy, did I love this place. You step into Sunday C&C and are transported into 1970s Bushwick, with their retro-Colombian vibe that’s felt from the interior to the food, itself. The menu is pared down but excellent, which ample attention given toward each item and ingredient. I will be dreaming of their guava arepas until my return. Their coffee and granola bowl were also superb.
Garden Carver (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
I simply adore this cozy little vegan deli in Williamsburg, and it makes me long for the now-closed B&T’s Deli here in Santa Monica (RIP). Every town needs a vegan deli! But the breakfast sandwich on a fluffy croissant with vegan egg, sausage, and caramelized onions was phenomenal, as was the french toast muffin.
Tompkins Square Bagels (Union Square, 2nd Ave., East Village, Upper East Side)
Tompkins Square is an iconic bagel shop in NYC, and it has truly excellent tofu cream cheese (in a wide variety of flavors, I might add). I ordered the everything bagel toasted with chive tofu cream cheese and it really, really hit the spot. They also had a very good vegan chocolate chip cookie.
Jajaja Mexicana (West Village, Williamsburg)
Jajaja is a vegan Mexican restaurant with a handful of locations throughout the city. I ordered the chorizo burrito and it was very good. It’s a wet burrito which now I remember isn’t my preference, but it was still quite tasty, as were the churros I obviously had to order for dessert.
Bub’s Bakery (Bowery)
Bub’s is a fully allergen-free bakery (no eggs, dairy, nuts, gluten, or soy) with a very impressive menu. Everything is vegan: from a kouign aman, scones, custard crumble bun, egg & cheese biscuit, cupcakes, and beyond. I ordered the cinnamon roll and can confirm I ate the entire thing in one go. Pro tip: grab some pastries and enjoy them in Washington Square Park, which is just a few minute stroll away. Excellent people watching (mainly of college kids who left me longing for my youth).
The Best Vegan Food in New York City: My ‘Saved for Later’ Spots
I’m thinking of doing a spring 2027 trip…who’s with me?
Willow (Chelsea)
This is another one from the City Roots crew (in addition to Le Basque – upscale French/Spanish; Coletta – vegan Italian, and Beyond Sushi – their cult favorite sushi restaurant). They offer elevated American favorites, but plant-based.
Hangawi (Koreatown)
A fan favorite for Korean vegan food. It is also a unique experience in that patrons are asked to take off their shoes and sit on cushions at low tables. Korean veggies and tofu are the star of the show here, as well Mongolian hot pot, and bibimbap and pumpkin porridge.
Omakaseed (NoMad)
Omakaseed is a plant-based omakase at an eight-seat sushi bar, with a seasonal menu that features vegan nigiri and creative twists like watermelon “tuna.” Reserve ahead of time as they book up!
Tacombi (Greenwich Village, Midtown, FiDi, Flatiron, Forest Hills, Fort Greene, Nolita, Upper East Side, Upper West Side)
Tacombi isn’t a vegan restaurant, but they do have some great vegan options. The vegan burrito gets high praise, and the veggie tacos can be made vegan by skipping the cheese. They have a ton of locations throughout the city so they’re a great option for a fast casual spot when you’re on the go.
Soho Diner
Who doesn’t love a good diner? Soho Diner is more *elevated* than your average, though – and it’s in the beautiful Soho Grand Hotel. But they offer updated American classics, and I hear their vegan banana pancakes are fantastic.
The Oven’s Slice (East Village + Lower East Side)
New York-style pies and slices with vegan options, with locations on 1st Avenue in the East Village and on Orchard and Rivington on the Lower East Side.
Scarr’s Pizza (Lower East Side)
Often called one of the best slices in the city, with flour milled in-house. The vegan option is a big NY-style pie topped with Numu cheese, so you don’t have to skip the classic New York pizza experience.
Green Oven Pizza (Hell’s Kitchen)
A plant-based and gluten-free pizza spot on 9th Avenue, handy before or after a Broadway show.
NY Pizza Suprema (Midtown West)
A classic slice shop across from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden with several vegan pies, including a vegan Margherita, Grandma, and Alfredo. It’s a good option if you’re passing through on a train.
Unregular Pizza (Union Square)
Roman-style pizza with vegan mozzarella options, including a vegan Margherita and a roasted pepper and mushroom pie.
Artistic Pizza (Greenwich Village)
A Village pizzeria with an extensive plant-based menu, including vegan sausage, pepperoni, and buffalo chicken pies.
Double Zero Pizza (East Village)
All plant-based personal pizzas from a custom wood-burning oven. The margherita, artichoke pie with cashew cream, and the spicy arrabiata with shiitake bacon all get high praise.
Délice de Bernay (West Village)
So bummed I didn’t make it here! This is a plant-based French bakery from the team behind Délice & Sarrasin. Everything looks divine, from the croissants to the quiche.
Koke (Greenwich Village)
A plant-based, gluten-free bakery and café with Japanese treats: sesame lattes, strawberry matcha with sakura foam, mochi cookies, and a black sesame soft serve that looks SO good.
Long Count Wine Bar (East Village)
A wine bar with a great vegan menu, from the team behind Amor y Amargo, where every wine by the glass is at least 10 years old.
Dirt Candy (Lower East Side)
Chef Amanda Cohen’s vegetable-focused tasting-menu restaurant, where each dish is built around a single vegetable. This restaurant gets great reviews and I am sad to have missed their creative food!
Spring Cafe Aspen (West Village)
This is Sabrina Rudin’s restaurant that I was dying to try! It’s a plant-forward, all-day café that has soups, salads, and everything you need to nourish yourself from the inside out. They have a ton of vegan options.
The Best Vegan Food in Brooklyn That I Bookmarked
Slutty Vegan (Fort Greene)
The Atlanta-born vegan burger phenomenon, known for cheeky sandwich names and Impossible patties.
Seitan’s Helper (Brooklyn)
A woman-owned vegan deli making New York-style sandwiches with house-made seitan. People love the ‘Alyssa Milano,’ with vegan mortadella, pepperoni, salami, and smoked provolone on ciabatta.
Reverie (Williamsburg)
A fully plant-based dessert and cocktail bar from City Roots, with savory bites, creative cocktails, and weekend brunch.
Ital Kitchen (Crown Heights)
An entirely vegan Caribbean spot. The jerk “chicken” and chickpea curry are apparently the dishes to order.
Ras Plant-Based (Crown Heights)
Vegan Ethiopian food that’s made with love (it’s a family-owned restaurant). People recommend their shareable platters (the Mercato or Piassa), the mushroom tibs, and sambusas for snacking.
Did I miss any of the best vegan restaurants in New York City?
Suffice it to say, I have my work cut out for me on my next trip. But if I missed any between the restaurants I tried and the ‘saved for later spots,’ please drop me your recommendations in the comments section below!
I was so impressed with the restaurants that I did try, and I have to admit, I think NYC’s food scene is a bit better than LA’s. We just have some catching up to do, particularly with all the closures over the past few years. But we will make a comeback, I can fee it!
I have plenty of other city restaurant guides to check out if you haven’t yet, between LA, Amsterdam, Paris, London, Chicago, Sonoma County, Monterey Tulum, and Nosara.
