New York City
New York City offers a growing and impressive array of vegan dining options, proving that plant-based cuisine goes far beyond typical expectations. From upscale tasting menus to comforting soul food, the NYC vegan scene has something for everyone. Below is a curated list of some of the best vegan restaurants in New York City—no particular order—highlighting their unique offerings and standout dishes.
Jajaja Mexicana
- Location: Multiple Locations (Lower East Side, West Village, Williamsburg)
- Cuisine: Vegan Mexican
- Highlights: Birria chimichanga, crispy pescado tacos, huitlacoche empanadas.
- Unique Factor: Vibrant, colorful plant-based takes on Mexican street food classics.
Spicy Moon
- Location: East Village / West Village
- Cuisine: Vegan Sichuan Chinese
- Highlights: Dan dan noodles, mapo tofu, hot and sour soup, house-made chili oil.
- Unique Factor: Perfect blend of cozy atmosphere and spicy comfort food.
Planta Queen NoMad
- Location: NoMad
- Cuisine: Plant-Based Sushi and Asian Fusion
- Highlights: Torched and pressed avocado roll with miso truffle sauce, bang-bang broccoli, Japanese “steak,” and Singapore noodles.
- Unique Factor: Palatial setting with pescatarian flavor made entirely vegan.
Cadence
- Location: East Village
- Cuisine: Vegan Soul Food
- Highlights: Southern fried lasagna made with pine nut ricotta, vegan crab cakes made with hearts of palm, maple butter cornbread, and banana pudding.
- Unique Factor: Black-owned winery-sourced wine list.
Ladybird
- Location: East Village
- Cuisine: Vegan Tapas with Pan-Asian Flair
- Highlights: Banh-mi toast, kimchi mac and cheese, inari nest (sushi rice and marinated mushrooms in fried tofu skin), matcha tres leches cake.
- Unique Factor: Elegant shared small plates with a creative twist.
Superiority Burger
- Location: East Village
- Cuisine: Creative Vegan Burgers and Comfort Food
- Highlights: Signature veggie burger with confit tomatoes and muenster, “Sloppy Dave” (tofu-based Sloppy Joe), sweet-and-sour pink beets, griddled banana bread with coconut gelato.
- Unique Factor: Inventive alternatives in a diner-style setting.
Third Kingdom
- Location: East Village
- Cuisine: Mushroom-Focused Vegan Dishes
- Highlights: Black pearl oyster mushroom enchiladas, lion's mane dumplings, rosemary porcini ice cream with chocolate crumble.
- Unique Factor: Entirely mushroom-centric menu for fungi lovers.
Anixi
- Location: Chelsea
- Cuisine: Vegan Mediterranean
- Highlights: Fire-grilled vegan “steak,” kofta kabobs, three-dip mezze platter (pomegranate eggplant, squash, etc.).
- Unique Factor: Luxurious ambiance with Mediterranean-inspired dishes.
Eleven Madison Park
- Location: NoMad
- Cuisine: Gourmet Plant-Based Fine Dining
- Highlights: Hyper-seasonal tasting menus featuring dishes like grilled squash, artichoke-style sunflower, and morel butter shaped like mushrooms.
- Unique Factor: Formerly one of the best omnivorous restaurants in the world, now entirely plant-based.