One of the greatest joys of New York City is exploring its vegan food scene. You could easily spend a week here and barely scratch the surface with everything from burgers and milkshakes to French macarons, Italian classics, Ethiopian cuisine, and beyond. But don’t be overwhelmed—we’re here to guide your picks to help you find the food experiences you’ll reminisce about for years to come.
New York restaurant guide
Don’t miss these next-level vegan restaurants on your next New York trip.
Spicy Moon
1
Spicy Moon
Spicy Moon made its NYC vegan scene debut in 2019, introducing diners to a menu centered on Szechuan Chinese cuisine, featuring dishes like málà-spiced dry pot, mapo tofu, dandan noodles, and wontons dressed in scarlet chili oil. Szechuan peppercorn—known for the “tingly, numbing” sensation it causes—stars prominently throughout the menu, along with plenty of other spicy, bold, sour, sweet, smoky, and umami flavors. Plus, it boasts four outposts—East Village, West Village, Chelsea, and Bowery, which is NYC’s largest-ever vegan restaurant.
FIND IT HERE
Coletta
2Coletta
A plant-based Italian restaurant that’s taken up roots in the city where Italian American cuisine was born, Coletta dishes out everything one could want, and does it well. It’s a true modern Italian-American menu, where the vodka sauce is velvety and the eggplant lasagna evokes dinner in Little Italy. Not missing are staple dishes like calamari (made with king oyster mushroom rings and served with lemon), pizza, garlic knots, and ravioli. Close out the meal with a coffee, a slice of tiramisu, and good conversation.
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Bunna Cafe
3Bunna Cafe
At Bunna Cafe, an intimate vegan Ethiopian hot spot in Brooklyn, the food is made for sharing. Order the beyaynetu, a traditional meal featuring a rainbow of plant-based dishes served atop injera (sour fermented flatbread made from teff), which is used to scoop up bites of impeccably spiced and ground chickpeas, lentils, collard greens, and beets. Each dish balances earthy, spicy, tart, and sour. Visit during the weekend at 5pm to catch the coffee ceremony, an integral part of Ethiopian social life.
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Confectionery!
4Confectionery!
The charming all-vegan sweets shop Confectionery! is nestled in a cozy space decorated with vintage-inspired floral wallpaper and hobnail glassware. A joint effort between vegan bakery Sweet Maresa’s and ethical chocolatier Lagusta’s Luscious, here you’ll find an array of colorful macarons, tempting baked goods, and chocolates, including gooey caramels, buttery cookies, and some stunning seasonal treats.
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Anixi
5 Anixi
You’ll find a few plant-based options at most Mediterranean restaurants, but at Anixi, everything from the shish kebabs to the grilled steak is vegan. Nestled in Chelsea, Anixi’s contemporary vegan approach shines in its mezze menu, featuring whipped almond and cashew ricotta and cured “salmon.” Beyond the appetizers are an abundance of classics like dolmas, lamb pockets, and gyro rolls.
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Kevin Pineda-Gould
6Jerrell’s Betr Brgr
In an age where vegan burgers have gone mainstream, Jerrell’s Betr Brgr is a total standout. The menu at this late-night Soho joint is expertly crafted—from its juicy, double-patty burgers to its nostalgic, golden waffle fries to the oat milk shake dolloped with whipped cream. Open until 12:30am on weekdays and until 3:30am on weekends, it’s the place to be when the midnight munchies hit.
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Délice & Sarrasin
7Délice & Sarrasin
French cuisine traditionally leans heavily into animal products, but at Délice & Sarrasin, the food doesn’t skimp on buttery sauces and tender, braised meats—they just do it 100 percent vegan. The intimate French bistro is a master of reimagining traditional dishes such as coq au vin, escargot, and foie gras. Save room for the orange-infused crème brûlée or venture out to this West Village establishment early on a weekend for crêpes and French toast.
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Le Petit Monstre
8Le Petit Monstre
Flaky pastries, croissants, danishes, and doughnuts galore pack the pastry case at Le Petit Monstre, a Brooklyn-based patisserie-slash-plant-shop. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, sandwiches and savory options, like breakfast burritos, are on regular rotation. Pair your order with a cup of coffee, then peruse the foliage section of the shop and maybe bring home a new green friend.
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Cadence
9 Cadence
Elevated soul food reigns supreme at this East Village hotspot. Named by The New York Times as one of the 50 best restaurants in the US, Cadence is truly worth all the accolades. Our can’t-miss orders include the lobster mushroom boil, buttermilk cornbread served with seasonal jams, and the green chili mac. And with options like banana pudding and the Cadence Cobbler, dessert shouldn’t be missed either.
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Willow
10 Willow
This cozy vegan bistro offers an innovative, plant-based twist on classic American food. Here you’ll find vegan steak filets and mash, yolky egg-topped vegan burgers, a deliciously meaty French Dip sandwich, a cheesy, warming French onion soup, and so much more. Don’t miss the incredible cocktails and the cast-iron cookie skillet with warm peanut butter sauce.
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Beyond Sushi
11 Beyond Sushi
There’s a reason this spot was noted #1 vegan sushi restaurant in the US in the VegNews Restaurant Awards. The innovative plant-based rolls are a can’t miss, but also explore the yolky egg-topped ramen, bao buns, Korean barbecue brisket, and pandan cake desserts.
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Jajaja
12 Jajaja
This Mexican-style vegan eatery is a trendy, popular spot for a reason. The towering bowl of guac-loaded nachos with chorizo and habanero queso are a popular order, but go for the birria tacos and wet chorizo burrito with Spanish rice and sour cream.
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Ladybird
13 Ladybird
This romantic and feminine wine bar and tapas spot is like stepping off the streets and into another world. The menu is truly fusion (think buffalo maitake bao buns, kimchi arancini, and matcha tres leches), and the low ABV, wine cocktails only add to the delicate aesthetic.
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Vegan On the Fly
14 Vegan On the Fly
For hearty, nourishing comfort food, Vegan On the Fly in Midtown is a must-visit. There, you can feast on everything from gyro sandwiches to loaded fries to meaty burgers and creamy mac and cheese bowls. Keep an eye out for its food truck, too, which regularly caters local events (and is available for private bookings).
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Le Basque
15 Le Basque
Got a date night coming up? Le Basque needs to be on your radar. This upscale restaurant in Union Square, which offers a fusion of Spanish and French cuisine, is all about modern plant-based sophistication. Start off with a platter of pâté before moving on to mains like port beef bourguignon, mushroom paella, and dijon salmon.
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Third Kingdom
16 Third Kingdom
Third Kingdom is committed to showing its diners exactly what mushrooms are capable of. Get ready to be impressed by its all-mushroom menu, which features mains like ramen with fried enoki, lion’s mane with dumplings, and maitake with celery root purée. Even the dessert option features candied shiitake.
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Ippudo V
17 Ippudo V
If you’re a fan of Ippudo, get ready to be impressed by its all-vegan outpost, Ippudo V, in Brooklyn. Take your pick from flavorful ramen, sushi rolls, and gyoza—or go ahead and try everything on the menu.
FIND it here
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Sarah McLaughlin (@sarahmclaughlin) is the New Products Editor at VegNews and is always on the search for the newest innovations in plant-based food.
Kat Smith is a Queens, NY-based freelance writer and editor who loves cooking and discovering local vegan hidden gems.
