Eating Vegan in the Big Apple

I recently went to New York City for a super quick trip that was extremely cold but really great. I ate so much amazing food that I thought I’d share the highlights here on the blog. I’ll be so bold to say that I think New York has some of the best vegan food I’ve ever tasted.

I have friends who plan trips to NYC solely for the vegan food – call it a vegan voyage, if you will. They visit places that vegans only dream about and then post their drool-worthy photos on Instagram to make the rest of us jealous…and hungry. Although this wasn’t that kind of trip for me and I wasn’t picking the restaurants most of the time, I still ate my weight in some pretty awesome vegan food.

Havana NY

When I asked the server at Havana NY if they have vegetarian/vegan options, he presented me with a completely separate vegetarian menu. Awesomesauce! I ordered the veggie paella, and it was so pretty that I had to risk embarrassing myself in front of someone I just met to take a photo. It was as delicious as it was beautiful.

Arte Cafe

At first I was a little concerned I’d be eating a simple salad at a wonderful Italian restaurant because when I asked the server what he’d recommend that’s vegan, he started talking about gluten-free options, which were essentially the salads. This is where the alarm bells sound off for me – do people really think vegan and gluten-free are the same thing?! When this happens (which is more frequent than one would think), I typically wind up going rouge ordering stuff off the menu with modifications to make it vegan. I got the mushroom fettuccine without the Parmesan – easy peasy – and it was so, incredibly good. Below is a photo of me and my cousins on our walk back from the restaurant, outside in the snowstorm!

OBAO

This order-at-the-counter restaurant offered an eggplant and tofu dish with imitation duck. I loved the eggplant and tofu, but I realized I’m not a fan of fake meats when they’re served at a restaurant that is not strictly vegetarian. I guess I’m a little weary that they’ll mix up the meat with the plant-based meat, just like Whole Foods did a few years ago. I would definitely go back there, but probably stick to the vegetable and tofu dishes.

Uptown Veg in Harlem

Man, oh man, do I wish I could’ve had a full meal here. I saw this place in between lunch and dinner and was too full to eat anything. I opted for the green juice but after looking at their vegan hot bar, I have to go back and try their food!

Mom’s

Vegan mac and cheese. Need I say more? OK, I’ll say a little more. I loved this place from the moment I walked in. They were having a RuPaul Drag Race viewing party and the server kept calling me queen. It was such a great, fun ambiance and the food was delish! Along with the vegan mac and cheese, I got the Korean cauliflower (amazing, should’ve gotten another order) and the roasted veggies, which were good but, sorry, it ain’t no vegan mac and cheese.

by Chloe

I am SO glad I had time to try out this all-vegan restaurant. I’ve heard lots about it but had never been. I went to the Rockefeller location and got the Sunrise breakfast burrito, which had scrambled tofu, spicy seitan chorizo, black bean salsa, avocado, tofu crema, all wrapped up in a whole wheat tortilla. The dish was so flavorful and delicious, and I loved the decor in the restaurant. I highly recommend this place for vegans and non-vegans alike.

Union Square

While in Union Square, I stumbled across this Farmer’s Market that had an all-vegan baked goods stand. I got the chocolate snow balls, which are essentially dates rolled in coconut. It sounds basic but it satisfied my sweet tooth while on the go.

Southern Spice

Last but certainly not least, I ventured over to Queens for Indian food. I was in food bliss before I realized I should take a picture, which is why the photo below is of half-eaten food! They have a whole vegan section on their menu which made it really easy to choose what I could eat. I sampled a little bit of everything that was vegan on the table and it was all amazing. Before leaving, I spoke to the owner and he was very friendly; he explained that each dish is made fresh. I would definitely give it 5 stars and recommend that anyone go there.