The Best Vegan Restaurants in New York City
Plant-based dining in New York has moved past the era of sad salads and dry veggie burgers.
New York used to be a tough town for anyone avoiding meat. Your options were usually limited to a side salad or a plate of fries while your friends ordered steaks. That era is completely over. The city is now crowded with chefs treating plants with the exact same respect usually reserved for expensive cuts of meat.
You can eat your way through a five course vegetable tasting menu, split a massive plate of Ethiopian lentils, or grab a sloppy, sauce covered vegan burger late at night. The kitchens doing this best are not just catering to dietary restrictions. They are cooking food that stands on its own, period. If you avoid animal products entirely or just want a break from heavy meals, these are the plant based dining rooms actually worth your time and money.
At a glance.
The Best Vegan Restaurants in New York City
Amanda Cohen changed the way New York eats vegetables. While the restaurant is technically vegetarian, the tasting menu is easily done fully vegan and remains one of the most inventive dining experiences in the city. You get five courses that treat produce with the kind of reverence usually reserved for expensive cuts of meat. It is a serious meal that never takes itself too seriously.
Go for: a celebratory dinner that proves vegetables do not need to imitate meat. Know before you go: reservations open 30 days in advance and book up fast.
This Szechuan spot delivers aggressive heat without a single animal product on the premises. The dry pot style vegetables and mapo tofu with Beyond meat are coated in chili oil that leaves a pleasant, numbing hum on your palate. It is a tight room with moody lighting that gets loud on weekends, making it an excellent stop before heading out into the East Village.
Go for: the vegetable wontons in chili oil. Know before you go: they also have locations in the West Village and on the Bowery.
There is a specific rhythm to dinner at this plant-based Ethiopian restaurant. You share a large metal tray lined with injera, using torn pieces of the sour, spongy bread to scoop up mounds of spicy red lentils, yellow split peas, and steamed collard greens. The communal format forces everyone to slow down and pay attention to the food.
Go for: the traditional beyaynetu platter to share. Know before you go: the restaurant hosts a traditional coffee ceremony on weekends at 5 PM.
Ravi DeRossi built a tiny, candlelit room on Avenue A dedicated entirely to ambitious plant-based cooking. The seasonal menu relies on global flavors and careful technique to create dishes like artichoke toast with truffled potato chips, or roasted carrots with cashew chermoula. It is romantic, quiet, and easily ranks among the best date night restaurants in New York.
Go for: an anniversary or a quiet date. Know before you go: the wine list focuses heavily on natural and organic bottles.
Romeo and Milka Regalli turned their family recipes into a modern Ethiopian menu that happens to be entirely vegan. The mushroom tibs and slow simmered lentil stews are packed with berbere spice and served in generous portions. The dining room is heavily frequented by locals on any given Tuesday.
Go for: the mushroom tibs and a cocktail. Know before you go: they recently opened a second location in the West Village.
Mexican street food gets a smart, plant-based translation here. The menu leans on ingredients like jackfruit, hearts of palm, and house-made seitan to replicate carnitas and chorizo across a lineup of tacos, burritos, and nachos. The drinks are just as considered, with a heavy rotation of mezcal and tequila options.
Go for: the loaded nachos supreme and a frozen margarita. Know before you go: they have multiple locations across the city, but the Lower East Side original sets the standard.
Traditional French cuisine is notoriously heavy on butter and cream, which makes this fully vegan brasserie a rare find. The kitchen veganizes classics like coq au vin and escargot with remarkable precision, using plant-based meats and cashew-based cheeses. The space is small, intimate, and feels very much like a neighborhood bistro in Paris.
Go for: the savory buckwheat crepes. Know before you go: the attached bakery opens early for vegan croissants and coffee.
Chef Guy Vaknin took Mediterranean food and removed all the animal products, resulting in a menu that spans Greece, Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon. You will find excellent hot and cold mezze, fire-baked pita, and skewers made from chunk steak alternatives. The dining room feels grand and expensive, making it an easy choice for a formal dinner before exploring the Chelsea art galleries.
Go for: the arak cured faux salmon and freshly baked breads. Know before you go: the entire menu is certified kosher.
Finding good vegan pizza and pasta in New York is no longer a challenge. Coletta handles Italian comfort food with a completely plant-based approach, turning out blistered brick oven pizzas and rich, cashew cream pastas. The space is casual enough for a weeknight dinner but nice enough to bring your parents.
Go for: the squid ink ravioli or the classic margherita pizza. Know before you go: like its sister restaurant Anixi, everything here is kosher.
This is a modern update to the classic New York deli, operating entirely without animal products. They build massive, messy sandwiches using house-made vegan meats and cheeses, alongside a market section stocked with hard to find plant-based snacks. It is primarily a takeout operation, perfect for grabbing lunch to eat on a nearby bench.
Go for: the Bowery breakfast sandwich and a swirl of vegan soft serve. Know before you go: the soft serve machine runs year round.
Pinky Cole brought her massively popular Atlanta burger chain to Fort Greene, and it immediately drew lines down the block. The menu is an exercise in excess, featuring plant-based patties loaded with vegan bacon, caramelized onions, and a signature sweet and tangy sauce. It is fast, loud, and extremely satisfying junk food.
Go for: the One Night Stand burger. Know before you go: they are open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
This neighborhood cafe has been quietly serving wholesome, reliable vegan food since 2009. The kitchen focuses on hearty salads, vegetable paninis, and international comfort dishes, but the real draw is the bakery case. Their cookies, cakes, and famous chickpea fries keep locals coming back multiple times a week.
Go for: the chickpea fries and a slice of strawberry shortcake. Know before you go: the downtown Union Square location closed in 2026, making this original outpost your only option.
Finding a good meal near Times Square is tough, but finding a fully vegan one feels like a small miracle. This airy, two-level restaurant serves upscale comfort food, from truffle mac and cheese to a very solid plant-based burger. They also donate all of their profits to sustainable charities, which makes paying the bill feel slightly better.
Go for: a reliable dinner before a Broadway show. Know before you go: the restaurant offers a great weekend brunch.
What started as a tiny takeout counter has grown into a reliable destination for plant-based Asian fusion. The kitchen rolls black rice around roasted vegetables, tofu, and fruit to create complex, highly seasoned sushi. They also offer excellent dumplings and ramen bowls for colder days.
Go for: the spicy mango roll and the shiitake truffle dumplings. Know before you go: they have another location on West 37th Street, and both are kosher certified.
This Black-owned spot pairs a heavy hip-hop soundtrack with a menu of indulgent Southern comfort food. The kitchen turns out plates of crispy seitan and waffles, mac and cheese, and heavily seasoned burgers. It is a casual, comfortable place where you can sit at the bar and watch a game while eating chili fries.
Go for: the chicken and waffles. Know before you go: the Astoria location closed in 2026, so head to Chelsea instead.
The Carabano brothers continue to fry up some of the best plant-based empanadas in the city, alongside loaded nachos and spicy seitan dishes. It operates out of the St Marks Comedy Club, creating a unique dining environment. It is exactly the kind of food you want to eat late at night.
Go for: the traditional Colombian empanadas. Know before you go: the kitchen serves food Wednesday through Saturday from 5 PM to 11 PM.
This long-standing vegetarian restaurant is a crucial stop if you are exploring Chinatown and miss the chaotic joy of dim sum. The menu relies heavily on soy and gluten to recreate traditional pork buns, shrimp dumplings, and spare ribs, almost all of which are entirely vegan. It is a massive, busy room where you can easily over-order and still pay very little.
Go for: the vegan roast pork and turnip cakes. Know before you go: the restaurant is certified kosher vegetarian.
Located deep in Queens, this Caribbean spot serves some of the most comforting plant-based food in the city. You grab a tray and point to what you want from the hot bar, which is usually loaded with jerk chicken alternatives, vegan mac and cheese, and stewed greens. The portions are huge, the prices are low, and it easily ranks among the best cheap eats in NYC.
Go for: the BBQ drumsticks and a fresh juice. Know before you go: almost everything is vegan, but a few items contain honey, so ask the staff.
Walking into this multi-level space feels like entering a traditional Korean tea house, complete with dark wood grating and a painted ceiling. The menu is a mix of Korean classics and Asian fusion, offering everything from sizzling stone bowls to vegan sushi. It is quiet, serene, and excellent for a low key dinner.
Go for: the spicy vegan duck salad and a pot of date tea. Know before you go: they offer a very reasonably priced lunch prix fixe during the week.
This addition to the Brooklyn scene brings a global, shared plate approach to plant-based dining. The kitchen pulls techniques from all over the world, serving complex vegetable dishes alongside a very serious cocktail program. The room is stylish and built for lingering, making it an easy recommendation before heading out to the best cocktail bars in New York City.
Go for: creative small plates and a craft cocktail. Know before you go: it is the only fully vegan, kosher certified restaurant in Williamsburg with a dedicated bar.
Brooks Headley moved his cult-favorite vegetarian operation to a larger diner space on Avenue A. While the namesake quinoa and chickpea burger gets the most attention, the menu shines brightest in its daily vegetable specials and house-made gelato. The room runs on walk-ins and moves fast, keeping the energy consistently high.
Go for: the Superiority Burger and whatever gelato flavor is on the board. Know before you go: the menu is primarily vegetarian, but heavily accommodates vegan diets.
Founders Janine Smalls-Gueye and Lanise Herman-Thomas bring serious plant-based comfort food to Harlem. The kitchen focuses on Caribbean and Southern flavors, executing dishes like vegan fried shrimp, mac and cheese, and loaded chili fries. It is a community-focused space that bridges the gap between traditional soul food and vegan dining.
Go for: the vegan fried shrimp and a side of mac and cheese. Know before you go: they regularly host community dine-in nights and events.
The Shout NY take
Use this list to navigate a city that has finally figured out how to cook vegetables properly. Pick a spot based on the neighborhood you are in, verify their hours before walking out the door, and do not be afraid to order heavily. Plant-based food in New York has never tasted better.
Shop the story.
- 01Amazon ↗
Dirt Candy: A Cookbook by Amanda Cohen
Chef Amanda Cohen's cookbook lets you recreate inventive vegetable dishes from one of NYC's top vegan-friendly spots.
- 02Amazon ↗
The Wicked Healthy Cookbook
Discover over 120 plant-based recipes that prove vegan food can be as bold and satisfying as any other cuisine.
- 03Amazon ↗
Lonely Planet New York City Guide
This essential guidebook helps you explore the diverse neighborhoods and culinary landscape of New York City.
- 04Amazon ↗
Teff Flour for Injera
Begin making your own traditional Ethiopian injera bread at home, a staple served at Bunna Cafe and Ras Plant Based.
Book the experience.
The bookable version of this guide, with times and prices on Expedia.
Questions, answered.
- What is the best vegan restaurant for a date in NYC?
- Avant Garden in the East Village is our top pick. It has a quiet, intimate atmosphere and a fantastic natural wine list.
- Are there good vegan options near Times Square?
- Yes. P.S. Kitchen on West 48th Street serves great plant-based comfort food and is perfectly located for a pre-theater dinner.
- Where can I find vegan pizza in New York?
- Coletta in Gramercy serves excellent brick oven vegan pizzas, and Urban Vegan Kitchen in Chelsea offers a great buffalo chicken style pizza.
- Is Dirt Candy fully vegan?
- Dirt Candy is a vegetarian restaurant, but their entire tasting menu can easily be made fully vegan upon request.
Next up
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